Model Trains

If you are a frequent visitor of our Facebook group, you might already be familiar with an enthusiastic Craftbot user from Hungary, Csaba Tóth, who uses his Craftbot printers to create train models.

Csaba was first introduced to the world of 3D modelling in high school where he started creating 3D models from scratch in the software he was introduced to. This newly found hobby came alongside his love and interest for trains and the already existing hobby of railroad collectables. However, he thought that 3D printing technologies will only be used for smaller modifications, and never thought that creating his own trains was possible.

He kept following the news around 3D technologies and as the world of 3D technologies expanded, and when FDM printing became available for public use, Csaba started thinking about the use of 3D printing in train miniatures again. Many of the people around him were of the opinion that using a 3D printer for this was not possible but Csaba did not let himself be discouraged that easily.

His first 3D printer was a Craftbot – Csaba has been following us since our very first IndieGoGo campaign! Even though there were some minor delays due to sourcing issues for the first printers manufactured, he said it was exciting to follow the journey and didn't have to wait too long for his first 3D printer.

“I wanted a printer that I can use to print immediately after unboxing.”
- he says when asked about why he chose Craftbot so many years ago and still uses Craftbot printers now.

Currently Csaba has 3 Craftbot Plus Pro printers which are now more modern than the original Craftbot offered almost a decade ago. He also has a resin printer used for the smallest details on the train models. His oldest printer has over 8000 printing hours in it, but the newest addition to the printer family only has a couple hundred hours of use. Multiple printers are necessary to speed up the printing process required for the train models. Csaba says that other than basic maintenance and the occasional replacement of some fans, his printers never required any repairs.

The process of train modelling starts by first deciding what sort of locomotive or carriage one desires to recreate. It’s best to get hold of the original blueprints. Csaba often locates the trains personally, so that he can take photos and measurements himself. If the engineer who designed them is available and open for a chat, it can add even more valuable details to the process. Csaba says that railway workers often appreciate his interest for trains and respond very positively to his requests about examining certain family of trains.

Csaba is already a very experienced Craftbot user, so when creating his 3D drawings about a certain train, he already draws with the features of the printer in mind. This allows him to create pieces that fit perfectly. He uses PET-G for the 3D printed parts because it is more resistant to heat and UV radiation which are frequent dangers to the prints in his garden out in the open-air.

All 3 printers are used to print the necessary parts – the smaller items take about an hour to print, but some larger ones like a locomotive body can take up to 25 hours, that’s why having more printers come in handy.
After printing all the pieces required is done, it’s time for polishing, assembly, and painting. The models Csaba usually make are of a ratio 1:26 – this is usually referred to as the 'G size' in the community, G being short for 'Garden'.

Completing a train model with such exquisite detail takes up to 6 months – which is no wonder if you look at how detailed the results are!

Despite many years of experience, Csaba still faces challenges sometimes – last year he made his first model where he did not see the original, it being a Danish train. He only had a Danish friend on the spot to take photos for him but the creating process still proved to be a bigger challenge than usual.

The smallest train model he ever created was roughly 10 cm long (~ 4”) – printed with a 0.25 mm nozzle, and the largest model he ever made was 130 cm long, for which only the printing phase took more than 4 weeks (this was of a 1:9 ratio).

A model Csaba is very fond of is of a diesel locomotive that was never really well known in Hungary and only a few are still in operation today. He tried to look for the designer of the locomotive but due to the designer’s name being misspelled in some official documents, he was very difficult to track down. However, when Csaba managed, it turned out that the designer lived in a neighbouring town! They connected over their enthusiasm for trains, Csaba gifted a model of the diesel locomotive to its designer and he received some original drawings of the locomotive in turn.

I asked Csaba what advice he has for others and he recommends that anyone who wants to start 3D printing (or using it for train modelling) should just start.

“Start slow by building from only printing a couple of smaller parts to printing every necessary part of a model. Always keep learning: join online communities, observe what others are doing and don’t be afraid to try.”

Csaba’s future plans include finishing another 130 cm long model which will be even more detailed than his previous large train and he’s also been thinking about utilizing 3D printing in the world of vintage cars.