starting a town.

[donneyboy]

hey guys, this is my first topic, so i dont know how good it will be. i am going to start a table town, and i need to know what sets i should get to do it. i will get the creator houses (if i can find them), the coast gaurd platform, some road plates, and maybe the police station, and fire station sets. does that seem like a good start? i want to know.

[Dennimator]

hey guys, this is my first topic, so i dont know how good it will be. i am going to start a table town, and i need to know what sets i should get to do it. i will get the creator houses (if i can find them), the coast gaurd platform, some road plates, and maybe the police station, and fire station sets. does that seem like a good start? i want to know.

Yeah, that´s a pretty good start.

A 10184 Town Plan should add detail to it too (although it´s pretty expensive), and if you save some money, the Green Grocer, Café Corner and Market street does look great!

Also add a few house MOCs, and the city should be fine.

[djo]

if you want to make town, you should gather more minifigs, the more the merrier.

town plan is a must for town.

then you can add some house and hotel like buildings first.

road plates and greens also important.

if you want to make town, you should gather more minifigs, the more the merrier.

town plan is a must for town.

then you can add some house and hotel like buildings first.

road plates and greens also important.

[Klaus-Dieter]

I think that getting a police station, a fire station and some road plates is a good start.

What imo you should of course never miss is - like Dennimator already mentioned - the awesome 10184 Town Plan . It's a great possibility to include some civilian stuff into your town. Plus you already then have a garage.

Buying lots of minifigs - like djo already mentioned - is necessary for a good town, too. I don't know how often I already bought seperate minifigs from Ebay and Lego. But minifigs are imo really the "heart" of every set - and consequently even every set. TLG is including only very less minifigs in the City sets - although I must say that they're now doing better and better. So you might buy some seperate minifigs, Impulse sets are good and you can even buy the City Minifigure Collection in january.

Now another hint: I'd spend a lot of money for next year and the year after next year: There'll be a garage and some sort of city life set (whatever it'll be - but surely it'll include minimum one civilian house ) and the Farm sets (if you want to add some suburban stuff to your city, too). Perhaps there'll even be a wind power plant . And for 2010 I think we do have to expect minimum as awesome sets as for next year.

I hope I could help.

And btw: Welcome to EB, donneyboy!

Klaus-Dieter

Edited December 1, 2008 by Klaus-Dieter

[samthelegoman1]

On Lego.com, there is a convenient area called Town Essentials

It has some modular buildings, roadplates, and city workers.

[Col. Brik]

I also think of buying general LEGO pieces in bulk.

http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=5574&cn=306

http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=6166&cn=306

Or just the biggest buckets of LEGO's you can find. All the sets mentioned are excellent choices but you'll want to add a touch of your own style to the layout.

Finding them used it the best bet.

[Marc Gagnon]

Having built 3 Lego cities for my boys and the 4th one is going to be ready for Xmas,

Here is what I have learned:

1 - Give yourself a scope for your project : Modern town, mixed europeen, our old style

2 - determine what main Lego elements will be used : ie: 9V train, RC train, Monorail, City Kits, Creator Kits, Custom Mocs etc.

3 - Determine the size of space or room you will use

4 - What dimension will the displays be

5 - **** Get Track designer or something similiar ****

6 - Plan it out in TD or whatever

7 - Make a budget - Our new lego layout has cost me close to $400.00 just in wood, paint, extra track for 9V and Monorail

8 - Decide what road plate you will use = New Grey, New green ( hard to find) , Old green, old Grey

9 - Purchase Big sets early... IE police dept, Fire, Hospital, because if you wait they will double in price on ebay our bricklink

10 - Don't let anyone see the bills.........ahahahahah

Good luck... here is our proposed 4th version of our layout

vs old layout

Marc

Edited December 3, 2008 by Marc Gagnon

[Marc Gagnon]

You're welcome....

[Dennimator]

You're welcome....

Maybe wrong person, but...Thank you!

What program are you using for that layout plan? Can I use it somehow?

That program would be perfect for me!

[Marc Gagnon]

Maybe wrong person, but...Thank you!

What program are you using for that layout plan? Can I use it somehow?

That program would be perfect for me!

The software is called Train Designer

here is a link to download the freeware

Train designer software

Enjoy...

[Dennimator]

The software is called Train Designerhere is a link to download the freeware Train designer softwareEnjoy...

Thanks!!

EDIT: I downloaded it, but I can´t open it. I have Windows Vista(don´t ask why ).

Is there any way to open the program able to use it?

Thanks!

Edited December 4, 2008 by Dennimator

[AgentRick]

Depending on the size of your city, you might decide to have a railroad going around or in the city. Wait out until the new power functions line comes out next year for picking u trains or track.

[Marc Gagnon]

Thanks!!

EDIT: I downloaded it, but I can´t open it. I have Windows Vista(don´t ask why ).

Is there any way to open the program able to use it?

Thanks!

I not sure about vista, my 3 PC's run XP Pro and Track designer works on it... you might

try this new program called trackdraw

here is a link to it

Trackdraw

maybe ask in around about the vista issue

good luck

[Col. Brik]

I not sure about vista, my 3 PC's run XP Pro and Track designer works on it... you might

try this new program called trackdraw

here is a link to it

Trackdraw

maybe ask in around about the vista issue

good luck

Thanks for the Trackdraw link, and aside from that, any future pictures planned for the new layout? Sounds interesting.

[Marc Gagnon]

Thanks for the Trackdraw link, and aside from that, any future pictures planned for the new layout? Sounds interesting.

Will be ready soon...

Monorail track just got in, 9V track coming from Germany, extra pieces for new Coast Guard station should be in next week...

and we have a harbour xmas gift for my 6 year old, and the Coast guard for my 9 year old.

I have one new table section built and the other three should be done by the weekend.

Then they have to be painted and left to dry... then the picture will come...

check my brickshelf folder for updates

Folder Madfrog67

Visit My Website

[Col. Brik]

Bookmarked, thanks for the link.

It is cool to build with the kids, two of my own and they love our little nation of Figs.