Making a Model Train from Scratch
- Thread starter jarrahwilson
- Start date
Welcome to the Gauge.
I have done a bit of scratch-building.
What are you planning to build?
There are some great articles in back issues of Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman magazines that will walk you through some nice scratch-building projects.
I have done a bit of scratch-building.
What are you planning to build?
There are some great articles in back issues of Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman magazines that will walk you through some nice scratch-building projects.
as Ray said there are a lot of construction articals in older MR and RMC . what are you planning to build? i would recomended somthing small and simple to start .
cidchase
Active Member
Nothin' to it, you just need enough scratch!!
BTW shaygetz, that's one beautiful little tooter!!
What detail! :thumb:
BTW shaygetz, that's one beautiful little tooter!!
What detail! :thumb:
jarrahwilson said:
What do you mean by "scratch?" At the L.A. County Fairgrounds they used to have a standard gauge outdoor layout that was built by two brothers in the 1930's. All of the locomotives and rolling stock were completely scratch built. that means every detail part, drivers, boilers even the motors were hand wound. The brothers even machined their own gears and gearboxes! The trains were run at the county fair every year, but I noticed that there were fewer and fewer trains each year. The brothers both passed away in the fifties and as the trains wore out there were no replacement parts available to repair them. The original trains are still on static display at the fairgrounds, but the layout has been relaid in LGB track and a garden railroad group has rebuilt the layout and operates it at the fair every year. Most "scratch builders" today use a combination of manufactured parts, commercial motors, etc. along with some parts built from scratch.
G'day Jarrah, from a, fellow Aussie, albeit a couple of thousand kms away up Nth NSW. 
!!
There are heaps of suppliers in Australia that can provide you with model kits to build your trains. Put them together, paint them, install the motor etc, and also the carragies.
Try Steam Era Models http://home.waterfront.net.au/~sem/
Lloyd's Model Railways http://www.lloydsmodelrail.com.au/Catalog/lmrcatlg.html
BGB Models http://www.users.bigpond.com/bgbho/default.html
or go to your local Newsagent and get Australian Model Railroading Magazine. There are plenty of suppliers in there.
You may have trouble finding models of Tasmanian trains, but you may be able to use one of the models, together with paints and decal (stickers for logos etc) kits to make your models.
!!There are heaps of suppliers in Australia that can provide you with model kits to build your trains. Put them together, paint them, install the motor etc, and also the carragies.
Try Steam Era Models http://home.waterfront.net.au/~sem/
Lloyd's Model Railways http://www.lloydsmodelrail.com.au/Catalog/lmrcatlg.html
BGB Models http://www.users.bigpond.com/bgbho/default.html
or go to your local Newsagent and get Australian Model Railroading Magazine. There are plenty of suppliers in there.
You may have trouble finding models of Tasmanian trains, but you may be able to use one of the models, together with paints and decal (stickers for logos etc) kits to make your models.
Jarrah:
Look for Robin's (Matthyro) threads. He builds the most amazing buildings from scratch -- ultimate scratch: breakfast cereal boxes. (I think he's come into a legacy recently because his last project was in wood.) Buildings are a good start because most of the surfaces are flat and the joints are straight. Also, they don't have to stay on the track.
What does Tasmania have for trains? My wife has a cousin in Hobart, but she never says anything about trains.
Look for Robin's (Matthyro) threads. He builds the most amazing buildings from scratch -- ultimate scratch: breakfast cereal boxes. (I think he's come into a legacy recently because his last project was in wood.) Buildings are a good start because most of the surfaces are flat and the joints are straight. Also, they don't have to stay on the track.
What does Tasmania have for trains? My wife has a cousin in Hobart, but she never says anything about trains.