1890-something Railway Wooden Boxcar

The "1890-something" system is a solution to a problem I've had for quite some time. I want to display small-scale trains, but don't have the space or budget to run a conventional model train set. But, what if there was a system that prioritized ease of production and durability? So, this is what I came up with, and I've been working on this for the past few weeks.

First off, I am not prioritizing historical accuracy or fidelity by any means. I'll include engines from the 1910's or 1880's (despite what the name suggests) and mix rolling stock from different things. However, I'm aiming for a broadly "wild west" theme. The models have no defined scale, though I accidentally made them kind of similar to HO scale. I designed some rudimentary tracks for displaying the models, though I'll admit they're a little finicky.

At their core, these models are meant to be static displays, cheap and easy to produce with no additional parts.

DETAILS

The boxcar was one of the pieces of rolling stock I wanted to make first, but I put it off because I wanted to find a design that fit well with what I've got going. This is what I settled on, and I think it looks quite good. It's a simple enough design, prints quickly and with very minimal supports.

INSTRUCTIONS

All parts have already been aligned for ease of printing, but an image of the CAD model should provide good reference for assembly. Below are the instructions. Super glue is recommended for joining parts.

• Insert the bogies into the base

• Attach the main box section to the base assembly

• Attach the roof pieces and the couplers on either side, making sure they're oriented correctly (reference image for correct position)