Tintin Project - the Vehicles

[loupgarou]

Good work.
If you're doing a static model, you could avoid the dreadful couplings included in the bag, and fit some scale ones. I think that wagon could still have used "three-links" couplings in real life. If more modern, regular european-style couplings.
@ Kit: I think wagons and some locos were Airfix originals, not Kitmaster. Product lines were contemporary. Later Kitmwaster was bought.

[zenrat]

What kind of placards would this load have?
Flammable I suppose.  But maybe you should design an "intoxicating" one?

[PR19_Kit]

If you're doing a static model, you could avoid the dreadful couplings included in the bag, and fit some scale ones. I think that wagon could still have used "three-links" couplings in real life. If more modern, regular european-style couplings.

@ Kit: I think wagons and some locos were Airfix originals, not Kitmaster. Product lines were contemporary. Later Kitmwaster was bought.

Yes, three links would be correct, or maybe the weird Instanter couplings, but they're pretty rare to find on models.

And yes, some of the rolling stock kits were Airfix originals, I'd need to check my book before saying which ones were which with any degree of certainty. It didn't help that Airfix changed some of the Kitmaster moulds to say 'Airfix' cast into the mouldings!

[zenrat]

I inherited my Uncles trainset which he in turn had got from my father (and which was passed on to my cousins).  There were some wagons which looked suspiciously like those I see when I google kitmaster.

[strobez]

Good work.
If you're doing a static model, you could avoid the dreadful couplings included in the bag, and fit some scale ones. I think that wagon could still have used "three-links" couplings in real life. If more modern, regular european-style couplings.

There seems to be three options for couplings in the bag... a) the snap-together black plastic ones that seem the most functional if I was looking have it roll around on a track, b) some pitchfork arm-like ones... and c) some small hooks.  I wasn't sure which ones to use, and the Tintin comic is no help in that regard given the angle of the drawing in the panel.  So, when in doubt... I just put one of b) and one of c). 

[loupgarou]

Re couplings: it depends what you will be doing with your wagon.
- if you plan to run it in a train layout, then you HAVE to use the couplings in use on the other locos and wagons in tht layout, on BOTH wagon ends.
- if it will be a static display model, I'd suggest to use realistic couplings on both ends. I don't think Herge would  had drawn "model" couplings in his albums.

Goods wagons in UK until quite recent times, used a primitive coupling, also called three-links, while on the continent the screw coupling has been standard since more than a one century.
Here you can see both types.

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Railway_coupling

Both are easily bought as model train detail parts (three-links in UK only  )

[kitnut617]

That brings back some memories from years ago when I was a kid ----

As an aside, sometime ago I discovered that B-52's were used as a recon platform, found a photo of a capsule that fitted inside the bomb bay and the caption said it was occupied by crew members. A little bit of delving into it, I found one of those tanker car tanks was almost a dead ringer for the capsule. One of my plans is to make this capsule for one of my 1/72 B-52 kits I have.

[PR19_Kit]

Goods wagons in UK until quite recent times, used a primitive coupling, also called three-links, while on the continent the screw coupling has been standard since more than a one century.
Here you can see both types.

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Railway_coupling

Both are easily bought as model train detail parts (three-links in UK only  )

That's because we invented railways in the first place and didn't have the advantage of hindsight when it came to starting over again, as elsewhere....... 

That page didn't cover the Instanter coupling that I mentioned nor the Bar Coupler either.

The Instanter was a version of the 3 link that could be coupled tighter and quicker than a screw coupling by turning the centre link through 90 degrees. They do exist in model form too, but the smallest I know about is in 0 gauge.



Instanter Coupling, very lo-res I'm afraid, shown opened before tightening.




0 gauge etched Instanter




Bar Coupler. VERY slow to connect as it needs four bolts to be tightened but can rotate and still stay connected, which we used for the tilting APT test vehicles to good effect. It's also through piped for air brakes without having extra pipework.

A friend of mine makes an etched bar coupler set in 00 gauge, and I have some, but they are TINY and take a lot of care in constructing them, but they look amazing when finished.

[strobez]

Now that my entry for the Racing GB has been completed, I can finally turn my attention back to a couple of Tintin projects...

For such a simple little kit, this one gave me a few problems - mainly with putty, sanding, painting, re-putty, more sanding, more painting... more putty... even more sanding... and a bit more painting on the yellow tank.  I just couldn't get the holes I filled to disappear.  After several attempts we're now into "good enough" and "avoid direct sunlight".

I also decided to build a new ladder scratched up from some wire.  Too bad I managed to bend it accidentally so I'll probably just end up using the kit ladders.  It is a comic book drawing after all.



Anyway, I did get the ladder done (with photographic proof) and the little side platforms are glued in place.



Time to get started on the base.  I set a pattern in angel clay, now it has to dry and shrink for a few days.  It was the only easy way I could figure out to lay the tracks down. I didn't like the black tracks though, so I decided to paint them.



Added some wire railings.  The tank still needs a bit more yellow, but we're almost there.

[PR19_Kit]

You'll make a railroad modeller yet Greg. 

[strobez]

Well, I'm still trying to work out how best to build this rail car in 1/72 scale (or 1/76 if necessary).  I'm not quite sure where to start though...  Maybe one of the other Airfix 1/76 scale rail carts? I might be able to scratch build the entire upper part of the carriage, but I haven't got a clue what to do about the wheels and what not.

[Rick Lowe]

"Avoid Direct Sunlight" - now that's funny, and deserves to become a Whif-Site Standard Setting! 

If you're going to scratch the whole carriage, maybe some of the truck and wheel replacement sets would suffice? Rather than getting something just for the wheels and possibly scrapping the rest? OR - you could do a diorama of the French Armistice Carriage? Just a thought.

[PR19_Kit]

In the UK  model railway (railroad.........) world there are hundreds of different suppliers who could sell you a myriad variety of bogies (trucks....) and underframes for such a project. I'm sure there must be similar suppliers in Korea, or nearby. Perhaps a trip to a local model railway (railroad....) stores may be worthwhile?

The coach (passenger car....) looks like what's called a 'clerestory coach' in UK parlance, but the end windows are pretty unusual. It's also quite short, but that's easy to arrange if you already have a long one.....

The scale may the difficult issue as the 1/76 scale is uniquely British, and you'll find that most US, European or Asian model railway (railroad.....) stuff is 1/86 scale, but the track gauge of the wheels will be the same. There's a complex reason for this that I won't go into here, just trust me. 

[strobez]

Yeah, there are only HO an N scale items on the shelf here in Korea (and I assume in Japan, where I'll be headed in a couple of weeks). I'll hunt around for the bogies/trucks as I think that will probably be enough for what I want.  As it's basically a series of boxes with a larger box on wheels, it's probably within my ability range to attempt.

If you've got any suggestions for a set of 1/76 wheels/trucks/bogies/underframes I'm all ears.  My preference is plastic rather than die cast/metal because I'll probably need to do some chopping.

[PR19_Kit]

You won't need to worry about the wheels, they'll be the correct width in HO, and most HO bogie frames will work with them. I'm not sure if they sell their components separately, but a good quality Japanese supplier is Kato, who model both HO and N gauge stuff.

Over here Replica Railway do a wide range of underframes and bogies too, but they're a LONG way away from you I'm afraid.