James Mathis Posted February 12, 2012 Aloha. Since building 6, 8, and 7. Even down-sizing to 2 for a bit many years ago... and observing others' 10, 12, 14, and beyond... I discovered One. Wonderful One. At one. 1 : 1 One with 1. Inspired by the: 1) 2-wide train gift at the First LEGO Train Summit, NYC, circa 2001 2) nearly decade old Star Wars Mini models 3) AFOL micro city 4) LEGO Architecture sets 5) LEGO Mini Modular set 6) others' One wide trains 7) ...and acknowleding All the micro that inspired "before"... I've engaged One. One Stud Rail. A gallery of One at BrickShelf. And, CAD renderings here. And some Architecture-inspired designs, space (2-wide), and other designs in my mini models gallery. One stud rail and other mini/micro models on display: James Mathis at Cuusoo. NOTE: You may need to click on the "PROJECTS" link at the right side of the page so that the page populate with the the specific project list (seems to be a problem when open the page. Maybe a few more posts to this topic, but it might only be just this One. One Brick. mahalo, James Mathis PS: just one wafer-thin brick... One stud to rail them all... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WesternOutlaw Posted February 12, 2012 Really clever James and I find your introduction/presentation really amusing. I like "One" - in fact it's one very nice collection of trains! While all the trains are nice, I really like the orange and white monorail. How are those grey side tiles attached? Great line-up! In fact, I had to create a new category in the MOC Index. Your image is the first or as some might say, #1. EDIT: in counting the MOC index images, yours is twenty-one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted February 12, 2012 This is not easy to build... Very original and clever realization! Top work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Morty Posted February 12, 2012 Nice microtrains James! New trains with your high standard on trains Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hechristensen Posted February 12, 2012 Cute! Cant wait to see the Super Chief in this version... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BorgShadow Posted February 12, 2012 From polygon 9v track to 1-stud trains, I'm curious of how they move? Air hockey style? I'll might have a crack at my own trains in 1 stud style. Brilliant all round Mathis. Cheers. :) Please check out my brickshelf file. Just search 'borgshadow'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikka says Posted February 12, 2012 now i dont see how you could fit a power functions XL motor into the boiler and..... pretty awesome mr mathis :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hrw-Amen Posted February 12, 2012 Actually they are rather good. I think though I like the steam train best with the variety of different goods wagons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Glascott Posted February 12, 2012 Only fitting to give a one word response - STUNNING!! Andy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Selander Posted February 12, 2012 No, no..... ;-) Please return to your excellent 6wide designs, which brought me out of my dark ages a decade ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AussieJimbo Posted February 12, 2012 (edited) Great bit of miniaturization. I like the high speed trains but my favourite is the steam train and viaduct. Top work. :classic: Edited February 12, 2012 by AussieJimbo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bricktrix Posted February 12, 2012 LOVELY I've never really been into this type of thing, but after having to make very similar stuff "in game" I've learnt to really appreciate it. Very very nice James and all instantly recognisable Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pingles Posted February 12, 2012 Wonderful, clever work! I made some ONE planes a while back and thoroughly enjoyed the minimalist part of the challenge. Now, those trains... about the curved tracks... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Mathis Posted February 13, 2012 (edited) No, no..... ;-) Please return to your excellent 6wide designs, which brought me out of my dark ages a decade ago. One may be my present-day response to my own decade-old aging. "One on the shelf" philosophically fulfills: 1) Historic Appreciation: - Reminder of a "Golden Age" (for me and others') or an "Early Age" when I discovered "rec.toys.lego" (was there a .trains?) - Reminiscent of my own growth with LEGO® System Town, Train, and Space sets. These sets from the mid-1970s to early 1990s held my hand, tutored and mentored me into an understanding and appreciation of ever clever construction techniques and the introduction of many new element shapes-- partly SNOT elements. - Reimaginations of such classic town, train, and space sets again, reminds me of my youthful days-- and coincidentally the origin of the Minifig. - With the mini/micro models, I try to honor our collective origins and inspiration of the LEGO Designers as delivered in amazing set design, creative constructions, and ingenious element (brick) production. - Personally, I also reimagine in the scale of One, several of my favorite MOCs from 6-wide trains: the convenience of One on the shelf is a simple space-saver, while the staged presence prompts my memory of my 6-wide trains 2) Artistic Challenge: - Discover an essence of design, color, form, and presentation. - Reimagine in a scale of One-- to downsize to the smallest scale possible?-- yet preserve the recognizability of these iconic trains from both real-life and of official LEGO® sets. 3) Price Challenge: - In conjunction with Piece-count challenge, create models of minimal piece count, so to be "affordable" (surely a relative term!) to purchase via Shop at Home Pick-A-Brick or (the sadly now defunct) Design byME. 4) Playful Challenge: - Preserve some semblance of a "play set" environment, complete with road plates, guided rail (straight) train track, and modularity - Here, we interact with the models of One, which now reminds us (me) how we used to play with police trucks, fire trucks, and trains, etc. on our town layouts with LEGO® system road plates. - It's in miniature, it's cute, fun, easily displayed, (somewhat )interactive... and a creative challenge. 5) Psychological (amateur) Analysis?: - Our brains "fill-in-the-details" so that One in the hand, becomes Six in the mind, and subsequently the "real life" article. - We can "see" in our Mind's Eye the 6-wide trains (and other similar minifig-scale models) that we play(ed) with as children and create now as adults. - One brick can take on many meanings in a context surrounded by a collection of One bricks: adjacent collections of bricks, in the proper configuration, define and assign meaning to their respective neighbors. A simple one-stud circular plate can be a sandwich, or a person, or a snowball, or a light, or a wheel all depending upon the bricks that surround or connect to it. The scale and interpretation of the scene builds from One brick to the next One brick. And, to some degree, each of us is One brick, neighbored by other One bricks... Mahalo, James Mathis Cute! Cant wait to see the Super Chief in this version... Here is the Super Chief in brick. I need to revise the War Bonet stripes, as I like the CAD rendered version much better. One real brick Super Chief And here is a LDD Super Chief... complete with Dome Car: -James Really clever James and I find your introduction/presentation really amusing. I like "One" - in fact it's one very nice collection of trains! While all the trains are nice, I really like the orange and white monorail. How are those grey side tiles attached? Great line-up! In fact, I had to create a new category in the MOC Index. Your image is the first or as some might say, #1. EDIT: in counting the MOC index images, yours is twenty-one. The monorail side tiles are attached using the "Lamp Holder" element 4081. and a 1x1 round plate on each side of the lamp holder. I must admit that the monorail is "stuck" to the track. The lamp holder element plus the two flanking 1x1 round plates allows the side tiles to attach. The "flanges" on the flanking 1x1 round plates "grip" the one-stud wide tile trackway- a bit tenuously. However, I find the appears to be attractive (if not actually swoosh-able) in static pose, particularly since the shape of the lamp holder element actually "elevates" the monorail train ever so-slightly off the surface of the tiled monorail track. -James From polygon 9v track to 1-stud trains, I'm curious of how they move? Air hockey style? I'll might have a crack at my own trains in 1 stud style. Brilliant all round Mathis. Cheers. :) Please check out my brickshelf file. Just search 'borgshadow'. The trains (not monorail) slide fairly easily in tiled 1-stud wide grooves. Imagine placing your hand on the top/back of one of the trains, then simply rocking your hand back-n-forth, sliding the track between two imaginary "end-stop" train stations. This works for trains in which the undersides are fully connected across adjacent wagons/coaches with 1-stud wide plates. The high speed train coaches are interconnected this way; however, I built the freight wagons individually so the "play" method can be to occasionally swap the freight cars around. It is simple enough to build each car individually or build a full train as one connected consist. -James Wonderful, clever work! I made some ONE planes a while back and thoroughly enjoyed the minimalist part of the challenge. Now, those trains... about the curved tracks... Oh, I'd love to see your ONE planes. Agreed the minimalist is a fun challenge. Curves, that, we must work on...???? -James Edited February 13, 2012 by James Mathis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Mathis Posted February 13, 2012 From polygon 9v track to 1-stud trains, I'm curious of how they move? Air hockey style? I'll might have a crack at my own trains in 1 stud style. Brilliant all round Mathis. Cheers. :) Please check out my brickshelf file. Just search 'borgshadow'. These look great. I particularly like this box. Now, that is a collectible.. -James Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duq Posted February 14, 2012 Hey James, good to see some new work from your hand. My favourites are the ICE and the original TGV. Your poetic descriptions, what can I say? In the spirit of Harry and Sally: I'll have whatever you had for breakfast ;-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MetroiD Posted February 14, 2012 Ah, wonderful one indeed -- I think I'm in love! I can already envisage that gorgeous concept of yours used in microscale display projects... And just caught myself planning how trams would look in "One". That's a very ingenious and instantly recognizable take on trains & microscale - thank you for this awesomeness! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Mathis Posted February 27, 2012 No, no..... ;-) Please return to your excellent 6wide designs, which brought me out of my dark ages a decade ago. Return to 6wide... What can I design for you? Seriously, I like to design with a purpose. Do you have a suggestion? Perhaps I can design it in both SIX and ONE? -James Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Selander Posted February 27, 2012 Return to 6wide... What can I design for you? Seriously, I like to design with a purpose. Do you have a suggestion? Perhaps I can design it in both SIX and ONE? -James Hello James, I have seen your excellent 6-wide locomotives based on German, Danish and American prototypes. What I like you to design, in 6-wide (and one if you want), is a Swedish classic locomotive called class DA. Color preferably ReddishBrown and wheels should be in a 1+4+1 configuration or 1+3+"counterweight"+1 configuration, like for the original (however rods could be excluded). Ideally it would also be motorized, and due to the wheel configuration I think a brick built power train with Power Functions would be the (only) alternative.... Hope you would find this interesting, and I look very much forward to seeing your design All the best / Thomas Selander See photo and link hereafter: Wikipedia DA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vindicare Posted February 28, 2012 Wow! Microscale trains. Those are really well done. They pack a lot of detail for being so small. I like the locomotive up top best. All the micro stuff popping up here is inspiring. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
