Northern Pacific Z-6 Challenger UPGRADE for Lego Ideas

[Craig Strader]

It has been almost if not exactly or more than a year since I created the Z-6 challenger. I originally thought I could not improve it any further, but it turns out I was wrong in more ways than one. The model you see before you is a MASSIVE upgrade compared to the one I originally made. It features new trailing truck and tender bogies which have been needed to be worked on for quite some time. Those bogies that were once on the original model were both blocky and incomplete at the same time. The trailing truck is now more gradually sloped and the tender bogies now look like they were off the prototype.  I also was able to number AND letter the locomotive where it represents an MTH version of the model (The MTH version of the locomotive was the source of my inspiration to constructing this behemoth and how I became a fan of this design). 

If you have noticed the display track the locomotive sits on, I bet you can guess what is going to become of it. But to leave no one on a cliffhanger, I will say that it will be going to the Lego Ideas website to become an actual product. If you wish to have this model on YOUR Lego train layout, be sure to support it.

 

I will let you all know when it appears on the Lego Ideas website when I update this topic.

Edited July 25, 2021 by Craig Strader

[Geihlen]

This is a beautiful model. These big ALCO locomotives are some of my absolute favorite of all time. It'll definitely get a support from me when it goes up on ideas.

[Craig Strader]

40 minutes ago, Geihlen said:

This is a beautiful model. These big ALCO locomotives are some of my absolute favorite of all time. It'll definitely get a support from me when it goes up on ideas.

Thanks. I'm still trying to get it approved. I'm sure it will be on there soon.

[Craig Strader]

Hey guys, I have a question, how do I get a good picture from Bricklink Studio to be approved on the Lego Ideas website? I am not having a lot of luck in the process, if someone has some good suggestions please let me know

[M_slug357]

@Craig Strader What does the Ideas website say when you upload your photos?

[Craig Strader]

4 hours ago, M_slug357 said:

@Craig Strader What does the Ideas website say when you upload your photos?

It said "Please submit better digital images"

[M_slug357]

@Craig Strader thats definitely not helpful information…

Have you checked the formatting? The filesize? There’s got to be more to it than just “better” images.

[JWBDolphins]

This is just a Pure Guess, but if the file size and image size are within LEGO's recommendations, just Looking at the image above I might try a Lighter background.  There is a lot of Dark there and maybe that's hiding details they want to see.  Again, this is just a Guess.  Great model though!!

 

[Craig Strader]

1 hour ago, JWBDolphins said:

This is just a Pure Guess, but if the file size and image size are within LEGO's recommendations, just Looking at the image above I might try a Lighter background.  There is a lot of Dark there and maybe that's hiding details they want to see.  Again, this is just a Guess.  Great model though!!

 

I did try using photos with a lighter background, what settings would recommend with a build like mine? Only asking so that I can have some ideas

[JWBDolphins]

So again, this is just a pure guess not having submitted anything to Ideas - but I would probably start by trying a light gray background.  I think white would be too stark so I would begin with light, light gray.  Also, I would crop the top and bottom so you have about as much space between the image and the top/bottom as you have space between the left/right sides (if that makes sense).  That will give you a wide short image so maybe that wouldn't fly, but that's where I would start.  If they still reject that, I'd see if there's a way to contact them for more info on what they see as the problem.

You should be able to do these changes inside Studio too - have it render to any size and background color you want.

Good luck!!  

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by JWBDolphins
addition

[Craig Strader]

On 8/4/2021 at 5:26 PM, JWBDolphins said:

So again, this is just a pure guess not having submitted anything to Ideas - but I would probably start by trying a light gray background.  I think white would be too stark so I would begin with light, light gray.  Also, I would crop the top and bottom so you have about as much space between the image and the top/bottom as you have space between the left/right sides (if that makes sense).  That will give you a wide short image so maybe that wouldn't fly, but that's where I would start.  If they still reject that, I'd see if there's a way to contact them for more info on what they see as the problem.

You should be able to do these changes inside Studio too - have it render to any size and background color you want.

Good luck!!  

 

How is this?

 

[JWBDolphins]

That looks good to me!    Hopefully LEGO is good with it too!!

 

[zephyr1934]

You might want to remove the "description sign", while it would be there for a production model, it obscures the details of your build and at this scale it might not be obvious that the black sign is separate from the black model behind.

[Dav1d]

I find the image to be too black to make out the detail of the model. It is a fantastic model but it is hard to see it clearly. I haven't used the software so I can't give any advice. I could hardly make out there was a description sign.  

[Craig Strader]

6 hours ago, Dav1d said:

I find the image to be too black to make out the detail of the model. It is a fantastic model but it is hard to see it clearly. I haven't used the software so I can't give any advice. I could hardly make out there was a description sign.  

 

Are you saying that I need to change the background a little? If so, how should I do it and what color should I try

 

6 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

You might want to remove the "description sign", while it would be there for a production model, it obscures the details of your build and at this scale it might not be obvious that the black sign is separate from the black model behind.

Do you want me to put it in a place where you can see the trailing truck clearly then?

[M_slug357]

@Craig Strader I would have three shots 1) a separate shot of the figs with the sign, 2) a stand alone shot of the engine & tender inits entirety, and 3) a close-up of the smokebox in the mid-ground and then the figs next to the signpost in the foreground.

In terms of the background, it would be best imho if you could import some sort of “scenic vista”, but I think some sort of light blue or light grey gradient could also serve as a decent background.

Hope this helps!