Modeling Trains - learning Sketchup

[LA_RR_Architect]

It's been a while since I posted anything, partly from my need to earn a living, partly because I needed to work out the shingles on the station and partly due to inertia.

In any case, I've finally completed a few renderings of the Point of Rocks, Baltimore and Ohio train station in Maryland. The model is geo-located on terrain extracted from Google.

An overall view... working out the curving track was one of the challenges.

A bit of a detail. The paving, brickwork and stone bands are textures, the slate shingles have been modeled, painfully, one at a time with the coursing and patterns as close to the photos of the actual station as possible.

...and of course we need one of my extra dark images, imagining what it would look like arriving late at night.

I hope you enjoy.

Jim

[Bryan K]

The night shot is perfect.

[LA_RR_Architect]

Good evening,
Just finished another project, a model of a 70 ton 2 bay covered hopper.

The model is based on a fairly schematic engineering drawing and a collection of photographs of the actual cars. This type of car carried various granulated or powdered industrial materials.

This model of car was used by a number of railroads in the 1950s with minor variations. I picked the Norfolk Western version because I liked the inverted V cut in the side between the hoppers and like the pale gray color they used.

Here’s a three view composite from 3DMax. As you can see little additional color / texture work was needed moving it into Max, mostly adding more realistic metal surfaces.

I really like hoppers because I can expose a fair amount of detail in the open ends. In this view in addition to a lot of piping, you can see the reserve air tank and below that the brake valve mechanism.
On the other side of the car, you can see brake cylinder and the levers used to actuate the brakes.

Here’s the 70 ton hopper coupled into my switch train.

And finally, the switch train crossing the Gloucester River draw bridge on a sunny summer afternoon.

As usual, I had a lot of fun building this little car.
Jim

[pbacot]

I made it to the Kelso Depot last year. Your images are totally right on with the original. Nice work!

[LA_RR_Architect]

Hi,

Way out in the middle of nowhere isn't it? The building is well preserved and makes for an interesting visit if you're passing through.

In doing the model I worked from some really nice drawings and photographs from the Historic American Buildings Survey that I downloaded from the Library of Congress. They show it before it was fully restored. In doing my model I tried to scrub out changes made to convert it to a modern visitor center.

I also visited the building (a day's drive from home) to photograph it and the surrounding landscape but you got better sky images. It was cloudless blue when I was there.

Thanks for the feedback.

Jim

[Bryan K]

Top notch models as always!

[Lostboy30A]

Hi, has anyone used Sketch Up (SU) to design open frame scenic railway boards made of shaped ply? I was at my model railway club in London, UK, and another member recommended SU as I was inspired by this efforts on this N (UK 1:148) layout below.
I think mostly I will be taking a lot of time to look at the basics tutorials to get myself out of some jams I'm in. This might be considered the easiest 3D app to use, but it seems like the trickiest new app I've tried so progress is slow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVyPN2QyIjI

[Bryan K]

@lostboy30a said:

Hi, has anyone used Sketch Up (SU) to design open frame scenic railway boards made of shaped ply? I was at my model railway club in London, UK, and another member recommended SU as I was inspired by this efforts on this N (UK 1:148) layout below.
I think mostly I will be taking a lot of time to look at the basics tutorials to get myself out of some jams I'm in. This might be considered the easiest 3D app to use, but it seems like the trickiest new app I've tried so progress is slow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVyPN2QyIjI

There are a lot of tutorials here* and on YouTube, but they are scattered around. SketchUp should be perfect for what you want to do.

The best thing is just keep at it and it will all make sense eventually. 3D is hard to begin with, but SketchUp is by far the easiest to learn. (to which I first said "This is easy?!")

Also consider plug ins. There are a huge number of plug-ins that make modeling easier.

• https://sketchucation.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=18 <- click here for SketchUcation tutorials

[LA_RR_Architect]

In any case, i think you've made a good decision. Sketchup is an easy, although not foolproof, system and can do remarkable modeling. It's definitely the easiest system I've used.

It is easier to do rectangular shapes but at least initially the plywood components of your model should be pretty near 2d and fairly straightforward. Arcs and circles are not bad as well.

If you're working with modular track elements things should also be pretty simple. Once you get to spline curves (i.e. flex track,) and topography things get a bit trickier.

I recommend showing us your progress, perhaps opening a thread devoted to your progress and problems. I'm sure you'll get a lot of good advice.

Jim

[LA_RR_Architect]

This week I was able to take a break from work and crank out another piece of RR rolling stock. This time a "heavy weight" PRR dining car.

For a slab sided fairly basic shape it proved to be more technical and challenging that I had expected. The roof ends were especially fun.

I hope you will enjoy but questions, observations and criticism are always welcome.

[tuna1957]

your train car and station models are epic ( the renders are fab too ). love it when you post new stuff.

[pbacot]

That's a beautiful dining car! Enjoy studying the models and renders. Better than photos in a way!