J3A Hudson 20th Century Limited (Empire State Express)

[jpetersjr]

Something I've been working on in 3D Crafter Pro.

The New York Central J3A Hudson 20th Century Limited steam locomotive.

Empire State Express Progress 2.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 3.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 4.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 5 A.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 5 B.jpg

I decided that I'd like to try to get a locomotive into Railworks, and decided it was time for Railworks to get the Empire State Express. So I'm working to bring it to the game as freeware.

[mrennie]

You've made a good start. Stick with it, it'll take a long time, but it's very satisfying when it all comes together.

[jpetersjr]

Some more progress.
Started on the cab, started on the top part and I got the basic plow on, that was a tricky shape to make, but it's finally been solved.

Empire State Express Progress 6 A.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 6 B.jpg

Same exact shape and same exact size as the blueprint.

Empire State Express Progress 6 C.jpg

[BNSFdude]

http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/rea ... 3ds/604625

[jpetersjr]

http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/realistic-nyc-dreyfuss-hudson-3ds/604625

Unfortunately that other model belongs to someone else and I prefer to build my own.

Prefer to build my own because of copyright laws.

Besides, the format those files come in don't open right in 3D Crafter without crashing it. And couldn't afford to buy it anyways only to not be able to release it in the game anyways.

I plan to make mine as good as well, but I'll be building it from scratch.

[jpetersjr]

Some more progress.

Finally was able to cut out the cab windows and cab door, next will be the roof.

Empire State Express Progress 7 A.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 7 B.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 7 C.jpg

[mrennie]

Nice looking windows

[jpetersjr]

Some more progress, got the roof and the cab on.

Empire State Express Progress 8 A.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 8 B.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 8 C.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 8 D.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 8 E.jpg

[mrennie]

Good work so far.

I noticed that the group centre is at about half cab height. I find it's advisable to get these group centres in the correct positions as soon as possible, to avoid problems later on. The centre of the loco (actually the centre of the main group that has to be called "locomotive") should be at the height of the top of the rails, otherwise when you export it, the loco will be half buried in the ground. It's quite easy to move it. I create simple reference objects, cubes, to act as guides (and draw them in wire mesh mode to see the lines more easily). You can place one cube with it's top surface at rail height, the other at a convenient reference position on the loco (like say, the topmost point in the cab). Then (from a side orthogonal view) move (in the usual way, not using the shift tool ... that comes later) the loco down until its group centre is aligned with the rail height reference cube. Next, switch to the shift tool, so that the objects in a group can be moved without changing the position of the group centres. Shift the loco upwards again until the reference point (that top point on the cab) is back to where it was before (that's why you need to place the second reference cube). You need to get proficient with doing this because it's necessary when you come to do animations (like the motion and valve gear).

[mrennie]

Talking of reference objects, something else I find really useful is to put a big cube behind (that is, behind when viewing the loco from the front of the smokebox) the loco, with a vertical line down the middle, and align it with the exact vertical centreline of the loco, and lock it! I do this because many, many times, I've accidentally shifted things slightly (it's too easy to select objects without realising it, and shift them accidentally by nudging the mouse). If you don't notice it, and carry on modelling, eventually you find that things don't line up properly and it can be hard to see why. Now, I always place these reference cubes, and I check frequently to make sure that everything is still aligned with them.

In fact, I even have an object in the scene to represent the rails, because one time, I accidentally shifted the entire set of wheels up by one (scale) inch, and only noticed it when I saw the wheels floating above the rails in RW.

[PapaXpress]

This is good advice mrennie. There have been many times my locos have shifted around. While your idea makes better sense, I ended up using my front, rear and side drawings as guides.

As for the rails, I have a strange problem. When my approach my engine in game (I have not clicked on it) it rests perfectly on the rails. When I click on the engine (to interact with it) it lifts up and to the right about an inch and runs that way (wheels and trucks turn fine). Any ideas? I did have to spin the engine 180deg in Crafter because it was my first attempt and didn't know the Z order started away from me.

[jpetersjr]

Some more progress on the Hudson.

Did some work on the front putting on the stair ledges on the side of the plow and the steps into the plow. I also put in the cuppler hatch where a cuppler could be put in, even know on this model there won't be a front cuppler.

Empire State Express Progress 9 C.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 9 D.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 9 E.jpg

The size of the firebox.

Empire State Express Progress 9 A.jpg

View from where the engineer's seat will be located in the game, this is how the view out will actually be.

Empire State Express Progress 9 B.jpg

[mrennie]

This is good advice mrennie. There have been many times my locos have shifted around. While your idea makes better sense, I ended up using my front, rear and side drawings as guides.

As for the rails, I have a strange problem. When my approach my engine in game (I have not clicked on it) it rests perfectly on the rails. When I click on the engine (to interact with it) it lifts up and to the right about an inch and runs that way (wheels and trucks turn fine). Any ideas? I did have to spin the engine 180deg in Crafter because it was my first attempt and didn't know the Z order started away from me.

It's strange that it sits on the rails before you click on it. Otherwise I'd have said it was definitely down to the position of the group centre being in the wrong place. I have had strange things happen when the pivot positions, of the engine itself and/or the bogies/trucks, in the blueprint aren't set correctly (if you get the +/- the wrong way round on the coupler positions, the thing launches into space like a rocket!). In any case, I suggest that first of all you make sure that the group centres of the engine body and those of its bogies are all aligned absolutely perfectly along the z-axis (for this, I really recommend placing a guide box underneath the loco, and check everything in wire frame mode, zooming in as close as you can). I also make a line down the z-axis and x-axis of a horizontal, and y-axis of a vertical, face of the body and bogies, to form a cross, and I move the lines so that the cross (like the crosshairs of a gunsight) is in the exact centre. I then check that the group centre coincides with the cross, and if it doesn't, I use the shift tool to align the group centre (great care has to be taken to then return the object to its correct position in the scene!). There are ways to ensure that the cross lines are in the exact centre, to the 4th decimal place, using the point position tool (something I use a lot).

Another thing is to check that you have the correct track gauge (1.434999942779541) in the bogie plueprints.

I have a feeling that it might even be that the x-axis centre of the bogies aren't aligned with the x-axis centre of the body. RW uses the latter when placing vehicles on the track, but I think it only aligns the bogies when you click on the loco to drive it, and only then do the bogies have priority over the body.

[jpetersjr]

Got the wheels on, next will be building the other wheels and then I plan to start on the frame, then after that the trucks.

Empire State Express Progress 11 A.jpg

Empire State Express Progress 11 B.jpg

[XDriver]

Glad to see some more steamers coming along. Lookin good. Keep at it.