Piranha

Converting BNSF to Power Functions

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Has anyone managed to mod the BNSF to Power functions? Right now this is a real problem I am struggling with. I can not find anyway to power it having the battery box on the train itself without extensive modifications.

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I haven't tried it yet, but I think the batterybox will be tricky indeed!!! Of course you can put the power source in another car or modify it a bit like the Maersk engine but that might be difficult with the colorings.

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Perhaps there is room for a pp3 battery in the cab??

It's just an idea, haven't tried it......

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Maybe this one will fit?

6x AA batteries in a long row. If I compute it correctly, it costs about 21 studs, so it will fit.

Having put a PP3 inside; I would actually agree with JopieK that this represents the best way of doing it with a 4 stud wide nose / body.

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Other option (but ugly outside):

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/292615

Ugly? :wacko:

I does look a bit odd right now, since I haven't finished the decals that will cover up the PF components. Once the decals are done, it should look pretty good. Here is my Flickr set for this mod showing some of the other things I was able to do with this MOD.

Flickr pictures of my MOD Check it out...it gives you a better idea of what I did as compared to just the LDD screen shot on the MOC Page.

The decals should be pretty easy, although I am procrastinating on taking the time to match the colors correctly. I also have to make the decals for the yellow stripes to go around the back of the body, and on the hood section as well to fully finish it off. The LDD picture is meant to give directions to the location of the PF components, not necessarily show the final product. Directions (LDD file) are posted on my MOC page for the MOD.

[EDIT] Now my feelings are all hurt :sad: and I will have to get in gear on the decals. But in the end, it was how I chose to solve the design problem that the BNSF presents for a PF conversion. I wanted to minimize visible structural changes to bring in the PF equipment, and prevent having to do custom wiring.

The problem with using one of the long after market battery setups is that the BNSF as built by LEGO, is about 18 -20 studs long inside the body (behind cab). There is also a section that is only 1.5 stud wide (although that could be altered), which give you about 14 studs in length behind that section.

[EDIT] I also looked into using RC LiPo packs that were long and skinny, but in the end I thought it would require too much custom work to make it feasible. There are things you need for LiPo packs to prevent the battery from catching fire, for instance, that is already built into the LEGO LiPo battery (and I have no experience with RC applications). And charging would require tearing the entire train apart (in my opinion, of course).

So if you can deal with the decal dilema, then my design should work for you.

Edited by Tearloch

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So I finally sat down to work on completing my BNSF GP-38 MOD to PF. I have created all the decals that I need, and I am just waiting on some vinyl decal paper that I ordered to start the printing. I will let you know how they turn out, but so far I am very happy with how they look. If they work out OK, I will try to post the "sticker sheet" (MS Word document) on my MOCPage to go along with the design I put out.

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All I did is add the PF to one of the cargo cars, that way it is pushing the BNSF and pulling the rest of the train.The battery box is easily concealed and most do not realize the difference. If they do it is fun showing them how you did it.

Edited by shackleton

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So I finally sat down to work on completing my BNSF GP-38 MOD to PF. I have created all the decals that I need, and I am just waiting on some vinyl decal paper that I ordered to start the printing. I will let you know how they turn out, but so far I am very happy with how they look. If they work out OK, I will try to post the "sticker sheet" (MS Word document) on my MOCPage to go along with the design I put out.

nice, pics when finished right? :laugh:

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nice, pics when finished right? :laugh:

OK, so I am finally getting around to posting the pictures. I am not sure if I mentioned this before, but I used some vinyl sticker paper from Papilio to make my decals, and I LOVE IT. Thickness is similar to paper, but being vinyl it is flexible, making it easy to bend corners, or even stretch it a bit for curves (like the hood in the pictures below). It took inkjet ink very well, and a couple of coats of a UV top coat, to protect and give it a gloss, and you are done.

I believe I got a 100% match with the yellow. I thought the dark green would be the biggest trick, but it ended up being the orange. The final printing (shown below) drove me nuts because the orange was not the same as when I printed my test grid...I guess the printer caused some variations when printing the dark green, yellow, and orange at the same time compared to just printing different shades of orange. It is noticable close up, but from a distance none of my family could tell, including my artist brother in law :sweet: . So the dark green was OK match wise, and the orange is the worst of the 3, but luckily the BNSF logo on the side draws attention away from it (on the battery box atleast).

6649888403_706af03f2e_z.jpg

I think the front end decals turned out great. Moved the headlights based on a photo I found. I guess they had multiple variations of the headlight design over the years, and this one worked best for my big BNSF logo on the front.

6649895597_becc1e491b_z.jpg

Here is the back view showing the pinstripes I added across the back.

6649908695_9a8c8eaef3.jpg

Here is the back showing the battery box with slightly wrapped around decals.

6649915611_5b7d77c760.jpg

Here is a detail of the inside showing the polarity switch squeezed in to allow for 2 PF motors with no rewiring.

6649921997_ef8456be82.jpg

Here is a detail showing decal work on IR receiver. I also couldn't resist redoing the hood sticker (but I kept the LEGO railroad symbol) to make it full green with just the yellow pin stripe effect (still used yellow hood).

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That is absolutely beautiful! default_wubnew.gifdefault_thumbup.gifdefault_thumbup.gif

Can you please make the print available to us??default_blush.gif PLEASE!

Btw. Why would you change the light position of the train?

http://www.railpictu...=381409&nseq=24

Thanks for the compliments.

I found some pics of an alternate light configuration on GP-38s....it worked better for the front end decals, although I realize look at this one again, I guess they didn't do the logo in full color...used the yellow/green version instead. Oh well, I like mine better. Although I may need to add the lights back in above the windshield (and to think that was in one of my earlier version, too :sceptic: )

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=380802

I have the LDD file on my MOCpage, but you will have to be careful with it...it had the center headlight design, at the PF parts (battery box and IR reciever, are modeled with bricks due to not being in LDD (yet?)

I will try to post the decal sheet that I used, although the colors will need to altered based on your individual printer (painful process). I will see if I can link it to the MOC page as well.

[EDIT] MOCpage now updated, but I can only link one file, so I left the LDD file. Send me a email if you want the sticker sheet.

Edited by Tearloch

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Well done mate!!! This looks amazing.

I have this train myself (currently running on 9V track/motor), and your stickers might inspire me to make it a PF model.

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Well done mate!!! This looks amazing.

I have this train myself (currently running on 9V track/motor), and your stickers might inspire me to make it a PF model.

Thanks.

Well, you could just upgrade the stickers, and possibly some of the other modifications I did and still leave it 9V (if you like the 9V). The changes I made to the hood area (in front of cab) are very minimal, for instance, as well as the changes to the rear end.

Myself, I don't have any 9V parts except a few track pieces (that came with the BNSF when I got it on ebay) so PF was my only real option, without investing alot into the 9V systems.

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That is absolutely beautiful! default_wubnew.gifdefault_thumbup.gifdefault_thumbup.gif

Can you please make the print available to us??default_blush.gif PLEASE!

Btw. Why would you change the light position of the train?

http://www.railpictu...=381409&nseq=24

Hehe, notice the message at the top of the left engine... remote control equipment ;) guess PF isn't that bad at all for the BNSF.

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I have to agree you did a brilliant job on the conversion :thumbup:

Excellent work! Everything looks great and your mods improved the design and functionally at the same time. :classic:

Edited by Macoco

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I have to agree you did a brilliant job on the conversion :thumbup:

Excellent work! Everything looks great and your mods improved the design and functionally at the same time. :classic:

Let me know if you are interested in the sticker template...I just emailed a copy to another interested user.

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Tearloch,

Your sticker work is second-to-none!!! And you have inspired me to not only upgrade my Burlington engine, but also a Power Miners themed engine that I am currently working on - that will require lime stickers to cover the rechargeable battery box and the IR receiver.

Can you provide us with some more information about the Papilio sticker sheets you used? Is there a part number, etc. that we can reference? Can we buy these off eBay?

You also mentioned some anti-UV gloss paint - can you give us any more info on this please? Is it a spray paint? Where did you buy it? Is it easy to use?

Cheers, and once again, great work!!!!

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Tearloch,

Your sticker work is second-to-none!!! And you have inspired me to not only upgrade my Burlington engine, but also a Power Miners themed engine that I am currently working on - that will require lime stickers to cover the rechargeable battery box and the IR receiver.

Can you provide us with some more information about the Papilio sticker sheets you used? Is there a part number, etc. that we can reference? Can we buy these off eBay?

You also mentioned some anti-UV gloss paint - can you give us any more info on this please? Is it a spray paint? Where did you buy it? Is it easy to use?

Cheers, and once again, great work!!!!

This site shows the vinyl sticker paper that I used.

http://www.papilio.com/inkjet%20waterproof%20adhesive%20film%20media.html

I really like the product. I takes inkjet ink very well. It is very flexible, and since it is vinyl, you can even stretch it a bit it you covering odd angles or curvers. It cuts like butter with an X-Acto knife, and sticks very well (although I don't know if it would be possible to remove the sticker after some time (week, month, year, etc) without leaving a residue on the bricks. I don't plan on removing the stickers, so that doesn't worry me personally.

The UV coating I used comes from the same place. It is their LLA5000 UV Spray, which they recommend for use on this product. It is a spray paint can. I have been using 3 coats, with 5-10 minutes between coats. After final coat, I wait a full 24 hours before messing with anything.

On my OTM Tracker model, I even used a yellow Sharpie on the edges after it was cut to hide the white edges (it took that ink as well). I didn't do this on the BNSF, but so far I can't say that I notice the difference.

Matching the colors will be the most time consuming (and frustrating) part of making decals. I think I have the yellow just about perfect (both BNSF and OTM Tracker). The dark green and orange didn't turn out as well as I hoped, but I was not in the mood to keep trying (at the moment).

Edited by Tearloch

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