{"id":13136,"date":"2024-05-31T15:00:53","date_gmt":"2024-05-31T19:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allnationline.com\/WP\/?post_type=product&p=13136"},"modified":"2025-06-17T17:31:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T21:31:48","slug":"all-nation-line-digital-twin-whopper-hopper-atlantic-coast-line-acl-3d-printed-mock-up-prototype-for-brass-scratch-build-pn1929an","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/allnationline.com\/WP\/?product=all-nation-line-digital-twin-whopper-hopper-atlantic-coast-line-acl-3d-printed-mock-up-prototype-for-brass-scratch-build-pn1929an","title":{"rendered":"All Nation Line Digital Twin Whopper Hopper Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) 3D Printed Mock-up Prototype For Brass Scratch Builders PN#1929AN"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Sale: All Nation Line Digital Twin Whopper Hopper Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) 3D Printed Mock-up Prototype For Brass Scratch Builders PN#1929AN<\/span><\/p>\n

In the<\/span> Main Line Blog<\/a> we discussed that All Nation Line is introducing a new concept of 3D printed mock-up cars to develop higher standards for scratch building in brass.\u00a0 This prototype concept has never before been offered to the 2 Rail O Scale hobby. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We now have available the mockup car parts\/kit for 2 Rail O Scale brass scratch model builders. The mockup car parts\/kit comes with all the major superstructure patterns, templates and stencils to assist in building a unique freight car from scratch. While the emphasis here is on brass, other materials could be used instead such as cards stock, wood or even styrene. My personal preference is brass for ease of soldering, strength, durability and value.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In modern day railroading, manufacturing of equipment and even the railroad right of ways are modeled at the prototype level as digital twins. For example, automated train operations can be simulated and tested before rolling out product or getting into the manufacturing process itself. So why not a digital twin for model railroading? We often see graphic renderings as a representation of a finished ready to run model products. However, that does not get the person to a level where one is looking to get the most out of the hobby by building one of kind models that have a long lasting life and high value when completed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scratch building models do not come with a set of plans or assembly instructions. Included with the many parts in this kit are 2D drawings taken directly from the digital twin as modeled in the 3D space of the CAD software. Digital Twins are data intensive objects hence, the scaling, dimensions and angles are defined in the twin and documented in the drawings.\u00a0 For the person that wants to get a quick start and introduction into scratch building, we have save them the time to research and scale from the prototype.
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With this investment, the mockup car can be developed ahead of the actual assembly of the brass or in parallel. Since there is no definitive procedures to go about building from scratch, the mockup assembly allows the modeler to pre-think such things as work holding or jigs, order of assembly operations, and even the inadvertent mistakes that can be avoided when making the brass model components. An example of a simple avoidable error would be to cut the hopper bay openings in the car floor or roof hatch openings before soldering partitions or forming the roll of the roof, respectively. Or, instead of the shorter 50 degree sheet steel diagonal car end template, the modeler may prefer to make it longer so it extends through the floor all the way down to the bottom edge of the hopper bay itself. Thus, the mockup makes visible many build options when it comes to the superstructure. The perfect superstructure is the foundation for extreme detailing of the model later on. We often see brass parts on resin models. In this case the opposite maybe optimal by using resin detail parts on the brass superstructure.<\/span><\/p>\n

It should be noted along with the unique features of this hopper car were the trucks. Manufactured by American Steel Foundries (ASF), the 3 axle trucks were a necessity for the capacity of this car. Our ASF trucks for this car now available as a separate kit available from All Nation (American Steel Foundries Basic Freight Trucks 6-Wheels KIT (1 Pair) PN#509ANK<\/a>).\u00a0 Additional detail parts (e.g. couplers, roofwalks, etc.) are not included in this purchase; however,\u00a0 a detail kit is now available soon under separate cover: Whopper Hopper Comprehensive Detail Kit PN#515AN<\/a> The detail kit description will describe the important replacement parts should the modeler want to build the model using many of these mock-up kit parts.
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The 360 Digital Twin Viewer – Atlantic Coast Line Whopper Hopper No. 500000 CLASS L-12
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[woo3dviewer product_id=”13277″ compatibility_mode=”true”]<\/p>\n

We thank Leon Butler for sharing his stellar work in the finished photos you see!\u00a0 Thanks, Leon!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Watch this video to learn more about this new and unique product.<\/span><\/p>\n