TRAXX AC2

[raised]

Since the Dutch Railways decided to finally buy, instead of lease, their TRAXX AC2 loco's for the High Speed Line between Schiphol Airport and Belgium, I decided it was time for me as well to try to build this loco. It is far from finished, but I thought it might be interesting to keep you guys updated nevertheless. So, here are, chronological, the first four "steps" of building a TRAXX AC2!

Building a TRAXX AC2, step 1 by raised, on Flickr

The main thing I wanted, was to have the curved parts of the nose, which are so much iconic for this design, in flush. This instead of the gradually increasing cheese slopes, which are not in flush.

Building a TRAXX AC2, step 2 by raised, on Flickr

I did have to accept the fact that the windscreen itself will be made out of tiles, instead of transparent panels. Also, the windscreen will be a bit to big, since in fact its less than 3 plates high.

Building a TRAXX AC2, step 2b (failed) by raised, on Flickr

The nose looked horrible with those big gaps, so this idea was scrapped. This way however would have given me the chance to work with trans clear panels or bricks, and to better change the height of the windscreen. But yeah, those gaps... Hideous.

Building a TRAXX AC2, step 3 by raised, on Flickr

Almost unnoticable in the prototype, but a TRAXX has some side paneling, which stick out a little bit. I first tried 0.5 plate offset, but that looked like too much, so now it's 0.25 plate. (The doors on the other hand are 0.25 plate more inside that the rest of the body.) I even managed to hide all the electronics, better than with my previous loco, where I had to put the M motor vertical, instead of the horizontal line I was aiming for. I have to admit I'm not really liking the gap where the nose blends into the roof, but for now this is the best I could come up with at the moment. I hope when its finished, and when I finally find those 2 wide curved slopes in the right colour, it will look better.

Trucks are ready as well, but not detailed, so I decided not to include them in the build yet. I'm thinking about using the 20 tooth gear, as shown in the picture, as the iconic brakes (or whatever they are) which are so visible in TRAXX loco's. Not sure yet however.

Edited December 13, 2014 by raised

[Commander Wolf]

Way to use an engineering drawing to hit your dimensions

What are you planning to do about the skirting covering the tops of the wheels?

[michaelozzie]

Nice progress on this design which is a real challenge in Lego.

[Ashi Valkoinen]

I would like to share to TRAXX locos built in Hungary, just for inspiration:

first, MÁV-Trakció TRAXX, the blue one left from the black-dark red Siemens Taurus:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/AshiValkoinen/Exhibitions/2014-12-Mammut/dsc_2391.jpg

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/AshiValkoinen/Exhibitions/2014-12-Mammut/img_4469.jpg

second, SBB Cargo TRAXX from a different builder,

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/AshiValkoinen/Exhibitions/2014-12-Mammut/img_3944.jpg

[kindearok]

yes,would like to share to TRAXX locos built in Hungary, just for inspiration:thanks

Edited December 14, 2014 by kindearok

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Very nice start! I like this model, it remember me the Taurus 1216!

I can also see a great gearing system.

Now I'm looking for your next step!

Edited December 14, 2014 by LEGO Train 12 Volts

[Ashi Valkoinen]

yes,would like to share to TRAXX locos built in Hungary, just for inspiration:thanks

You know, it's always interesting to see the same locomotive built by different people, comparing their solutions for fronts, slopes, pantographs, etc. Maybe raised the topic starter will find some interesting or desireable solution to implement, or just develop those ideas which caught his/her attention.

For example, maybe he/she will decide to find something different for glasses, and replace black tile with transparent solution.

[raised]

Way to use an engineering drawing to hit your dimensions

What are you planning to do about the skirting covering the tops of the wheels?

Finding technical drawings is always the first step I take before building, in fact. This one could not have been made had it not been for the kidness of the Hungarian State Railways MÁV, who put a high resolution technical drawing of their TRAXX'es online because of a competition for a new special livery.

Regarding the skirting: Well, in 1:45 scale, wheels of a TRAXX are a lot bigger than lego train wheels. The difference is in fact that much, that the wheels fit completely, where the real ones would need skirting (actually, BBB M wheels would fit perfect, but I don't like the fact they are spoked, makes no sense for a modern electric loco). So the plan is now to hide the upper part of the lego train wheels, so that it looks like they continue into the skirting. If I would put the skirting lower, so that the lego wheels are actually hidden behind some skirting, the loco would be not high enough on its 'feet'.

I would like to share to TRAXX locos built in Hungary, just for inspiration:

first, MÁV-Trakció TRAXX, the blue one left from the black-dark red Siemens Taurus:

http://www.brickshel...ut/dsc_2391.jpg

http://www.brickshel...ut/img_4469.jpg

second, SBB Cargo TRAXX from a different builder,

http://www.brickshel...ut/img_3944.jpg

Thanks, I didn't know those ones before. I have just seen the one MÁV TRAXX which uses curved slopes build sideways (on Brickshelf I guess?) I have to say, I really like the corporate livery MÁV decided to put on their TRAXX'es, imho it looks far better than the MÁV taurus, which has this very lackluster yellow in the front, and a side which is completely blue, without any ribbons or anything like that.

Very nice start! I like this model, it remember me the Taurus 1216!

I can also see a great gearing system.

Now I'm looking for your next step!

The gearing is not that impressive, to be honest. Just a 20 tooth gear stuck onto a 12 tooth gear, and in the loco 2x 12 tooth. I actually suck in gearing. The idea to use this gearing is that at least at all steps of the IR controller, the train will actually run (wasn't the case with my NS 1847 loco, the first 3 steps it just said 'beeeeeeep') and be able to pull some carriages. The negative side is that now it runs terribly slow. So if you guys have any ideas about what to do about this, please let me know :)

(I am thinking about using the relatively new L motors, but I don't have any of those for the moment)

You know, it's always interesting to see the same locomotive built by different people, comparing their solutions for fronts, slopes, pantographs, etc. Maybe raised the topic starter will find some interesting or desireable solution to implement, or just develop those ideas which caught his/her attention.

For example, maybe he/she will decide to find something different for glasses, and replace black tile with transparent solution.

Haha spot on! I really dislike the black tiles. They WILL be replaced :)

I love looking at what other people have build, its always great to see what different people can come up with, even when seeing exactly the same prototype. That's the reason why I love lego so much as a building material. It is also very interesting to see how people look at a model, and how everybody has different ideas about what details are really neccesary to get replicated. For example, I just saw that the SBB Cargo TRAXX you posted, has the handlebars which are situated in the front sloped part of the nose. I would never have thought of including those (although I'm now thinking about it, haha).

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

The negative side is that now it runs terribly slow. So if you guys have any ideas about what to do about this, please let me know :)

In that case why don't you use a standard Lego motor?

[raised]

In that case why don't you use a standard Lego motor?

Too little length, the wheels need to stand 2 more studs apart from each other.

[dr_spock]

I think you may have to sqeeze in a gear box to gear up the output from the motor so the engine runs faster. Big gears driving smaller gears.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Too little length, the wheels need to stand 2 more studs apart from each other.

Sometimes a lego locomotive is just an illusion , sometimes a compromise is the right solution!

[raised]

Sometimes a lego locomotive is just an illusion , sometimes a compromise is the right solution!

True that :) My answer might have been a little short in this sense, so it sounded maybe a bit uptight. Thing is, the lego train motor would indeed solve most of my gearing problems. And yes, lego trains are made out of bricks, and sometimes, they just decide certain sizes and compromizes for you. However, the lego motor is really too short in my opinion. It just looks plain silly when you know the wheels are supposed to stand further from each other. Also, I can always just buy a L or XL motor, if I'm really desperate. So at the moment there is no need for a compromise, just more inventive engineering ;)

[jtlan]

The gearing is not that impressive, to be honest. Just a 20 tooth gear stuck onto a 12 tooth gear, and in the loco 2x 12 tooth. I actually suck in gearing. The idea to use this gearing is that at least at all steps of the IR controller, the train will actually run (wasn't the case with my NS 1847 loco, the first 3 steps it just said 'beeeeeeep') and be able to pull some carriages. The negative side is that now it runs terribly slow. So if you guys have any ideas about what to do about this, please let me know :)

(I am thinking about using the relatively new L motors, but I don't have any of those for the moment)

Can you show us a better view of the current gearing? I would suggest other designs, but it's not clear there's enough room for them.

[raised]

@jtlan: here a picture of the space I have. It's not that much acutally, and I only have 5 studs in width available because of the way I build the sides. In front of the motors I could create another stud of space, if I remove the 1x4 bricks.

Gears by raised, on Flickr

[dr_spock]

Would it be possible to swap the gears around? Have the 20T gear on the motor driving the 12T gear? It should make for higher RPMs going to the bogie.

[jtlan]

@jtlan: here a picture of the space I have. It's not that much acutally, and I only have 5 studs in width available because of the way I build the sides. In front of the motors I could create another stud of space, if I remove the 1x4 bricks.

<snip>

Gears by raised, on Flickr

You can get a 1:1 gearing by using a 12T half-bevel in place of the tan 20T half-bevel, and using a full 12T bevel on the motor. This is a pretty minor change that won't require changing any of the surrounding structure. This 1:1 gearing will yield more speed at the expense of a little torque, but you should still be able to pull a lot (the locomotive in this video is geared 1:1 with two M motors). However, the top speed still won't be that fast compared to, say, the PF train motor. You could also swap the 20T and 12T gears, as @dr_spock suggested.

One thing you might also consider is switching to the AA battery box or the rechargeable battery box; both should be able to source more current than the AAA box, which will affect your motor performance.

[raised]

One thing you might also consider is switching to the AA battery box or the rechargeable battery box; both should be able to source more current than the AAA box, which will affect your motor performance.

Hmm, had not thought of that before. I get more and more the feeling this is the real problem, indeed... I will try the AA batterybox with fully charged batteries, maybe that makes a difference!

[jtlan]

Hmm, had not thought of that before. I get more and more the feeling this is the real problem, indeed... I will try the AA batterybox with fully charged batteries, maybe that makes a difference!

As an additional data point, in one of my locomotives I switched from the AAA battery box to a custom 2-cell lithium-polymer battery (the same arrangement that's inside the Lego rechargeable pack). Despite the nominally lower voltage, I got MUCH better performance out of the lithium batteries because they can source a lot more current than AAAs.

The AA box is bulky and you might find it hard to hide inside the locomotive. On the other hand, the extra weight should improve the traction of the locomotive.

Edited December 16, 2014 by jtlan

[legoman666]

Your bogie is going to catch on switches.

[raised]

Your bogie is going to catch on switches.

I know, thats the reason I'm not using the regular O-rings of Lego, but ones from a DIY store. They are a little bit thicker, so that it is possible to put a plate under the axlebrick without it catchting any switches. I just didn't have the correct wheels laying around to show this in the picture (On a side note: these transparent ones I used for this picture aren't even really usefull to begin with: they are BBB wheels without the possibility to secure O-rings at all )

Edited December 17, 2014 by raised

[raised]

Building a TRAXX AC2, step 4 by raised, on Flickr

Small update :)

(Yeah, I need to get rid of that 1x4 plate. But since its a 1x4 plate with only studs on the ends, I need to do some BL to get me a red one. And I'm extremely slow, when it comes to BL.)

Edited December 18, 2014 by raised

[zephyr1934]

This is a great MOC of a deceptively difficult to build in brick prototype...

@jtlan: here a picture of the space I have. It's not that much acutally, and I only have 5 studs in width available because of the way I build the sides. In front of the motors I could create another stud of space, if I remove the 1x4 bricks.

Gears by raised, on Flickr

... just look at all of that snot to get everything in the right place. Your head must be spinning (grin)... mine would be.

It is neat to see the progression in the design as you are going along.

[Man with a hat]

Nice work, especially the shape of the cabin. Looking forward to seeing it complete.

[Russel75]

nice model, i used to build models, when i was kid. My elder brother was expert in building Tank models.