12 replies to this topic

[TheBrickster]

Hi All:

I've been busy at it again expanding the Old Mexican Village which I've been sharing in the History Forum.  Now that I've got a pretty good sized town going, I created a 9V rail line right through the heart of the town with plans to add a train.



It got me thinking, what sort of train might I add to the village?  passenger perhaps?  cargo?  or a mixed-style Western train?  The village is set around the late 1800s to early 1900s.

BMW's Pancho Villa Train serves as a great "inspiration train", but not only is it way too detailed for my town, but it's far above my building expertise.  This brings me back to the classics with ideas from 12V and 9V sets.  

Do any of you have any ideas in regard to what might make a nice train addition?  I'd appreciate any ideas/suggestions you might have.

[SavaTheAggie]

I suppose I could toot my own horn and suggest a nice, simple classically styled western steamer with a nice passenger set.  It looks pretty good chugging down the line.  A whole bunch of basic slopes and some strategically placed panels and plates.

--Tony

[Brickstarrunner]

I don't know. I would mostly suggest mabey one passenger car, two boxcars, two flatcars, and a caboose. Best keep it plain and simple.

PS: Or mabey you could have like an army transport train. I know you do have alot of old Wild West sets, so why not make a troop carrier?

[Tom Bricks]

I always like passenger cars so the bandits have some rich people to hold up. I would go with the engine and tender, two passenger cars, and a caboose.

[gambort]

I'll follow Sava in tooting my own horn and mention that I've got instructions up for a complete Western style train



It's all fairly lightly detailed and you could strip it back even further or just use it as some basic inspiration. I tried to keep it all fairly simple.

It was even slightly inspired by your work. I liked the elegant simplicity of your Western themed work and tried to imitate it a little.

Tim

Edited by gambort, 19 January 2010 - 05:45 AM.

[peterab]

TheBrickster, on Jan 19 2010, 11:16 AM, said:

Do any of you have any ideas in regard to what might make a nice train addition?  I'd appreciate any ideas/suggestions you might have.

You've clearly drawn inspiration in the past from official sets, but I think you've limited yourself because it's too easy if you have similar parts to just recreate or recolour an official set. Gambort has in other places said he dislikes the 9V train door because they don't look like real trains, I'm coming to understand why, because once you abandon the obvious choice, you find better if more difficult brick built solutions.

My suggestion is to have a look at some of the 4.5V trains such as this one. The idea being I'm pretty sure you wont have a lot of the 4.5V era parts which may force you to novel solutions to recreate the basic look and shapes, and the models are simple so I'm sure you wont hesitate to improve them.

[Duq]

There's also the Toy story Western train coming this year. Lego have done a good job getting most leaked images removed again but you can still find them...

[TheBrickster]

Thanks for the ideas so far guys!  I appreciate the tips.

SavaTheAggie, on Jan 18 2010, 04:53 PM, said:

I suppose I could toot my own horn

Tony: that's an awesome creation!  To tell you the truth, your steam engines came to mind, especially w/ thoughts on the upcoming Toy Story train.

Brickstarrunner, on Jan 18 2010, 05:33 PM, said:

Or mabey you could have like an army transport train. I know you do have alot of old Wild West sets, so why not make a troop carrier?

Yes - that's a great idea that I had considered.  I had used the log car from the My Own Train collection once before to create a Union ammunition car.  It also reminds me of an old Western called 100 Rifles (although I can't remember if it was a troop train or just lot of boxcars).  My Civil War Train was along this line though, so I wanted something a bit different.  I won't discount the idea though.

Tom Bricks, on Jan 18 2010, 08:43 PM, said:

I always like passenger cars so the bandits have some rich people to hold up.

Definately a classic Western idea, but it's been done so many times before.  Also, would it be very Mexican?  I don't know?  I have been looking at lots of images from old wooden train wagons thinking I may try one (not in the traditional 12V or 9V fashion).

gambort, on Jan 18 2010, 09:43 PM, said:

It was even slightly inspired by your work. I liked the elegant simplicity of your Western themed work and tried to imitate it a little.

Thanks Tim.  That's really nice of you to say.  I love your "box train" as a huge fan of all things Western.  I'll check this train out once again.

peterab, on Jan 19 2010, 12:59 AM, said:

My suggestion is to have a look at some of the 4.5V trains such as 119.  The idea being I'm pretty sure you wont have a lot of the 4.5V era parts which may force you to novel solutions to recreate the basic look and shapes

I had not considered going this far back (although I recall the Perkins engine).  Interesting though.

Duq, on Jan 19 2010, 02:01 AM, said:

There's also the Toy story Western train coming this year.

Yes.  I've seen it.  To tell you the truth, I went out and purchased the latest TS western set with the anticipation of buying the TS train.  I actually like it, and am looking forward to finding out how LEGO will power it (if they do so).  It's along the line of a Western steam engine like that from Tony or Tim.  It will be a number of months before release though.  I don't know if the Mexican Village will still be intact by then.

Great thoughts and suggestions all.  I look forward to hearing any others.

EDIT: I should mention that I have a few cars and engine from 3225 Classic Train currently set up, but want something unique.

[efullner]

Since this is Mexico I'd say to think Wild West. How about a 4-4-0, 4-6-0, or 2-8-0.
That's all I can think of.

[BMW]

Gotta have a train in this sleepy old Mexican town.

Prototypically speaking, the Mexican railroads typically bought used from the American railroads.  So for late 1800s you would find 4-4-0s Americans and 2-6-0 Moguls pulling mixed trains.  Lots of brass but it would all be weathered brown and the loks dusty.  Simple black with white accents.

Rolling stock would include a passenger car combined with flats, boxes, and cattle cars.  The freight equipment provides great opportunities for little details which add so much character.

The new TS Train looks like a fantastic place to start.  The new pilot alone adds so much.   And go watch some great western train movies.

- BMW

[TheBrickster]

efullner, on Jan 21 2010, 07:00 AM, said:

Since this is Mexico I'd say to think Wild West. How about a 4-4-0, 4-6-0, or 2-8-0.

Definately!  I was actually thinking about a 2-6-2 Prairie loco with some wagons and a caboose, but still not sure.

BMW, on Jan 21 2010, 05:22 PM, said:

So for late 1800s you would find 4-4-0s Americans and 2-6-0 Moguls pulling mixed trains.  Lots of brass but it would all be weathered brown and the loks dusty.  Simple black with white accents.

Thanks BMW.  Good tips, esp the weathering/dust that I had not considered.

BMW, on Jan 21 2010, 05:22 PM, said:

The new TS Train looks like a fantastic place to start.  And go watch some great western train movies.

I like the new set, esp. the new cow catcher piece that will definately be a useful part.  Also, I think I'll be watching 3:10 to Yuma this evening.

Appreciate all the tips.

[DaCheese]

If you buy and modify the Toy Story train, don't forget to built a tender for the loco!

[Captain Genaro]

If you want to do something compleatly different, why not try a narrow gadge mining train? It could be carring ore from the local mines and have a passanger coach for the miners with several box cars for supplies. Or if that is really bad, I think that a rugged little passanger/ freight train would be nice.