Maersk Train MOD 8-Wide

[BrissyBrickGuy]

This all started with the carriages which I didn't really like the look of compared to the quality of the train and wanted to make look more like this.

I built 5 like in the pictures below and was happy with how they looked but being wider the train looked even more out of scale.

So I looked around to see what others had done and actually found and joined this site after seeing Ralphs awesome MOC some time ago. I lack the skill for something like that but I finally put 8 hours into messing with the already built original model the other night and here is what i ended up with.

The train base is now 2 studs longer and the trucks one stud longer each. This only really my second mod attempt since getting back into Lego (other mod), and although I had to sacrifice most of the platforms at the front and back to have room to add length I am pretty happy with the overall result. Hope you like

All up there is 2 sets, an extra carriage, numerous extra trucks, a few extra containers and a few extra parts. I will try and post an image of the train with the 5 carriages next time I set a track up.

[Spitfire2865]

I think the locomotive looks out of scale. Maybe the engine compartment should stay 4 wide instead of 6, maybe 5 wide. With it being 6 wide, you lose the walkways on the sides of the loco.

[Hrw-Amen]

I have to agree with Spitfire2865 on the cab and engine being too wide. I think if you can just leave them 5 wide somehow then you will be able to have the walkways at the side which the 8 wide chasis will enable you to do. I do myself find that usually it is width things that are harder to do with my own MOCs, sometimes it is just one point that needs to be wide, whereas the bodies as a whole are OK in 6 studs or less. But i can see what you are trying to do and i think if you give it a bit more time and address those two points then it will look great. The longer container looks good though. Maybe the side of the container wagon needs a bit of greebling? It looks a bit flat too low down at the moment. Perhaps take out the bottom tile layer and put some detailing in? That could just be the angle of the photograph, I am undecided as it is hard to tell from the angle we have on it.

[BrissyBrickGuy]

Thanks for the input guys. It only a mod of the original design to look better on the tracks. Not necessarily more like the original train. But i did try to keep true to it as much as possible and used these 2 photos. One & two

I quite like the width but think the length is whats holding it back. I cant see any significant side walkways in any images of the train, they are very very narrow. And I moved everything out from 6-8 wide so the walkways on the sides are exactly the same as they are in the original Lego model...... I think they are represented just fine with the space between the rail and train. I refuse to pay $100AUD+ charger for a lego rechargeable battery box so use my own 4 and 8 cell packs. I wanted 8 cells to fit in this so I can just keep adding carriages so I dont have much room to make the engine compartment narrower now either.

Although I say all that, I do get what you guys mean. Possibly moving the side panels that clip on and cover the engine compartment in one plate so they are level with the nose and indent just after the cabin will tie the whole thing together a little more. This is probably possible and I will look into it next time I mess with it.

As it is the nose might even be better at 5 wide and I played with black studded bricks and blue tiles to try that when I built it but it didn't look so good with the brick from the cab that comes along the side of it. Working with the limited range of Maersk blue parts didn't leave me many options to get around that....

I wasn't really setting out to make the train more realistic..... Just to look better on the track and to stay true to the original and to the Lego design as much as possible at the same time. I think I achieved this. The main problem was the engine looked to small to be able to pull the five carriages. Now it looks much better going around the track. There are still more than a few bits i would like to do better but this will now be all put away for another indefinite time period so that's for next time.

Again I think length is the main issues. If the engine compartment was a few studs longer it would look a little less stocky overall. Having room for large platforms would be even better!

As for container wagon greebling, I kind of attempted that under the bottom tile layer. I have made some Maersk stickers to go on the wagons and need all 3 tile rows so not much room for more mods there either.

Edited June 25, 2013 by BrissyBrickGuy

[Hey Joe]

Hey! A for effort and thanks for sharing. I gotta go with the others and say that it looks too wide.

Those walkways are definitely there on the real engine.

The guy who designed the Lego Maersk also did the Red Cargo Train 3677. It's kind of an odd looking thing but one of it's cool features is the fact that the engine part is only four bricks wide and part of it is made from the battery box itself. The narrow engine with walkways looks good IMO.

Joe

[BrissyBrickGuy]

Well an encouraging experience this has been.... I was exited to share this as I loved how it looked but the fact I am really happy with it doesn't seem to matter to anyone. This is fine but again, It wasn't meant to be a months long project to look exactly like and to scale of the real train. Just a few hours basic modding to make it look a little nicer on the tracks and appear capable of pulling the carriages.

I thought I would share it as sometimes the complexity of models on this site can be overwhelming and I thought this looked quite good for some simple work.

Maybe me using the word 'scale' is what has you all so worked up and eager to mention what is wrong with it. In fact I was referring to the size of the carriages compared to the train and the unrealistic look of the train pulling them, and the width of the track. I wasn't really trying to replicate the original "to scale" but rather just to stay as true to it as I could with what I wanted to do.

Sure it may look to wide to you but to me it looks way better than it did running around the tracks and I like the more tank like look plus I lack the skills, parts and time to do much more.

Those walkways are definitely there on the real engine.

I know.... Like i said they are very very narrow.

Not sure ill be posting again but hey at least I got an A for effort.... Seems to be a bit "what i say or think is the only right way to do it" around here but I have extended it another 2 studs to attempt to show what I was trying to explain.

I'm sure we can all agree the original model looked too narrow especially when turning. Walkways are obviously important to you all than to me but I do like the width of it all how it has ended up over the tracks and am happy to sacrifice the addition of side walkways to get it. It just needs to be a little longer. I will consider attempting to add a non powered 3rd set of wheels to the front and back eventually which will give me room for more length. But as you all know that will come with a ton of other time consuming challenges so this is it for now.However as I mentioned I will probably try and tuck the side panels in closer to the batteries to at least make a slight side walkway too.

Anyways, there is more than one way to mod something, and one persons goal or vision doesn't have to be the same as another's is all i'm trying to say.

Edited June 25, 2013 by BrissyBrickGuy

[legoman666]

Looks great. Don't be discouraged, you asked for comments, you got comments.

[Hey Joe]

Looks great. Don't be discouraged, you asked for comments, you got comments.

Ditto! Yeah, I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to MOD stuff at all. If you are, go for it and post pics. Please weigh in on what others post as well.

Have fun, Joe

[BrissyBrickGuy]

Yeah fair enough. My last post did get a little defensive......

When I get my hands on some more suitable base plates I will see what I can do about making it a little longer. Which will give me even more room to tuck the side panels in.

Will post if it works out.

Cheers

[Spitfire2865]

You could build your own base out of normal bricks. Thats what most of us do. And it allows for many different sizes of cars and locos.

[BrissyBrickGuy]

Thanks spitfire. That's the plan :-). But i don't have much with holes right now to accommodate the motors and extra wheels. I am actually off on a 2 week uni field trip Monday so will start looking around and planning it a bit better when I get back.

[keeganp1234]

I actually really like that MOD!!! In my opinion, itsa lot better then the original! Brick On