Model Trains / Transit Vehicles

[Ottergoose]

I'm interested in making models of the LRVs in use in the Twin Cities; anyone happen to have technical profile drawings of the LRVs with dimensions that I can use as reference so I can get the proper proportions? Perhaps there was a side drawing of one in a PDF presentation at some point?

This is floating around in a few places, but is too small in this resolution to be of much use.



There are a few decent drawings of S70's from other systems, but, the cabs are different - not sure about the windows/doors.

[Ottergoose]

Found this on a Metro Transit infographic, which might be of use assuming I can get a dimension off of the real thing to scale off of.

[Silophant]

I don't have a schematic, but I seem to recall from previous discussions here that the LRVs are 94' long. Squinting at that low-res image you found, it looks like it agrees.

[MSPtoMKE]

I have a few .pdfs saved showing revised livery designs that are vector based, so they are pretty detailed. They don't have dimensions, but it should be able to calculate if you know the length. The one I have for the Siemens LRVs is higher quality and has a front view. I also have a slightly higher quality version of the Bombardier schematic you posted. Let me know if you want me to send them to you.

Edit: You could probably get a sense of the layout from these, which maybe you found already. You'd have to make assumptions based on similar models from other cities.

[Ottergoose]

I have a few .pdfs saved showing revised livery designs that are vector based, so they are pretty detailed. They don't have dimensions, but it should be able to calculate if you know the length. The one I have for the Siemens LRVs is higher quality and has a front view. I also have a slightly higher quality version of the Bombardier schematic you posted. Let me know if you want me to send them to you.

I would love if you could send me those PDF's! nick at ottergoose.com is my email address, thanks!

I've got a good lead on the wheelbase dimensions, which hopefully will help confirm the dimensions, although the 94' length is a solid piece of information.

There's apparently a pretty big contingent of folks modeling transit in Europe and Japan (a very small sample of it is marketed to the US by Kato); unfortunately neither the Flexity Swifts or S70's are available in N scale, at least as far as I can tell.

Anyone else here into model railroading, transit or otherwise?

[mister.shoes]

Anyone else here into model railroading, transit or otherwise?

My father is huge into it, especially mid-century CB&Q. He's all N scale. I was pretty big into it as well (all my rolling stock is late 90s BNSFish), up until I graduated HS and went off to college and found myself 450 miles from his basement. As luck would have it, my folks moved to S MPLS this summer after retirement and one stipulation of their new house was a layout-ready basement. He's very excited to be starting from scratch—and I'd love to help. And now that I've got a son of my own, it'll be a real joy to teach him all about trains at Grandpa's house.

[Ottergoose]

Awesome! In the past I've been into trains much more via photography, but, with two kids, and a third on the way, enjoying them at home is a nice option. I've been kicking around the notion of doing some T-Track modules, haven't ever really dabbled with doing scenery and such before.

Kato's coming out with a custom-painted Northstar MP36 this fall; if you ever think you might want one, now would e the time to order, as I doubt we'll see them again in N scale.

[FISHMANPET]

Ah make it stop, I've got enough expensive hobbies already!
*closes the Kato browser tab*

[Ottergoose]

Ah make it stop, I've got enough expensive hobbies already!
*closes the Kato browser tab*

If trains aren't your thing, they've got buses too...



Some of the transit oriented layouts are pretty freaking cool... would be fun to attempt an accurate model on either St. Paul or Minneapolis.

[David Greene]

I have thought of re-starting my model RR hobby once Julian is old enough to help. It could be a great bonding experience or it could end in a disastrous feud.

I have a bunch of HO-scale stuff from when I was a young pup so obviously that's a place to start but what are the advantages of N-scale or HO-scale, beyond the obvious space savings?

Before that, though, we have to get the AMPICO in tip-top shape.

[Ottergoose]

I have a bunch of HO-scale stuff from when I was a young pup so obviously that's a place to start but what are the advantages of N-scale or HO-scale, beyond the obvious space savings?

The space savings are pretty amazing; N scale takes up roughly 1/4 the area as HO does. If you get into doing lots of scenery and so on, you can make landscapes that dwarf the trains more easily, and, it's also easier to run longer freight trains that look "real." A 40 car train in N scale is the same length as a 22 car train in HO.

That said, HO is pretty much the "standard" in the US; while there's a huge variety of equipment ready to run in N scale, there's a lot more in HO. Not sure if that carries over to the transit-oriented stuff (that's more popular in Japan, where N scale is dominant).

[mister.shoes]

I've never understood the fascination with HO scale. I'm sure it's simply because I grew up with a house full of N scale, but HO is just so HUGE. We had enough trouble fitting curves and grades and scenery into our layout room at 1:160. I can't imagine trying to do so at 1:87. Granted, there is a lot more equipment in HO and the details are far nicer at the larger scale, but as Ottergoose says, the space savings alone make N scale far more interesting.

As mentioned above, I drifted away from model railroading when I went away to college (not mentioned above: in 1999). So I have been out of the loop for 15 (wow, that long?) years now, but at the time I distinctly recall the quality and quantity of N scale rolling stock getting measurably better. I've been to Hub Hobby in Richfield and Scale Model Supplies in St. Paul (note: amazing store and right on the Green Line) a handful of times over the years and those visits seem to reinforce my statement above: the N scale stuff these days is really good. Details are finer, selection is wider, etc. Micro-Trains, Kato, Athearn, Atlas... they're all upping their game and the results are fantastic. N scale will always have oversized rails and couplers, but a skilled modeler can minimize those issues and take advantage of all the additional space to do some amazing things.

Man, this thread is making me excited to get back into model railroading with my dad.

[illman00]

They have the Northstar Locomotive:
http://www.katousa.com/Zcart/images/176-6126-KB4.jpg

and other places have the northstar rolling stock:
http://www.wig-wag-trains.com/Athearn-P ... ar-Pic.JPG