Yes, Welcome Jonathan! That’s quite a way to introduce yourself, and I like it. Very nice job on those trucks. I’ll be watching the progression of this project since I’ll hopefully be Needing some going into next year. I’ll be happy to get the railroad in place this year. Always happy to see another EBT fan on the site too. Look forward to seeing more of your posts.
Can these be rescaled to 1/22.5 ? The 1/20.3 size will look too big under the older Bachmann cars (been there, tried that) which I have way too many to replace with 1/20.3 cars, not that I want to as all my other equipment is 1/22 or 1/24 anyway.
Thank you all for the welcome to this site! and your interest in this project!
Gary, It should not be too difficult to resize these trucks to 1:22.5. I will have to do the math and make sure they are still printable, but I suspect they would be. Question: what wheels are you wanting to use for them? The metal Bachmann wheel sets that come with their 1:22.5 hoppers actually scale out much closer to 1:20.3, that’s why I used them for these trucks. If you’d like to use them for the smaller trucks, that would be ok. Or you could source wheel sets that are closer to scale. Let me know which you decide, so that I can make the axle pocket the correct diameter.
In 1:22.5, I would think that the leaf spring version would significantly improve the look of the Bachmann EBT cabooses.
I use the the Bachmann small wheel sets [24 mm I think] on all of my 1.22.5 and 1/24 equipment. They just look better to my eye. I also move the trucks to their correct location on the hoppers which helps in appearance as well but the Bachmann Vulcans are too short in wheelbase and the side frames are much too short so they look rather anemic.
Ok, I will rescale them to 1:22.5 but keep the axle pocket the same size, so that you can use your existing wheel sets. I will let you know when this version hits Shapeways (whenever I can find time to tinker!)
Hi Gary, I had a few moments today to tinker. The 1:22.5 versions of the leaf spring and coil spring truck are now on Shapeways. The material costs were a little less, so they are a bit cheaper! No photos yet, as obviously I haven’t had the opportunity to do a test print. If you decide to try them out, please let me know how it works out!
Here’s the links:
Jonathan,
Welcome to LSC. I’m another EBT fan and I welcome another source of parts.
However, and I hate to rain on your parade, the Shapeways prices are a little much. $60 for the frames, $18 for wheels (best price I could find) plus brass bearings and various other bits. At least $80. For $95 I get a pair of RYM brass trucks, complete with working springs, scale wheels and ball bearings.
Pete Thornton said:
Jonathan,
Welcome to LSC. I’m another EBT fan and I welcome another source of parts.
However, and I hate to rain on your parade, the Shapeways prices are a little much. $60 for the frames, $18 for wheels (best price I could find) plus brass bearings and various other bits. At least $80. For $95 I get a pair of RYM brass trucks, complete with working springs, scale wheels and ball bearings.
Your looking at the price for them in metal. Printed in plastic, the price drops to $15 per side frame, or $30 total. In metal it’s $60 per side frame…
Pete, yes Shapeways prices are expensive, and currently there are other alternatives. What I’m thinking, is that when the traditionally manufactured supplies are no longer available (whenever that might be…), these will still be around pretty much on demand. Also, the cost of printing seems to be in rapid decline. I’ve come into quite a few old Bachmann cars with the large metal wheelsets…if you know where to look you can snag them for a song and a dance! So really I’m looking at just the expense of the side frames, plus whatever I pay for the scrap heap cars, plus a few bits of sheet brass for the bolster and homemade bushing. I would say, being creative, my cost per car is around 65 dollars, thirty bucks per car is worth my while. But alas, the RYM trucks are indeed far superior to mine. Anywho, I don’t mean to sound combative here, and at the end of the day I did these mostly for my own enjoyment. I’m currently looking into ways of bringing the price of printing down, as others have suggested.
Hey Jonathan, You don’t sound combative to me, and doubtful, anyone else. You’re just politely explaining your position. I think Pete is just making sure to examine all the details, and if there is one thing I think I can safely say about the EBT clan, it’s that they are fairly detail oriented. I think we all support your work and are excited for the option. You’ve found a great group of people, and magic happens when we/they collaborate.
Pete, I looked on Rich’s site and I didn’t see a listing for the trucks. So they are $45 per truck? Didn’t even know he sold them separate.
Thanks, Randy. I was just trying to be clear about my attitude, it’s way too easy to misinterpret the written word! 
From what many are saying, and I hope is true, is that 3D printing will become increasingly cheaper and higher quality over the next few years. Certainly is has serious limitations, but one of the industries that isn’t as constrained by these limitations is the model railroad industry, I believe. Right now, it can’t really compete with existing traditionally manufactured goods…in price or quality, but I’m hoping that this will change. I think we’ve seen vast improvements move at an exciting pace…i’ve only been following it a couple years, and already things have improved greatly.
In the meantime, it’s my desire to start working on collecting .stl files of various bits of the EBT. Maybe eventually make all the components for a complete car or two that can be printed (and used in conjunction with laser printed parts from other suppliers, too). It might be just as expensive, especially in the short term, but the great advantage to all this is that the models would be available whenever needed, in multiple materials, with limited runs and minimum orders not being a factor. For a prototype like the EBT, that has a small but loyal following, this new technology might be very good. Coming into adulthood in the 90’s and wanting to model the EBT was very frustrating for me, largely because models just weren’t available in any kind of reliable way. Limited runs of this and that came around from time to time, as most EBT modelers living through the time i’m sure are aware, but generally you had to choose between ponying up money at exactly the right time, or settling for disappointing compromises (running equipment that isn’t accurate for the EBT, etc.)
I think I’ve heard here and there that Rich still has trucks available. They are really the way to go in terms of quality and accuracy.
Thanks Jonathan, I plan on getting some sample done soon.
Gary, if you do get a sample done, be sure to let me know if the dimensions are correct. I scaled the truck down and opened up the hole for the axle, but it may need to be opened up more. On the trucks I’ve done so far, the clearances have been a little tight, but it’s really easy to open up the hole a little with a drill press.
I don’t work in 1:22.5, but if you’d like, I can print a test copy. That way you wouldn’t have to take the risk on a “first try” product. If your in a hurry though, you can just go ahead and order them.
Guys,
I’m on the road and don’t have my laptop handy.
Jonathan, I too see the price of 3D printing coming down. Have you investigated the 3DHub (?sp) guys? They seem to print locally quite inexpensively. And your point about future availability is a good one.
Randy, Rich doesn’t advertise parts but he sold me a pair of trucks for $95. I think he still has some. Drop him an email.
Hi Pete, I didn’t notice your last post until just now. I will check out the 3Dhub, as you suggested. It sure would be nice to have a cheaper option!
Jonathan, I purchased a cars worth of both side frames in 1/22 and was totally pleased with the appearance. The wheelbase was spot on. I haven’t made up bolsters yet but just used wheel sets to hold them together so I could see how they look under cars and next to the Bachmann versions. Below are truck comparison photos
The surface texture is fine and looks a lot like what I would expect a cast surface to look like. I was also surprised to see the leaf springs on the inside of the side frame, a nice touch that could have easily been omitted. One issue I noticed when using on the Bachmann EBT caboose is related to the caboose itself, on the Bachmann model the steps come straight down from the body instead of slanting outward and the prototype has two steps and Bachmann only one. As a result the journal boxes hit the steps and severely limit the amount the truck can turn. I don’t think it will be that much of an issue to modify the steps. On a similar note the only thing I find that looks a bit out on the trucks is the amount the journal boxes protrude. I don’t have drawings that show the dimension and it may be spot on but it looks long to me. Hard to tell in most photos. I have one I took of a truck that was not on a car taken down on it to show the side frame profile but have yet to locate it. It’s not an issue on anything but the caboose and in that case I think even if they were shorter they will still hit the steps if they are not modified. Now if I could get a cars worth for about $10 I would be all set. Anyway, thanks for your great work on this !
OK, the statement about the caboose steps is wrong, the steps are correct as modeled, apparently sometime after end of regular service they were changed. Unfortunately this makes the issue of interference more difficult to deal with.
Gary, I’ll be out there this weekend and I’ll verify how far the “stick-out” is. I believe there may be two different lengths as well. I think on the heavy duty trucks for use under standard gauge cars the stick out was further. This was done for more bearing surface instead of increasing the diameter of the bearing and wheel axle.
Very sorry for the lateness of this post, but better late than never I suppose. The photos below show the two different stick out lengths that I could find in the Rockhill yard. I was told that day by a few in the know that there is actually a third length as well. Hope it helps.
