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I have always admired the beautiful Cincinnati Union Terminal, CUT.  It is the train terminal that I have wanted for the layout I am designing.

CUTa

There are no commercially available CUT O scale models that I could find.  My wife gave me a Prussa  3D printer for Christmas and I decided to build my own model and print it.  My 3D model was scaled down so only 4 sections needed to be printed to build a small CUT model.  The small model is 9" wide, 4 3/4" tall and 6" deep.  I am using the small model to evaluate my design.  An O scale model without the side wings is about 50" wide and 27" tall.  Before I cut the O scale model into sections that can be printed (It will probably take about 10 days to print the parts and $50-100 worth of plastic) I wanted to get suggestions or comments.  I hope to use a real clock, the side reliefs still need some work and I will use inserts for the entrance doors and windows.  The small printed model is shown in the following pictures.

CUT FrontCUT SideCUT Back

Carl

 

 

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  • CUTa
  • CUT Front
  • CUT Side
  • CUT Back
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Carl,

I think this is a great idea and it looks very well executed.

One thing - maybe it's my eyes playing tricks on me - but the arc of the center section seems to be a little more shallow than the real thing?  The real one seems more pronounced - similar width at the base but stands taller, making for a taller more regal looking appearance. Is it just my eyes?  

Also, I am actually planning out a new layout and the focal point on one side will be the train terminal. I'm a life long comic book guy and was thinking about making my own train terminal be the Justic League's Hall of Justice, which of course, is based on this exact train terminal.  Until now, I was thinking about making it out of foam board. But I'm thinking I need to PM you, as your version is amazing and state of the art!  

Peter

So if my calculations are correct your current rendition would be between Z and N scale??  It looks fabulous.  I spent most of my youth in Cincinnati, but traveled through much of my working years handling Amtrak as a customer.  So - I have seen many of the grand old stations in the NE Corridor (Lorton VA- Boston), as well as in Chicago, and St. Louis.  I have always thought the Cincinnati was among the greatest, dare say even the greatest stations still in existence. 

Kudos to the city of Cincinnati for NOT tearing down this great old station as part of the (IMO misguided) 1960's - 70's "urban renewal" projects!!

PJB posted:

Carl,

One thing - maybe it's my eyes playing tricks on me - but the arc of the center section seems to be a little more shallow than the real thing?  The real one seems more pronounced - similar width at the base but stands taller, making for a taller more regal looking appearance. Is it just my eyes?  

 

I believe the way the photo was taken of the real station along with the foreground landscape could give the illusion that the station is even taller proportionally. If you added a fountain and scenery that would give a more exact look vs the real deal. Also the addition of the clock would also make the station seem more pronounced.

On the model of the Grand Central Terminal sold by Lionel, many people added a base to the station giving the illusion of more height and adding to the impressiveness of the station. In my opinion this would really add impressiveness to the station as well.

Fantastic job on the station!

Last edited by N5CJonny

Peter,

I agree that in the picture the arches seem taller.  I measured pictures and architectural drawing and the arches are all circles centered at the top of the entry overhang.  The total width might be off some and I will recheck because of the perspective of the camera and its lens.  The architectural drawing were a little harder to measure the width.  I did shorten the hemisphere on the back of CUT to fit in the depth available.   Thanks for you comments.  Carl

That's some impressive 3d modeling. To-scale O scale structures can be massive, but the thought of seeing some actually built is a bit exciting. A couple I can think of are the San Bernardino Depot (model would be 11 feet long, about 2 feet deep and about 18 inches tall; the UP Santa Ana River Viaduct would be almost 20 feet long, about 8 inches deep and about 20 inches tall. Gotta love monolithic structures if you have the space.

I am in the process of scaling up the CUT model to 75% of O Scale. The design needs to be broken into segments that are small enough to fit in the 3D printer.  The 75% model still requires printing about 50 segments that each require 12-14 hours to print.  Part of the back dome is shown in one picture below and the segment with the clock is shown with the small model. For the model I will use the bottom entry will be O Scale in height but the dome will be 75% of O Scale.CUTDomeCUTClock

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Images (2)
  • CUTDome
  • CUTClock
ajzend posted:
Don Merz 070317 posted:

SO let me get this straight....your WIFE bought you a 3-d Printer?

Is she for sale?

She sounds like a keeper but I thought I'd ask.......

Don Merz

 

Maybe you could print her for the other guys.

Alan

My wife also let me build what she calls "The Train Mansion" in our backyard.Train Mansion

2 floors 30'x40'.  Great Grandkids too.

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Images (1)
  • Train Mansion

These are pictures of the test Cincinnati Union Terminal I built.  It is 75% of O gauge.  It still is 4 ft wide and 2 ft high.  The first picture has a scale F3 and you can see the original model I made.  For the final version I will make the ridges slightly smaller, make the lower entrance O scale height with O scale doors.  I also need to do a better job on the reliefs.IMG_2917IMG_2918IMG_2919

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Images (3)
  • IMG_2917
  • IMG_2918
  • IMG_2919

Carl, this is incredible!  Even the thoughtful changes you plan to make in terms of O scale ground level so that O scale little people, cars, etc. can be used for all the elements on this part of your layout to blend realistically. I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished product - good luck. 

Peter  

Outstanding !!!  So... after picking up a B&O 49'er from MTH and pairing it with some streamlined pass cars, got me thinking about getting / doing the terminal when I came across this thread.  Our family had visited the natural history museum back in the early 2000's, never realizing the building was a famous train terminal till afterwards.  Anyways, looking at the 2 wonderful models you sir have created, it seems to me that there would be more interest in a major manufacturer creating a "classic train terminal line". Has anyone fostered a concept to Walters etc. about such a topic?  Looking forward to someday being able to find one for my layout. 

Your versions are outstanding, keep up the good work !!

Another thought, would it be possible to do a 2 or 3 inch deep facade of the station?  I saw this recently at the Monroeville show. Someone had 1 inch blocks of wood cut and painted to buildings, barns etc. I really should have picked a couple up, now thinking about it, as I could have put them beyond the tracks, up against the wall. This could spark more interest and give some immediate options for the project. Food for thought....

If I were to model this ( and I'm not because I could not do this as well as it was done) I would have used a 2D laser cutter/engraver for a lot of the Flat sections that would have been cut faster such as the arch form structure and the windows.  The rest of the details that could not be made as flat cuts with the 3D printer making parts with back-pegs to fit slots cut into the 2D pieces.

The 3D printer makes parts so precise that fitting pieces together can be made extremely tight as Carl has made them.

Great piece of work. 

Carl - I really love the 3D print of Union Terminal you had created and the amount of detail you have put in the model. I currently work there, and was planning to 3D print the building myself as a gift for the other people who work in the building, but I could not get the detail of the relief carvings like you did. Are you comfortable selling a copy of your 3D file of the model? I will purchase it at any price you feel is appropriate, I am willing to accommodate for how ever much time it took for you to model the building. 

This is a truly amazing piece of work! Dad brought me to the terminal during "dark days" after the main rotunda shut down and was left to rot. I remember dad describing how grand it was and how sad he was to see it decaying like that.  Turns out we weren't supposed to be in there and we got run off by a guard. Good times,  doing criminal trespass stuff with the pops!

Then,  I guess in the early 80s maybe,  they tried to make it a retail mall or something. Vague memories only. I think its current incarnation as a collection of museums is the perfect use for this really spectacular piece of Cincinnati history. 

I'm really impressed with your work! 

The design is being done in about n-scale because that is what will fit in Tinkercad.com.  I use Meshmixer to scale the design up and to cut it into printable pieces.  There are several improvements I want to make before printing the one I want on my layout.  One of the improvements is better versions of the reliefs.  If you send me an email request I will send the n-scale sections of the design.  

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