Wanting to get into 1:48 (L Gauge), where do I start?

[legonerd54321]

Hello everybody! I know that this is a question that has been asked a lot, but I still have yet to get a grasp on where to start. Ive looked at multiple websites/posts/etc such as these:

Spoiler

http://www.brickmodeldesign.com/search/Building_Scale.html

 

 

I still have several questions while reading these.

1. What formula do I use to determine the length of the model? Is it by stud or inches?

2. Where would I start building when I find the measurements for the model? The chassis? The firebox?

I've been wanting to make a model of the Frisco 1501 that is a proper scale to the real thing. I've got the schematics here:

https://i.imgur.com/rr0YzXo.png

Would those measurements work, or would I need to find more measurements.

Thanks!

 

 

[zephyr1934]

It all depends on what you want to do. I would recommend building in the direction that is of the greatest interest to you. Some people go for hyper detailed "prototypical accurate," but most of those folks have built dozens of train MOCs. In fact if that is the destination you are ultimately aiming for, I'd suggest viewing it like writing, start out aiming for a pretty good rough draft. Don't worry if your first train MOC is a little too long, or too narrow, or whatever. Maybe try to get one or two of the distinctive features spot on. Then in later drafts (potentially years later) come back and bring in more details after playing with it and you start either thinking of solutions to the problems you've encountered or you spot how others solved those problems. The key to good writing is actually good editing, the same is true for MOCs. In either case both writing (building) and editing (rebuilding) are skills that take time to learn and you only learn by doing.

Many folks do not even think about prototypical accuracy, there is nothing wrong with that either. That can present way more challenges- but still many of these challenges are centered on how do you get the detail that you want in to the model.

In most cases where do you start is either picking a subject, or upon spotting a part, "gee, this would make a great ___". So you've picked a subject, a 4-8-2 steamer. Not an easy challenge for your first train MOC, especially if you are aiming for the standard R-40 lego curves. You might want to insert a few intermediate objectives- make an 0-6-0 work, then make an 0-8-0 work. Why? Because the mechanicals of a steam engine can be a massive challenge. You do not have to make either of these switch engines look like an actual steam engine (no boiler, no cab, don't even worry about color, just worry about getting them to work). In this way, you will have to work out how to do the wheels (e.g., flanged-blind-flanged-blind), get quartering working, deal with clearance issues, and figure out how you want to do the motor, battery box, and receiver. All things you will need for the 4-8-2. Next, extend your chassis for the 0-8-0 to be about as long as you think the 4-8-2 will be and build one or two layers of bricks as wide as you anticipate the rear of the cab will be, and build up a flatcar "tender" with a similar layer of bricks simulating the front of the tender. Now you can test and refine to make sure it goes through curves. Next, figure out how to get the pilot and trailing truck to work on the locomotive on the curves you plan to run on.

Once you have all of that figured out, now you have your constraints for everything that comes on top (boiler, cab, etc.) or at least you know that you need to tweak your frame to accommodate something you want or need up top. If you are going for prototypical accuracy, certainly know your target dimensions, but don't worry about bending one of them to make the other two fit.

Keep your prototype frame around (or at least documented in photo or CAD format) so that you can use it for test building as you work out details of the rest of the locomotive.

[supertruper1988]

To build on @zephyr1934's great post. You will want baby steps. LEGO is a modeling medium but has some limitations. You have a few questions in your post so I will hit them here:

1. Scale and what that means. You say 1:48. I build in 1:48 so this is a subject with which I am very familiar. First off the scale i based on 1 plate = 6" this actually calculates to 1:47.625 but that is not easy to talk about so I say 1:48. For a rough idea of size you take the length in feet and multiply 0.8 to get the length in studs. You would take the height in inches and divide by 6 to get the height. The smallest "reasonable" measurement that can be captured in this scale is 3" so dont kill yourself over very small details here. 

2. You would hopefully find a dimensional drawing as you did above and you have a few options. You can use a program like photoshop or illustrator to enlarge the drawing to a known scale (1/4"=1'-0" or similar) and print it then take your measurements from the printed document. if you print at the mentioned scale then your size will be 1:1 for the model. I use AutoCad for my day job so I do it all in AutoCad but that isnt a skill available to everyone. The last way I will mention is to use @Sariel's LEGO Model Scaler found here http://scaler.sariel.pl/

Lastly, as Zephyr pointed out, a 4-8-2 is not an easy locomotive to start with. I would add that you should take a read over the RailBricks Magazine (available for free download at www.brickmodelrailroader.com) and build some of the examples in those. Also build an Emerald Night (buy the parts in a non-dark green color to save a lot of money) and use the improvements found in RailBricks to get it running. From there adding another set of driving wheels wont be easy but its not the same as starting from scratch. 

Hope this helps!

[aj_bricks]

I'm also just getting started designing trains in 1:48. I was designing in 6-wide, but seeing models from the guys at BMR, Brick Train Depot, etc. convinced me to think bigger. To add on to @supertruper1988's comment, @Sariel has another tool for converting measurements that I've found even easier to use in my experimenting: http://studs.sariel.pl/. If I have a schematic like yours, I'll put in the overall length of the train and convert it to studs in 1:48 scale. I've made a Lego graph paper template, over which I then superimpose the train schematic (with a transparent background) and scale it to the length I computed in the studs converter. Just like that... Lego train blueprints.

That might sound more complicated to you... at the end of the day I think it's best to just figure out what works best for your personal design process. I'm still finding my way that I like best, but it's a fun process experimenting!

One other thought, I remember reading somewhere (maybe in "The Lego Trains Book by Holger Matthes" - awesome book!) about picking a limiting design element to base your scale model off of. For a steam loco this might be the largest wheels (though there are a lot of 3rd party big wheels out now). You wouldn't want to design everything to scale and then realize your wheels will be too small to look right, for instance.

[Phil B]

One watchout when going to 1:48 scale is that even though that might sound like a very accurate scale, it is makes your models look awkward on standard LEGO curves (R40), or you need to make a lot of concessions to your model to make it able to navigate these curves and points. So you are quickly restricting yourself to buying third-party large radius curves (which are not cheap) like R104 and R120.

I have tried to model 1:48 a few times before, but have found that it is much more manageable to do some selective compression to keep the length of my models to anywhere between 30 and 40 studs, and 7 wide (with extra width for things like driving rods, door handles, ladders etc.). This way official LEGO models don't look out of place, but you can still get quite some realism into your model.

That said, the beauty of modeling with LEGO is that there is a ton of choice in terms of scale - and there is no one "right" scale. Each scale, be it 6w or 10w, has its own challenges and advantages.

[monai]

Hallo

I would like to underline that the correct L-gauge railway scale is 1:38 NOT 1:48, so the troubles with wheels and curves are even harder. BUT this is true only if you want to make a real scale modeling, if you want to PLAY with a TOY you can make whatever is pleasant to you..

[Dav1d]

I was slightly confused but the LEGO gauge is 38mm, while standard gauge is 1.435m which gives a scale of 1:38. That's a coincidence.

But scale with LEGO is very approximate as the height of a minifig and the gauge of the track do not match.

It is a toy - if it looks right enjoy it.