Hans, there are them concrete buffers around Pittsburgh. Them suckers are huge. So when the railroad pulled up the tracks, they left them buffers behind.
Mark said
“I’m still really curious how long a buffer would take you to make in brass though…”
About an hour and it would be bolted to a rail section as in real life . It would be made from brass rail track with a sleeper as the buffing face . The brass rail comes from offcuts , so is free . Curiously , the nuts and bolts come out as the most expensive item .
Think about it . Two uprights out of rail , cut to height .
Two rear support members , bent rail sections .
One cross member from rail section .
One wooden sleeper .
Drill , bolt and done . Maybe less than an hour .
By the way , that is how most prototype buffer stops are made in the UK .
A concrete block type would take even less time----now , would you make the concrete block type using your machine ? A cube with a sleeper across its face ? That is what I am getting at , there is a limit as to how useful plastic printing is with simple items .
I am trying to provoke a sensible discussion about where to use plastic printing , not knocking what Mark does .
You never know , it might produce some ideas .
Mike
On the RhB - the NG railway that serves the Grisons and has center buffers on the rolling stock - there is (was) a wide variety of track bumpers.
Two pages of examples http://www.rhb-modell.ch/galerie/inspirationen/bahninfrastruktur/vielfalt-der-prellboecke/
Many of the RhB modelers - in various different scales - have home pages/websites (including yours truly) with many of the typical items from that part of Switzerland. Since most RhB modelers don’t want/need to reinvent the wheel, the different websites have a wide variety of “specialties” and try to avoid the “me too” syndrome.
Useful pictures , Hans , thanks .
Mike
After doing a quick Facebook poll, I’ve decided to draw up a version similar to the one on thingiverse, without all the exta rivets on the diagonal beams, thinking the price point should be in the $5 range if all goes as planned
Were the rivets there because they were simulating a built up beam?
The diagonals look like a box section, but hard to see.
Greg
I shall stick with my brass ones .
Engineering considerations alone would not see rivets/bolts all the way up the diagonal .
Cost considerations on the prototype would also go against drilling multiple holes in steel , especially as girderwork is readily available .
Quite frankly , it looks toyish .
I am sure that a better job can be done by Mark .
Mike
There are a lot of different variations on the SG railways in Europe, a few that are somewhat similar to the 3D printed sample
…
…
From what I read so far there were/are standards for the bumpers e.g. System Berlin etc. etc.
I’m used to seeing American prototypes. Mark, is there some reason you want to offer European ones instead of American ones? Also, I’ve only heard the term “buffers” outside of the US, have always called them “bumpers”.
Greg,
Actually the term is buffer stop
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffer_stop
buffers are the items mounted on the rolling stock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffer_(rail_transport)
probably a similar problem to calling a tank car a tanker. 
Padre Fred would (most likely) concur.
Mark Dashnaw said:
Mark Dashnaw said:
The guy that made that is in Sweden, so that would makes sense,lol
It’s not my design its a thingiverse freebie file
if i was to do one to sell i’d think i’d go more american like this one
(https://thingiverse-production.s3.amazonaws.com/renders/a0/00/c6/c5/5c/IMG_2713_preview_featured.jpg)
Greg, Mark said that he favored this American profile.
If one is going to quote the wikipedia, at least quoke the whole statement as seen below....
Buffer stop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffer_stop
Wikipedia
Andy Clarke said:
If one is going to quote the wikipedia, at least quoke the whole statement as seen below…### ### Buffer stop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffer_stop
Wikipedia
A buffer stop or bumper (US) is a device to prevent railway vehicles from going past theend of a physical section of track.
Andy,
Greg wrote
I’ve only heard the term “buffers” outside of the US, have always called them “bumpers”.
My point being, a buffer is not the same as a buffer stop.
HJ, in the context that Greg quoted buffers and equating them to bumpers, to me, it means that he was equating buffers as a term for more than one bumper, or as to how he heard it being used… When you mention ““buffers””, you are talking about something totally different than a ““buffer stop””, which was the subject being discussed…
It’s all in the use of the words, and how we all verbalize things differently, not to mention the different meanings for the same word…
Not trying to start a war, was only stating that in the US, they are in fact most commonly called ““Bumpers””, not ““Buffer stops””.
The title of the thread has the word “buffers” in it, not “buffer stop”.
Wikipedia defines “buffer stop” and then says the US version is “bumper”…
Mark started using the word “buiffer” and then we see the European bumpers and I just wanted to “vote” for AMERICAN BUMPERS…
Greg
Matter of fact I always call them bumpers. Buffers I only use when referring to those thingys on European railway cars and engines.
Buffer stops are for the English English speakers.
Speaking of which, the other day someone, perhaps an English English speaker(?), left the following comment on my Kettle Valley Steam Train video.
= hope ya’ll enjoy the tea train then, it really is a lovey back yard despite the rocky edges !
One of those instances when Kettle is immediately associated with tea? (http://rhb-grischun.ca/phpBB3/images/smilies/29.gif)
@ Greg,
Just another instance of imprecise English.
Hans said-----
“Buffer stops are for the English English speakers.”
Wrong , we call them “WTF was that bang ?”
Mike