Dear Scale Model Enthusiasts, Happy Train Day!
Can you guess which TV character said the following quote? “You may not realize it, but I have difficulty navigating through certain aspects of daily life: understanding sarcasm, feigning interest in others, not talking about trains as much as I’d want to. It’s exhausting!” The answer is of course, Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory! For those who love talking about trains as much as Sheldon does, this Saturday is your day: National Train Day. And how better to celebrate it than with some 3D Printed retrospective train models!
National Train Day is a holiday started by Amtrak to promote the advantages of rail travel and the history of trains in the United States. It’s celebrated at hundreds of train-related locations such as Washington’s Union Station and railroad museums across the country.
There are many ways for train fans to express their love for this “magical” transportation (remember Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express?), but 3D Printing technology has an especially deep connection with the community of scale model enthusiasts. Guido Mandorf, who sells some of his tram models in our shop, explains how 3D Printing has changed the way he enjoys his hobby.
“Did it change my view on designing? Oh yes, completely. Usually I built my models as scratchbuilding from others but now I construct everything for myself. I only buy bogies, axles, motors and bow collectors.” – Guido Mandorf
While Guido is an expert in tram scale models, train fans can also design original scale models of trains for 3D Printing. In an interview with train designer Ed de Bruijn, you can see how he uses 3D Printing to turns sketches into reality.
To make your model even more intricate and realistic, you can also 3D Print accessories to go along with the train body. These are two examples, but you can find many other train-related shop items if you use the filter “scale models.”
Gmeinder OEG Diesellok by Jan Neider
Baldwin MCB truck frame for NWSL Stanton
Most scale model designers 3D Print their pieces in Prime Gray and paint them manually. The combination of Air Force Gray color, a smooth surface, and the ability to design the fine level of detail needed for desk toys and character models make printing in Prime Gray much more desirable than using other materials.
If you have already 3D Printed your own scale model, share your pictures below to enjoy Train Day together with your 3D Printing community. If we could show them to Sheldon, he would certainly say “fascinating!”
