New Train in the Mail :)

[Sokratesz]

I bought a second hand 7745 last week, and it arrived today, I just finished building it. It's 100% complete, includes a good working 12v motor, a power supply, two manual switchpoints, 30 straight and 20 curved tracks as well as two extra cars not related to the train (this set and the railway car and containers from this set). It only cost 160e altogether although the lego is a bit dirty and the white parts have some discoloration.

In a separate accident, I bought the passenger wagon from another 7745 set for 30e, so now I have this super awesome extra long 7745 sitting next to me:

It has working front an rear lighting like the original but I also added two light bricks in the passenger carriages. It's sooo bad that I don't have space to build a nice track and watch it do laps in the dark.

I think I'm in love

- Sok.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Sokratesz

[Pingles]

You need to set an evening aside and have that baby shine in the dark!

Just ran my Emerald Night with a few lights in a dark room for the first time a few evenings ago and it was magical.

[Sokratesz]

I'm tempted to see if I can get a third passenger carriage somewhere, a 5-car total length would look a bit better I think. Might have to add a second motor in that case though.

[Brickaroo]

Nice find! Make sure you get enough cabling to get through all of the carriages for the lighting.

I'm waiting on a 7750 to turn up.....one of my most expensive buys ever. lol

[Sokratesz]

Nice find! Make sure you get enough cabling to get through all of the carriages for the lighting.

I'm waiting on a 7750 to turn up.....one of my most expensive buys ever. lol

Yeah it was a lucky find for 160e - the tracks, power supply and the two extra cars are worth at least 80e alone! I'm slowly collecting pieces left and right. I don't have any space at my current place to build lengthy layouts but sometime in the future I will.

[WesternOutlaw]

Sok: nice find, but please resize your images. Our site guidelines are no greater than 800x600. Much appreciated.

[Staalis]

I'm tempted to see if I can get a third passenger carriage somewhere, a 5-car total length would look a bit better I think. Might have to add a second motor in that case though.

You should be able to get the all parts for a third coach from Bricklink.

As a kid I had a total of five coaches and had no problems pulling those using only one motor. If you're worried about wearing your motor out you could try replacing the wheels on the coaches with the newer versions as there are less friction on those.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Staalis

[Sokratesz]

Sok: nice find, but please resize your images. Our site guidelines are no greater than 800x600. Much appreciated.

Done. So easy to forget with today's gazillion pixel camera's.

I also just built this:

I used black electrical tape to insulate the rear of the front lighting set - it wouldn't look good with a complete brick to cover it.

Loc from 7722 - 40E for the complete set, sold motor and battery car for 15E - net cost 25E for loc and two cars!

Lighting set: 15E (for two complete sets, obviously it only uses one)

Black 12v motor complete with weights and accessories - 15E, was sold as broken, opened, cleaned, oiled, glued, fixed

I have a lot more stuff that I'm watching on ebay and other sites, but will be gone for three weeks military training and vacation on monday.

You should be able to get the all parts for a third coach from Bricklink.

As a kid I had a total of five coaches and had no problems pulling those using only one motor. If you're worried about wearing your motor out you could try replacing the wheels on the coaches with the newer versions as there are less friction on those.

If I can get my hands on a second 7745 I could build two complete carriages out of that and sell off the rest of the parts - would have to be another lucky find though. I might try bricklink, but I have no experience ordering loads of parts from different places there.

- Sok.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Sokratesz

[Brickaroo]

If you have a spare 12V lamp you can remove the front circle plate and place a clear 1x1 round plate in it's place. It looks a lot nicer with three lights at the front.

[Sokratesz]

I don't have any spares :) Will need to wait for some to show up in the ads. The original model has the frontpiece though and I kind of like it, but three front lights look great too, as in 7727. Ive got two technic fiber optic sets, but unfortunately the standard lighting set doesn't allow for easy modification. Otherwise it would be easy to add light in other parts of the train using the fiber optic cables.

- Sok.

[mr_jrt]

First thing I did when I emerged from my dark age was to fulfil one of my childhood dreams - Brinklink a second carriage for my 7745

I think it came to about £25 or so, though I never did get around to getting the tap. Getting the exact same base, the windows, and the roof bricks I believe are the expensive bits.

..and now you've put the idea of another car into my head

The other childhood dream was some 12v points...but seeing as my dark age was ended by the Emerald Night, I'm stuck as I don't want to (nor can think of a way to) mutilate it down to 6-wide (or at a pinch, 7-wide). Even when I shrink down the drive rods it's at best 8-wide, so 12v points are risky. Anyway. Congrats on some lovely 12v goodness!

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

If you have a spare 12V lamp you can remove the front circle plate and place a clear 1x1 round plate in it's place. It looks a lot nicer with three lights at the front.

I've done the same with my 7750 and 7727 (as you can see in this terrible picture!)

Edited June 19, 2011 by LEGO Train 12 Volts

[Sokratesz]

Speaking of points, are there any known tricks to make the train base found in road 'n haul and other sets pass 12v point without touching the switchbox?

- Sok.

[Brickaroo]

Speaking of points, are there any known tricks to make the train base found in road 'n haul and other sets pass 12v point without touching the switchbox?

- Sok.

You could try raising the height of the plate between the bogies but outside of that I wouldn't think there would be much that can be done about it.

It's a painful problem I agree. That being said the only real thing that goes wrong is that clip sound, it doesn't normall derail or anything like that.

Edited June 19, 2011 by Brickaroo

[Sokratesz]

Would it help if you put the rotation point for the bogies closer to the center? That way the entire base would shape with the track faster and maybe jerk around the box instead of touching it..I don't have one yet so can't test it :(

- Sok.

Edited June 19, 2011 by Sokratesz

[hoeij]

although the lego is a bit dirty and the white parts have some discoloration.

That was also true when I bought my 7745. I completely disassembled the train, then hand washed the pieces in soapy water. That made it look much better. For the discoloration, my white bricks were discolored on only one side (the side of the brick that had been on the outside). Simply putting them in the other way around solved the discoloration problem.

My 7745 also came with 1 extra car, and, at an excellent price. I added two more cars (the pieces are not so expensive on bricklink) so it is now 6-long. This did require using 9V wheels, the 12V wheel sets have way to much friction.

[Sokratesz]

I bought a 7760 shunter loc last week, and it was waiting for me when I got home yesterday. No manual and missing some minor parts, but a 3-buck bricklink order will fix that soon enough :)

- Sok.

Edited July 2, 2011 by Sokratesz

[vgsprites]

I bought a 7760 shunter loc for 55€ last week, and it was waiting for me when I got home yesterday. No manual and missing some minor parts, but a 3-buck bricklink order will fix that soon enough :)

- Sok.

That's awesome Sok!

I may be a 9 volt die hard, but I still think the older 12 volt sets are awesome.

Especially the 7760 blue shunter.

Bricklink is a good tool for fixing up old sets or starting from scratch.

[Sokratesz]

I was really, really surprised when he mentioned his asking price, I've seen them go on ebay for 200+!

I may have a chance to buy a reall big lot of 12v trains (around 1k €) so if that succeeds, expect some of it to be sold as I can afford to buy that but not keep it all! (need to pay rent )

- Sok.

[Sokratesz]

I added some accessory buildings to my collection this weekend..

7823 Container loading crane - I already had an extra car for it so now it looks super shiny

7835 Manual level crossing

7839 Car loading platform

All three are 99% complete, missing some minor parts most of which I was able to fill in for with my own LEGO, the rest will again come off of bricklink for ~5 bucks. Man I can't wait til I get time/room to build a nice layout.

The catch? They were only €100 for the three, shipping included

- Sok.

Edited July 17, 2011 by Sokratesz