Any Train Simulator/model railroading geeks here?

[ThatGuyWithALongUsername]

Not sure why I have't posted here. Used to do train simulation all them time. Railfanning (basically U.S. English "trainspotting") too. I'll probably come back to it at some point.

I do have a YouTube channel on this stuff though: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_WpWDsSX_y1eHSpE9VMsQ?

(Honestly it just serves to practice video editing and apparently graphic design most of the time- I don't interact with the community much. I am STILL happy with that logo though, it's kind of a shame I've only used it on 2 videos. Just don't have enough time or interest to film or edit more things.)

[UnionPacific1983WP]

I have 348 hours in TS2020 and... probably 1000+ hours in Trainz Simulator 12 (the disc version doesn't have a counter for this)... so yeah, I think you could call me a fan of train simulators.

On the model railroading front, I also have a ScaleTrains UP ET44AH, Athearn Blue Box CNW C44-9W and NS GP50, and dozens of others, but those are the pride of the fleet, despite having nowhere to run them.

On a side note, I've also had a YouTube channel devoted to railfanning for five years now. Won't post it here for risk of it being considered advertising, but point is, yeah you could say I'm enthusiastic about trains.
Then again, one only has to look at my name to know that

[έķ νίĻĻάίή]

On 1/25/2018 at 8:58 AM, Lo Var Lachland said:

I like trains.

FEEEEEEWWWWW

Spoiler

Anyone get that? No? Am I the only one that knows the I like trains joke? No one? Ok...

 

Seriously though. I like model trains though. Can’t afford to get real models, so I do papercraft. As in 3D paper models that you print out, cut out then glue together. Useless but fun.

[Matt77]

Derail Valley is a really good train sim on PC.  Designed for VR but they have added a non-vr mode.  Due to the VR aspect, graphics are a bit poor.  I don't think the non-vr controls have been given as much love as the touch controls, which I feel will degrade the game enough that you may as well get another sim, since this is still heavily under development.

Standing sideways in the shunter with your right hand operating the throttle and brake as you look over your left shoulder to reverse into a siding is something else.  You even get a little shelf you can arrange all your station diagrams, maps and job sheets on.  You can't beat the sense of "being there" that you get with head tracking and touch controls.  The physics feel realistic too, but I think the devs are taking time out to overhaul the whole engine again.  They did it before when release was pushed back over a year to "add features" and they weren't kidding - that was a No Man's Sky kind of upgrade, I hope they're doing it again :-)

I tried a model railway simulator called Rolling Line where you can build sets and even shrink yourself down to view them at 1:1 scale but I didn't like the build side of it - limited models, and no way to place down road sections or mould your own hills - just prefabs.  Fun for half an hour but I refunded it.

[kapteenipirk]

Been spending the weekend at my parents place. During this visit i decided to go with them for a little flea-market tour...i mean, could find something interesting.

And this is what i found

A pretty nice little display model of the Flying Scotsman locomotive.

I paid 10 euro for it. Minus the dust, it's in perfect condition.

 

Speaking of model-trains and the Flying Scotsman, i finally got the chance to see this awesome little series.

 

And for those that want a closer look at what the Hornby OO Flying Scotsman has eaten.

 

Oh, and some possibly bad news, it seems my Crocodile engine has developed yet another fault. When i was taking it for a run after some time again, i noticed the thing stalled almost completely after going like 1/4 lap on my layout, i taught it was just the track being dirty, or some piece of the track being loose, but looking at it closer, the running wheels on the other "bogie" are running fine, but the running wheels on the other bogie are barely moving.

That suggest theirs some fault on the gear-box, like some worm-gear or other gear slipping or something. This wouldn't be so bad if the shop where i could get these fixed was still open for business.

Thankfully thanks to school i have access to a metal 3D-printer and a workshop, so should be able to fix whatever fault comes.

I still need to do some more investigation tough. I haven't even had the time to open the bodywork yet.

[Kerbinchaser]

That's a beautiful little locomotive @kapteenipirk. 

Sorry I haven't had time to post here guys, I have been crazy busy. 

No new acquisitions in my collection recently, I'm considering selling my HO collection to make room for additional N-scale equipment, but I'm still appraising all of it. 

[Misguided Kerbal]

The only thing I've ever done related to trains is OpenTTD, but it's been an interesting read in this thread.

[kapteenipirk]

On 5/14/2020 at 10:33 AM, Lo Var Lachland said:

That's a beautiful little locomotive @kapteenipirk.

Thanks .

Now that im here, might as-well give you a rundown on what was wrong with the "crocodile".

At-first i was afraid there might be a more serious mechanical fault with the other gearbox or something, turns out it was a little more harmless...or, at-least i should have been.

The way the locomotive works basically, is that the motor is located in the middle cab of the locomotive witch is then connected to the two "bogies" via thick rubber-bands, acting as sort of transfer belts. Turns out one of the rubber-bands had come off the pulley-wheel or whatever it's called...so, a pretty simple fix.

Unfotunately, shortly after i had put it back in place, it came off again...

Dunno if im gonna bother fixing it anymore, as it's propably just gonna keep on happening.

 

I also haven't been able to aquire anything new for my layout.

But i do have plans to design and print some greeblies and doodads for my customized mail-cars to make them look a little more like the kinds of cars i was planning them to be (radio-car, command-car...that sort of thing).

I also have plans to design and print some rail-cars of my own. I have these really old quite beaten twin-axle cars i would like to turn into fictional anti-aircraft cars of some sort, would also like to maby make some sort of a radar car as-well. In keeping with the German theme, i'll probably either equip the cars with Roland systems or the same sort of Oerlikon KDA systems as the Flakpanzer Gepard.

Should make the military train a little more interesting and fun to look at.

[Kerbinchaser]

18 hours ago, kapteenipirk said:

Unfotunately, shortly after i had put it back in place, it came off again..

I have a problem like that as well. My oldest piece in my collection is an MRC 2-8-4 Berkshire that was made in 1974. The front pilot wheels are held in place by a little plastic "spring" that helps guide them in place, but the actual plastic piece keeps falling off. 

Edited May 16, 2020 by Lo Var Lachland

[adsii1970]

11 minutes ago, Lo Var Lachland said:

I have a problem like that as well. My oldest piece in my collection is an MRC 2-8-4 Berkshire that was made in 1974. The front pilot wheels are held in place by a little plastic "spring" that helps guide them in place, but the actual plastic piece keeps falling off. 

Use a 3D printer to create a replacement part?

[Shpaget]

Those front wheels on model steam engines are a nightmare even on brand new locos of modern construction. Getting them to perform well in curves and slopes is an ongoing battle for us.

[Kerbinchaser]

43 minutes ago, adsii1970 said:

Use a 3D printer to create a replacement part?

I wish. Still saving up to buy my own car, a 3D printer isn't on the radar right now unfortunately. 

[Shpaget]

Well, you don't need to own a 3d printer to benefit from them. There are services that will print whatever you design for a small fee (it would be a couple of bucks for what you need). You could probably find a maker space, college, high school or even a library that has one for public use.

Edit, for a long time I refused to buy one, but then about half a year ago, the company I work for got a commission and we bought ourselves an Elegoo Mars (UV resin printer). It paid for itself on that first job, so it was financially justified, however, even though I did manage to find a couple of uses for it afterwards, I still don't think it would be worthwhile if it wasn't for that commission. 3D printing services are everywhere.

Edited May 16, 2020 by Shpaget

[kerbiloid]

Just occasionally googled.

https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/fans-design-train-cars-tnt-snowpiercer/

[Kerbinchaser]

On 6/4/2020 at 10:03 AM, kerbiloid said:

Just occasionally googled.

https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/fans-design-train-cars-tnt-snowpiercer/

That is awesome! I'll investigate further. Thanks!