SBB Re 460 (Lok 2000) Locomotive

[trainfanM]

Hello,

Throughout the next several months, I'll take you behind the scenes as I build the SBB Re 460 from scratch -- maybe someone will find all of this interesting. The Re 460 will complete my IC 2000 scratch-built model, but I know lots of people will be interested in the Re 460 alone (so that's why it's in this separate message.)

Like my SBB IC 2000 model, I'll make this Re 460 model free to download once it's completed. I'll also make several variations of its livery.

Here's how this all got started. A few years ago while I researched a trip to Switzerland, I came across a really cool looking train with black and white stripes, and red door highlights -- I learned this train was called the IC 2000. Several companies sold IC 2000 toy trains, but these were *really* expensive and way out of my budget. With a Google search I found a paper model of the IC 2000 that someone built. It seemed OK at first glance, but the more I examined it the more I found *serious* accuracy flaws. I thought about correcting its mistakes, but in the end I decided I'd make my own from scratch. It took a while to put together in my spare time, but I finally completed it (without the Re 460) last November.

The Re 460 was up next, and it would complete the IC 2000 (which is a push-pull type train.) I gathered lots of Re 460 study images, my own images, and video screen captures to help me get the details right. Compared to my IC 2000 research, I found lots of Re 460 diagrams on the Web -- which was really helpful!

In January, I began to think about the shapes I would use to build my paper model. I could have based the design off my Bt carriage (from the IC 2000) model. However, the shorter inside area arrangement, needed pantograph area, and now more accurate Re 460 diagrams persuaded me to start almost from the beginning.

I first sized and aligned the diagrams to match the scale of my IC 2000 paper model. I do make my models with an internal structure so the paper sides can stay flat, not bow outwards with larger sized models, and provide support where needed. The most important thing though is that the structures support several bottels of glue--these weigh down and flatten the sides as they dry.

I next thought about where the internal structures should be placed.

Here, I mapped out the basic areas of the internal structures. I decided to place them under the pantograph areas, and in the middle.

I next began several sketches -- I actually sketched the pantograph first since it puzzled me the most, but I'll save that story for a future post.

I thought up several ways to do the internal structure shapes, which you see sketched here. One of my goals for the Re 460 model was to simplify the internal shapes, as compared to those in the IC 2000 model, and reduce the number of parts.

In my next update, I'll show photos of my first paper assembly. The various sketch ideas you see here were combined in different ways, so next time I'll reveal the internal structure I actually used.

Until then, cheers!

Trainfan M

[trainfanM]

In this update I'll show the completed internal structure. It look some time to finalize because I needed a good start on the pantograph area, which had to fit properly -- more on that below.

Since there are no doors on the ends (unlike the IC 2000,) I didn't need to worry about the visual appearance of the internal structures' ends. However, I did need the structures' sides to be flat to let the Re 460 sides be glued on, and withstand the weight of glue bottles pressing it flat.

Here are the basic inner wall structures. They sort of look like a box kite, and have an edge-glued box inside them (tilted 45-degrees.) Each inner box has triangular flaps to help position and keep the edges stationary while they dry. The end flaps (folded down on the front and back sides) aren't glued to anything, but they do add some side-to-side stiffness to the ends.

Here's a side view -- the three wall structures sit on atop a frame (the bogies will go underneath,) and the end wall structures are positioned right underneath the pantograph area. This lets the recessed pantograph area (the keystone-like objects with dark grey insides) sit on the end wall structures, and provide physical support for when the pantographs are raised and lowered (more on that in another post.) The structure atop the central box is open, but still resists downward force.

I used Canon Matte Photo Paper (MP-101) for this project, which is one-sided. Look carefully and you'll notice that the printed side is light white (inside the structures,) and the back side has a slight cream color to it (outside the structures.) I must say this paper is thick, and just right for papercraft projects!


Here's a quarter-view of the the internal walls, frame, and pantograph area. The little triangular flaps on each pantograph structure glues directly to locomotive's top roof. The pantograph area will hold the pantograph's base, and it's extendable arm structure -- all of it must fit inside this compact area. Only a "T" shaped area of the roof will be open to the outside, which will allow access to the pantograph arm.

Here's one last photo -- a view straight down the inside from the front. The internal box (tilted 45-degrees) holds up to a quite a bit of weight, and resists movement.

So that's what's on the inside, and all of this foreshadows some serious paper engineering yet-to-come.

I'll show off the bogies in my next post.

Until then, cheers!

[tt1120]

Hi trainfan M, I'm building your IC 2000 - I like, thank you for the free download - and I'm wondering if your Re 460 project has progressed since your last post.