A few train related questions.

[Madcat2000]

These are a few train related questions that I haven't been able to find the answer to anywhere else so I'm asking you. Some of the questions may be stupid, sorry I don't know alot about trains.

1. What are the things on the sides od the Emerald Night's boiler toward the front? I've seen a few other trains that have this but I can't seen to find what it is on the Wikipedia page.

2. what kind of Locomotive was used to pull Dora and Gustav, was it a pair of steam locomotives, a pair of deisel locomotives, or a special double loco made just for them?

3. Does anyone have pictures of the special locos used to pull armored trains?

4. How much of the new flex track comes in one package?

[legotrainfan]

Sorry, I can only answer question 4: There are 64 pieces of flex-track in one package. That's quite easy to find out. Just go to shop.lego.com and look for the set. There this information is provided.

Edited April 25, 2009 by legotrainfan

[Brickthus]

These are a few train related questions that I haven't been able to find the answer to anywhere else so I'm asking you. Some of the questions may be stupid, sorry I don't know alot about trains.

1. What are the things on the sides od the Emerald Night's boiler toward the front? I've seen a few other trains that have this but I can't seen to find what it is on the Wikipedia page.

2. what kind of Locomotive was used to pull Dora and Gustav, was it a pair of steam locomotives, a pair of deisel locomotives, or a special double loco made just for them?

3. Does anyone have pictures of the special locos used to pull armored trains?

4. How much of the new flex track comes in one package?

1. They are smoke deflectors, which send the smoke upwards, rather than it choking the driver in adverse wind conditions!

Flying Scotsman was retro-fitted with smoke deflectors in the 1960s. IMHO the original shape, without them, looks better and 10194 might have looked better without them too.

2. and 3. Google knows better than I do! Best to check images of Dora and Gustav for clues.

4. 64 pieces = 1 circle at maximum turn.

Mark

[Madcat2000]

Actually for number 4 I was wondering the length in cm/inches. Also is the flex track compatable with the current RC and 9v track(connection not the 9v's electrical conductivity).

[DaCheese]

It's compatible with the sectional track, but I'm not sure what the actual length suplied is.

[Cavannus]

1. They are smoke deflectors, which send the smoke upwards, rather than it choking the driver in adverse wind conditions!

Flying Scotsman was retro-fitted with smoke deflectors in the 1960s. IMHO the original shape, without them, looks better and 10194 might have looked better without them too.

Those on the Emerald look too thick, but they give a strong Europeans look to this train engine.

By the way, do you know why only a very few American engines have smoke deflectors? I guess this is because the steam speed in the chimney is slower, using multiple jets for better efficiency, while Americans engines may be less efficient. But I've never found information about that in the internet.

[Madcat2000]

I have a couple more questions. Is there any good lego train site and forums? And is there anything known about future Power Function trains?

[legotrainfan]

I have a couple more questions. Is there any good lego train site and forums? And is there anything known about future Power Function trains?

A nice website for LEGO trains is railbricks. Just click on it. But in general I'd simply check eurobricks regularly. We discuss a lot of train related matters. And no, I don't think there have been any new rumours on future PF trains since the Emerald Night came out. Again, I can only recommend checking eurobricks itself. If there are rumours, they are always discussed here.

Edited April 26, 2009 by legotrainfan

[SavaTheAggie]

Those on the Emerald look too thick, but they give a strong Europeans look to this train engine.

By the way, do you know why only a very few American engines have smoke deflectors? I guess this is because the steam speed in the chimney is slower, using multiple jets for better efficiency, while Americans engines may be less efficient. But I've never found information about that in the internet.

I don't know the answer for sure, but I know most steam engines used the steam exhaust from the pistons to draft the firebox by sending it up the smokestack. It is possible this drafting had enough force behind it on American locomotives that it wasn't a terrible problem.

However, smoke deflectors were not unknown on American locos - there's at least one American steam engine still running, owned and run by the Union Pacific, that has them. It's a 4-8-4 if I'm not mistaken.

--Tony

[TaltosVT]

I have a couple more questions. Is there any good lego train site and forums?

A site dedicated to Trains and Town: http://www.trains-n-town.com

-Elroy

[Eilif]

A site dedicated to Trains and Town: http://www.trains-n-town.com

-Elroy

It exists, yes, but unfortunately it's about as busy as lugnet.trains. It is, however the home of Railbricks, which is a prime source for train inspiration and train hobby info.

It's worth checking out Trains and Town and Lugnet.trains once in a while for some of the technical information that doesn't appear anywhere else. However eurobricks tends to have the info on new releases and most everything else train related before (or at the same time) as everyone else. EB Trains and Town forum seems to be the most active of it's type on the internet.