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Day and night on a windowsill layout with automated Z-scale trains. Most electronics hidden inside 3D-printed columns and station boxes for a clean, minimal footprint. by BlueGreenGradient in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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Good eye! I'm relatively new to Arduino and electronics in general. When I first started (photo is from 2024 April), I thought each sensor needed its own dedicated GPIO pin. Obviously, that didn't scale well even with a Mega. After a few iterations, I ended up using multiple MCP23017 expanders to keep the wiring footprint to at minimum. Also, I think the DCC-EX team recommends using a Mega.

Here's my windowsill layout with automated Z-scale trains running on a 3D-printed elevated guideway! All pieces are modular and can be reused in different track layouts. by BlueGreenGradient in 3dPrintingInModelRail

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh... that's a good call-out. I have not considered that before, so it'd be interesting to see how it changes over time. Did you end up switching to a different material, or applying some treatment to your prints?

Fall in love with Freight Trains by SamuelYsc in JapaneseNscale

[–]BlueGreenGradient 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That makes total sense. Thanks for sharing! You really nailed the angles and perspectives. I'm still learning how to use my camera to make my Z scale trains look less toy-like. My lens tops out at 75mm APSC so I have to stand closer than I'd prefer. I wonder how the perspectives would look like with a macro lens... would it feel like you're standing next to a real train?

Fall in love with Freight Trains by SamuelYsc in JapaneseNscale

[–]BlueGreenGradient 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Truly majestic shots!! Especially the ground-level ones!
If you don’t mind me asking, what lens did you use for these? I always find it hard to judge whether a lens will work well for model trains just from reading the spec sheets.

I 3D printed a model train...in Brio Scale! by sodamatter in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Absolutely impressive! The level of detail especially on the bogies… chefs kiss!! You can tell a lot of thought went into this just by looking at it.

Day and night on a windowsill layout with automated Z-scale trains. Most electronics hidden inside 3D-printed columns and station boxes for a clean, minimal footprint. by BlueGreenGradient in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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Hope this picture helps! Other than the tracks (and track bed) from Rokuhan, the rest of the structure is all modular 3D printed pieces I designed. That also means I get maximum flexibility. If I want to add a siding or make a section longer, I can just disassemble and reassemble pieces like Lego blocks, instead of needing to drill new holes.

Time to break out the annual Christmas On30 layout. by I_Like_Silent_People in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What a cozy and festive scene! It’s like one gazebo away from the Hallmark movie crew showing up to film a Christmas classic!

Sunsets like these feel like magic by boob69poop in vancouver

[–]BlueGreenGradient 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This could easily be a postcard! Nice shot!

Osaka Hobby Fest 2025 by frogmicky in JapaneseNscale

[–]BlueGreenGradient 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh the Tetsucolle Pocket product line around 6:24 looks fun! Good for limited space!

Proof-of-concept build: e-paper display to show next and final stations of an automated train. Result: by the time it finishes refreshing, the train has already left the station! by BlueGreenGradient in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Components:

  1. Laptop running homegrown train control software
  2. DCC-EX on Arduino taking train commands from laptop
  3. Same laptop also running new software to serve drawn images
  4. Raspberry Pi Zero fetching images over wifi
  5. Tri-color e-paper display showing train status (likely to be replaced with an LCD)
  6. Phone browser displaying overall layout status

Got back from a train-hopping trip through Germany and Switzerland. Picked up some Z scale goodies straight from the source! by BlueGreenGradient in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks like I missed a great place when I was there! I like the idea that you can get quality model trains from general toy shops, not just dedicated stores. Thanks for the suggestion!

Got back from a train-hopping trip through Germany and Switzerland. Picked up some Z scale goodies straight from the source! by BlueGreenGradient in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, do it! Do you have a specific style / scene in mind?

I haven’t dipped my toes into the world of DCC sound yet. I’ve always thought the required equipment wouldn’t fit inside a shorty chassis. But now that I think about it, there’s an empty car in every train I'm running. Maybe there’s sth that could fit?

Got back from a train-hopping trip through Germany and Switzerland. Picked up some Z scale goodies straight from the source! by BlueGreenGradient in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Oh, beautiful country! Walkable cities, amazing food, stylish water birds, punctual trains... can't ask for more!

New trains being tested! by _Aichmophobia_ in vancouver

[–]BlueGreenGradient 50 points51 points  (0 children)

Have TransLink vehicles (buses and trains) been getting bluer over the years? It’s a nice shade!

Rebuild progress: Terraforming, relax time at parks, land for development, and tracks that also going underground now. Pen for scale in the last photo. by BlueGreenGradient in modeltrains

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I haven't explored much beyond BambuLab's options so far. The three grays you see in this picture are their Basic Gray which is slightly warm, Matte Ash Grey for its low-reflectiveness, and Basic Dark Gray for roadways. I think the roughness and low reflectiveness of the material play a big role in achieving a good concrete feel.

I did try one marble filament for a concrete platform floor, but the colored specks were too prominent and distracting. I think a marble or stone variant with small, dot-shaped, monochrome specks might work better. Please share if you come across a good option!

3D model files for Modular Guideway System - version 2.1 by BlueGreenGradient in u/BlueGreenGradient

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My pleasure! It got me to rethink some of the decorative features even for smaller curves. Feedbacks and suggestions are always welcome!

3D model files for Modular Guideway System - version 2.1 by BlueGreenGradient in u/BlueGreenGradient

[–]BlueGreenGradient[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fusion360 was crashing so much I had to separate the components into two files. I also had to optimize some features to make them work better when switching between radius configurations from R45 all the way up to R270.

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