Author Topic: Size of semi trailers in various scales? (Read 3372 times)

Weirdo · « **on:** 22 March 2018, 11:23:15 »

Blame Worktroll for this one, it's his late-night messaging that put this in my head.

I want to kitbash a couple Stronghold-variant Gun Trailers, and it occurred to me that an extremely easy route would be to simply start with a railroad-scale semi trailer, and just use styrene and other bits to add armor plating, weapons, and other greebles. The question is, how big are these things, what scale should I go for? I know Z-scale stuff is pretty close to Battletech stuff, but given that we're talking about a semi-mobile bunker capable of comfortably holding thirty men(plus the bunker's crew), I think it reasonable to go bigger than a real-world trailer.

So...does anyone know how big semi trailer models get in various railroad scales?

NeonKnight · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 March 2018, 15:56:49 »

Well, first you would need to know which model Railroad scale you would be going with. Now I know you know all this, but for new readers, maybe not so much.

The Metal Battletech Scale we all know is 6mm (or 1:285, where 1 " in Real World is 285" in model world)

Looking to model Railroad scales we have:

https://www.nmra.org/beginner/scales

Based on the Chart, the absolute closet we get with Model Railway scales is Z Scale: or 1:220...still a little big for our 6mm scale, but that's the closest.

A quick Google search for Z Scale vehicles

Wish it showed sizes, but a couple of the images there do give and idea of relative size, most notably this one with the vehicles laid out on a cutting mat:

And cause I love ya Weirdo, a site to order from, you'll have to dig around a bit to find some stuff though:

http://www.zscalemonster.com/z.htm

Weirdo · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 March 2018, 16:29:43 »

I think you missed parts of my post. The point was that I don't know what scale I want, because in all likelyhood Z would be too small for my purposes. I'm hoping to find some figures as to how big a trailer would be in the various scales, so I can choose the one that works best for me.

NeonKnight · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 March 2018, 16:54:56 »

Yeah, no I got that, problem is, without going to an individual company's website to see the actual size (if they even provide that info).

Or, if you have one local find a local Model Railway store with product to see in your hands.

Ronin Actual · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 March 2018, 17:10:21 »

I love you too Weirdo. So...here are some pictures of one of my z-scale tractor/trailers.
Tractor is; 30 mm long ( cab is 10 mm long) x 10 mm wide x 12 mm high from bottom of the wheel to the top of the cab.
Trailer is; 55 mm long x 10/11 mm wide x 10/11 mm in height (trailer body) or 17/18 mm high from the wheels to the top of the trailer.

Hope this helps.

NeonKnight · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 March 2018, 17:14:36 »

Quote from: Ronin Actual on 22 March 2018, 17:10:21

I love you too Weirdo. So...here are some pictures of one of my z-scale tractor/trailers.
Tractor is; 3mm long ( cab is 1mm long) x 1mm wide x 12 mm high from bottom of the wheel to the top of the cab.
Trailer is; 55 mm long x 10/11 mm wide x 10/11 mm in height (trailer body) or 17/18 mm high from the wheels to the top of the trailer.

Hope this helps.

I think your scale is a little off there.

1mm is the thickness of a dime, and an entire tractor at 3mm long would make it half the height of a 6mm Figure. 3 cm maybe (a mm being 1/10 of a cm). If I put that at feet, that would be a tract that is 3 feet long (with a 1 foot cab), 1 foot wide and 12 feet tall :o

Can you post the picture with a ruler next to it?

Ronin Actual · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 March 2018, 17:15:08 »

The whole set up is about 68 mm long when put together.

Ronin Actual · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 March 2018, 17:17:01 »

Fixed it, I missed a few 0's.

NeonKnight · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 March 2018, 17:19:02 »

Quote from: Ronin Actual on 22 March 2018, 17:17:01

Fixed it

Ahhh...makes way more sense now ;)

Ronin Actual · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 March 2018, 17:46:43 »

Us 'Muricans get confused by metric!

Weirdo · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 March 2018, 18:14:12 »

Quote from: Ronin Actual on 22 March 2018, 17:10:21

I love you too Weirdo. So...here are some pictures of one of my z-scale tractor/trailers.
Tractor is; 30 mm long ( cab is 10 mm long) x 10 mm wide x 12 mm high from bottom of the wheel to the top of the cab.
Trailer is; 55 mm long x 10/11 mm wide x 10/11 mm in height (trailer body) or 17/18 mm high from the wheels to the top of the trailer.

Hope this helps.

This looks perfect, thanks! I was worried that Z might be too small and that N might be better for what I want, but this looks just fine.

Tried my local Hobby Town on the way home today, and it looks like their railroad section is in dire need of a restock. Also, I don't think they actually stock any Z stuff. Looks like I'll be checking out NeonKnight's link after all... :)

NeonKnight · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 March 2018, 19:16:55 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 22 March 2018, 18:14:12

This looks perfect, thanks! I was worried that Z might be too small and that N might be better for what I want, but this looks just fine.

Tried my local Hobby Town on the way home today, and it looks like their railroad section is in dire need of a restock. Also, I don't think they actually stock any Z stuff. Looks like I'll be checking out NeonKnight's link after all... :)

yeah Z-Scale seems to be the red-headed step child of the Model Railroad world. By Popularity it's HO, then N, probably O and taking up the rear is Z.

Cache · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 March 2018, 19:27:47 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 22 March 2018, 18:14:12

This looks perfect, thanks! I was worried that Z might be too small and that N might be better for what I want, but this looks just fine.

Width is going to be the big issue with looks for gun trailers, right? Modern roads dictate the width of trailers, so the width will look a bit anemic on a BT miniatures table. I'm seeing 102" (260 cm rounding up) as a trailer width here in the US, with down to 255 cm wide in Europe. 1/220 (Z) scale calculates to 1.16 cm to 1.18 cm wide, which is close to Ronin Actual's measurements. 1/160 (N) scale puts that at 1.59 cm to 1.63 cm wide.

Weirdo · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 March 2018, 19:34:15 »

Overall size is my main concern, not any one dimension. That looks like it could actually be twenty tons of armor, guns, and mook.

shadhawk · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 March 2018, 19:38:30 »

For a weapons trailer go with N scale. At 1/160 it will give you the size and heavy duty look you want.

If you want larger you can go 1/150 (Japan n scale) or even 1/100.

HO (1/87) I have used for the O-66 a while back used lot Roco tank kits for that one.

I will post pics of some things I have when I get home.

Ronin Actual · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 March 2018, 21:49:06 »

Weirdo, did you get in on the CAV2 kickstater? There are 2 truck designs; Ripper and Whisper. They may me be good for this project, especially the Whisper.

Weirdo · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 March 2018, 22:19:17 »

I got in on it, but didn't get either of those, just a pair of Wyverns(?) I'm going to convert into Champions.

Besides, I'm looking for trailers, not trucks. They wouldn't help here.

shadhawk · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 March 2018, 01:52:31 »

here are some of what I have messed with

the oppie is HO scale Roco Tanks modded with some MW:DA things

the transport is a N scale HEMTT and a Roco trailer.

Weirdo · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 March 2018, 08:54:00 »

Those look great, dude!

Yeesh, Z-scale and cheap don't really go in the same sentence, do they? You know it's bad when Shapeways is looking like my cheapest option by a wide margin, even in FUD.

shadhawk · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 March 2018, 11:33:29 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 23 March 2018, 08:54:00

Those look great, dude!

thanks

Quote

Yeesh, Z-scale and cheap don't really go in the same sentence, do they? You know it's bad when Shapeways is looking like my cheapest option by a wide margin, even in FUD.

Ya z scale has some high prices for things. why I use N and HO for messing around with. Buildings are not so bad.

here are some Xmarx 8mm trucks and a z scale trailer.

the GHQ gun truck is for scale.

Weirdo · « **Reply #20 on:** 23 March 2018, 12:24:16 »

No semi trailers? That's specifically what I'm trying to find, essentially a shipping container on wheels. Posting pics of other stuff doesn't help at all.

worktroll · « **Reply #21 on:** 23 March 2018, 13:49:56 »

http://www.zscalemonster.com/nansenstreetmodels/

shadhawk · « **Reply #22 on:** 23 March 2018, 16:31:02 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 23 March 2018, 12:24:16

No semi trailers? That's specifically what I'm trying to find, essentially a shipping container on wheels. Posting pics of other stuff doesn't help at all.

You can add containers to any of these.
I just posted these so you have a size reference.
The few z scale trailers that I have seen are just frame type for the containers.
If you go n scale you will have more choices.

You can check out z scale hobo also
www.zscalehobo.com

Ronin Actual · « **Reply #23 on:** 24 March 2018, 08:09:59 »

If you can 3D print you can re-scale this shipping container and print it. Then you could add it to whatever tractor you wanted.

https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-shipping-container-warhammer-40k-scenery-make-your-own-shipment-cod-14349

shadhawk · « **Reply #24 on:** 27 March 2018, 00:28:33 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 23 March 2018, 12:24:16

No semi trailers? That's specifically what I'm trying to find, essentially a shipping container on wheels. Posting pics of other stuff doesn't help at all.

if you just want containers that you can add wheels to try Outland Models they have 20 and 40 ft z scale containers and the price is very good.
they are on crack bay.

Weirdo · « **Reply #25 on:** 27 March 2018, 06:59:12 »

I've seen Outland, they look like exactly what I need. There's a set consisting of a semi with full trailer and one with frame trailer for cheap, and another set of two shipping containers for dirt cheap. I get those, I've got two of what I need, a third shipping container for kitbash purposes, and two tractors that I can probably convert into some flavor of Flatbed Truck, Rotunda, or who knows what else. :)

klarg1 · « **Reply #26 on:** 27 March 2018, 23:14:00 »

If you can track them down, Hawk Wargames made a scenery pack of 10mm scale resin trucks, which would work for N-scale. They don't seem to be available through the Hawk store on TTCombat, but they may still be lurking around online somewhere.

(The Resistance faction of Dropzone Commander is also chock-full of 10mm scale armed civilian vehicles, in a very "Mad Max" kind of style.)

shadhawk · « **Reply #27 on:** 29 March 2018, 00:33:15 »

here is a pic of the Outland 20' and 40' Containers and a GHQ Conex box

Daemion · « **Reply #28 on:** 29 March 2018, 21:20:37 »

N scale isn't too much bigger, and if size is what you're looking for, you should give it a try. Certainly easier. You have any old Micro Machines? A lot of those are N scale, or close enough to it.

I picked up some a while back. I'll post a pic or two tomorrow for you.

I'll even throw in some infantry for comparison.

Daemion · « **Reply #29 on:** 30 March 2018, 14:45:57 »

There you go.

Far right: N-scale rig along with rail-car and trailers.

Far Left: Micro Machines semis and trailers.

Middle - Left to Right:
MM military truck.
BT Mobile HQ
BT Rotunda
Z-Scale Cement Mixer and Dump Truck (Euro brand)
Z-Scale VW Van

Infantry:
Old Ral Partha Kurita Jump Commander
MWDA Elite Foot
Heavy Gear Fleet Scale Infantry (North)

So, if you're looking for big enough, N probably will work a little better, since it's far easier to find.

Side note - The Coolant Truck mini out of TR 3025/39 is actually a Kurita brand machine, and I'm looking at using one of these Micro Machines to mod an MHQ into something the Star League might have used.