Tramcard

**siltec** · #1 09-19-2013, 11:05 AM

A new boy here and relatively new to card modelling. I adopted the name 'TRAMCARD' and use it for numerous free hosting sites where I post my multiple ongoing hobby activities related to card modelling.

I actually arrived at card modelling after wondering if I could print my own tinplate models. Quickly realising that was not really feasible with an HP printer I recalled my childhood packets of Weetabix with cut out models on them.

So far I have concentrated on card model bodies for commercial and scratch built chassis of trams and railcars.

Posted some pictures and links. All freely available - I do not have the nerve to try flogging it.

**Vermin_King** · #2 09-19-2013, 11:56 AM

I'd be very interested in seeing more of these. What scale are you working?

**siltec** · #3 09-19-2013, 01:01 PM

First post was cut short as I was called for my tea!

So far I have scales from ho to gauge 3 or 1/87 to 1/22.5 with 00, 0 and S in between.

I actually was thinking about tin plate for 0 gauge. Acquiring a number of Underground Ernie chassis cheaply created a diversion to h0/00 gauge. At the same time I was looking at a garden railway based on Meccano, or its clones. Using Meccano for chassis and wanting a quick body I worked on larger card bodies.

After a while it became clear that the reason that Frank Hornby never integrated Meccano with Hornby 0 gauge railways was their scale incompatibility. Meccano with its 1/2 inch hole spacing is too big for 0 gauge of 1/43. 1/2" to 1' is 1/24 near enough to 1/22.5 the scale of gauge 3 to make no difference to a coarse scale modeler like myself.

I have now settled on 2.5" gauge for my garden railway ambitions and 00 gauge for smaller models. Not wanting to make things simple my 00 gauge efforts use 3 rail track. Hornby Dublo three rail tinplate is wonderful stuff.

Not having a lot of room I decided to concentrate on single vehicle railcars which lead me to trams. I have expanded this to include some multiple units, electric and diesel.

In practice I design more than I make using DeltaCad for the outline and Serif Drawplus for colour infill.

Generally my designs are basic with no effort to produce all the scale features in 3D. I like to use printed card models as I can design and build relatively quickly. Also one design can have its colours and scale adjusted faster than rebuids and painting.

Anyhow a brief outline of my progress to date.

**Vermin_King** · #4 09-19-2013, 01:17 PM

Thanks for the explanation.