Images from Computer Model of
Chautauqua Steam Engine
Color rendering of 3d Studio MAX model of Chautauaua.
The Chautauqua Model
-
pairl640.jpg The original Build Photo of Chautauqua
compared to a black and white rendering of the model of Chautauqua, with
approximatly the same camera angle and lens.
-
440cow.jpg The engine that was never built, Cowley
#5.
-
440cowa.jpg Close up of the COWLEY sign on the
cab of Cowley #5.
-
440cowb.jpg Close up of the builders plaque on
the smoke box of Cowley #5.
-
440two6.jpg Cowley #5 and Chautauqua #4 together.
-
640thref.jpg Engineer's Cabs of Chautauqua #4,
Cowley #5 and Sumner #6.
-
6413cabs.jpg Close up of the three cabs.
-
640threg.jpg Front view of Chautauqua #4, Cowley
#5 and Sumner #6.
The computer model was made with the new 3Dstudio MAX software from Autodesk.
Austin Business Computers has been an Autodesk dealer since the early eighties
and we started with 3D Studio when it first came out. Prior to 3D Studio
we sold TOPAS from AT&T Truevision. This new MAX product is the biggest
step improvement we have seen is our nine years in the animation software
business. In February, 1996 I went to Dallas to take training on 3D MAX.
When I got back, I started on the model of the Chautauqua locomotive. This
is a project which I had attempted on 3D Studio, but gave up on because
of the time it was taking. With 3D Studio Max I built the model and animated
the wheels and rods and other moving parts in about 10 hours one weekend
in March. 3D MAX is fun to work with. Since it is written in C++ and very
well designed, everything is changeable, even after you have built parts.
You can go back on the stack of modifications to the original part and
change operations. I built lots of parts by beginning with a simple cylinder
and modifying faces, and vertices and extruding and moving to get what
I wanted. One of our customers who came over and spent about a half a day
playing with MAX said that one new project he was starting, he was now
going to wait until the end of April, 1996 for MAX. He told his customer
that even by waiting a month to get started, he can finish it quick with
MAX. The impact of this product is going to be profound. It marks the point
where PC software can seriously challange the high dollar design software
available on work stations, at a fraction of the cost. The second shoe
will drop when we see what a quarter of a million gifted artists can create
when they start producing with this product. See 3D
Studio MAX. for information on upgrades or see the
Preliminary Feature Summary for more about 3D Studio MAX. Or you can
look at the home page of the Austin area 3D
Studio Users Group or check out Mike's home
page, he can help you buy a 3D Studio MAX
To Austin Business Computers' Home Page
To Bill Bottorff's Home Page
If you have any questions about 3D modeling or the making of this picture
please email me.
mailto:bbott@ausbcomp.com
Trains