Model Railway .stl file resources?

[Overexposed]

Hi all,

 

I've been 3d printing for a couple of years and am just now beginning my return to the model railway world after c. 30 years away.

 

I am familiar with Fusion 360 and fully intend to eventually start creating my own designs as I build out my first new layout since my early teens, but in the meantime are there any good resources for model rail .stl files to get me started?

 

I'm familiar with thingiverse, printables etc, and today discovered trackside3d, but wondered if there are any other good sites, particularly for British-pattern scenery and architectural models.  I'm not averse to paying for .stl files, but definitely want .stl rather than manufactured items as I'm going to be working in 1:120 scale.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Overexposed

[woko]

This is a good question, because right now the model railway world is pretty under represented when it comes to buying Stl’s for 3d printing! I am personally toying with the idea of uploading all my stl’s so folks can purchase at very reasonably low prices! But am unsure which site to upload to as most sites seem to cater for wargaming and miniatures as opposed to model railways sadly! 

 

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

Maybe rmweb, being a model railway site, could host a .stl/obj  depository focussing on railway related items.

 

Thinking for an extra 2 seconds before posting the above, that would probably be ok for free stuff but not sure how the pay side of things would work, unless maybe the file listed on rmweb was a link to the sketchfab/thingiverse  purchaseable version or something..

Edited February 5, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Pete the Elaner]

31 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Maybe rmweb, being a model railway site, could host a .stl/obj  depository focussing on railway related items.

 

 

I am sure it would technically be possible, but it would need some sort of administration.

I often get frustrated at meetings when somebody comes up with a "great idea" & expects somebody else to do it.

If the forum admins want to provide such a resource then great. I will not ask that they do it though.

[AY Mod]

If you are a Gold or Premium member you could list projects in the Classifieds and send any files upon receipt of payment from a buyer. If there's interest I could look at expanding the app to form a personal store.

[melmerby]

27 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

If you are a Gold or Premium member you could list projects in the Classifieds and send any files upon receipt of payment from a buyer. If there's interest I could look at expanding the app to form a personal store.

If anyone had free ones they wished to share they could be appended to a post in the same way as several other file formats.

You just need a topic heading to suit.

(N.B. 3D printing isn't my forte, so just thinking aloud)

 

[Overexposed]

On 05/02/2023 at 00:51, woko said:

This is a good question, because right now the model railway world is pretty under represented when it comes to buying Stl’s for 3d printing! I am personally toying with the idea of uploading all my stl’s so folks can purchase at very reasonably low prices! But am unsure which site to upload to as most sites seem to cater for wargaming and miniatures as opposed to model railways sadly! 

 

 

 

Cults3D looks like a pretty good home for both paid and free .stls from a user perspective (searching for “OO gauge” reveals far more than, say, “model rail”), although I’ve only ever personally shared items for free to Thingiverse or Printables.

I agree there aren’t many model rail-specific items to see at present but if you build it (perhaps) they will come?!

Edited February 9, 2023 by Overexposed

[cctransuk]

4 minutes ago, Overexposed said:

Cults3D looks like a pretty good home for both paid and free .stls from a user perspective (searching for “OO gauge” reveals far more than, say, “model rail”), although I’ve only ever personally shared items for free to Thingiverse or Printables.

I agree there aren’t many model rail-specific items to see at present but if you build it (perhaps) they will come?!

 

No personal experience - but Thingiverse is used by a very skilled designer of my acquaintance, who  kindly supplies prints to this technology-challenged geriatric!

 

CJI.

[woko]

Just now, Overexposed said:

Cults3D looks like a pretty good home for both paid and free .stls from a user perspective (searching for “OO gauge” reveals far more than, say, “model rail”), although I’ve only ever personally shared items for free to Thingiverse or Printables.

I agree there aren’t many model rail-specific items to see at present but if you build it (perhaps) they will come?!

 

I checked out Cult3d and i think it again a real mismatch of quality with not a huge lot to choose from, I wonder if the reason why there isn't much in terms of STL's or even Model railway stuff to buy already printed is because there isn't quite yet the market for the model railway industry in the UK? Miniatures on the other hand are supremely popular and are very well catered for.

 

As you say perhaps a dedicated site for selling model railways stl's might be a cracking idea. Not necessarily just British model railways but worldwide could be a very good idea! One that would allow external printing partners to license stl's to print and sell to those who don't have the 3d printing facilities but would still want to get a print of any of the items offered on the site.

 

 

[MJI]

chap called Iron Mink on Thingiverse has some good models, do need detailing but are a good base for models.

 

Mine are not the best of prints (getting used to the printer) but perfectly usable after some fettling, been painted since and just need some specific transfers.

 

My own designs are gas cabinets and battery boxes, working on vac tanks.

[njee20]

Wasn’t Din (IIRC) of this parish meant to be doing something like this? 

You’ll never solve for quality (which is subjective anyway), so any of the current repositories should work fine, it’s just about the indexing and being able to actually find items among the millions of minis, bits of hardware etc. I’m not sure that a new site would necessarily have the edge here anyway.

[Charlie]

On 10/02/2023 at 08:05, njee20 said:

Wasn’t Din (IIRC) of this parish meant to be doing something like this? 

You’ll never solve for quality (which is subjective anyway), so any of the current repositories should work fine, it’s just about the indexing and being able to actually find items among the millions of minis, bits of hardware etc. I’m not sure that a new site would necessarily have the edge here anyway.

 

He was, but looking at the thread it would appear ill health has, understandably, put this on something of a back burner.

[Carlislecitadel2]

I have used cults3d extensively for downloading .stls. It’s a huge site catering to evything and it seems to pick up files from Thingiverse as well. I have downloaded lots of military files and some jeeps both free and paid for .stls. I have had zero problems using it. I see no reason why it would not work for railway items. It’s easy enough to search for railway items at present on it. I have downloaded some containers from it, some bridges and viaducts,. There are station buildings, blocks of flats, etc., up there too. It is up to the dinner if they want to charge for their files. I have seen some designs for a Dodge weapons carrier up there for free and others cost £20. Equally there are loads of crates and barrels etc up there which are useful for wagon loads. Again some are free others are not. I have downloaded some stuff for free and have paid for a few items. The downloads are always done in a few minutes.

 

Jonny Duffett (Ironmink designs) on Thingiverse has an amazing collection of wagons which he has kindly made available for free. I have downloaded all of them anD printed quite a few. His designs keep getting better and CCTrans has provided decals for some of them.

Sascha Freudenberg (Slanjanok) on Thingiverse has also made his files available for free. These are mainly containers and old vehicles such as Thornycroft lorries but they are great. You can see some of my prints of his containers on the LNER info forum. 

I have only just started in Fusion 360 and have put up some vents for the likes of LMS banana vans, etc for free on Thingiverse.

The Gauge 1. guild has an active community some of whom have shared files via their website.

 

Sithlord of this parish tried to start a file exchange a few years back and was kind enough to share some files with me  over the last few months. Both Kevin and Sascha are 2mm modellers but I have found no issues in scaling up to 4mm. Sascha’s recent LMS and LNER B type steel containers look great, as does the 1936 LMS plywood design he drew this week. The beauty of 3D printing is the ability to rescale to suit.  I would love to see a site where railway modellers can share files for free, or charge if they do wish, but Thingiverse, ults3d and Printsbles - where Slanjanok also uploads his designs, are dead on for using anyway. Just google lner steel container .stl and you will find the Printsbles and Thingiverse pages where these are.

 

stephen

[rue_d_etropal]

I posted a while back that I was considering offering my collection of designs to a group , for what I consider a reasonable price. 

There is definitely a market for model railway designs. I have been involved in the design side for about 10 years, and am looking to retire properly. 

I agree with the sentiment that someone comes up with a god idea, but then expects someone else to set it up and run it. A bit like those who grumble about fewer model railway shops, but could get together with others and actually set one up themselves(co-op?). 

I have enough designs in many different scales which could set up a group nicely. My worry is that nothing wil happen and eventually my designs are lost, which is another reason I am looking for a group to take them on. Given that many r2r oo and n gauge locos have broken the £200 mark, then 1000 modellers putting the equivalent of half that in the kitty, would be enough. Only thing then would be finding someone to organise it.

[chris p bacon]

3 hours ago, rue_d_etropal said:

Given that many r2r oo and n gauge locos have broken the £200 mark, then 1000 modellers putting the equivalent of half that in the kitty, would be enough. Only thing then would be finding someone to organise it.

 

Without appearing to be rude, I suspect your maths is not correct. Or do you actually believe the designs you currently have on Shapeways etc are worth £10,000 ?  (Half the £200 for a RTR loco=£100 x 1000 modellers)

[rue_d_etropal]

100 x1000 = 100,000 not 10,000

And given how many designs I have and how many people are actually ordering models then I do believe I am correct on valuation. In fact probably undervalued. That sort of money would only fill a small sized model railway  shop, and I know having run a model railway shop a few year ago.

[chris p bacon]

I realised that 100 x 1000 = 100,000 but didn’t think you seriously thought they were worth that, hence my 10,000 figure which I thought might be nearer. 

the reality is you’re seriously deluded if you think that the CAD’s you have produced are worth 6 figures.  They are at best a ‘representation’ 

 

Re stocking a model shop. that would also include track, buildings, tools, scenery, glues, plastic/card as well as locomotives, coaches and wagons both rtr and kits across several scales and eras. So not something to base a figure on. 

[woko]

8 hours ago, rue_d_etropal said:

100 x1000 = 100,000 not 10,000

And given how many designs I have and how many people are actually ordering models then I do believe I am correct on valuation. In fact probably undervalued. That sort of money would only fill a small sized model railway  shop, and I know having run a model railway shop a few year ago.

 

Wow this is an indeed an impressive number of models you have designed, have you any pictures of the final printed models, would be fantastic to see these?

 

Cheers

Rob

[cctransuk]

On 09/02/2023 at 11:51, MJI said:

chap called Iron Mink on Thingiverse has some good models, do need detailing but are a good base for models.

 

Mine are not the best of prints (getting used to the printer) but perfectly usable after some fettling, been painted since and just need some specific transfers.

 

My own designs are gas cabinets and battery boxes, working on vac tanks.

 

The 'Iron Mink' designs are capable of being printed and used without 'fettling' or detailing - I have a number of them, and can supply transfers for many of them.

 

John Isherwood,

Cambridge Custom Transfers.

[cctransuk]

21 hours ago, rue_d_etropal said:

100 x1000 = 100,000 not 10,000

And given how many designs I have and how many people are actually ordering models then I do believe I am correct on valuation. In fact probably undervalued. That sort of money would only fill a small sized model railway  shop, and I know having run a model railway shop a few year ago.

 

Sorry - with the greatest of respect - you are deluding yourself.

 

A model shop contains physical items that you can pay for and take away - your designs are intellectual property, that requires technology to convert into physical models.

 

You do not have the facility to convert your designs into physical models for sale - a third party does this.

 

You do not own, and cannot sell, the equivalent of a model shop.

 

CJI.

[rue_d_etropal]

The original question here concerned sourcing STL files. Some good idea, most have been heard before. 

Question is how much are people prepared to pay for an STL file? 

Obviously that depends on what it is, but they'd start with a coach body. How much would you pay?

 

[chris p bacon]

3 hours ago, rue_d_etropal said:

 

Question is how much are people prepared to pay for an STL file? 

………..How much would you pay?

 

Nothing. There’s no guarantee it will print well and you can’t split the component parts, if you could you’d be drawing your own anyway. 

[jaym481]

As a reference point Isinglass coach kits, body only are £38.50. That's a kit that has been 3d drawn based on the Isinglass drawings, repeatedly printed and tested, sold as a kit. I can attest that the kits are excellent, especially when you can pay for the bogies, frame and interior detail which are also test printed and fitted. That brings the kit to £63, and includes an A4 sheet with the original drawings (not to scale, but for slightly more a scale drawing can be included.) Kits are print to order in resin. So the question is, would you buy an FDM-printed coach body from Shapeways, that hasn't been test printed to see what sort of underframe will fit it, or any other issues that might arise, would you pay £100 for such a thing (plus Shapeways postage and customs if applicable)?

 

The thing about .stls as a, effectively, NFT, is that they are likely to be purchased by either a hobbyist, who will print or have printed a couple for his own use, and maybe a couple for friends, or a serious vendor who wishes to start a business selling them a-la Isinglass. In either case, if there's no scope to make adjustments or improvements for the purpose of model railways, and the drawings haven't been test printed to assess practical usability, the value of that .stl is not going to be high, regardless of the number of hours the draughtsman put into it.

 

I've suggested the Kickstarter type model before - if you have a minimum price in mind and the crowdfund doesn't meet it, you don't lose anything, but it'll give you a strong idea of what people are willing to pay for what is, effectively, a license to your work.

[nick_bastable]

I might pay upto £10  for a stl for personal use and accept it will not print correctly  same lottery you play with shapeways who I suspect I will never use again regardless of the offerings due to pp prints

Edited March 14, 2023 by nick_bastable

[njee20]

It’s an interesting question, and I suspect the audience here are not the ones to answer, as it feels like most can design themselves. 
 

Like Nick I would perhaps pay £10 for an STL, but little more.

 

FWIW I’ve been asked many times whether I’ll sell STLs and I don’t, I have a couple I’m happy to give away (where manufacturers have duplicated with RTR, so the inherent value is much reduced), but they’re still designed around my bogies, specific wheelsets, need decals etc. I offer the body STL for free and I’ll provide all the other bits for  something like £15/wagon. I have sent the body STLs to a few people, only one has followed up to buy the other bits, so either they’ve not had a satisfactory print on the body, haven’t got around to it, or don’t find that an effective model.