Ashi Valkoinen

Eurobricks Knights
  • Content Count

    503
  • Joined

  • Last visited

3 Followers

About Ashi Valkoinen

  • Birthday 05/08/1988

Spam Prevention

  • What is favorite LEGO theme? (we need this info to prevent spam)
    <p> Trains and I'm not buying sets, just parts. </p>

Contact Methods

  • Website URL
    http://mlvk.blog.hu/

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Tatabánya
  • Interests
    LEGO trains, what else? Hm, LARP, too.

Extra

  • Country
    Hungary

Recent Profile Visitors

3849 profile views
  1. Ashi Valkoinen

    MOCs: Models of trains running in Hungary

    Actually, the six tracks seem to be not enough anymore, a seventh track is under construction...
  2. Ashi Valkoinen

    MOCs: Models of trains running in Hungary

    Fortunately @Vilhelm22's Instagram comment reminded me to post the photo of full assembly here, so there it is: IMG_8025_sm by Donát Raáb, on Flickr One step closer to complete the layout I dreamt about since 2010. This is my LEGO train station, an average Hungarian mainline station somewhere in the suburbs of the capital, Budapest. This is not the replica of an existing station, but a station built in the mood of Hungarian renovated mainline station and a LEGO-creation, which supports my needs when it comes to play with my trains. The station has six long tracks, each one has a platform and a storage yard (not shown on image, bottom left corner) and a branchline track is attached to the double track mainline. I have this station for a long time by now, but since December of 2023 I replaced all TLC's R40 points and curves to FX Bricks R104 switches and curves for better and more aesthetic operation - and all of the switches are now motorised and controlled by the software I created to manage the train routes and corresponding signals at my layout.
  3. Ashi Valkoinen

    MOCs: Models of trains running in Hungary

    So, on the 23th of December, 2023. this topic became 14 years old, and as time is going on, finally I'm getting closer to the dream I kept dreaming of since I started the LEGO Train hobby. Some years ago I started a new topic called "Waiting for 9V R104 switch - a case study of station geometry" about the developement of my LEGO train station with 9V R104 turnouts, as @michaelgale and his team made FX Tracks P40 switches available for everyone to buy, I started the last big rebuild of my LEGO train station. My goal was always a nicely renovated, Hungarian mainline station, with useful track connections and keeping it available for drivers who arrived with track powered trains. I drive no more 9V trains at all, but for me it was an important issue to grant backward compatibility to those, who owned many train at the times I started this hobby. And since no 9V switches were to buy until last autumn, my station had always genuie LEGO tracks, the R40 points (note: LEGO R40 refers to 40 studs radius, FX P40 refers to 40 studs length of the straight direction, but FX P40s' radius is close to R104). The first photo shows the current, final layout of my station, inclusing two (left and right) switching yards. The upper layout is the new one, the bottom one is the last version of R40, which also featured some prototype FX P40 switches and one TrixBrix R104R on the left switching yard. MLVK_RaabDonat_ACTUAL_FUTURE_2024-01-30_v2 by Donát Raáb, on Flickr The last month was busy at my workplace and at home with the train station, I started the rebuild process on the 31st of December, ignoring some Happy New Year parties I was invited. :) I finished with the renovated modules on the 30th of January, so it took one month to complete. I started with the "right" switching yard for first - the following photo shows the part close to the platforms. The building wasn't easy, since I needed to leave space for cables leading to the motors switching the points and enlighting the signals, and everything should kept modular so I can fit the whole 11 meters long stuff and the train to a single car I'm using to participate events. wip_01_sm by Donát Raáb, on Flickr And this is the "right" switching yard in full length - 8 motorised switches, which make connection between the two tracks mainline and the branch line connecting at my station to the main loop. wip_02_sm by Donát Raáb, on Flickr Left part of the "left" switching yard - this yard features 10 points and it is quite larger - I had no space to build it all together, but in two major parts. This following photo shows the easier part - switches' straight directions are paralel with stud grid so easier to motorise. wip_08_sm by Donát Raáb, on Flickr And this is the hard to build part of the "left" switching yard - the two switches placed in an angle compared to stud grid needed a big table to put together for ballasting. For this part I rented a place from a friend, because I have neither the tables not the space (and patience from girlfriend) here at home to house this. wip_05_sm by Donát Raáb, on Flickr And for the six tracks, the platform modules, starting with track 1 & 2: wip_07_sm by Donát Raáb, on Flickr track 3 & 4 (two, 72 studs long ÖBB cars for size reference): wip_03_sm by Donát Raáb, on Flickr and track 5 & 6: wip_06_sm by Donát Raáb, on Flickr And next Friday I'll see if I planned well, because there will be an event in Hungary and I can see, how all the modules fit to each other I've built last month! All of the switches are now motorised and included in the software I created in SBrick Pro to make a fully working signalling and train detection for my station, it will be so easy now that we don't need to take care of switching the points to the right direction but the software will do it also making sure, no trains can collide if drivers play according to the appearing signal aspects!
  4. Ashi Valkoinen

    Fx Bricks (Michael Gale) announces Fx Track system

    Finally I made a single R104 turnout using FX P40left switch and two pieces of FX R104 track. As peviously told, the incorrect alignment for this setup is so small, that the full R104 turnout can work and it is not necessary to use the tight R64P return curves. Of course, the track joints are little stressed, as they are not fully connected, but since tracks built in Holger-curves survived over a decade, I don't think it may damage the joints on long term. 20240204_115858 by Donát Raáb, on Flickr
  5. Ashi Valkoinen

    Fx Bricks (Michael Gale) announces Fx Track system

    I'll share it soon as I'm progressing with the building of my station. There is a topik linked in my signature which I use to share all my MOCs, I'll post it there mid-February, based on the experiences collected at the event held 10th-11th of February.
  6. Ashi Valkoinen

    Fx Bricks (Michael Gale) announces Fx Track system

    I motorised the switches back in 2023 at Bausipebahn Treffen - I designed the motorisation without having any switches, just the photos of them and Michael lend me 4 switches for the show. Ties' wonderful video shows them at work, too: https://youtu.be/ih4UUo-5cOE?si=G_w3Y_btvb5-joaT&t=456
  7. Ashi Valkoinen

    Fx Bricks (Michael Gale) announces Fx Track system

    I would like to add my 50 cents to this conversation, too. I got yesterday part of my order, including two pairs of switches (I ordered a really big batch and to four different adresses to avoid the hungarian post completely losing the order) and I inspected the tiebar on my switches, too. Unfortunately I got them from the latest batch, which have the wrong tiebar. I found it really pleasing, that a dozen hours after the problem was revealed, @michaelgale (and his team) wrote a tutorial, how to inspect your switches and made a refund/repair process to let people know what will be next. As many products we use daily in our lives, when we discover a minor issue, we just go on and don't even expect the manufacturer simply taking care of it. So for me it was really nice feel to read the post "We are sorry", because this team has respect for the costumers. The other part of the story is how we can access the tiebar itself and how we can pull the moving parts apart. This tiebar issue also highlighted that the P40s are a good products for the customers - we can disassemle, repair, rework (with 3D printers at home?) and inspect the product, and I'm pretty sure that later we can order replacement parts for our switches, too. If you loose a switching rail, the pin breaks off, a tiebar spring break off, later these can be replaced instead of buying a full new switch. There is also space for FX's first 3rd party manufacturers - a tiebar with stronger/weaker springs, ballast plates, etc, may be available in the future. So this issue (however it is issue for both the manufacturer and the customer) also has shown us how problems like this shoud be discussed.
  8. That was a long time before planning and building. Do you consider to revise you old plans according to better parts available by now?
  9. Ashi Valkoinen

    MOCs: Models of trains running in Hungary

    I totally forgot about my second Stadler KISS unit - after finishing the Stadler Citylink for Stadler Trains Hungary I started to build and deliver the static KISS unit for the company. I mage minor changes on Stadler's unit - and later, when I was building the interior lights to my KISS I applied the changes to my unit, too.
  10. Ashi Valkoinen

    MOCs: Models of trains running in Hungary

    Thanks, already forwarded your comment to her. :) There was a double track loop this time. Point-to-point traffic is the best I prefer, but turning around the trains requires some time, and the visitors - mostly the kids - may get quickly bored with realistic frequency of trains. So the last year we turned for the double track mainline, which forms a big oval, hosting two mainline stations (mine with the signalling and Máté Dömel's one), and there is always a single track branch line with two or three additional station, splitting from the mainline at my part or Máté's part. The branch line is a nice place forthe point-to-point and shunting traffic, and the mainline has a nice capacity to feature trains for the visitors. We are also thinking about leaving the big oval and use return loops at the "end" of the mainline, like traditional model railroaders - this option might giving a better use of space at different locations where we are used to display our layout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q27JYEC3Po This video shows most of our trains and the parts of the layout as well. :)
  11. Ashi Valkoinen

    MOCs: Models of trains running in Hungary

    Hello to all of you reading my topic, For today I brought some pictures from our latest event held in a small town in Hungary. Honestly, this is the best part of the LEGO-year, the last show of each year where the locals are always waiting for our train layout. This year I managed to take some photos of my train layout and gathered all my trains except the swiss Traverso and some old and not so good cars for a photo. And the locals... our show was scheduled to open at 10 a.m., but the major wrote accidentally 9 a.m. to his facebook, so this photo was taken half an hour before we were officially open. We started the trains and let the kids enjoy them. In front of us my good old Stadler FLIRTs passing by, the middle part owned by Máté Dömel and his father, András Dömel, right side is mine and the branchline belongs to András Pécsi and Donát Szüts, all from Hungary. These are my GySEV/ROeEE coloured EMUs - finally I can have them on the same photo. From left to right - Siemens Desiro ML "Ventus", Stadler FLIRT and Stadler FLIRT3. And my latest project fully finished - I was really unhappy having my Stadler KISS EMU without interior lights for three years. On the other hand, anyone who built a double decker train before could know that it is not that easy to squeeze any electronics to both decks aesthetically. Yes, I used the original Power Function ledlights to do so. I put all the connectors under the stairs of each car, the power from the cars with drivers' cab are provided through DC-conducting magnets, so lights lit up when the cars are connected with the magnets. Night time at the event location - after everyone left we switched the lights off. Only my poor Stadler CityLink tramtrain has no lights - it will be a hard task to equip her with lights, too. Another side, featuring my freshly rebuilt, modular main street of my village. The lights are unfortunately non-LEGO, but simple 3 mm diameter traditional light bulbs, but the sidewalk of each road baseplate hides a 36 stud long original 9V cable - the neighbouring baseplates are connected with the lamps, which have 2×4 electric plates on the bottom. The wires of the lamps are connected to the top of these 2×4 electric plates - but instead of soldering and modifying the expensive LEGO-parts, I fixed the wire ends on them with 1×2 electric plates. So they are easy to dismantle and be repaired, but it provides also a quick install of the street with working lights. LEGO did a great job with the 9V-system, in any aspect... Closer image of my modular electrified street. What makes this LEGO train hobby better, if your girlfriend also decides to participate in your hobby. She built this small lake into my R104 9V ballasted corner and it helps a lot not to have only tracks and trains! The alpine cabin fits this scene really well, she bought that LEGO set for herself, now that cabin is an accepted guest on our MOC layout. :) She helps me also a lot with the details - installing my working signals, trains and the station takes 10-12 hours for me at each event. While I'm setting all the railway thingies up, she helps me with the details and flora - at this event my branchline connection wasn't used at all so she made it abandoned. And this is her own MOC train - a small maintence vehicle with two small cars. The workers on the real life train cut and collect wood which could endanger the trains next to tracks. ...and a small scene done by her - the Spectre figure from the Minifigure Series 14. enlighten by a single SBrick ledlight. I had one free port of the 24 given at each SBrick Light Hubs there, so next to the shunting signal she used the remaining slot to add this detail - the kids loved it!
  12. Ashi Valkoinen

    Fx Bricks (Michael Gale) announces Fx Track system

    According to FX Bricks Instagram story, first batches of P40 products arrived to US/Canads/Germany and they started fulfilling preorders in the order of they received the preorders.
  13. Ashi Valkoinen

    Fx Bricks (Michael Gale) announces Fx Track system

    Some FX P40 switches in action in the wonderful BSBT 2023 video from Ties: https://youtu.be/ih4UUo-5cOE?si=DE-TTwguFyAoWdNN&amp;t=456
  14. Ashi Valkoinen

    Fx Bricks (Michael Gale) announces Fx Track system

    No, it is not a problem. I guess all the people who preordered these switches are waiting for them by years, some people for more than a decade. Now I think it is better to get a nice product with on more month delay. Just imagine, getting your switches yesterday and something is not working perfectly in it!
  15. Ashi Valkoinen

    MOCs: Models of trains running in Hungary

    @Vilhelm22, when did you visit Hungary? Are you planning to return in some time again? Thank you for all of your nice comments. For me, it seems, building new trains is a little over, at leas, I hope, no Hungary-related railway operator will by Stadler units in the following two years. :) This article picked my interest tho, after selling my Railjet train in the first months of pandemic I would be really happy to have a train with this colour pattern again - a Stadler KISS unit in dark red!