regme

Thanks for the replies, this is the first time I have drawn the layout to scale, so I could take into account the infrastructure and where the batters would extend (the geotech came back with rock so the batters will be 1V:0.5H as opposed to 1V:2H). I didn't realise how much space the dumper was taking up, I could probably loose some or re-arrange the outer buildings to gain more space. The top of the room actually opens up into another room so going around the walls is out, you have to walk past to get to the front door. Had not thought about about the backscene/ model transition, maybe I could have a mountain range as the backscene with a very big rail cutting. I've been looking at the previous thread and layouts, on the left is a shelf unit with all my modelling stuff, I could move it but not sure where to put it. That would make it easier, the other solution would be incorporate part of the layout through the shelf (my kid's suggestion) rather than having a dog leg there. From an operation point of view is there anything that really stands out that could be an issue. More soul searching required. Cheers

Hi Turns out my layout does not fit my expectations, so it's coming down. The main thing is to make it modular so it can be moved and the space I have. So the layout has an outside loop, so the trains can run continuously but also branch off for the dumper and loader. However I would also like to be able to have some shunting happening so your not just watching trains go round. The ultimate goal would be to have the dumper and loading working. I have come up with the layout below and hit a few snags, the first I do not have 1.8m long arm span, so the corner is an issue. The second is most modules seem to be 1.2m x 0.6m wide, all though I could go for a 1.2mx1.2m module not sure if there would be any issues with going that way. I'm not fixed to this layout, so any changes would be welcomed, even thought about running track under the dumper and loader and have the trains just come out at certain locations, could be messy. Cheers

When I was looking at modules I came a cross a standard that allowed different modules to be joined together that have been built by different modellers. Maybe by check this out, I'm not sure if it was the same thing I came across but it may help https://www.nmra.org/introduction-layout-modules

Hi I want to use Peco concrete sleepers (Code 100) for my layout, however the choice for turnouts is very limited (just a medium radius). Has anyone just gotten the wooden sleepers and painted them to look like concrete sleeper. I have seen a few youtube clips for painting track, apart from the profile between the two, is this noticeable, yes it's my layout, but I'm not how much this would bother me in the long run. Cheers

Impressive, did you resin print the rotating drum, I'm looking at a similar dumper but 2022 version and I was wondering about how to fit the teeth on the drum to the teeth on the motor

Not reaaly, I has having trouble joining the solids in AutoCAD so was looking for an alternative. I'm using 2011, thanks for joining it together I'll have a look at it tonight. Cheers

Thanks, I gave that a go. Still no joy. Even when I create just a box from scatch and used the check option it didn't confirm that the solid was ok. I have attached the file, if anyone wants to have ago. Chute-03.dwg

I'm not sure what you mean by "visible bodies". MikeTrice - The orginal model is created in AutoCAD, but I'm having trouble joining 3Dsolids parts into one part so I can export it out as an STL to bring into Chitubox. I thought I could bring it into Blender to join all the parts together, but from what you have said as long as I can bring in the parts I can export it out. Which would be great. I might try to bring in the parts one by one and see what happens, hopefully blender works in a co-ordinate system so the parts will join up.

I'm using Chitubox, yeah I'm not sure. What I've found is if it is not one complete solid, then not all the parts get exported out. Worst of all its random which parts are exported out. Even tried putting all the parts onto the same layer with no luck. Makes it frustrating

thanks I'll check those out

Hi Nice build, just an off subjuct question what did you use to join the base boards together? Cheers

Wow, I'd realise you had to go to 6 significant figures on the calculations.

Well finally got the vacuum pump and did that make a difference. Thanks for all the help and insight into casting, just have to work on the moulds and things should start to work out. Cheers

Hi I'm trying to model this part and usually I would just do it in AutoCAD but some reason I can not join all the solids into one part before creating an STL that I can slice. So I thought Blender might be the go. I have not used this program before and going from the comments it seems like it might be the way to go. My only two options for importing in Blender are STL and FBX, The model is on different layers, also it's in real world dimensions (I usually scale down before I export out). My questions are When I import the FBX it says that version 7000 is unsupported and use 7100 not use if that is something I can change After I have imported the STL I can not see it. Is there are zoom extents? How do you create a solid object so I can export a new STL file? Or is this more complicated than I think and need to change the way I model in Blender Cheers

Wow, that's pretty good, might even be able to open up some of the radii that I'm using.

I hear what your saying and I'm open to any ideas, since someone may come from a different diection that you have not thought about. When you stare at something long enough you just don't see the obvious sometimes. Anyway, I have had another go and adding bit extra than just a loop. I'm not liking how to join the two loops so you can enter and leave each loop. Got out the lego bricks and tried a few different grades and loco and with a SD30 and 5 wagons on a 430mm radius 3% seams ok not very prototypical but a fall back position if things get tight. Still need to take into account the transitions on the curves and how things will fit together.

The module idea may be the go. I'll have another go and see what turns out. My current layout is a dogbone shape with 1.2x1.2 m ends with a 600mm wide centre piece joining the two and so far reach hasn't been a problem, but I'll keep that in mind.

So the total length of dumper includes the indexer and switchrooms, the smaller rectangle is if I remove the switchrooms and just leave the indexer. The dumper does two wagons at a time, so I could change it to one wagon which would reduce the indexer and building. Running the wagons in pairs would allow me to have a rotating bar rather than a coupler. There was a guy in the US that did rotating couplers but not anymore. I've worked the grades at 3%, but I'll test that with the locos since I'll be running them in pairs. Yes, I did think about my arm length and thought if I didn't have any points in those locations shouldn't have any issues, famous last words. I thought about a two shelf layout with the dumper on one and the loader on the other, but the helix would have to bigger than the space I have. If the dumper was above the loader then I would a closed system for the ore, then I would need at least 500 to 600 between the shelves. I also figured out that I will need at least 27m of track to run a rake of 200 wagons (maybe not on this layout). If I just ran 10 wagons I'm up to 1.4m not including the locos. It doesn't really lend it's self to a point to point layout. I need a bigger house.

Hi The space I have is 4.0m x 3.0m, however I need to keep with 1.2m on the walls, it's HO, Australian, iron ore. The cyan rectangles represents the footprint that each structure will take up, it allows for 50mm around each one. At the moment is just a loop, but I would like to be able to sort wagons off the main loop while the trains go around. I have re-drawn it, to make more sense, the previous was a bit confusing. The more I look at it, the worse is gets, considering I still need to get the scenery to work also. Just not enough space.

Well it's time to change the layout, after researching car dumpers and ore loaders my orginal layout is not big enough to accommodate both on the same layout. So I have come up with this, however I was hoping to make more interseting from an operations point of view. So idealy, I would like to make it modular but using 1200x600 insulation foam. I'm looking at trying to reduce the footprint of the car dumper to give me more space. But at the moment I just can't see it. I have looked at making it a T shaped layout with a background to seperate the two, but it just looked wrong, from above anyway. Any thoughts would be great. Cheers

So after a few more failed castings, I went to see a mate who had a vacuum chamber and did that make a difference, so I'm looking into getting one myself. After a quick look on ebay I found these are there any thoughts. I know you get what you pay for, I'm more interested in the specs they are providing, will this be enough to degass the resin and silicone moulds. Vaccum Pump and Chamber

Thanks, I've looked into nano servos, which are about 18.6x15.5x7.6mm, not sure about the how to attach the nano servo as this chute is about 2.4m wide (27.6mm in HO), so even the nano servo's are big compared to the chute and if it was attached to the clam door then the servo would also have to rotate out of the way. However running the brass tube though a styrene sleeve may be the go.

From the net I have come across this as a possibility. This chute rotates about two points, one to move the chute out of the way so the loco can pass and the other to open the clam chute. I've seen a working models which just use a slide to control the flow of ore. I have come across ways of creating a hydraulic cylinder but the scale is too small to make it practical I think. I could use a servo to rotate the chute, however I'm not sure how to open the clam chute since that would need a servo connected to the entire chute. I thought about having a gear on the rotation point of the clam chute that would mesh against a gear with a motor to the side to open and close it. Any ideas would be welcomed. Cheers

When using the evergreen tubing (telscoping) will it rotate within it's self?

thanks