TRAIN TECH Help, General Questions & Talk to the Staff

[Paddyb98]

Can anybody tell me the length of a XL Motor? I need it to fit in a 4 stud wide space.

[Electricsteam]

Can I make a post where I update reguarly with unusaly locomotive pictures to stir up some fantastic ideas for other members

[WesternOutlaw]

Can I make a post where I update reguarly with unusaly locomotive pictures to stir up some fantastic ideas for other members

Go ahead and start one and I'll take a look.

[alainneke]

Can anybody tell me the length of a XL Motor? I need it to fit in a 4 stud wide space.

The XL-motor is 5x5x6 studs (wxhxd), so you need more room...

Regards,

Alain

[Electricsteam]

Go ahead and start one and I'll take a look.

Ok I did and its call Electricsteam's Bag of Ideas

Link

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=76205

[Solscud007]

I want to power 10173 Holiday train. I have the battery box and motor but last time I powered my Toy Story Train, it was somewhat weak. My wife wants to know how do we get more power/torque in the train?

[Paddyb98]

I'm baaaaaack. How man tracks can a power with a single 9v regulator without a big drop in power?

[Hey Joe]

I want to power 10173 Holiday train. I have the battery box and motor but last time I powered my Toy Story Train, it was somewhat weak. My wife wants to know how do we get more power/torque in the train?

Which motor and what type of batteries (normal or rechargeable)?

[Solscud007]

Which motor and what type of batteries (normal or rechargeable)?

Just the standard PF motor and the battery that uses 6xAAA

[WesternOutlaw]

All: in spite of my best efforts to utilize this topic for LEGO Train questions, most ignore the topic and post their questions in the main forum. I'm honestly tired of moving/merging the questions (almost on a daily basis). In addition, more discussion takes place in the stand-alone topics vs. the single Question Topic.

I'm going to unpin this topic and let everyone post their questions in the main Train Tech forum as stand-alone topics.

Does anyone have any heartburn? Please share your thoughts.

[kyphur]

In addition, more discussion takes place in the stand-alone topics vs. the single Question Topic.

Does anyone have any heartburn? Please share your thoughts.

Brickster, I think you're right about there being more discussion in the single topic threads and I'd guess that's why it has continued even with this "catch-all" thread. Further I think it's just easier to find the info if it's in threads versus all mixed together in one super thread where a question may initially be asked on page 3 and still get answers on page 12.

Maybe this thread could be replaced with an index thread that is locked and maintained by moderator(s) to give us the best of both worlds?

Also, it might be helpful to you as the Engineer running this long train to enlist a conductor or two to walk the isles punching tickets and keeping the carriages from descending into chaos...

[Steinkopf]

All: in spite of my best efforts to utilize this topic for LEGO Train questions, most ignore the topic and post their questions in the main forum. I'm honestly tired of moving/merging the questions (almost on a daily basis). In addition, more discussion takes place in the stand-alone topics vs. the single Question Topic.

I'm going to unpin this topic and let everyone post their questions in the main Train Tech forum as stand-alone topics.

Does anyone have any heartburn? Please share your thoughts.

I can understand your frustration here as I think a central thread would be much more suited to this subject rather than members spreading them throughout the forum. Sure there is an issue at times with having to wade through a number of posts to get an answer but at least it's in a central location, as opposed to if the topics were posted in the main forum where you would have to wade through page upon page of general train topics to find the post you are after.

Maybe an alternative would be to have subsections to deal with specific systems, it could be broken up into 4.5v, 12v, 9v and IR + PF sections, it would make it easier for members to search for information on a particular system and hopefully encourage them to utilise it more often rather than posting in the main forum.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Steinkopf

[legoboy3998]

I can understand your frustration here as I think a central thread would be much more suited to this subject rather than members spreading them throughout the forum. Sure there is an issue at times with having to wade through a number of posts to get an answer but at least it's in a central location, as opposed to if the topics were posted in the main forum where you would have to wade through page upon page of general train topics to find the post you are after.

Maybe an alternative would be to have subsections to deal with specific systems, it could be broken up into 4.5v, 12v, 9v and IR + PF sections, it would make it easier for members to search for information on a particular system and hopefully encourage them to utilise it more often rather than posting in the main forum.

The LEGO Train MOC group on flickr has a similar theory. They have a topic called "idea book," when you click on it there are several sub topics divided into groups. Each group has several sub topics, this makes it easier to locate if there has already been a question asked similar to yours.

Doing something similar (if possible) would make it easier to locate info on a specific topic, versus paging through 6 pages for two or three posts about say Big Bens Wheels.

Another thing I'll add, that would reduce the need to page through topics or posts in a general topic. Those posting questions can use the search function at the top of the page to see if there is any existing topic or posts pertaining to their question.

Sal

WFB, WI

[Hey Joe]

Just the standard PF motor and the battery that uses 6xAAA

Does the Toy Story train have an undue amount of friction? I don't know.

Maybe some of the wheels are gummed up, cat hair perhaps? Sorry I can't be of more help.

[Daedalus304]

I want to power 10173 Holiday train. I have the battery box and motor but last time I powered my Toy Story Train, it was somewhat weak. My wife wants to know how do we get more power/torque in the train?

That depends on which wheels you're putting in the motor. I've done a lot of testing with large drivers on the PF Train motor and it reaches it's torque limit very quickly, and keeping it there causes it to heat up and switch off. With the small wheels its a good motor, but you have to remember that putting on the large ones essentially gears it up - you're trading strength for speed.

My GWR 5700 engine originally ran with the pfm/large driver setup and I tried it with my 4-4-0 as well, and both cases it was better to put the motor in a powered coach and push the engine.

[WesternOutlaw]

Thanks for weighing in guys. I'll give this some more consideration but will no longer keep the topic pinned for now.

[Electricsteam]

All: in spite of my best efforts to utilize this topic for LEGO Train questions, most ignore the topic and post their questions in the main forum. I'm honestly tired of moving/merging the questions (almost on a daily basis). In addition, more discussion takes place in the stand-alone topics vs. the single Question Topic.

I'm going to unpin this topic and let everyone post their questions in the main Train Tech forum as stand-alone topics.

Does anyone have any heartburn? Please share your thoughts.

Well this is sad I think if you imformed more people about this they would post here in stead. I would check this regularly on the few days I have been on the fourms.

[peterab]

All: in spite of my best efforts to utilize this topic for LEGO Train questions, most ignore the topic and post their questions in the main forum. I'm honestly tired of moving/merging the questions (almost on a daily basis). In addition, more discussion takes place in the stand-alone topics vs. the single Question Topic.

I'm going to unpin this topic and let everyone post their questions in the main Train Tech forum as stand-alone topics.

Does anyone have any heartburn? Please share your thoughts.

While I share your pain, I think this topic failed because it tried to change the natural behaviour of new forum members. Most people will wade in before getting an idea of how a group works. If it saves you moderating work you don't like, let it die.

[Hey Joe]

Thanks for weighing in guys. I'll give this some more consideration but will no longer keep the topic pinned for now.

I didn't understand the jist of your postings at first but now do. Peterab's following post makes sense to me:

While I share your pain, I think this topic failed because it tried to change the natural behaviour of new forum members. Most people will wade in before getting an idea of how a group works. If it saves you moderating work you don't like, let it die.

Have fun, Joe

[Electricsteam]

I want to try to set up a lego train convention a little closer to home any thuoghts to help me... Area : Richmond Virginia , Possible locations I can think of are : The science museum of virginia, My local church, Harry F Byrd middle

The biggest problem is I dont know how I would get one started and I was hopeing any Richmond area Train tech people could help me

[peterab]

I want to try to set up a lego train convention a little closer to home any thuoghts to help me... Area : Richmond Virginia , Possible locations I can think of are : The science museum of virginia, My local church, Harry F Byrd middle

The biggest problem is I dont know how I would get one started and I was hopeing any Richmond area Train tech people could help me

Your first hurdle is to find enough like minded people to build a display who are willing to spend a weekend running it. Our layout can take four or five hours to set up with 12 people. It's quite large but smaller layouts will take just about as long with fewer people. The more local people you have the more likely it is one of them will be able to suggest a venue.

You will also need access to some where you can plan and test build the layout before the show. This is very important if you haven't done a show before. All sorts of little problems can crop up particularly in collaborative builds that you won't find until you try and set up.

[zephyr1934]

I want to try to set up a lego train convention a little closer to home any thuoghts to help me... Area : Richmond Virginia , Possible locations I can think of are : The science museum of virginia, My local church, Harry F Byrd middle

The biggest problem is I dont know how I would get one started and I was hopeing any Richmond area Train tech people could help me

I would strongly suggest joining an existing club (perhaps at a bit of a drive) and see how they set up shows, etc.. Then once you have a feel for it, decide whether you want to take the lead on forming a club closer to home. If you do decide to, you can either slowly or rapidly build up the infrastructure you'd need to do a decent display (tables, road plates, ballasted track, detailing, a trailer, etc.) while still in your original club. I've been told that the seed idea for my club, COLTC, was formed this way and our members have since spun off two other groups in Ohio (proximity proximity proximity, both of these groups are about two hours drive from central Ohio, in opposite directions). It looks like there are at least two active clubs that are in or near your state: HARDLUG and WamaLTC. Heck, you might even find a few folks from your area in one of these groups and that could be your nucleating point.

[zephyr1934]

Thanks for weighing in guys. I'll give this some more consideration but will no longer keep the topic pinned for now.

Hey Brickster, did this topic generate posts on new topics on its own when it was pinned, or did most new topics come by way of you moving things in? If it did generate activity on its own, perhaps pinning it again but not policing the other topics could be a way to go (if someone wants to post to this general thread they can, and if they want to start their own, they can).

[Electricsteam]

I've been wondering.. On some topics it says Indexed By Moderator... What is that there for?

[WesternOutlaw]

Hey Brickster, did this topic generate posts on new topics on its own when it was pinned, or did most new topics come by way of you moving things in?

I responded to this a few days ago but looks like the forum trouble removed the newer material. I moved most of the topics to the pinned topic - rarely did anyone post to it. It's funny that it's received more action as an unpinned topic, but most because of the discontinuation discussion.

I've been wondering.. On some topics it says Indexed By Moderator... What is that there for?

Something new I just started in the last few months, but it means that I've added a thumbnail image of the MOC in the Train Tech MOC Index with a link to the topic. Visit the MOC Index and it will make sense - just about all MOCs have been indexed in 2012.

EDIT: I don't usually index WIP MOCs and never index LDD MOCs. If your title is ambiguous (meaning that it does not say MOC or it's unclear that the topic is about sharing a picture of the MOC - sometimes more to discuss a building technique), it may not get indexed. If it is clearly a MOC and MOC is missing from the title, I will add "MOC:" to the title and index. Oh, and I don't index MODs nor do I do windows.