Feedback on First Train Design

[SNIPE]

Hi

I'm busy building a 'middle class' train. I got the idea because I was experimenting with window panes, trying to get a 'pillarless' effect, it was actually supposed to be for an elevator with an automatic door that was part of another project that was scrapped.

so I took the same idea and started making a modern looking train, I knew that real modern trains have pillarless windows so I started on the carrage; I first built the windows & frames then added the walls to that, then I put a simple foor on it, A few months later I did everything else, Now I need to make the front and rear carrages in which the driver and more passengers sit.

It features:

Double glazed pillarless windows

Opening Front and Rear doors with windows

Luggarge compartments above the seats like on a coach

Fold down TV screens like on a airplane (these are above the seats)

Air Conditioning dials and lamp (these need the stickers/decails to be complete)(also above the seats)

Adjustable seats.

Sorry modular fans, no detachable roof with out the windows falling out

It hold 20 seats and can ride on lego electric track, the wheels turn so it can go round corners of course.

I was hoping to make the front and rear doors open either automatically or open by sliding out like a patio door but it looks impossible.

In the later stage of the build I did rush a little bit but before this I didnt make any progress for months so I just wanted to actually make 'something' at least, even if it could be improved. However im happy with the interior definetley. and the wheels look good with the slopes as arches.

The layout of the whole train is: front carrage - middle carrage -middle carrage - rear carrage.

The drivers' seats are in the front and rear carrages. it consists of 1102 parts excluding sub parts.

So Here it is: - yes annoyingly I couldn't get the windows in but im sure they should fit in real life.

Large Images LXF FILE

So, What is your feedback so far? Personally I think it could be more round where the front ad back doors are and maybe could have some more features such as the dangly things on the roof for the electric overhead lines.

Any questions about it?, leave a peply.

Regards, Snipe

(Hint, if you get the LXF file, try moving the camera,zoom,, and the model, you should be able to go right inside of the interior, looks pretty cool like that!, - LDD should have a first person mode.)

[Dutchiedoughnut]

To me, it looks very clean and boxy. Clean could be good though ;). I'd certainly make it a bit rounder on the roof and to the ends of the carriage, if you can.

I'd also consider a door to the platform at least on either end of the carriage. That will break up the tubular kind of look you've got going at the moment. Usually in a railway carriage, you have the passenger compartment with a balcony on either end that has the door to the next carriage. One advantage is that the balcony isolates the passengers from noise and the outside temperature.

The balcony might have doors to the platform as well. In your case they are kind of missing, and I think they can add a great deal of realism.

[SNIPE]

Hmm, You mean add side doors?

Having side doors with the windows how they are sounds impossible.

The windows dont line up with the bricks around them so I cant make a frame for the gap where the door will be. this will also be the door frame but will allow the windows around it ti stay in place and not slide out.

The only way the bricks kinda line up is to have 6 windows aside as shown in the model, this fits fine.

I dont know if 3 instead of 6 may or may nor work. but then the carrage would be much shorter and that means less seats.

Also you cant have a seat where the side door is.

The idea was to have side and an end door on the front and rear carrages, then you can walk between two carrages using the end doors.

I don't know if this is logical or not I dont know much about trains haha.

since the end carrages are shorter I could probably put side doors there and maybe even make them open automatially.

Ive seen a good design for automatic doors, its a normal door opening mechanism but in lego.

Edited August 10, 2014 by SNIPE

[Dutchiedoughnut]

Of course Lego's dont have to make sense ;). It's just that right now you haven't got that much distinctive stuff going on.

I can see how adding side doors will make your carriage quite short - I'm working on an old steam railcar with kind of the same problem.

I was kind of suggesting something like the TGV layout where you have the side doors on just one end of the carriage.

[SNIPE]

AH!

just realized something, the glass can only be 5 panes long not 6 to align with the lego brick dimensions so this gives me some extra room to have doors.

ill post pics soon, but now that I've shortened the walls and window frame its a mammoth edit job to get the walls to connect with no gaps (where there's 2 1x1 plates + 1x1 brick w two studs and so forth)

[Redimus]

You will probably have to move the bogies further out towards the ends if you want to couple it to anything (also the ends will stick out too far on the sharp Lego track corners).

[SNIPE]

Moved the bogies outwards each by 1L

Here is the train with more rounded ends and with space made for the side doors

the lime green bricks mark where the window frame ends and where the door frame begins.

the door will be 2L from the very inner end of the train.

Heres a picture

LARGE PICTURES

Regards, K

Edited August 11, 2014 by SNIPE

[SNIPE]

Hi,

This is the testing for the real life model.

I'm not using 1x1 sideways modified bricks as the side walls were not even attached to the floor, it also has too many lines where all those bricks connect. Now the walls are upright not upside

-down.

The gaps between the glass are wider than in the LDD model, So I moved the pillars out by

1L and filled in the excess gaps with sideways 3L tiles.

Secondly I've had to use clunky 1x16 bricks for testing things out as my floor plates are bent and make the glass come out of the grooves.

Pictures coming soon.

I'm concerned about the lengh of the carrage as its 36L so I've had to ditch the side doors idea for now.

Edited August 24, 2014 by SNIPE

[cgarison]

I like the design of the train car, but the thing that concerns me is the weight of the car if you plan to pull it around the track and the high center of gravity when you go around a turn. Keep the speed down and make sure you have plenty of torque in your engine and you should be just fine. I can't wait to see it in bricks.

[SNIPE]

Hi, the middle carriage is now shorter and lighter

it is now 3 windows long instead of 5 plus a gap for the side doors so the overall length is 32L which is more realistic to other lego trains.

This means I don't need to use the sideways tiles to fill in the gap, as you can see the gap between the windows is a round '22L', the bulkiness and wicked colours will be fixed when I get the parts from bricklink.

Edited August 26, 2014 by SNIPE

[Universion]

Really nice.

[zephyr1934]

That's a clever trick for holding the windows in.