1:22,5 G-Scale Toy Train locomotive

[Paperinik77pk]

Hi all,

I'd like to show my first attempt to build a G-Scale locomotive, in order to understand a bit how to manage the bigger weight, the big dimensions, couplings, speed and possible issues.

Being a newbie in G-Scale world - I simply started with the simplest locomotive of them all - the access-level toy train.

 

I saw this "thing" in action at a local big "garden center" and I immediately imagined it as a Playmobil train - well we're really near. It seems simple and economic to build, plus it really offers a challenge for placing all needed parts (batteries, motor, receiver). It's big, but not so big as I imagined looking at the photos.

 

And here it is, completely invented but similar to a lot of little small diesel locomotives. It uses a Medium PF motor, geared to 1.667:1. Battery Box with AAA batteries, standard PF lights with no direction change. Sbrick as a receiver, since all my IR controllers are in use.

 

I made a trial using a normal PF train motor - I always thought it was a so-so motor - but it was sincerely amazing (it can pull the two small cars at a ludicrous speed, and there's power for one more). Driving it at full power without wagons means sure derailing.

then I tried the M-motor and works fine - slower, but more precise and easier to manage.

Here's the Sbrick control - I still need to understand how to implement that "steering" feature

The simple hook allows two modes of coupling - normal (as it is shown in the above photo , or self-coupling (if mounted upside-down).

Here's the little locomotive near the real LGB "Stainz" locomotive. Pretty same lenght, same width, very similar height at roof level (I can add maybe one stud in height).

This little thing has a good pulling power (I was amazed) - it pulls the three wagons without problems or slowdowns. I tried to put the stainz locomotive on the roof of one carriages (the weight on the two axles of the wagon was really too much - it was hard to move even by hand): a bit of slipping , then it started to move. These G-scale wagons are heavy, but move nicely on their wheels.

Next trial will be - using Powered Up with lights and PUP M-motor.

 

I hope you like it!

Ciao,

Davide

 

Edited July 9, 2019 by Paperinik77pk

[Sven J]

Hi Davide,

this is very, very cute!

I'm astonished that one M motor is sufficient for pulling three G-scale cars. How fast does the train run?
And can you explain how the self-coupling function works?

Looking forward to see more of your G-scale stuff!

Ciao
Sven

Edited July 9, 2019 by Tenderlok

[Roadmonkeytj]

Very nice indeed ... I too am amazed at the m motor ... But you said you geared it up?

[Man with a hat]

Nice, And that coupler is really clever and looking great.

[Paperinik77pk]

20 hours ago, Tenderlok said:

Hi Davide,

this is very, very cute!

I'm astonished that one M motor is sufficient for pulling three G-scale cars. How fast does the train run?
And can you explain how the self-coupling function works?

Looking forward to see more of your G-scale stuff!

Ciao
Sven

Thanks Sven! I will try to create a video to show speed and auto - coupling. It is very simple, but it's easier to see it than to explain it :)

The hook is solid, but it's also quite flexible. This helps in the auto-coupling process. As said, the Technic pin must be reversed, so it can slide under the LGB coupler (more or less like the original fishhook couplers).

The M motor actually works better than the XXL, less power consuption, less space, more RPM and less noise.

13 hours ago, Roadmonkeytj said:

Very nice indeed ... I too am amazed at the m motor ... But you said you geared it up?

Thanks!!! I tried 1:1 gear ratio, but the big wheels were overdriving the final gear ratio and the locomotive had less torque than expected. Good for a short train (it managed the same three cars you see in the photos, but it had some slowdowns on curves - the blue one is heavy) .So I tried to compensate gearing it up in order to increase the torque.

All depends on the final use of this little thing. For shunting, low speed and more power it's a nice feature, but If the locomotive is used for a small and light train, lower gear ratio and more speed is surely more fun

 

 

9 hours ago, Man with a hat said:

Nice, And that coupler is really clever and looking great.

Thanks! It's really basic, but it seems to work fine on two axles locomotives - next step is to try it on four axles locomotives with bogies - maybe I'll have to think about some sort of steering or lateral movement for the coupler

 

Edited July 10, 2019 by Paperinik77pk

[Paperinik77pk]

Here's a small video showing the auto-coupling and the locomotive pulling the three cars! Sorry for mad auto-focusing - the phone is new and I do not know how to set the camera!!!

Batteries are losing power, but it still runs fine!

 

 

[Sven J]

Thanks for showing this!
Amazing. Only the passengers will complain about the roughness of the auto-coupling process - some pain and suffering claims threatening the railway, I fear...

[Paperinik77pk]

Just now, Tenderlok said:

Thanks for showing this!
Amazing. Only the passengers will complain about the roughness of the auto-coupling process - some pain and suffering claims threatening the railway, I fear...

After all , they're travelling on a Playmobil-like Lego locomotive (blasphemy!!!) , on an LGB-chinese copy wagon running on a circular, chinese plastic track - what else can go wrong?

Aw, yes - the batteries won't last the whole journey and they must push the train to the next station!!!

 

[Sven J]

2 minutes ago, Paperinik77pk said:

Aw, yes - the batteries won't last the whole journey and they must push the train to the next station!!!

[zephyr1934]

On 7/9/2019 at 5:39 PM, Paperinik77pk said:

Here's the Sbrick control - I still need to understand how to implement that "steering" feature

That's brilliant, beautiful and great. Seeing the video of it in action is one of my favorite parts, but the SBrick control is my top favorite.

[CaL]

12 hours ago, Paperinik77pk said:

Here's a small video showing the auto-coupling and the locomotive pulling the three cars! Sorry for mad auto-focusing - the phone is new and I do not know how to set the camera!!!

Batteries are losing power, but it still runs fine!

 

 

Hi Davide,

thanks for this video!

Remembering seeing & riding on trains pulled by some of those type of small diesel engines on some European narrow gauge railroads I must admit that the speed to me seems to fully match my memories ;)

Carsten

[XG BC]

looks amazing!

XG BC

[Paperinik77pk]

On 7/11/2019 at 7:01 AM, zephyr1934 said:

That's brilliant, beautiful and great. Seeing the video of it in action is one of my favorite parts, but the SBrick control is my top favorite.

Thanks!!! I'll try to make some more videos in the next days - maybe one in the new garden if the weather's good!

That SBrick texture is one of the standard ones - I think it matches the general idea of Toy Train 

[Paperinik77pk]

21 hours ago, CaL said:

Hi Davide,

thanks for this video!

Remembering seeing & riding on trains pulled by some of those type of small diesel engines on some European narrow gauge railroads I must admit that the speed to me seems to fully match my memories ;)

Carsten

Thanks Carsten!

More or less the general idea was to replicate one of the zillion diesel engines around those beautiful small railroads!

 

11 hours ago, XG BC said:

looks amazing!

XG BC

Thank you!

 

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

No joke here ...you went to the next level!
Beautiful locomotive and interesting detail of the engine with piston rods ... the big blue carriages are my favorite you should make them in lego 

[Paperinik77pk]

On 7/12/2019 at 11:09 PM, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

No joke here ...you went to the next level!
Beautiful locomotive and interesting detail of the engine with piston rods ... the big blue carriages are my favorite you should make them in lego 

Thanks as usual!!! I'm at really at a "Lego Basic" Level in order to keep all these creations at a reasonable price.

 I abandoned some solutions I adopted in the beginning with the XXL series (like the double gauge, the flat chassis and the possibility to detach the whole body of the locomotive and to use it on another chassis), but I'm trying to standardize some other things like couplers, motors and wagon chassis, at least for these simple locomotives.

The Newqida big blue wagon is really nice for its bargain price - and it would be great to have it in Lego. But it is already quite heavy , and translated in Lego bricks it could be very demanding in terms of power and traction of the locomotive. Let's see - maybe in the future?

 

 

[Paperinik77pk]

Hi all,

I've updated a bit the Toy Train locomotive, converting it from Power Functions to Powered Up solution.

I had to wait for the lights and the PuP Medium motor , which arrived a week ago. Today I had some time to take some photos and a video to show some possibilities of the new system.

First thing - the PuP Medium motor and the standard train controller work together, buth there's no progressive speed control - this means 100% of speed only.

Second thing - on the Android App the predefined sliders for train do not work with M-Motor. Somethinng can be achieved with the Batman control schema, but I found out the programming interface is more fun.

The PuP M-Motor fits perfectly where the PF M-Motor was before - same speed, same power. As you can see I geared up a bit the output.

Cabin is now taller by half stud, trans-black glasses were used instead of clear ones, and the Bluetooth light now shines bright in the "cockpit".

And here some stupid programs (Lights on, Lights off, go backwards at 50% for one second then stop, go forward at 30% for five seconds then stop, and the last one is a progressive stop).

Here below, the link to the short video I made:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/138174786@N04/48474777597/in/dateposted-public/

In the following picture, the locomotive is pushing an LGB original wagon, with studs on top. It was a great idea in my opinion, and was available both in a starter set and as an alone item.

My 8-bit buddies seem to like it!

Ciao!

Davide

 

[Sven J]

A nice piece of work!
Only... it seems to me that the PuP motor is even louder than the PF?!?

On 8/6/2019 at 10:18 PM, Paperinik77pk said:

My 8-bit buddies seem to like it!

Great stuff!!! Reminds me that I still need to build a few 8-bit Lemmings (my favourite game back when we were young...)

[Tcm0]

There is also the possibility to program your own remote control options in the powered up app (but only one "design").

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

On 8/6/2019 at 10:18 PM, Paperinik77pk said:

My 8-bit buddies seem to like it!

Those guys are beautiful: Dig Dug, Pac Man, Super Mario ...the forth guy is from Mario's world?

[Paperinik77pk]

8 hours ago, Tenderlok said:

A nice piece of work!
Only... it seems to me that the PuP motor is even louder than the PF?!?

Great stuff!!! Reminds me that I still need to build a few 8-bit Lemmings (my favourite game back when we were young...)

Thanks!!!

More or less it is the noise is the same as the M-Motor - I changed the phone to record the video - maybe the microphone is better!!!

Ooooh Lemmings!!! I love and hate them at the same time (I destroyed my Amiga mouse on that game)

1 hour ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

Those guys are beautiful: Dig Dug, Pac Man, Super Mario ...the forth guy is from Mario's world?

Thank you sir! Yes he's the Mushroom! All these things were used to decorate my daughter's room - she actually built all of these. All figures have a hole so they can be nailed to the wall.

There were also Peach and MCPixel, but we re-used the bricks to make something else

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Nice idea to decorate the bedroom with those 8-bit guys