MOC - Brightline Higher-Speed Passenger Train

[brickbuilder711]

Hi Friends!

I probably felt that the new 60197 wasn't enough, so I went sort of one better and whipped together a MOC and that said I present you guys-- an entire Brightline trainset!

The entire set is manufactured IRL by Siemens, an Americanized version of their European Viaggio models. The locomotives are Tier-4 Diesel Charger locomotives, with a nose mod to feature streamlining. 

Now I felt that to match the striping exactly with the correct angle would be cheating, so I brick built the wraps. The angle appears to be quite steeper as I feel it is between what I went with and what could have used 33 degree slopes (which I tried, but it would look messy in this rendition). From a certain distance, the pixelation isn't that noticeable so tradeoffs aside it will do for me.

The video has some more details and plenty of runby footage. Enjoy! I need me some higher radius curves now.

 

[sed6]

Fantastic work! Since you didn't post a pic of the real thing I have nothing to compare it to, but on it's own I really like it! I think the angle of the side bricks looks good and I agree that the pixelation disappears at a distance (or when running down the track) so no worries there. However I don't love the two big handles on the cab, they look out of proportion and mess up the smooth lines. I would at the very least eliminate the front most handle if not both. You mention needing more large radius curves, will it run on standard curves? I almost forgot, I really like the four headlights too! Are both engines powered or just one?

[brickbuilder711]

2 hours ago, sed6 said:

Fantastic work! Since you didn't post a pic of the real thing I have nothing to compare it to, but on it's own I really like it! I think the angle of the side bricks looks good and I agree that the pixelation disappears at a distance (or when running down the track) so no worries there. However I don't love the two big handles on the cab, they look out of proportion and mess up the smooth lines. I would at the very least eliminate the front most handle if not both. You mention needing more large radius curves, will it run on standard curves? I almost forgot, I really like the four headlights too! Are both engines powered or just one?

Thanks! To kind of answer your comment neatly lol;

• Here's an image of the real thing. I had to modify it to please the LEGO design but it's as faithful as I can make it. Note this is the Orange train, Brightline has five color schemes. The nose is painfully hard to replicate

• Yeah I agree the handles look awkward but I'll try to manage a quick fix to that.
• Both locomotives have operating PF motors. Impossible to run otherwise!

[sed6]

Well that's a pretty great reproduction! You stayed quite faithful to the original. If you shorten the bars so they don't poke up so high that will look much better. How about curves, will it negotiate regular curves?

[Vilhelm22]

Does it have 4 motors or just 2?  Amazing train anyway.  You should do coaches in all the five colours - blue, orange, green, red, and purple.

Edited June 30, 2018 by Vilhelm22

[Man with a hat]

Oh nice!

That's a really great looking train. And what you did with the colour scheme is amazing.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

I had missed this masterpiece, today I saw the forum for the first time and the train was here waiting for me
Very sleek and great looking livery! 

[brickbuilder711]

4 hours ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

I had missed this masterpiece, today I saw the forum for the first time and the train was here waiting for me
Very sleek and great looking livery! 

 

17 hours ago, Man with a hat said:

Oh nice!

That's a really great looking train. And what you did with the colour scheme is amazing.

 

Thank you guys!!

On 6/30/2018 at 1:15 PM, Vilhelm22 said:

Does it have 4 motors or just 2?  Amazing train anyway.  You should do coaches in all the five colours - blue, orange, green, red, and purple.

2 motors, but it will do just fine! I can try for at least three of the colors, orange and red dont look easy lol

On 6/30/2018 at 12:57 PM, sed6 said:

Well that's a pretty great reproduction! You stayed quite faithful to the original. If you shorten the bars so they don't poke up so high that will look much better. How about curves, will it negotiate regular curves?

Thanks! I can modify the bars. The train can handle R40 if there are straights on both ends!

[Michael Rehorst]

On 7/3/2018 at 2:33 AM, brickbuilder711 said:

 

 

Thank you guys!!

2 motors, but it will do just fine! I can try for at least three of the colors, orange and red dont look easy lol

Thanks! I can modify the bars. The train can handle R40 if there are straights on both ends!

Wonderfull train with all those colors, very good made.

[kieran]

Nice job, very close to the real thing 

[brickbuilder711]

@Kieran: Thanks!

The Siemens Chargers got some small mods... A little hard to tell just off this pic but if you look carefully enough, they'll be noticeable. I might address the excessive bar height within the week.

And here is BrightBlue serving Christmas Tree duty with an appropriate soundtrack. Brightline picked up a contract hosting the Polar Express Train Ride which makes things much sweeter.

Anyhow, for those in or near Florida this set will come with me to the GFLUG display in a few days.

Edited December 11, 2018 by brickbuilder711