TT scale trains and models

I was "cruising" through Shapeways train stuff and noted in the HO section a fair number of steam loco drive wheels for sale. Assuming these wheels can be produced in TT scale--what are the reasonable possibilities for the following:

1. Can wheels be produced to include integrated rim and flange?
2. If so, could these wheels be operated using the 3d materials in which they are made?
3. If not operable, could these wheels be used as patterns from which more robust (for operation) copies
could be cast?
4. What would be a good material (type of resin, etc.) for operable castings?
5. Has anyone made any effort--successful or not--in fabricating steam loco drivers?
6. Are the drivers offered through the British 3mm Society useful for TT scale steamers with an American
"outline?"

Just wondering?

TTTerrific wrote:I was "cruising" through Shapeways train stuff and noted in the HO section a fair number of steam loco drive wheels for sale. Assuming these wheels can be produced in TT scale--what are the reasonable possibilities for the following:

1. Can wheels be produced to include integrated rim and flange?
Possibly... but then you are stuck with the rim the same material as the center
2. If so, could these wheels be operated using the 3d materials in which they are made?
It depends on the material... IMHO - NONE of the resins would last very long.
3. If not operable, could these wheels be used as patterns from which more robust (for operation) copies
could be cast?
Certainy... lost plastic or lost wax investment casting
4. What would be a good material (type of resin, etc.) for operable castings?
Brass...
5. Has anyone made any effort--successful or not--in fabricating steam loco drivers?
http://www.pacificlocomotive.com
6. Are the drivers offered through the British 3mm Society useful for TT scale steamers with an American
"outline?"
An approximation can be had if you find something without too many spokes, and then use an overlay for the counterweight

Shapeways can do investment casting. I have not tried with wheels, but I bought a steam locomotive shell in bronze. Investment cast wheels may need some fine turning afterwards to get the correct profile (RP-25).

Here's a guy on the Railroad Line Forum that is building a steam engine using Shapeways to build a brass engine including the drivers. The thread is spread through out his 95 pages of modeling. I linked to two pages that are possibly of more interest. He has done this over a long period of time. You'll have to find where he started the design and go from there if you want to see how he started out.

There are previous pages to this one.
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topi ... ichpage=79

This one shows more of the completed frame and drivers.
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topi ... ichpage=91

Yes it's possible to use 3D to make brass parts. Volume wise it would be expensive.

Bernd