Building the Emerald Night via Bricklink?

[timmyc1983]

Do you plan on only displaying the model, or actually running it? You might be able to get away with just building the engine.

I think i would want to run it around my town a few times haha, i'd like to have power functions in it permanently but it doesn't look like it's set up very well for it...

Or you could always try an entirely different colour. Like I did.

Although the taste police still hasn't decided on that one... ;)

I quite like it altho i don't think i will build mine lime green

I'm really struggling to get past the dark green and it's not like the dark green pieces are extortionate on BL, i think they're about US$0.35 each which isn't too bad for a printed brick of that size..... And now i have solved the carriage window problem....

I just think with postage to Australia, bricklink may be cheaper. The cheapest set within Aus is $330 + $40 postage + insurance if i get it. (Aus $ is about the same as the US $ atm, for those playing at home) Then the cheapest one on BL in general is $210 but is in Belgium so would cost probably close to $60-70 for postage + insurance.....

Where as BLing i could combine postage with other orders but it would take a lot longer...............

Bah idk!!!!!

Edited April 6, 2013 by timmyc1983

[oddjob]

Why would you even think about getting it from within Australia at that price.

Just order one from overseas. Doesn't take that long to arrive.

Also, if you don't care about the box get the seller to repackage it into something smaller and you may save a bit more.

[AussieJimbo]

Since we're all posting our EN variations...

Works grey:

http://www.eurobrick...anoramas.com.au

Reddish brown:

http://www.eurobrick...anoramas.com.au

With recent releases, standard blue (2012) and green (2013) have become potential loco livery options too.

:classic:

Edited April 6, 2013 by AussieJimbo

[bricks n bolts]

Or possibly:

I think i prefer this version......

Like it, would love to see the built version.

[zephyr1934]

How much cheaper did you find bricklinking the red EN compared to bricklinking the green EN?

When I built my red EN the curved slopes were $0.40 or $0.50 because they were rare, but I am in a club that puts on displays so I was able to buy mine via lugbulk at a much more reasonable price. I think just about all of the other dark green pieces are fairly common in red so it shouldn't be more than $0.05 or $0.10 per brick for the red parts.

It is neat to see all of the other color MODs come out too. L@go's lime green looks surprisingly good for the color that it is. Put a drill bit on the nose and you could fight the fiercest snow drifts in the winter or the nastiest rock monsters under ground (grin).

You're a genius!!!! I tried the purple windows first with a few colour combos but nothing looked right to fit with the engine, IMO anyway. So i moved to the green flat front windows as you suggested and came up with this:

...

I think it keeps the classic look the whole train has while making it about 100 times cheaper :D

Any thoughts/suggestions??

...

Oh you are too kind, but no, that's just a fun challenge of trying to figure out how to build something nice in lego for a lot less $$$.

The most important thing is that you build something you like. If I were using dark green for the windows, I'd probably use dark green for the entire tan band. You would have to use the 1x2x2 windows for the doors and instead of a 1x1 brick with handle you'd need to use a 1x1 brick with clip vertical. If you don't like the dark green/dark brown combination, you could also consider a different color for the brown portions, or make it all dark green (replacing the grill bricks with smooth sided bricks for cost reasons).

For my tastes I like the 1x2x2 windows better than the 1x2x3 windows, but I think either one works. Even better, you can mix the two window sizes together. Of the two designs you showed, I like the even spacing with the windows in triples. But you might want to consider pairing up the windows and having the uneven offset on one end of the car (simulating bathrooms or closets on the inside of the train). If you keep the 1x2x3 windows for most of the car, you could put a single 1x2x2 window for the WC. If you build several cars, you could build a few identical coaches and then a different dinning car, etc.

I think i would want to run it around my town a few times haha, i'd like to have power functions in it permanently but it doesn't look like it's set up very well for it...

That is where customizing the tender comes in handy. Within the past month I think there was a post about using a train motor under an extended EN tender (or possibly a pair of train motors), moving the IR receiver to the tender, and I THINK doing a better job of concealing the battery. At which point, you've moved all of the PF to the tender (except the headlights if you have them). You could even start experimenting with tender designs now, before you finish collecting bricks.

I started out this way- modifying the Super Chief to get a California Zephyr train.

Edit, well there you go, a whole lot of inspiration for modifying the EN...

Edited April 7, 2013 by zephyr1934

[timmyc1983]

Oh you've given me so much to think about aahaha How exciting!!!! I have found a relatively cheap set on BL, so if postage is ok i will hopefully buy it when i get paid (assuming no one else snakes it ) but i think i will BL some more carriages....

I'm thinking the carriage which comes with the set would be first class, with the big windows for the high class minifigs to enjoy the view. Then the mod'd carriages with your suggestion of window swapping will be second and maybe third depending on how many carriages i can do...

That is where customizing the tender comes in handy. Within the past month I think there was a post about using a train motor under an extended EN tender (or possibly a pair of train motors), moving the IR receiver to the tender, and I THINK doing a better job of concealing the battery.

yes i did stumble across that post when doing some research a few days ago. So that will be handy!!

Thanks so much for all your suggestions and comments. They're much appreciated

Now i just need to get paid

[antp]

Then the cheapest one on BL in general is $210 but is in Belgium so would cost probably close to $60-70 for postage + insurance.....

Between 1 and 2 kg (1420g according to BL) would make 43 € + around 10 or 12 € for the insurance, so around AU$70 indeed.

And that's the post price, the seller might include additional packaging costs.

Edited April 8, 2013 by antp

[timmyc1983]

Sorry to bump an old topic, BUT an update is required...

I ended up buying a second hand EN which had been assembled but the stickers were not applied. It was cheaper than a MISB set but I think I got a good deal.

Then I decided I wanted more carriages and have bricked up a carriage which I MOD'd from the original carriage (shown in this topic). For now I have just made one, but if I ever get some spare $$ I may make some more (or make some different types of carriages ie, mail, third class etc). I made this one the first of the second class carriages, here is the result:

(Flickr has changed their sharing options and I can't figure out how to deep link the pics on this posts, but here are the links:)

http://www.flickr.co...83/10326217176/

http://www.flickr.co...83/10326219675/

http://www.flickr.co...83/10326224926/

Hope you like it

[LegoSjaak]

Timmy, here are your pics!

I bought second hand sets and sold the loco... keeping the passengercar... that is a nice and cheap way!

[timmyc1983]

Thanks LegoSjaak, I appreciate you spending the time to do that

And your Emerald Night is indeed very impressive, so many carriages

[LegoSjaak]

Timmy, it does look good, but i've seen long EN trains that had different coaches, which i think is nicer than all the same, like me.. but i lack the skills of building own coaches...so all i do is put some extra coaches..