Thursday, June 10, 2010

New page added.

Sorry for the lengthy delay in updating this page, but I have been a tad busy and this blog has suffered. I have finally been able to get around to collating the replies I have received from Colin Rees. These can be found on the "CS Photos and information" page.

As this project is still very much in its infancy and only part time, I will be concentrating on my main blog at this point. So you may not see much regular activity on this blog, but please feel to visit.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Yahoo Group - Aus_Model_Rail post

I posted message number 29869 "CargoSprinter project assistance requested" this morning.

Questions on dimensions

My friend Craig raised the question that possibly the trailer length was actually longer than the estimated 40'. Viewing video footage from the Windhoff site (refer link, then go to 'Railway Vehicles' -> 'Product videos' -> 'Windhoff CargoSprinter (CRT)' videos, it would appear as though the Australian variant might actually have 60' trailers, hence possibly why the trailers/wagons have bogies. It would appear that in some of the footage, two 30' containers are colocated on each wagon. Also in the 'short video' a "CRT 30' mod (?)" was being loaded on the back of one of the power units, so 30' containers must be used.

Craig suggested I make an enquiry on the Yahoo Group Aus_Model_Rail to see if anyone knows more about the specifications of the CargoSprinter.

Stay tuned.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Two new links of interest added

I have added links to Steam Era Models, a supplier of Blackbeetles in Oz, and Hollywood Foundry who manufacture their own motorised bogies. Both close in price but probably the Blackbeetle would suit the under deck placement on the Power Units, but it would depend on the dimensions.

Design scribblings



Here is my first rough scribblings. If you cannot read my writing (and sometimes I can't read my writing!), here is a summary of the drawing.

HO scaling = 1:87.1

Trailer specs:

  • Length: 40' or approx 140 scale mm
  • Width: 2900mm or approx 33 scale mm
  • Height from rail to deck top: ~ 1000mm or 11.5 scale mm
  • you could use a flat deck with a underneath spine. I am thinking of something similar to the NSW NOCY wagons that my frienf Craig models but without the sides.
  • Using a flat deck would be fairly easy if the containers were permanently fixed to the trailers, thus no deck detail required

Power unit specs:

  • Length: ~ 60' or approx 210 scale mm
  • Width: same as above
  • Height: from rail to cabin roof 3010mm (1000 + 2010mm) or 34.5 scale mm
  • same basic idea with the deck. However I am thinking the cabin should be removable for ease of access to the motor &/or decoder &/or LEDs. Either a couple of bolts for locked fit or some angle inside for a push loose fit
  • referring to photos, I think the windscreen panel might be at approx 60 degrees
  • a guestimate of height from deck to bottom edge of windscreen angle panel of 1000mm or 11.5 scale mm
  • photos of the cabin would indicate a edge chamfer of maybe 400mm or 4.5 scale mm. Would this be too fiddly or could I use modeller's licence just to keep a basic box shape?
  • As for the LEDs, I am thinking Headlights ( white x 2), Marker lights (white/red 2 x 2) directional, Ditch lights (white x 2), Number boards (white x 2). The number boards and headlights could potentially be lit via fibre optic from a common source LED. Something to discuss further.

As for styrene thickness, base maybe 2mm and cabin 1mm.

So if anyone is following this blog and is prepared to go over my logic, assumptions and maths, I would be grateful for any feedback.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Research so far

Some very basic research and guess work has provided the following:
  • Width of unit - 2900mm
  • Height of driver cabin from deck - 2010mm
  • Length of trailer unit - approx 40 feet (this is an assumption based on each trailer being able to carry 1 x 40' or 2 x 20' containers
  • Length of power unit (two per consist) - this would be guess work. Each of these can carry the same as a trailer plus the length of the driver cabin. Looking at photos I am guessing at least another 20' could be added
  • Height from rail head to deck top - no idea. Once again I referred to photos. One photo had a crewman standing on the floor of a service shed where the rails were embedded in concrete. I have made the assumption that the average height of a man is 5'10'' and the deck is about elbow height from the rail head to deck top, I would guesstimate a height of 105cm so maybe round down to an even 1m or 1000mm (?)
  • unsure of wheel diameter, modeller's licence may prevail to obtain as close as possible match
  • The Australian version's trailers run with dual axle bogies rather than single axle wheels as is the case with their European cousins. They could also run with 9 units in a consist rather than the maximum seven in Europe.
  • It is a fairly angular vehicle so the potential to model in styrene is probably very good.
  • As for the power units, a number of options come to mind; Tenshodo SPUD, Blackbeetle or Hollywood Foundary self powered universal drives. Reading various newsgroups would suggest the Tenshodo is rubbish. Blackbeetle is better but apparently hard to find in Oz. The Hollywood Foundry units are quite expensive. Doing a quick sum of the parts required to scrathbuild a five unit consist (minimum), the total cost would be close to what I could pay for a new/slightly used Marklin set of the DB CargoSprinter (~A$356 + P&H).
  • Another power option suggested by my friend Craig was to get the power unit (or two) from a Bachmann (US) tamper vehicle. These are relatively cheap at the moment (~A$50-60 + P&H).
  • The CRT Cargosprinter appears to have been mothballed for the moment. For modelling purposes, modeller's licence might prevail and the vehicle could be painted in an private operator's livery under the auspices of the original having been sold. something to think about.
  • The main design points would be cheap to make, Motor and lights only DCC (one per end in consist mode) as no sound decoder for the Volvo truck engines!, rugged as this would be my first scratchbuild.

Next task, converting the dimensions to HO!