edsmith0075 Posted March 3, 2015 Posted March 3, 2015 So Im looking for advice from members here on my current WIP. To start off with I used ideas and designs from swoofty and wardlaws on flickr to create this train. With that said my 8 wide locomotive seems out of proportion to the bogies. I have seen multiple other 8 wides and their bogies do not look as disproportionate as mine do at this stage of the build. Is there any advice on incorporating these standard lego train size trucks into my 8 wide train. I love the freedom of building 8 wide but I'm struggling with proper proportions and need the communities assistance. Pictures are below any advice or critique is greatly appreciated. I apologize about the quality I snapped these on my way out the door to work this morning. WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr WIP 8 Wide GP 60 by Edsmith0075, on Flickr Quote
garethjellis Posted March 3, 2015 Posted March 3, 2015 Hey edsmith0075, Welcome to the world of 8 wide. You could use some decoration on the wheel sets to fatten them up a little. Here are some ideas, Class 37 and 27 bogies by bricktrix, on Flickr Class 27 bogie by bricktrix, on Flickr IMG_2261 by Cale Leiphart, on Flickr https://flic.kr/p/pet2Qs Quote
edsmith0075 Posted March 3, 2015 Author Posted March 3, 2015 I love the suggestion! I was considering this, I want to use the standard lego PF train motors. Have you seen or do your know if these would work on them? Quote
Commander Wolf Posted March 4, 2015 Posted March 4, 2015 (edited) So according to someone's specification a GP60 is about 10 feet wide and 60 feet long. This means when scaled to 8-wide it should be 48-long. This also means that the 9-foot distance between the axles should become 7.2 studs - which is one stud more than the 6 studs in between the axles of the various train motors. Thus, if you wanted a perfectly accurate scaling, you should not be using any of the train motors. That being said, I think the missing stud in between the axles is only part of the reason the model is looking so disproportionate; I think a bigger factor is that the model is maybe about a stud too tall: Edited March 5, 2015 by Commander Wolf Quote
edsmith0075 Posted March 4, 2015 Author Posted March 4, 2015 Thank you! The proportion ratio is something that Im still struggling with. I am grateful for the info of 48 long and the 7.2 studs. I just read your reply now but last night I worked on the model and put in actual PF bogies ( I read the comment about the bogies and respect you sharing that info ), come to find out the unpowered ones in the original pics were a plate low and that plat difference makes a big difference. I also extended the fuel tank by one stud. With that said I had to move the bogies by one plate out to accommodate the new fuel tank size. I feel this is getting closer to spec. I am not expecting to be able to get this exact but the closer the better and I greatly value this communities feedback and assistance. Quote
garethjellis Posted March 4, 2015 Posted March 4, 2015 Here is a fantastic tool you can use to scale your models while building, I use it a lot. Be sure to use accurate drawings though and not photographs as photographs can be distorted. http://scaler.sariel.pl/ Quote
edsmith0075 Posted March 4, 2015 Author Posted March 4, 2015 3 by wardlws, on Flickr 4 by wardlws, on Flickr 5 by wardlws, on Flickr 2 by wardlws, on Flickr This model is my inspiration piece. I love his trains and this one inspired me to step up to 8 wide. Any suggestions on making my model as proportionate as his. I think that his is pretty proportionate or atleast is not to far off. Quote
legoman666 Posted March 4, 2015 Posted March 4, 2015 If you want it to be more correct, the only way to make the bogies is to drop the PF train motors in favor of gearing it via motors. Here's one I recently did: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=102535 The trim around the wheels is hard to make look good if you use the train motor. Quote
edsmith0075 Posted March 4, 2015 Author Posted March 4, 2015 These are pics after my work from last night After looking at these Im thinking the engine is too tall. I can't quite get an exact number on wardlaws model for height so that might be why my height is off. Untitled by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr Quote
CrispyBassist Posted March 5, 2015 Posted March 5, 2015 I think your trucks just need some more "beefiness" than the standard lego side pieces give. This design by Bricknerd is what I based my GP-9 truck design on: (Flickr won't let me link it any other way). Mine is ~8 bricks from the bogies to the roof. That's the rough height I use for my trains, and it seems to fit with everyone else that I've run them with. Quote
Daedalus304 Posted March 5, 2015 Posted March 5, 2015 That engine from Wardlws is about 31/32 plates from the bottom of the wheels to the top, or about 10 bricks tall; about the same size as yours. What's making your engine's body look too tall is the wheels. On Wardlws' engine, because the wheel flanges are shiny and metal those are what catch your eye. So the wheels look like they're about 3 studs or so in diameter, which is proper for this scale. On your engine, because you've got the black PF wheels, your eye won't focus on the flange and will instead focus on the wheel itself. The wheels only have a 2 stud diameter, which is only 66% the size they should be. Try looking at Wardlws' model and focus on just the black centers of the wheels - they look too small now, don't they? What you could to to put it back into proportion is try putting some BBB medium drivers on it and custom build your own bogie sides. The BBB drivers should still work alright on that train motor, although you won't have as much traction without the rubber bands. Once you get the handrails and any number stickers on there, that should help with the proportions as well. Quote
Commander Wolf Posted March 5, 2015 Posted March 5, 2015 After looking at these Im thinking the engine is too tall. I can't quite get an exact number on wardlaws model for height so that might be why my height is off. According to the specs I linked: 14 feet to the top of the hood = 11.2 studs = 56 LU = 9 bricks and a plate (from the top of the rail). This is pretty typical for modern American locos where the 8-wide height is usually between 9 or 10 bricks. Quote
edsmith0075 Posted March 6, 2015 Author Posted March 6, 2015 Ok so I went ahead and lowered the total height by 1 plate and extended the train by one plate. What do you guys think. by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr I'm struggling with getting the back piece correct. I am trying to line it up evenly with the top but I don't want a noticeable gap at the bottom. Untitled by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr by Edsmith0075, on Flickr Quote
Commander Wolf Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 I don't know what your actual (stud) dimensions are, but I think you should have kept the extra stud off the length and taken another plate or two off the height. Does look better overall though. Quote
legoman666 Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 Unless you do something fancy with brackets, the only way the back will line up is too keep it multiples of 2 studs. Yours is 7 studs so it's not going to work. 6 or 8 would be easy. Quote
edsmith0075 Posted March 9, 2015 Author Posted March 9, 2015 Thank you for the advice. I will be going back and removing a plate of the length but keeping the height. The back still needs to be worked out. Im trying to avoid alot of space with brackets and such because I want to use ni-cd RC battery packs and utilize the interior space of 8 wide train builds. Quote
edsmith0075 Posted April 1, 2015 Author Posted April 1, 2015 Ok, things have been busy for me but I was able to work on the engine a bit this weekend. Here are UPDATED pics of my progress and Im looking for feedback. I still have to do the steps and buffers on the bogies. Untitled by Edsmith0075, on Flickr Untitled by Edsmith0075, on Flickr Untitled by Edsmith0075, on Flickr Untitled by Edsmith0075, on Flickr Untitled by Edsmith0075, on Flickr Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.