Why?

So, there are a couple of questions that probably need addressing before I go any further. They are both “Why”.
Why bother modelling such ridiculously small trains?
Why the Ffestiniog Railway?
Aswering the second question first, because that’s easiest. I have always loved the Ffestiniog, ever since my first trip on the line as a spotty impressionable teenager on our first family holiday to north Wales. We travelled on many of the Great Little Trains of Wales on that trip. Snowdon, Tal-y-Llyn, Vale of Rheidol, Welshpool and Llanfair to name but a few. But it was the Ffestiniog I fell in love with. Our first trip on the railway was behind the Alco “Mountaineer”. Then the trains only went as far as Dduallt then or “Doo-alt” as we called it, and were totally shocked when the guard called out “The-acht” or something like that. The Railway reached Blaenau Ffestiniog and I was a member of the Ffestiniog Railway Society for many years. But never got to volunteer. Then life got in the way and I probably didn’t even visit for as many as 15 years, until my wife and I decided to visit North Wales on one of our trips to the UK from America. The Railway had expanded, becoming instrumental in the development of the Welsh Highland Railway. We rode both. The Welsh Highland is stunning but the Ffestiniog still grabs my heart.
The FR has unique and beautiful locomotives, like the double Fairlies “Little Wonder” and ‘Merddin Emrys” as well as the England locos like ‘Prince” and “Princess”.  Constructing such distinctive locomotives in such a tiny scale as 1:305 would help to create a railway atmosphere. Otherwise ther would be a danger of just having coloured blobs of plastic circulating around the scenery.
As for the first point. Why model these small trains? I guess that comes down to wanting to push my model making skills and try new things. I dabbled with T gauge before and quite successfully. I even scratch built my own loco. I forget what it was now. It was a hopelessly over scale body on a Eishindo Bo-Bo chassis. It worked so I guess that was a win but the project I was working on stalled and I moved onto something else.
I feel that working in these small scales can help me develop different skill sets and problem solving processes. Take the side tanks on Little Wonder for example. If I were working in 4mm scale I’d cut styrene sheet to size and glue the pieces together. Here in 1:305 scale the side tanks are but a few millimeters in size. So it’s far easier to cut an appropriately sized section of styrene strip to the correct length and use that. Then these different ways of looking at things can lead me to finding different ways to solve problems in larger scales.
Well, that’s my theory anyway. Let’s see if it works.

Proof of concept

Having made bold claims about re-creating the Ffestiniog Railway in 1:305 scale I thought I’d better follow up my words with actions.

Here is a first view of my “proof of concept” model of the Ffestiniog railways first double Fairlie “Little Wonder”. 

Of course, you probably can’t make out too many details as that little white blob circulates the track, so try these tiny photos.

Refresher.

In case you had all forgotten about these tiny trains and their motive power here’s a refresher video I made a week or so ago now. That will give a bit of insight into what I have planned.

Waking up.

Coming back to this section of the internet, more experiments with Small Model Railways and trains powered by linear motors.
According to the blog I've been away for seven years and in that time things have changed. When I first dabbled with the IDL train linear motors there was only pre made ovals of track to be bought, and as much as I enjoyed the challenge of creating the trains. Well, the operation was severely limited.
 Now things are different, through Australian modeller Martin Kaselis and his work creating the Australian "Puffing Billy" line in 1:350 scale I have discovered that teeny trains have a range of sectional track! This means I could build a layout of a larger size and my own design.
 Martin is an extremely talented man who has designed his own sectional track system with the help of IDL motors and his Monbulk Creek Bridge layout is something to behold. When I saw this I was very inspired and immediately started to create schemes in my own head.
I have some plans of my own that I will reveal later as things develop. But for now take an internet stroll over to Martin's website and see what he's been up to, you can find it here 

The proof is in the seeing

Here we are then. Proof positive that 1:1,000 scale scratchbuilt model railroads are a viable proposition. The locomotive, mounted on a IDL Nano trains platform, cut to fit, does work. The loco has a bit of a "tankslapper" (yawing motion) on the back straight. I think because the magnets aren't aligned properly. But other than that this is a phenomenally promising test run. If I can do this then you can.

I hope you are as knocked out by this as I am.

p.s. after I posted this I removed and re-aligned the magnet platforms and the "tankslapper" was improved. Not cured, but much improved

An SD38

Here it is the first scratchbuilt 1:1,000 scale locomotive from the Nano workshops.

An EMD SD38.

"But wait a minute" I hear you say. "You said it was going to be an SD70, or a SD60 or something.Now I'm confused"

I don't blame you. It was to be an SD 70 or 60 or somesuch. But as I progressed and studied the drawings and realised the models at 1:1,000 scale. I came to see that an SD60 or 70 was just looking the same. I needed something a bit more distinctive. So I came across some drawings of an SD38. Granted at this scale this could be anything from an SD 38 to a 40. But its shape has more... More character. Construction wise its just a selection of styrene strips cut to size and glued together. There's still a bit of filing to do in the roof fans to level them off. But once again, you're seeing this several times actual size. So in reality it doesn't look so bad. Take a look and let me know if it will pass muster as an SD38.

The next task will be to mount these to some of the magnet platforms and see if the train runs.

A boxcar

Here we are then everyone. You will remember how I wrote before I went on holiday about the ease of constructing a boxcar. Well its time for some photographic proof...

Its about 14mm long 3mm wide and 4mm high and is meant to represent an excess height boxcar. Of course you won't know its an excess height car unless you see it against a regular height car...

Still these are very easy to make, the toughest part being the filing out of the grooves of some embossed styrene to make the distinctive ends.

It looks a bit crude but its the first car I made and you're looking at it several times actual size.

But wait there's more to come.

Got a rival

I was digging around in the internet the other day looking for anything that could possibly be useful for this nano model railroading experiment and I came across this product. TY scale. 1:900 scale.
Ha! A paltry 1:900. That makes me feel really superior working in 1:1,000.
In all seriousness though. Having been working at this 1:1,000 for a couple of weeks now I have the greatest admiration for this chap who has been producing an entire range of sets in all kinds of wierd and wonderful sites for 10 years (I don't feel all that superior). Inside books and glasses cases for example. Even a miners lamp. I wonder if he'd give me any helpful hints and tips.
His trains run on a different system to the Nano trains. These trains are attached to a belt that moves instead of being on a track.
That's where I feel the nano train system is superior. Even in this tiny scale there is still the feeling of actually putting trains on a track. Which I think is an essential part of the model railroading experience. The hyper-miniature trainset models of David K Smith fall into another category altogether where this essential can't possibly apply.
However, what these tiny models do show is that:
1. A very attractive model can be realised even in these tiny scales.
2. I'm not the only one who can't photograph these tiny things close up...

More progress I can't photograph (boxcar part 2)

I have a grand total of 4 boxcars on the go now. They really are simplicity itself to put together. I cut these "bodies" to length from a section of styrene strip in a NWSL chopper, made the ends from the grooved sheet with the grooves filed out, cut them to size and glued them to the "bodies".

These simple techniques produced something that really was starting to look like a boxcar so I took the plunge and added doors.

Yes, doors.

Well when I say doors it's more of a piece of .25mm styrene cut into 3.5mm squares and placed where the door would be. But in 1:1,000 scale it looks like a door.

I'll try and post a picture before I head away to Yosemite for a long weekend over the labour day weekend.

It's all rather crazy really (box car part one)

You'll have to believe me on this one. Some of this stuff is really difficult to photograph, so if I say I've done this take my word for it for the moment, OK?

What would you think would be the easiest thing to build in 1:1,000 scale?

A boxcar perhaps?

Thats pretty much what I thought too. So it seemed a pretty good idea to have a go at building a few. Because if I'm going to build a nano freight train, I'm going to need a few. A little bit of research on the internet garnered me a set of drawings and dimensions for a Gunderson excess height car. Excess height cars. I like them. So a great project for a first boxcar model.

A boxcar then. Sections of 3.2 x 4mm styrene strip cut to length.

BUT. (there always has to be a "but" doesn't there) take a look at these railbox pictures notice how distinctive the end is this is typical of all modern boxcar ends. Strips of evergreen are plain ended, so how to re-create it? I remembered something I'd done in T scale with the worlds first T scale freight car the ribbing on the sides was created by finding a sheet of styrene of whatever pattern cut to gondola height size and length and topped off with a thin strip of styrene. It might not be "to scale" but it looks the part. So a similar idea was in order for the ends of the boxcar. I found the narrowest V groove sheeting I had and then widened out the grooves to give the right sort of effect. (You will now understand why photography of this is difficult...)

Surprisingly this was not a difficult task and enough sheet for several boxcars was created in a matter of minutes. As I write this the ends are glued to sides ready to be trimmed when the glue has set firmly. I'm quietly confident that my 1:1,000 scale boxcars will look quite good when finished.

What am I playing at?

I really think that I'll add that as a label for my posts because every time I do something in 1:1,000 scale I have to take a step back.
I started on a caboose last night.
12mm long over the couplers, 9mm long body, 5mm to the top of the cupola, 3mm wide...
What am I playing at?

Now we get serious (locomotive part 3)

Right, I can't keep putting this off. at some time I have to put a blade to styrene and work on something to test out construction theories.

I have a large supply of styrene sections on hand from previous projects and just happened to have some suitably sized sections in stock. So I set to and cut them to size, glued them together and then shaved them to shape with a razor blade.

That's it. Nothing clever, and yes I did wear a binocular magnifier to do the job. This is a very crude "proof of concept" model. But I believe it shows that this method for locomotive construction in 1;1,000 scale is sound. The secret will be to take it slowly and slice off a little at a time. Sometimes "taking it slowly" is something I fail to do. Anyway, it certainly bolsters my confidence. Especially when I think about the difference between my first and third trees at the weekend. What could loco number three look like?

Photographing it was actually quite difficult to get the white styrene to show the shape I'd carved it to without bleaching it out and loosing all the detail..

A "what am I playing at?" moment

Last night I has another of "those" moments. A moment when it really sets in as to what I'm letting myself in for. So if you'll bear with me I'll explain.
Last night I printed off the drawing of the SD60M at 1;1,000 scale.
Its small.
Smaller than I envisioned. Place two wooden coffee stirrer sticks side by side. That's how wide the engine compartment hood is. Under 3/4" (about 15mm) long and a scant 3.5mm tall.
That's small. I was in a sort of shock.
Strangely though I was comforted to see that the lettering on the side of the hood was quite legible and there was a surprising amount of detail to be seen on the tiny drawing. Much more than I expected.
Then I began to realise that it wasn't all that bad. The calmer more rational side of my mind started to take over and actually start to work out how to create this tiny model.
Lets just say I have some good ideas and I'm raring to go to put them into practice.

The locomotive project (part 2)

Nothing is ever as easy as it seems. Sometimes it's the easiest parts of a project that cause the most problem. Case in point with the SD70MAC project. You'd think with all the information out on the internet I would be able to find a comprehensive set of dimensions out there to enable me to get the model right. Well if you thought that then you're wrong. I haven't found any yet.
What I have found however is a nice set of drawings of an SD60M. I like SD60M's also known as Tri-clops because of the three front cab windows... Not that you're going to be able to make out the three front cab windows on a 1:1,000 scale model when its moving.
So SD70MAC or SD60M? Who knows...

Nano tree number three

Another tree for the afternoon. This one inspired by this 60+ footer seen from my back yard. The real thing is a bit spindlier and thinner than my version. Crowded around by other trees its difficult to make out the exact shape.

But I still feel that this is quite a convincing portrayal of a tree.
After just three attempts I feel that this technique is very viable for making trees in this super small scale. I can only get better at it. Time wise they don't take all that long to make. I spent more time waiting for caulk, glue and paint to dry than I did making up the armature.

Though I wouldn't consider making every tree for any layout by this method they will certainly make a talking point placed in a prominent position on the layout.

Nano tree No. 2

Right then, as promised here in tree No. 2 for your perusal. Already you can see it's a BIG improvement over the first one. These things are so incredibly fragile the mere act of breathing near them can cause a small bit of foliage to move and destroy the effect. I think I got away with it on this picture, you can make out some bits of bough among the foliage. Bear in mind too that this picture is about three times larger than actual size. So perhaps I'm being too hard on myself. I do though wonder of 30 odd feet is the smallest practical size to model a tree in 1:1,000 scale. I've actually just photographed a 60 foot tree of some type and will see if the increased size makes it easier to model.

So to the Woodland Scenics fine leaf foliage product. Very impressive stuff, even looking at this small piece photographed below you can see that there is the makings of an Oak tree or something similar.
And you thought model scenery in 1:1,000 scale was going to be hard...

My first nano-tree

In keeping with the "warts and all" approach to this blog detailed here is my first attempt at a tree in 1:1,000 scale.

You can't beat having realistic looking trees in your model landscape. Everyone should have them.

While I agree that mass produced model trees are getting more and more realistic (if a bit expensive). There are still people out there using the cheapo bottle brush efforts which saddens me as really nice trees are quite easy to do and they are probably easier to do in the smaller scales like N and Z and T than they are in say O. But this same construction theory holds out in all scales.

Above: The first, and most important thing is to find yourself a tree. This one is the approximately 35 foot tall paper birch in my front yard. Take a picture, print it off and study it.
Next: Find yourself some old multi strand electrical wire. Cut some of the sheathing off exposing the strands (1) and then start to separate them and bend them to the shape of the trunk and branches of the tree (2)
Then: I paint the wire armature with painters latex caulking and then, when that has dried I paint it with colours that suit the bark of the tree. Finally adding foliage in the form of Woodland scenics fine leaf foliage. Which, in this tree, is actually quite disappointing as it has smothered all the branch detail underneath.

A second attempt is called for which I will do right now...

When I get that second one done I will also post a picture of plain woodland scenics fine foliage which also makes very acceptable trees when shaped.

The amazing Nano video show

IDL motors have their own Youtube channel where product demo films are posted. I thought I'd share some of them with you in case you had missed them.

This first one shows what appear to be HO scale people on bikes, cattle and pedestrians all moving on a teeny trains track .

This second one is very, very interesting it shows some Hallmark Christmas tree decoration Trains "motorised" by adding magnets underneath them.

This is as small as it gets. The track size is 85mm x 55mm (3 1/2" x 2" approx) the moving cars are 5mm long.

All amazing stuff.

Ed tells me that in the three and a half years of product development they have moved objects varying is size from 5mm to 60mm in length.

I can see all kinds of opportunities for this technology in your model railroads. In O scale or G scale you could model the inside of a factory or warehouse and feature working conveyor belts moving products around the model.

I'm sure someone (maybe my wife and I) will try motorising the Hallmark decorations to make a unique Christmas Dinner table centrepiece.

The only thing stopping you is your lack of imagination.*

I'm really fired up right now. I'm going to have to go and so some Nano model making.

*"The only thing stopping you is your lack of imagination." I like that. Don't be surprised if that tagline doesn't appear on this blogs title block soon...

A new record?

To be honest I was just a bit surprised yesterday when the page views count for this blog went over 200 in the two days since the blog went live. My blogs don't pick up viewers that fast. I guess that there must be something about really small model railroads that fascinates people. Or perhaps people want to see me fall flat on my face with this adventure.

Thank you for checking in.

So anyway much serious thinking is always going on as I work out the best way to go about working in such a small scale. I've even downloaded Google Sketchup to see if producing locos and rolling stock by 3D printing will be viable in this small size.

The weight of the items is the over riding concern. The items of rolling only have tiny magnets inside them to "power" them, per the linear induction motor system used to make the small trains move. It,s a question of what weight will these magnets bear against the magnetic field of the track and keep moving. Even Ed Lopatinksi, the developer of the system, wonders about this. So I might end up making items of rolling stock in several different materials to find one that works. I have several different materials in line:

1. Thoughts started with matte photo paper or a high quality thin card. This would have the advantage of being able to have a loco livery printed on the paper before folding up to the right shape. The problem being that some folds on the paper might be rather small and awkward to achieve.

2. Architectural foam (Balsa foam or similar). The loco/stock would be carved out of a piece of foam, sealing and painting the foam might add too much weight to the item though.

3. Good old styrene.The thinnest strip possible to save weight made just as you would a larger item of stock but everytime you glue or paint or fill you'd add weight.

Perhaps I'm worrying needlessly about the weight, we'll have to see.

Buildings will be no trouble (famous last words) but if I've made T scale petrol/gas pumps complete with hoses I think I can make buildings and bridges and such like without too much of a problem.

I'm looking forward to having a go at some trees. They were the first thing I did in T scale and I may well find the time to have a go at some nano trees this weekend.

The locomotive project (part 1)

Well, if I'm really serious about this scratchbuilding in 1:1,000 scale malarkey I'd better nail my colours to the mast and come up with a project.

To be honest it wasn't all that difficult.

Here it is, the SD70MAC.

The one thing that drew me to this class of loco is the shape. It's nothing but squares. Square engine compartment hood, Square cab, pretty squareish nose. For a first time project in a ridiculously small scale it couldn't get much simpler.

At 74' long the SD70MAC scales out to 22.5mm long in 1:1,000 scale which is a bit shorter than the 25mm of the body of the Nano train chassis. (The chassis also extends to 29mm long over the necessary buffers.)

BUT (and here's the joy of striking out on your own in a new direction with new materials at your disposal.)

If I was to model the loco at 1:900 scale it then works out to be 25mm long! That is such an incredible co-incidence I don't think it should be passed over lightly.

1:900 scale would make things a tiny bit bigger, perhaps easier to work with. It would also be half the size of T scale, to give people a frame of reference.
But then I'd loose the 1:1,000 novelty.

Whatever I do its still going to be blooming small.

Perhaps I'll test my skills out in both sizes.

Now to work out how to actually make the thing.