My New Alco C-855

[Mark5]

Love the chassis mod 

[BCR 570]

I was watching a TV show on 3D printing and they were showing how they now were printing plastic and metal at the same time. In the example they were printing a plastic drone but with the electrical 'wiring' inside the plastic. In the end, they snapped in the motors and controller circuit board and flew the thing just off the printer. They were also implying that in the future we will all have 3D printers at home and you just buy the plan off the internet and print it out...no shipping, no delay (other than the printing time). How cool would that be with being able to just print the engine and snap the motor and DCC into it then start running...after paint of course, but then again, it IS a printer. Just have the road name printed on like MT does for some of their cars now.

So how futuristic or implausible do those Star Trek replicators look now . . .

Instead of saying "Computer:  Tea, Earl Grey, hot" we will be able to say:  "Computer:  K4 Pacific, Pennsylvania Railroad, N Scale".

Tim

[C855B]

FWIW I ordered a pair of A's and three chassis conversions last night. Delivery is scheduled in two weeks. That should be enough time to find or make a clear spot on the workbench.

One thing on my project list is proper pilots. The U50 pilots are reasonable stand-ins, but I tend to notice such things and the 855 pilots should be simple fabrications with styrene. I still have the DD35 shells in the queue because their pilot conversions are more complex and need a bit of CAD time for correct Shapeways renditions.

[SP-Wolf]

FWIW I ordered a pair of A's and three chassis conversions last night. Delivery is scheduled in two weeks. That should be enough time to find or make a clear spot on the workbench.

One thing on my project list is proper pilots. The U50 pilots are reasonable stand-ins, but I tend to notice such things and the 855 pilots should be simple fabrications with styrene. I still have the DD35 shells in the queue because their pilot conversions are more complex and need a bit of CAD time for correct Shapeways renditions.

First - your C-855 is amazing. Looking forward to the finished model.

Second - a question on pilots. Would it be possible for you to design and produce a body mount pilot (With steps) for the current version of the Bachmann DDA40X - ?

Thanks,
Wolf

[peteski]

So how futuristic or implausible do those Star Trek replicators look now . . .

Instead of saying "Computer:  Tea, Earl Grey, hot" we will be able to say:  "Computer:  K4 Pacific, Pennsylvania Railroad, N Scale".

Tim

That would work nicely. Except the model would be an exact replica of the K4 but 160 times smaller than the real locomotive. So you would need scaled down water and coal to actually have it run. You would have to stoke the microscopic coal into the tiny firebox and find a way to operate all the controls (with a tiny pair of tweezers maybe)?
 

[Jamesn320]

One thing on my project list is proper pilots. The U50 pilots are reasonable stand-ins, but I tend to notice such things and the 855 pilots should be simple fabrications with styrene. I still have the DD35 shells in the queue because their pilot conversions are more complex and need a bit of CAD time for correct Shapeways renditions.

Hi Mike,

I can look into it but the C-855 pilots are a bit plain.  On the brass etch for the C-855 I have included some MU hoses which should make the re-used U50 ones a bit better   At least they are supposed to be on the trucks this time unlike the DD35, and regarding that have a look at tonight post on my blog. (When I post it that is, it will be a few hours yet).

-James

[Jamesn320]

a question on pilots. Would it be possible for you to design and produce a body mount pilot (With steps) for the current version of the Bachmann DDA40X - ?

Thanks,
Wolf

Hi Wolf,

I think so! As I just said to Mike above, once I get it written, see tonight post on my blog.

-James

[SP-Wolf]

Hi Wolf,

I think so! As I just said to Mike above, once I get it written, see tonight post on my blog.

-James

Howdy James,

That would be awesome.

Thanks again,
Wolf

[Jamesn320]

And here is the missing part!  The C-855B!



The C-855B shell is now available on Shapeways is anybody wants one to go with there C-855.



The chassis are all the same, from a Con-Cor Turbine/U50.  The dummy chassis will be coming out a bit later.



The brass Additions for the C-855B are just about finished as well so drop be a message if you need some so I know how many to order!

-James