EMD SD-45 Union Pacific Update

[Gus R]

Thanks guys. D5 does not have any sculpting tools. I was looking at a few Unreal Engine videos this afternoon and it does but I'm sure I want to get involved with something else to learn especially it looks too complicated.

The landscape cliffs are from Bridge and Megascans. I could also fiddle with Gaea. I focused on the locomotive itself and that was complicated enough. For some new materials I started using Quixel Mixer for creating materials on the fly. They also use Bridge. Both are from Epic Games.

I did some more clean-up of the model and even though it's grew it's now 24.8 mb.

I just installed SU 2024 and it went well even though I did the ol' copy and past. Just a few plugins didn't work and I unsintalled them. Nothing important. My most used are part of Fredo's collection and Profile Builder 3.

[L i am]

@Gus-R FYI, I would not like to take on UE, however basically TM is UE, and the user interface of TM is so easy I was able to use D5 virtually straight away migrating from TM. You did a great job with the landscape anyway.

[Bryan K]

Incredible work!

[Gus R]

@Bryan-K Couple more and what I posted at the D5 forum.

"Experimenting with some new techniques.

The cliff is from Megascans Moab Collections which I got from Quixel Bridge. Using Transmutr I created a skp file and in Sketchup I split off the portion below the cliff to create a separate area to scatter in D5 with the wildgrass pre-set.

Rendered in D5 and applied a strong weight AI enhance on the cliff alone. Post-processing is just a resize in Photoshop. The model is the EMD SD45 by me alone with the tracks. I used D5 brush to scatter some ballast rocks outside the ballast bed.

The cliff from Quixel Bridge is the Desert Western Cliff Layered XL 04. LOD 0. It’s free from Quixel Bridge by signing up with Epic Games.

The AI enhance really pops out the cliff rock textures."

[L i am]

Gus, they are quality models have you thought of selling them? Bit of trickle money?

[Gus R]

@L-i-am I thought about that but so far it would have to be a skp file. I've tried exporting obj and dae but it crashes Blender. Same with an fbx export from SU to Blender. The SimLab fbx exporter worked but it imports the model as an object in Blender with no edit options as well as having these random dashed projected lines ending with a target at the end. I suppose that could work but it would require troubleshooting the object and projecting lines issue. I say this because I would assume that selling the model on say CGTrader would require at least having an fbx and blend file available alongside the skp.

[Mike Amos]

@Gus-R

I can help with that if you like.

[Rich O Brien]

@Gus-R said in EMD SD-45 Union Pacific Update:

troubleshooting the object and projecting lines issue.

Those are relationship lines that are not an issue. Think of them as helpers in Blender to identify if object have parents or constraints

[Gus R]

@Rich-O-Brien Thanks Mike, Rich. I'll consider this another project. I was able to visually hide those lines. The Sim-Lab FBX exporter works the best. This is what it looks like in Blender for now.

Many miles to go.

[Gus R]

@Gus-R Created some new body layered materials using Quixel Mixer so now there's some extra weathering. I admit I prefer a clean locomotive in the real world but the weathering here makes the process more interesting. I also started looking into materials in Blender and while it looks complicated looking all those nodes they have PBR and Node Wrangler which simplifies things. I can also sync Blender with Quixel Bridge and export a D5 model which I can import into D5 Render.

[Rich O Brien]

@Gus-R Killer job, but, like you, I prefer the less grimy version.

You should try Cycles and see where you end up. Having a free path tracing engine in your back pocket with procedural material generation is a good skill to add to your portfolio.

I know the common opinion out there is its too hard to get to grips with. But Blender probably has the largest online learning resources available. When its clicks you get hooked in.

[Gus R]

@Rich-O-Brien Thanks. I must say, navigating around Blender is a struggle in itself. Setting up the camera or even creating a scene. Sometimes I'll zoom off into the middle of nowhere. Time for more instructional videos on Youtube. At least the ones that don't go 100 MPH.

[Rich O Brien]

@Gus-R Under Edit > Preferences set these...

Give that a go for a more familiar navigation feel

[Rich O Brien]

This is handy too https://hollisbrown.github.io/blendershortcuts/

[Old_Noob]

@Rich-O-Brien
Beautiful work!
i am trying to make a 1:32 Sd18 that uses the Flexicoil three axle bogie as shown in your illustration. Would you be willing to sell me the file for the bogie so i could 3d print a couple for my project?
Regards

[Rich O Brien]

@Old_Noob No, I didn't make the file so its not mine to sell. Maybe ask @Gus-R who did make it.

[Gus R]

@Old_Noob said in EMD SD-45 Union Pacific Update:

@Rich-O-Brien
Beautiful work!
i am trying to make a 1:32 Sd18 that uses the Flexicoil three axle bogie as shown in your illustration. Would you be willing to sell me the file for the bogie so i could 3d print a couple for my project?
Regards

I don't know if I'd want to release the truck model. I may be able to provide a 3D printer service with an stl. I'm still mulling over selling the model to somewhere like CGTrader.

What are you looking to do? A static model or an operable model train?

Are you able to model one yourself? I can point you to the plans I used to develop this model from the The Norfolk and Western Historical Society.

You could try making me an offer I can't refuse.

[Old_Noob]

@Gus-R T Thanks for the reply.
This will be a powered Gauge one model to run on G scale track.
I have a little Bambu Mini printer and was hoping to try to print a modified bogie frame in parts to go a round a custom motor block.
Let me know if you sell your models . i would be happy to purchase from the the vender you chose.. i was thinking of making a set out of brass but that might be pushing my skillset beyond what im capable of.

[Gus R]

@Old_Noob said in EMD SD-45 Union Pacific Update:

@Gus-R T Thanks for the reply.
This will be a powered Gauge one model to run on G scale track.
I have a little Bambu Mini printer and was hoping to try to print a modified bogie frame in parts to go a round a custom motor block.
Let me know if you sell your models . i would be happy to purchase from the the vender you chose.. i was thinking of making a set out of brass but that might be pushing my skillset beyond what im capable of.

I requested a quote from a 3D printing firm and he said:

"The model comes with a lot of small thin and fragile parts. It will be risky to print this as one piece."

Might not work for something that you're looking for.

You can look around on CGTrader. There's a very similar model here and here.

Don't forget to not only search for "truck" but also try "bogie."

[Gus R]

@Old_Noob Do you have any examples of previous work?