BrickTracks: different curves, PF/9V compatible

[M_slug357]

@coaster , @Deeks , @BurkusCircus ,

While I don't have the space (yet) for a more structured layout, I did have enough room on my floor to do a double "dog bone" setup:

r40 & r56 by Nick Jackson, on Flickr

With modded versions of 60197 & 60198:

Coven (2) by Nick Jackson, on Flickr

Again, the tracks look superb to the point where the transition is so seamless...!

Edited September 3, 2018 by M_slug357
wrong links

[BurkusCircus]

10 hours ago, M_slug357 said:

@coaster , @Deeks , @BurkusCircus ,

While I don't have the space (yet) for a more structured layout, I did have enough room on my floor to do a double "dog bone" setup:

r40 & r56 by Nick Jackson, on Flickr

With modded versions of 60197 & 60198:

Coven (2) by Nick Jackson, on Flickr

Again, the tracks look superb to the point where the transition is so seamless...!

That’s awesome!!! Thanks!

[cptkent]

My tracks arrived this morning.

Very happy with the product, price, shipping.

Many thanks to @coaster for providing us with expansion options.

Edited September 4, 2018 by cptkent
Made video 'public'

[dylanfarrow]

@coaster

how long do you think it would take to ship to UK? I’m only here till the 27th. Do you think they’ll make it? I know shipping to Aus is much more :/

 

edit: R 56s

Edited September 5, 2018 by dylanfarrow

[coaster]

5 minutes ago, dylanfarrow said:

@coaster

how long do you think it would take to ship to UK? I’m only here till the 27th. Do you think they’ll make it? I know shipping to Aus is much more :/

 

edit: R 56s

How long it takes is up to customs on the receiving country.  I usually ship same or next day, but arrival times are pretty variable.  However, I shipped a few packages to the UK last week, and both show as having processed through customs already and are either waiting for pickup or are out for delivery.  So if you ordered before the weekend I think it quite likely they'll be there in time.

Oddly enough, it's about the same cost to ship to the UK or AUS (looking at my cost sheets, it appears the UK actually costs me a little more).  So up to you where you want it to go.

[djm]

My R56 order was delivered (to New Zealand) two days ago. Very nice indeed. Now I'm just hanging out for the R72

 

and the R88

 

production to commence.

David

[cptkent]

Just giving this topic a bump. In case anybody has any news?

[coaster]

I don't have anything new to add.  Got a lot going on behind the scenes though.  You wouldn't want me to ruin the surprise, would you?  :)

[cptkent]

6 hours ago, coaster said:

I don't have anything new to add.  Got a lot going on behind the scenes though.  You wouldn't want me to ruin the surprise, would you?  :)

Nah. Just checking you haven't taken up Megablocks or Meccano or Macrame....

[coaster]

Macreme and Me, a Memoir by coaster.

[Hamster]

I hope the surprise is that you offer 9V rails.

[Capparezza]

On 10/20/2018 at 10:31 AM, Hamster said:

I hope the surprise is that you offer 9V rails.

Hmmmm..... 

[legotownlinz]

On 10/20/2018 at 10:31 AM, Hamster said:

I hope the surprise is that you offer 9V rails.

I hope not. 

9V is gone for good, the future belongs to plastic tracks.

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by legotownlinz

[splatman]

Powered rails would still have a place. Power Functions still needs a power source. Why not get it from the rails, saving the hassles that come with batteries?

[pirzyk]

3 hours ago, splatman said:

Powered rails would still have a place. Power Functions still needs a power source. Why not get it from the rails, saving the hassles that come with batteries?

Cost

[legotownlinz]

15 hours ago, splatman said:

Why not get it from the rails, saving the hassles that come with batteries?

Reliability, simplicity.

My experience with H0 and N model trains is that power from the rails is often unreliable. My Lego trains never failed. 

Terminal loops and wyes are difficult with 9V tracks and impossible without using third party electronics.

Plastic tracks allow easy control of multiple trains.

 

 

[CSW652]

Just checking before I make an order - the new BrickTracks axles are identical in size to the official Lego ones?

[Jedi Bert]

Yes. I have them and a direct replacement for LEGO versions. 

[coaster]

Forgive the bump, but we're doing a Black Friday sale now through Sunday with everything buy 3 get 1 free.  Need to clear some room for new stuff...

[3797]

On 11/23/2018 at 6:29 AM, coaster said:

Forgive the bump, but we're doing a Black Friday sale now through Sunday with everything buy 3 get 1 free.  Need to clear some room for new stuff...

Bought 4 packs of R56 track. Thanks for the code. Hope it helps a little.

Btw, are you going to get a brand new product in or do you need to make space for a new batch of an existing one?

Edited November 25, 2018 by 3797

[coaster]

11 hours ago, 3797 said:

Bought 4 packs of R56 track. Thanks for the code. Hope it helps a little.

Btw, are you going to get a brand new product in or do you need to make space for a new batch of an existing one?

Thanks!  I was dropping a teaser about a new product, but the response this weekend was incredible, so I need to get a new batch of the existing track going asap!  I only have 1 box of R104s left, but if someone wants a circle of them, shoot me a message and I'll honor the sale when I have them in again.

[Toastie]

On ‎10‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 5:52 PM, legotownlinz said:

Reliability, simplicity.

My experience with H0 and N model trains is that power from the rails is often unreliable. My Lego trains never failed. 

Terminal loops and wyes are difficult with 9V tracks and impossible without using third party electronics.

Plastic tracks allow easy control of multiple trains.

Huh? I believe this is a slightly too bold of a statement!

OK, lets take the H0 and N trains apart.

Terminal loops and wyes? Use one original PF piece of track to separate the 9V track section causing trouble. Power the tracks permanently. Use original 9V motors for power pickup. Use one bridge rectifier soldered into the 9V motor (or wherever you want) to assure the right polarity always comes out of the power pickup. Use original LEGO LiPo batteries to be powered by the pickup. Use PF stuff to control all/multiple trains.

Never recharge anything manually. Recharging is done automatically on the 9V tracks. The LEGO LiPo handles that. Was shown here on EB.

Downside: Need to open 9V motor, add a bridge rectifier and rewire. Need to make a cable that goes from the motor to the LiPo. Cost assuming you have the 9V motor: $1.

And this is why we need @coaster to make a) power pickups and b) 9V track

On ‎10‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 5:35 AM, pirzyk said:

Cost

Yep. Is an issue because of the costly LEGO LiPo (they have them on sale right now). But: Never recharge a train manually but during operation is worth at least something (to me).

And. This is experimental evidence, not a proposal. Have 5 trains doing exactly that. Working on 4.5V and 12V trains to join in.

Best regards,
Thorsten  

[legotownlinz]

On 11/27/2018 at 11:46 PM, Toastie said:

Terminal loops and wyes? Use one original PF piece of track to separate the 9V track section causing trouble. Power the tracks permanently. Use original 9V motors for power pickup. Use one bridge rectifier soldered into the 9V motor (or wherever you want) to assure the right polarity always comes out of the power pickup. Use original LEGO LiPo batteries to be powered by the pickup. Use PF stuff to control all/multiple trains.

Never recharge anything manually. Recharging is done automatically on the 9V tracks. The LEGO LiPo handles that. Was shown here on EB.

Downside: Need to open 9V motor, add a bridge rectifier and rewire. Need to make a cable that goes from the motor to the LiPo. Cost assuming you have the 9V motor: $1.

And this is why we need @coaster to make a) power pickups and b) 9V track

Nice concept, but nothing the average Lego fan will do and definitely nothing for coaster to base his business on. Coaster does molded tracks, not 3D printed one. Molding is economic for large quantities only. A few LUGs and power users buying 9V tracks is not enough. And once these customers have bought the track they need, no more sales will happen. Plastic tracks are appealing for millions of Lego customers.

[Toastie]

1 hour ago, legotownlinz said:

Nice concept, but nothing the average Lego fan will do and definitely nothing for coaster to base his business on. Coaster does molded tracks, not 3D printed one. Molding is economic for large quantities only. A few LUGs and power users buying 9V tracks is not enough. And once these customers have bought the track they need, no more sales will happen. Plastic tracks are appealing for millions of Lego customers. 

Oh, I noticed that @coaster does injection molding. I also did notice the difference in quality between 3D printing and injection molding - we do the former for prototyping research equipment even using metal. No chance though to get anywhere near high pressure injection molding quality for polymers. Well, "yet" I may want to add ... 

However, the "millions of LEGO customers" seem to be a little on the high side. The "average LEGO fan" is hard to define, I believe. The moment such a fan buys different radii for the track curves means the layout becomes substantial - and there s concern about the look. The millions of LEGO fans - I believe - run their trains through the loops that come with the set plus maybe a couple of track extensions from LEGO - as the hardly know about coasters tracks at all. The moment you know about his tracks you may not be an average customer anymore. And than "millions" may come down to "thousands". I will ever ask coaster about the numbers - that is entirely non-disclosed as this is his business. But I also believe he is doing this a) for business but b) even more so because he wants to. But again: Pure speculation!!!

And the latter is my hope for any superior quality power pickups: There must be the equivalent of millions of LEGO customers (all matured and weathered) who have bought 9V track in the past decades. They are not dead yet I believe … well I am not.

Be assured that I would never propose such a pickup if there were no market at all - small as it is, but it may be as large as all plastic large radii track for the time being.

But lets not open up again the 9V vs. all plastic track discussion. I do see your point clearly. I just want to make sure that I am not joking. Or may not know what the financial burden of an injection mold machine is! That would not be fair for coaster!

All the best - and for the best!

Thorsten      

[legotownlinz]

13 hours ago, Toastie said:

The moment you know about his tracks you may not be an average customer anymore.

Right, at the moment BrickTracks is known by a few fans only. But the potential is greater. The stores were I buy Lego have some third party bricks. They may be willing to sell BrickTracks products, too.