I appreciate the advice and might do that if this one gives out. One thing about using these vacuum hold down fixtures with shop vacs. is that you want just enough vacuum to do the job that you want, such as keep the part from moving and lifting and sealing it any tighter would just put more strain on the shop vac. and wear it out faster.  2psi is enough and if I had a vac. with, say 3 or 4 psi. vacuum, I could always drill some holes in the sides to lower the pressure hence save the shop vac. Bob.

You sure are inventive on figuring things out.

Thanks, I owe it all to my A&P school, Northrop Institute of Technology, so it's their fault.  A and P stands for an FAA  airframe and powerplant license. Bob.

For those of you that might need one of these, here is a video. Bobl  

 

Well, I think that I have conquered my cnc router.  I can successfully run a program on it without it blowing up.  Here is my machine with a pen mounted and drawing one of the Superliners' sides.  The same program will be used to cut it out of .040 styrene.  Here is a video, Centipede system from KSI labs, VSD-E drives from Granite devices, Adept robotic slides, and running on Mach3 cnc program, drawn in Mastercam 10. Bob.  

 

No rush! Whenever you get the sides cut is fine. We are all waiting!!!! 

Do you have any spare parts from an O scale steamer? (wireless drawbar parts... plugs, drawbar, receptacle...)

Joe, I am light on some terminology. so send me some pictures please and I will see.  I am in the process of seeing if my radii is correct for the windows on the Superliner sides, can't find any real blueprints with that info. but I bought a Nov. 1982 model railroader issue that is supposed to have full drawings, so I will check that out when I get it.  Something just doesn't look right with the radii that I used. Bob.

Staring at each model or scratch build attempt, I see different radii was used. I might even guess that the prototypes got changed during their production.

Personally I would size the curves off of pictures of the real cars, using the car number you're building. The view would have to be straight on and you could scale the picture up or down with the computer's zoom.

When it looks right to you, it will pass with all of us!!

If you know the height and width of the windows, you should be able to judge the radii in the corners.

maybe some models had bigger radii?

maybe something here to see?

https://history.amtrak.com/blogs/blog/creating-somethin-special-a-short-history-of-the-superliners

 

Thanks Joe, and I will use those pictures to redraw my radii as I can see that mine are wrong and I will have to correct them, Thanks, Bob.

Looking good!

 

Messing around with 3D printing those machines use Arduino motor drivers, motherboards etc. and there's a whole world of open source programs for that stuff. Just wondered if you ever looked into that? Marlin seemed to be the preferred G-Code they're using. 

Thanks Chuck, but no, this is the only cnc that I have built and will probably be my last.  If I get into 3d printers, I will buy one. So far, I have done alright without one, but they do look interesting, maybe someday. Bob.

As for the windows I believe they are different between Superliner I and Superliner II cars. Same with the trucks. Kato in N scale have produces both variants of the Superliners. Not that N scale would help I suppose...

Thanks 711, these are going to be Superliner II's with the GSI trucks and the pictures that Joe sent me, I think that I can get the radii from them.  I am close, but no cigar. So, I will have to redo the  drawings.  I new something didn't look right, thanks, Bob.

I was off of some of my measurements for the Superliner sides, so I took a 97 mile trip to Sanford Fl. where there were some Superliner cars sitting there.  I approached a guard and told him that I was a modeler and that I needed some measurements.  I then walked over, took a few pictures, made some measurements and then drove back to Tampa another 97 miles.  I got accurate measurements and am satisfied that my cuts will be accurate.  This is what I had to do because of a lack of accurate blueprints, so that is that, Bob.

Here is the first rough assy. of the window frames, and I am looking for methods to make them look better. Bob.

It looks very good from here. Like I said, when you are happy, we'll all be happy with it!

I'm not sure what you went thru to get those done that way? Looks good to me.

Boy, Joe, that is a beautiful picture of the Superliner.  I am still experimenting with the frames and glass trying to make it look original, still trying.  I am cutting these out on the cnc mill, but I might go to a poured more prototypical look, don't know yet. Bob.

This is how much longer it will be. Bob.

More molds for more parts. Bob.

Yeap, cut the ribs off of the top, and then maybe slice her right up at the door right side? shorter seem? windows won't be right then. Where will you cut it? 2 places? 3?

looks like they didn't model the bottom end steps??

No, I am making completely new sides and ends and floors, so actually, I won't be using anything of the Great Trains cars, starting from scratch.  I will making a mold for the ends, the roof and making everything. Bob.

Depending on the consist you are trying to go for, what are you going to do about a baggage car?

Or perhaps the lounge car?

 

 

(Also I wish I had a tenth of your skill... Your kitbashes impress me, I am jealous.) 

It is just a matter of a program.  The basic shape is the same for all cars, so a program will be written to adjust the position and shape of the windows, so probably 10 or so programs to cut on the cnc should do it.  The lounge car, if you are talking about the one with glass in the roof, I have one, but it too is also too short, so I will have to design a method to conquer that problem, haven't yet.  I will say that Ralph Brown made the roof out of clear plastic and then made thin window frames to be glued to the clear plastic roof, ingenious.  I might adopt that design or go for something else, I haven't decided yet.  Thanks for the encouragement, but mainly what I have is perseverance,  Bob.