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Thinking of using model train bits to make my terrain more realistic. What scale should i shoot for for best results?

O scale/gauge. Its 1/48th and is the closest common model RR scale for our needs.

Yep, for most 28mm gaming stuff you want O scale. S Scale is actually closer to 28mm and will work very well, but is less common and sometimes more expensive. There are some non-building items in the larger G scale (storage tanks, bridges, etc) that might work well, but like S, they tend to be much more costly.

Lastly, while I wouldn't look to it as a first choice, there are some large structures (especially industrial buildings and plants) in HO (Half-O)Scale that would work well, just make sure it's going to be big enough. On the positive side, HO stuff is very common, so it's often easier to get good deals on HO than O.

Here's my conversion of an HO scale Engine shed. It's made for engines to drive into, so the original buildings entrances were more than large enough for 28mm figures,and I was able to enlarge them enough for 28mm tanks!



More pics and construction info here:
http://chicagoskirmish.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-to-turn-model-railroad-building.html

S scale is 1/64th, would be a good match if space marines were actually to scale with the rest of the 40k stuff (as in if they were 7 feet tall in power armor and the rest of the humans were smaller).

But you're right that S scale generally costs more due to its scarcity. But- sometimes its oddball size also makes it cheaper in bargain bins at your local model train shops.

Thats a nice use of the HO scale engine depot, making use of what would be a huge building from a smaller scale can turn up some good stuff. Anytime I see cheap truss bridges of any scale I tend to buy them since they can work as walkways or raw material for orky scratch builds.

Try the Walthers website, they have a very large range of products in all prices. If you can lay your hands on their catalog even better because you won't have to wade through a lot of stuff online to find what you want. Here's the link to their advanced search engine try to find Bachman or Plasiticville items as they have the best conversion potential.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/search

O scale.

I keep trying to find a good power relay station. I only need a small one, 8" by 8" at the most, but it is strangely hard to find.

Guess I will have to scratch build.

The pegasus hobbies "power station" kit (another licenced technolog kit) not work for you?

chromedog wrote:The pegasus hobbies "power station" kit (another licenced technolog kit) not work for you?

Those kits are almost impossible to find in the UK. Shipping costs from the US make it pretty prohibitive ...

Does anyone know of any Trains that would look good in an 40k IG diorama? I've looked around a bit, and have never seen anything I liked/thought would fit..
(sorry to hijack your thread, its kind of the same topic though...)

Also I find that kit to look horrible. I am trying for a more modern times look, maybe hint at the planet being a backwater a bit.

Dr.Dakka wrote:Also I find that kit to look horrible. I am trying for a more modern times look, maybe hint at the planet being a backwater a bit.

+1

The refinery kit is much better.

rodgers37 wrote:Does anyone know of any Trains that would look good in an 40k IG diorama? I've looked around a bit, and have never seen anything I liked/thought would fit..
(sorry to hijack your thread, its kind of the same topic though...)

The Necromundicon train is cool, but might be a bit steampunky for your tastes
http://www.ironhands.com/train.htm


There was an excellent space marine train layout video on youtube, but I can't find it anywhere. Maybe you'll have better luck.

Also, a search for russian armored train 28mm revealed these goodies.
http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=18602.0

Armorcast http://armorcast.com/store/ has probably the best 28mm scale industrial terrain (even when most refinery kits are currently not available):

This is kind of what I'm looking for.

Eilif wrote:

Isn't a little small near GW mini!? i have this impression!


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I'll remember i had seen a WH 40K train, so i look for it and find it! it's a scratch build, but awsome!

http://www.warhammer-forum.com/index.php?showtopic=168292

Wow! The train you linked too is brilliant!


http://www.warhammer-forum.com/index.php?showtopic=168292

As for the ww2 trains in my post...

The figs in the picture are 28mm, so it is in scale, though you'll have to judge whether it is big enough for GW minis which are actually 30mm or so and more "heroic" (bulky). European trains were pretty small to begin with, though so it's not going to have the 40k hugeness.

Here's the whole range of trains.
http://homepage.mac.com/brentdietrich/companyB_models_Trains.html

It looks like it's made to run on S gauge track, which I assume is because it is closest to the the appropriate scale width of whatever track the full-size trains originally ran on.

Mmmmh, best hint i can give is to use the Unarmored Train Flat Car and scratch build the upper body. for the tractor, good hint can be to mod the storm raven......but not sure.

The point is this: i think GW mini fit more whit 1:48 scale