HO Adam's Italian Diversions: Ein Supermodell (Brawa Köf)

AJC

AJC

Western Thunderer
Steph Dale said:
Adam,
Admittedly it's a few years ago, but I had no problems getting hold of the 11.5mm disc wheels from Branchlines. Even the double insulated versions.

I know he wasn't carrying them in stock, but even then they arrived within a month or so.

Steph
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Thanks Steph. Brian said he could get them - this was at Expo last week - as can I, direct from Australia, if it comes to that. Actually, I will at some point, but in a largish batch once I've worked out what I need; this Italian project is of a limited scope and is secondary to my main modelling interests though I am after a couple of sets of 13mm for some metre wheelsets in EM for a couple of ferry wagon projects. Even for the slightly larger wheels there is more than adequate clearance on the brakeshoes. I've learnt, over the years, that for me, progressing the project while I'm in the mood yields better, quicker results even if, on this occasion that sacrifices accuracy a smdige.

Adam
 
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AJC

AJC

Western Thunderer
Back to the Continent, albeit fairly briefly. Having browsed a few more pictures of the real thing, I've finally noticed that these large vans have quite a number of detail variations, most notable being the ends. This one matches what's in the kit:

Hbillns - 21 RIV 83 I-TI 247 4 241-8 Hbillns - FotoFerrovie.Info

And others are similar, but at the same time different:

Trenomania Foto gallery - Hbillns/Hbillns 21 83 247 4 038-8

So why not model it?

Habillns_009.gif

The remaining element of this will be the funky pressed crosses on the end panels. Something similar can be seen on this bogie van: 832764864-4_31_Habils Fun with 5 thou' beckons...

There's a platform to go on the wagon on the left and more steps. Underneath, I've added some brake yokes and safety loops (the kit supplied these as one piece mouldings...). The loops, being strip, were made from staples; all routine sort of stuff. I doubt that, when finished, anyone will notice, but it pleased me to do it.

Habillns_008.gif

Adam
 
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AJC

AJC

Western Thunderer
So here's another difference, the end platform which some of these have. This is supplied as a fine, but extremely flimsy, etch. As I was building two, and am only doing one with a platform, I had a few options, and that's as well, because the first set of handrails got rather mangled. I've tinned the replacements to add a bit of robustness, reinforced the corners and added some 0.45mm wire behind the step brackets which should give it an even chance of survival. Finally, though unseen here, are a couple of pins to locate and secure the platform to the wagon. We're inching towards painting now but later, more steps and handrails. First, however, the sun's shining, and cricket beckons...

Habillns_010.gif

Adam
 
Steph Dale

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Adam,
Those end railings are always a pain. I used to make them up from music wire and latterly phosphor bronze.
That way they could survive contact once or twice without looking a complete mess.
Steph
 
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AJC

AJC

Western Thunderer
Remember those pressings I referred to above? Here's my attempt at them in 10 thou'. After a couple of abortive attempts to chop them out of sheet, I resorted to tapering a 8mm lengths of Evergreen 10 thou' x 40 thou' strip with the other arm of the cross made from shorter lengths of the same stuff. It probably won't stand ultra-close scrutiny, but they're far from terrible.

Habillns_013.gif

A few door handles to knock up and I can give the pair of them a coat of paint!

Adam
 
AJC

AJC

Western Thunderer
adrian said:
Thanks for posting - I'm really enjoying something slightly different.


I don't know, a little bit of emery paper to round off the edges slightly and a coat of paint I reckon they'll withstand close scrutiny pretty well.
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Thanks Adrian - I'm probably being a trifle harsh on myself. I'm pleased that the difference is appreciated; my feeling is that much continental modelling in the UK is very much at the box opening end of the spectrum (as an expensive, niche interest that isn't surprising) so I'm quite enjoying getting stuck in. It'll be good to use some ready to lay track and points when the time comes, too...

Interestingly, these are large wagons, compared to what I'm used to in 4mm, but HO brings them back to the same sort of size.

Adam
 
Steph Dale

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
What track are you looking to use, Matt?

When I last looked there was little of any appeal, at least in terms of pointwork. Although I believe Weinert are now producing track, which I assume would be both good and rather more pricey than Peco.

Actually, slightly belay that; I realise I'm not 100% certain what wheel standards you're using currently. If you're using NEM wheels there are some reasonable options, so what wheels after you using? I know you've got Black Beetle wheels on some, but anything coarser? Or all RP25?

Steph
 
AJC

AJC

Western Thunderer
Steph Dale said:
What track are you looking to use, Matt?

When I last looked there was little of any appeal, at least in terms of pointwork. Although I believe Weinert are now producing track, which I assume would be both good and rather more pricey than Peco.

Actually, slightly belay that; I realise I'm not 100% certain what wheel standards you're using currently. If you're using NEM wheels there are some reasonable options, so what wheels after you using? I know you've got Black Beetle wheels on some, but anything coarser? Or all RP25?

Steph
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Hi Steph, who is this Matt character? :p

Track is a distant dream at the minute and, while I'm happy that I know enough to get by in EM, with a slightly fast and loose approach to some of the nuances, admittedly, HO is a different ball game.

Wheels - RP25 Black Beetles for locos and Gibsons (OO/EM profile thus far - Black Beetles an option, albeit a pricey one) for stock. Both are known quantities from EM and I'm happy with these. P87 is not necessarily where I want to go with this. There is a rather nice Rivarossi 2-8-2 tank which I found at an amazing price in Eastleigh of all places and that has tolerable driving wheel profiles - about standard UK RTR, I guess - but vile carrying wheels which will be replaced.

I know absolutely nothing about Italian P-way (or European for that matter) and absolute fidelity is not essential though a nod to it would be nice. I have more or less all the stock I want now so it's a matter of gentle upgrades before applying myself to scenic context. Any thoughts gratefully received.

Adam
 
Steph Dale

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Adam,

Sorry mate - rushed post... :oops:

I tried Tillig Code 83 and Peco Code 75, both are based upon the NEM standard so are a bit clunky with the RP25 wheel profile. At the time I was looking at trackwork there was no European-outline S3 trackwork (the NMRA standard for trackwork that's compatible with RP25). So I thought that as I was re-wheeling my stock and probably having to build my track I might as well go P87...

Things have moved on a little. You might feel comfortable using US-outline track, such as the Peco Code 83, as this will give good running with the RP25 wheels. I'm not so sure how the Rivarossi wheels will work though. If the loco is reasonably modern (Hornby era) they should be okay, but historically they've been awful; not even to NEM standards.

So there's the option of Weinert. They were for a while importing Peco into Germany, but I guess fell into the same issue I found. An embarrassment when their stock is RP25 or finer. I note that for some items (double slips) they're doing two standards; one for NEM + RP25, another for RP25 'fine' (i.e. using RP25-88 rather than RP25-110 wheels - perhaps also workable with P87).

FYI:
Weinert 'My track' (German site, intro page)
Weinert 'My track' catalogue (German pdf)
NMRA S3.1 Standard ('Proto and Fine Scale')
NMRA S3.2 Standard ('Standard Scale')
NMRA RP25 Recommended Practise

Oh, and my solution? A non-standard approach that worked for RP25 through to P87 and building bullhead track: The Sachsen State Railways used British contractors on occasion and it was possible that a secondary line still retained UK practise into the '70s. However unlikely it provided me with an excuse!

Steph
 
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AJC

AJC

Western Thunderer
Steph Dale said:
Adam,

Sorry mate - rushed post... :oops:

I tried Tillig Code 83 and Peco Code 75, both are based upon the NEM standard so are a bit clunky with the RP25 wheel profile. At the time I was looking at trackwork there was no European-outline S3 trackwork (the NMRA standard for trackwork that's compatible with RP25). So I thought that as I was re-wheeling my stock and probably having to build my track I might as well go P87...

Things have moved on a little. You might feel comfortable using US-outline track, such as the Peco Code 87, as this will give good running with the RP25 wheels. I'm not so sure how the Rivarossi wheels will work though. If the loco is reasonably modern (Hornby era) they should be okay, but historically they've been awful; not even to NEM standards.

So there's the option of Weinert. They were for a while importing Peco into Germany, but I guess fell into the same issue I found. An embarrassment when their stock is RP25 or finer. I note that for some items (double slips) they're doing two standards; one for NEM + RP25, another for RP25 'fine' (i.e. using RP25-88 rather than RP25-110 wheels - perhaps also workable with P87).

FYI:
Weinert 'My track' (German site, intro page)
Weinert 'My track' catalogue (German pdf)
NMRA S3.1 Standard ('Proto and Fine Scale')
NMRA S3.2 Standard ('Standard Scale')
NMRA RP25 Recommended Practise

Oh, and my solution? A non-standard approach that worked for RP25 through to P87 and building bullhead track: The Sachsen State Railways used British contractors on occasion and it was possible that a secondary line still retained UK practise into the '70s. However unlikely it provided me with an excuse!

Steph
Click to expand...

Cheers! The 2-8-2T is a Hornby-era product that is in the current catalogue and is an excellent model, though I will be swapping the carrying wheels for something finer. Earlier stuff, from Rivarossi, like LIMA, is of the steamroller/pizza cutter school of though and would not be entertained. I will ponder this further...

Adam

Oh, and @daifly: *Groan*
 
allegheny1600

allegheny1600

Western Thunderer
Steph Dale said:
So there's the option of Weinert. They were for a while importing Peco into Germany,
Steph
Click to expand...

Hi Steph, Adam, All,
Pardon me if I'm wrong (and, with my command of the German language - it's quite possible!) but I gathered that the Weinert "Mein Gleiss" is actually made for them by Peco! Kind of like an advancement of the "individulay" by Peco.
Knowing Weinert through some of their products, I was surprised and pleased by this but I now fear I may have got hold of the wrong end of the stick.
Cheers,
John.
 
Yorkshire Dave

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
The Weinert Mein Gleis has the Peco look about it when you examine the sleeper base and the switch tie bars. Having said that the track does look very good, especially the long crossings and the concrete sleepers.

It's a bit like C&L except it looks like Peco produce the sleepers and rail while Weinert produce the chairs inserts.
 
AJC

AJC

Western Thunderer
Dragged from the depths following a jaunt to France (barring the Eurostar and the TGV, not a lot of active railway content there) the box containing the HO models has re-emerged and as a break from painting and decorating, I'm experimenting with graffiti effects on one of several huge grain hoppers. This was chosen because the Electrotren version of this model - also available badged as Jouef and Rivarossi thanks to Hornby - had black lettering rather than white and needed covering up/replacement. Grain hoppers seem particularly vulnerable to graffiti, though generally it appears to be dealt with relatively efficiently there's a lot of it about and, like it or not, it's fun to model: transcereales graff

I haven't tried to replicate a specific vehicle, but I have copied some decoration I liked. This one, for example: les pieds dans le ballast

Monfer_001.gif

Monfer_002.gif

I've outlined 'Les Ferrailleurs' in pencil but I think going back over in black will be required prior to reinstating some of the 'legitimate' lettering and a coat of matt lacquer before weathering. While out of the box, I've replaced the wheels - Gibsons - and added etched screw couplings along with the handles beneath the buffers. The remainder of the rake at some distant future point will simply be dirty...

Adam
 
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