Barduck

for me personally it would be to overcome a slight change in height, it's not always possible to make a layout that is level overall, on rare occasions you need to be able to overcome a difference in height without having the problem of the rails going down from the wait of the train that passes over it. To make a bridge using this would be a bridge to far (pun intended), personally I would need to go even 14 bricks high so that's a no brainer that it's simply not possible

those do look sweet

I was wondering, would it be possible (financially/design) to make (double) straights that have a height increase? So 1 plate/straight higher at one end and the sleepers adapted so they are level (if you understand how I mean)

I reaaly hope you'll put the plans for this beauty up for sale in your bricklink, she's simply amazing

there's some history of it on the firefighters site of Portland, the only thing I can't find are pictures of the inside when still in use. The station was, as far as I know, sold in the 70's, most probably I'll try to model trucks from that era. Or I could just act as if still in use today and do modern trucks, haven't decided yet. Anyway, for the time being the building will not be build in bricks. Moving to a bigger house in a few weeks with gigantic cellar, but promised the girl I wouldn't spend to much on lego as we're planning to buy it in a few years, renting it first

Portland firestation n°7-5 What can I say, I'm on a roll here

Portland firestation n°7-4 Bays are larger now (even 10 wide trucks shouldn't be a problem). Done some more work on the windows and second level (keep in mind, the floor of second level is tempory). Also been playing arond with the piece above the window of second level, not to sure about normal red though, more leaning towards dark red although that would make it to dark actually) Stil a whole lot stuff to be done

Portland firestation n°7-3 changed the bay dooropenings in the front, they are a bit larger now so they align better with the windows from second level. The floor of second level is just for the moment, don't know how I'll devide everything yet. 6000+ bricks and counting

Portland firestation n°7 slowly getting there, starting to look like a building

Trying to model the old firestation n°7 from Portland Oregon. It's not in use as a firestation anymore but I really like the building's look. Just not able to find pictures of the interior how it was when still in use. Developing it as a sort of very large modular (so it'll be standing on a corner, and at each end a modular building will be able to connect) Still a whole lot of work (and then I'll still need 4 engines for it, as there are 4 bays) The original it is based on: http://emerick.thisisthebrigade.com/projects/sketchbook-fire-station-no-7/ WIP Portland firestation n°7 by Barduck12, on Flickr

So far I've bought 3 instructions. First one just when I came out of my dark ages. I had seen a steamtrain build in LEGO and wanted to have one too but since it was so long ago I handled LEGO I had no idea how to start one. So I got the instructions for a BiG Boy based on Jayhurst's one. Little did I know then that there were so many mistakes in those instructions that the train just didn'nt run good. So I started looking at Jayhurst's pictures of it and corrected the mistakes in my own as best I could. Second was the T1 from Sava (which I still have to find time to build) and the latest is the etr1000 from LT12V. If I wanted to I could reverse engineer both from pictures but since both models are so darn good and I really didn'nt want to spend time on remaking plans, so I bought them.I prefer digital as it's much easier to be able to zoom in on problem area's than having a printed version. After some time and many models I've started selling instructions. It provides a bit of compensation to buy parts to be able to build the models I create (bit like Sava). Since I always start with making trains digital (first in LDD and when I have a model that looks good enough I tranfer it to LDRaw) the step to selling the instructions I initially made for myself to have an easier build was simply a no brainer. Most of the models I make are with the intend to eventually build in real life when I'm able to get the parts, a few I don't think I will be building myself but did the instructions anyway. So far I haven't had any real frustrating problems either making or selling the instructions, it's still a hobby so if things don't work out making something I just put it aside for some time

yes but I don't really like 8 wide for coaches, they always look to bulky for my taste

I'm designing coaches for an 8 wide Santa Fe and I could really use some input on what you guys think so far. I'm going 7 wide with the coaches, so far I've done 2 in LDD, a luggage coach: santa fe luggage coach and a seat coach (no interior yet), with 2 different types of trucks: santa fe coach In this version the trucks are based on a design from Vinnie Fusca. Second version features trucks based on a design from Michael Gale: santa fe coach version 2 Here you can see the 2 types of trucks (and I do know that one part doesn't exist in LBG): santa fe coach trucks options by Barduck12, on Flickr So thoughts, commenst, etc, all welcome

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bx8YyfgX-Y56MENJMEptZUFBZVU Link to the PDF and partslist

well, when free spinning, that's what the wheels will do when the train is up on bricks, the wheels have no resistance and have it easier to make the valvegear spin. With this, they do have some resistance and often (so I found) the valvegear works just fine when freespinning but once you put the train on the tracks it locks up. Giving them a bit of resistance potentially takes care of that problem, makes it easier to see if they'd lock up when on tracks. Plus, it is a better display to put on a table