Question: How to build a proper City?

[admDaggett]

Hello everybody.

Today I started building up my City - as I builded up Model Train Landscapes before, I want to do it similar.

And I also thought, maybe I get my City one day to a nice and lovely convention or something like that, so I want to build it up in modules, so I can "easily" unassemble it and put it back together.

Also, It takes less space when I only build it partwise, as I can store the unused modules in a box for example.

So, here are my questions:

Has anybody experience in a module based city? I have seen a lot of cities around here, but none looked module based.

How do I connect the modules? If they have no connection, they can get loose and it doesn't look nice anymore.

How do I get "pins" on the underground? Glueing big baseplates on it? (Was my first idea.) Or by simply screwing them with small screws?

Thanks for help in advance. :-)

[lightningtiger]

Hmmm, good question.....for me....my redesigned town has a row of buildings all connected with tech pins, plus the road plates have 1x8 tiles to join them up along the kurbing.

I'm a conformist! !

[admDaggett]

Hmmm, good question.....for me....my redesigned town has a row of buildings all connected with tech pins, plus the road plates have 1x8 tiles to join them up along the kurbing.

I'm a conformist! !

That would work, if I don't want to lift it up.

I mean something like http://img.quoka.de/Modelleisenbahn_Anlage_Maerklin---foto-bild-77-44444077.jpg - but with Lego. So it is not on a big table ot the ground, but on many tables.

I thought about buying the small tables "lack" at Ikea.

[Ralph_S]

My own layout consists of modules pinned together, but I am guessing you're looking for something a bit bigger. (Mind you, this isn't particularly small either.)

Some of the train builders in The Brickish Association use standard tables they make themselves as the base for their train layouts, but I am sure they put the LEGO on top after they get to the venue. The LEGO baseplates aren't attached to the tables.

Here's a picture taken by a friend of mine showing one of their layouts from behind.

GWLTC at GWLS - Operations Side by whoward69, on Flickr

It's slightly dark, but the best one I could find. Is that the sort of thing you had in mind?

Cheers,

Ralph

[admDaggett]

Exactly. Thanks for the picture.

EDIT: After checking your picture, I think it is another nice solution - the only problem here is, that I want to keep it as original as possible.

So only sets from the current Lego City Line - that makes the attachment to another set a little bit more complicated.

The way lightningtiger is doing it, seems better in my particular case. But still not perfect.

BTW: Nice work. :-)

Edited December 12, 2010 by admDaggett

[peterab]

Hi admDaggett,

I have a modular train layout that I take to conventions to form a larger layout with others in my lego train club. There are a few different methods people use.

I have modular tables like in Ralfs photos. Mine fit 3 x 6 32x32 stud baseplates and can be bolted together in a variety of ways. Large Lego building will move around when transported so we tend to lift these off the layout and pack them seperately in tubs along with and cars and trains and smaller details like minifigs and trees and lightpoles. If there is not to much weight on them, many baseplates which are all joined together will not move too much, and this can be further restricted by adding temporary bricks over the edges on the table to keep them in place. Some of the larger US train clubs have a trailer that has shelves to fit the tables to make transport easier.

Some people glue down the baseplate but that almost certainly means they will be damaged if you ever try and remove them. There are holes in the train track which can be used to screw it down, but that would also damage any baseplates underneath. I've toyed with the idea of using double sided tape, but the only type I can find is the thicker foam which would be too thick and would result in bumps under the base plates.

For larger buildings it's a good idea to have a board or box of the right size to help transport the building while it is not on the layout.

Setup tends to be a process of i) tables (maybe with baseplates and robust scenery) ii) add the buildings iii) add the details such as figs, vehicles, trees and signals.

[LegoSjaak]

Exactly. Thanks for the picture.

EDIT: After checking your picture, I think it is another nice solution - the only problem here is, that I want to keep it as original as possible.

So only sets from the current Lego City Line - that makes the attachment to another set a little bit more complicated.

The way lightningtiger is doing it, seems better in my particular case. But still not perfect.

BTW: Nice work. :-)

Hi, i saw you would like to build a Lego City with mainly original sets...well, i'm also doing that already for 15 months now... have a look, maybe it is inspiring! (there are a lot of pics..)

But if you want to build a modular city, it is pretty difficult to put for example track in it.... My experiences in building a Lego City are that once you have a city and you want to change that, sometimes buildings collapse or at least you incidently tear down stuff you didn/t want to.... Yesterday i was busy in putting large 48x48 stud baseplates under my track, and my station got damaged... You can always rebuild it, but if you move Lego, you will always have damage to your structures or layouts... so think of that.. The best is to have your city in only one place...and take pictures of it, to show it to the people....

BTW you can also create buildings that are almost the same as original sets. You can make 1 station out of two sets for example...

I do like a lot of MOC i see here, but a lot of them do not fit in a city like mine (IMO).. I also have no modular houses.. i chose to have an other type of Lego City...but maybe in the future, if there are not so many new City-sets, i will choose to put modulars in my Town as well...

Greetz, LegoSjaak

[admDaggett]

@peterab: I would like to see some photos of it, do you have any? It sounds interesting.

@LegoSjaak: Nice City. Some real nice ideas inside and I see you had the same idea as me, with the train bridge. :-)

Thanks to all so far - it really impressed and inspired me.

[peterab]

@peterab: I would like to see some photos of it, do you have any? It sounds interesting.

I don't have a camera so I don't often take photos myself but there are a few here

I found some more here

Edited December 13, 2010 by peterab

[jth781]

Here are some pictures of my LEGO City

Edited January 12, 2011 by jth781