Hello Fellow Enthusiast and Knowledgeable G Scalers!
Does anybody have any overhead photograph or photographs of the top section of an ATSF Big/Full Dome? I am curious to see if they had a smooth or ribbed section the length of the top between the windows.
I would like to see if it is possible to machine the roof off of one of my Aristo-Craft aluminum passenger cars and machine (or 3D print) a new separate full dome/big dome section. I do understand that to make a reasonable copy I would also need to change the side windows. (I believe that in the factory the extrusions for the passenger car were formed flat, that the windows were then stamped with a die and then the top corners formed in a press. I could be wrong.) It would be really nice IF a new top section for a full dome could be 3D printed and then nickel plated but I am unaware a a 3d printer capable of printing an object of that size. Plus; I am pretty ignorant about 3D printers. (But one of my friends, Robert, used a 3D printer to print a 3D printer.)
I think that I read (years ago) that Aristo-Craft would be selling extruded aluminum blank shells to enthusiasts so that they could make their own passenger cars. I have asked around and nobody that I communicate with has ever seen one. If I had an extruded aluminum blank, then it would make this a little easier.
My main machine that I use for this type of work is a Bridgeport vertical mill with a 9" x 42" table.
Enjoy your trains as much as possible. Thanks. AJ the Teacher
Does anybody have any overhead photograph or photographs of the top section of an ATSF Big/Full Dome? I am curious to see if they had a smooth or ribbed section the length of the top between the windows.
I would like to see if it is possible to machine the roof off of one of my Aristo-Craft aluminum passenger cars and machine (or 3D print) a new separate full dome/big dome section. I do understand that to make a reasonable copy I would also need to change the side windows. (I believe that in the factory the extrusions for the passenger car were formed flat, that the windows were then stamped with a die and then the top corners formed in a press. I could be wrong.) It would be really nice IF a new top section for a full dome could be 3D printed and then nickel plated but I am unaware a a 3d printer capable of printing an object of that size. Plus; I am pretty ignorant about 3D printers. (But one of my friends, Robert, used a 3D printer to print a 3D printer.)
I think that I read (years ago) that Aristo-Craft would be selling extruded aluminum blank shells to enthusiasts so that they could make their own passenger cars. I have asked around and nobody that I communicate with has ever seen one. If I had an extruded aluminum blank, then it would make this a little easier.
My main machine that I use for this type of work is a Bridgeport vertical mill with a 9" x 42" table.
Enjoy your trains as much as possible. Thanks. AJ the Teacher
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