Japanese on Mars **29.06.2017 Japanese legation wip**

[FramFramson]

For now, these are sized to run on your homebrew track, right Jim?

[OSHIROmodels]

Thanks gents 

For now, these are sized to run on your homebrew track, right Jim?

They are mate but if I make a kit version the wheels will be positionable to allow for any track size

cheers

James

[pocoloco]

They are mate when I make a kit version the wheels will be positionable to allow for any track size

cheers

James

I hear a train comin' 

So glad to hear this, the carriages look fab.

[OSHIROmodels]

Funny boy 

cheers

James

[FramFramson]

if I make a kit version the wheels will be positionable to allow for any track size

That is some sweet, sweet music to my ears Jim.

I've been eyeing S-Scale track for a long time (cheap, plentiful, and good-looking stuff can be found here: http://www.americanmodels.com/misc/track.html, designed to match old American Flyer trains) with no real idea what I might do for the train other than scratchbuilding/heavily converting American stuff. There's basically nothing European available in that scale except extremely pricey high-end kits by dedicated lunatics hobbyists.

What are you looking at scale-wise or just plan size-wise? Both S (what I'm planning on using) and On30 (what Michi and others use) are roughly 1:64, which we find is perfect for wargaming (I use a lot of 1:48 stuff, but trains in 1:48 are enormous on a table).

Exact scale won't be all that important if you're not specifically copying any particular cars and just going for a sort generic/composite look, so long as they have the right look and are close. I expect you might be using your previous stuff as a guide which ought to be fine, but it's hard to tell since those tramway cars you found might be smaller or larger (not sure what the Miniart set is scaled at)? It's also tempting to diddle the scale a bit if a few millimetres results in the interior space crossing a threshold that allows more bases, I guess.

[Thunderchicken]

Very, very nice indeed old chum 

[FramFramson]

Jim, I'm just jotting down a quick idea here for potential future use while I remember it.

If you're still on for doing railway stuff at some point down the line, imagine the fun potential of a 28mm handcar:

[OSHIROmodels]

Certainly does have potential mate, the only trick is making the gauge adjustable so it can fit a few different rails.

Doable, yes; practical, who knows 

Then there's an idea of making and supplying 28mm rails to go with it...

 

cheers

James

[Silent Invader]

Certainly does have potential mate, the only trick is making the gauge adjustable so it can fit a few different rails.

Doable, yes; practical, who knows 

Then there's an idea of making and supplying 28mm rails to go with it...

 

cheers

James

Hmmm, how many different guages?

The main 'platform' section could be in 3 parts to be glued together. A central section with all the 'workings' then a pair of wings with one to be fitted either side.  These 'wings' have snap-off sections (the etchings for the planks) with the wings made narrower for a narrower platform for a narrower guage.

[OSHIROmodels]

That's not a bad idea but thinking on it, supplying a standard rail section might be better. I don't know yet 

cheers

James

[FramFramson]

FYI Jim, most existing track is dirt cheap. For example, here's a site I was linked to on LAF already: http://www.americanmodels.com/misc/track.html and which is where I'm buying my track. HO or O scale is similarly inexpensive. No point in your adding a new scale of your own, really. The time you spend on that sort of thing would be more usefully spent elsewhere, though to be fair you do seem to be some sort of machine able to terraform a small planetoid in an afternoon.

I saw (and voted in) your poll and honestly, I think the best bet is to make a mostly universal size of carriage body matching or close to one of those sizes, but make the wheels and undercarriage such that they can be placed to fit various scales. The three most popular scales for 28mm wargamers seem to be S, On30, and "This box set I found in Poundland", and all three are very similar in size.

In this image, the red sections would have multiple position options. You could leave them free with just slide rails (which would give infinite options for gauge, but require finesse and care on the part of the end user), or pegs and fixed holes that would allow placement for several popular scales. The main issue would be variable axle length, so if you go for the latter option at least you will only have to offer axles that match the position options. Or the end user could trim wire rod themselves. Or you could have the wheels fixed in a way not requiring axles.



Here's a classic S vs On30 review, which lets you see how close they are in size and how well they fit 28mm minis: http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.ca/2013/04/s-scale-vs-on30-for-calamity.html

[OSHIROmodels]

Good points mate and all taken on board 

cheers

James

[FramFramson]

The one thing that would be tougher is locomotives (well and that handcar, haha), but I guess it's possible to work out some sort of solution. Also a locomotive is a much bigger, more complicated project and I'm not sure you're planning on anything like that anyway (in my case I can convert an existing toy loco pretty easily to get what I need).

[OSHIROmodels]

Some of the smaller Victorian locos would be a fairly easy build as a kit. The trick is getting the wheels (on locos and rolling stock) to be sturdy and yet positional, not insurmountable but needs some thought and practice 

cheers

James

[FramFramson]

The easiest way would probably try to find a loco that had been used on standard gauge but also modified and used on narrow gauge and see how it was built/rebuilt for both versions.