Small Ticket Office [WIP]

[Wolfman122]

Although I've been a fan of Lego since I was young, I've never really been one for more than just build from instructions. Well the Wife got me the powered-up passenger train for Christmas so I thought I would take the opportunity to force myself to learn to model from scratch.

I figure the best way is to get feedback early on things before I get too far into it so I can learn as much as I can as soon as possible. This is the very first building I have designed, and its the first time I've used digital Lego cad software.

So here is my work in progress small ticket office. The idea is to build a modular station system as it will need to be packed up and put away when not in use, and so that it can be different every time as I have a 6 year old who will want to play with it lots!  

As its a WIP, the interior of the ticket office has not been done, nor have I yet designed extended platform pieces, but as I say, early feedback is what I want! Its loosely based on small quaint English stations built with sandstone on top of concrete & tarmac platforms - I commute every day on the train so I figure its best to start with what you know!

There are a couple more images in an album here.

I know this is not as good as some of the awesome things on this site but you gotta start somewhere! Critical feedback and improvement suggestions of any kind welcome! 

Thanks,

-wolfman

 

 

UPDATE:

I will collate all generic feedback here so that it can be a mini resource of tips for new modellers:

• Being new to modelling can be intimidating, start small and use familiar objects and buildings in your own life for inspiration.
• Look for opportunities to add masonry bricks instead of plain bricks.
• Beware that masonry bricks only have the pattern on two sides so you may want to avoid having the ends exposed.
• Suggestions list for incidental objects to add detail: Chairs, trash cans, lights & light posts.
• It is usual to design modular buildings in multiples of 16 studs, but not required.

Edited January 1, 2020 by Wolfman122

[Vindicare]

Well, as a instructions follower, I can’t offer much in the way of help. But, I think you’ve got a great start. The corner bricks being a different color is a nice touch. What about making the dark tan bricks the brick bricks to give a more distinct look when you build it in the flesh.

I too tried my hand at MOCing for the first time. It can definitely be intimidating seeing all the great work done here, but you gotta start somewhere. Since you take the train, just take what you see around you & apply it to your build. 

[zephyr1934]

2 hours ago, Vindicare said:

What about making the dark tan bricks the brick bricks to give a more distinct look when you build it in the flesh.

I was thinking the opposite, do the light tan in the masonry bricks... but given the fact that it is all 1x2 bricks, that might have been the intent already.

Things that come to my mind- station sign displaying the town name (hopefully you are not modeling a station for a small town in Wales), maybe lights, e.g., above the door. For this 16 wide MOC there probably isn't space for trash cans and vending machines (or ticket machines if a contemporary station) but those would make sense elsewhere on the platforms.

2 hours ago, Vindicare said:

just take what you see around you & apply it to your build.

I agree, look at the details that catch your eye and capture their essence

[Vindicare]

1 minute ago, zephyr1934 said:

I was thinking the opposite, do the light tan in the masonry bricks... but given the fact that it is all 1x2 bricks, that might have been the intent already.

Things that come to my mind- station sign displaying the town name (hopefully you are not modeling a station for a small town in Wales), maybe lights, e.g., above the door. For this 16 wide MOC there probably isn't space for trash cans and vending machines (or ticket machines if a contemporary station) but those would make sense elsewhere on the platforms.

I agree, look at the details that catch your eye and capture their essence

Either way would look good & give a nice texture to the building. Personally I don’t like seeing the end of the masonry bricks, it just looks unfinished(not bad by any means). I mean, we gotta make due with what we have. 

That’s why I wish they would make a 1x1 masonry brick for corners. Two sides would have the brick pattern while the other two would have the opposite. 

[Wolfman122]

Thanks for the feedback so far! I'll be adding some lights and other small details. Good suggestions!

4 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

I was thinking the opposite, do the light tan in the masonry bricks... but given the fact that it is all 1x2 bricks, that might have been the intent already.

I would love to claim credit for forward thinking like this but I didn't even know about the masonry bricks before you mentioned them!  I do have to think about cost as I can't afford to spend too much on this. Will the masonry bricks be more expensive than the standard plain bricks?

4 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

For this 16 wide MOC there probably isn't space for trash cans and vending machines (or ticket machines if a contemporary station) but those would make sense elsewhere on the platforms.

Its actually 18 wide. Is there a standard multiple for widths? I was thinking of making it a little wider already. Are multiples of 8 better than 6?

Lastly, what do people think of custom stickers - are they accepted or frowned upon? And how do people usually go about making them if they are accepted? I want to have some posters and signs dotted around the station.

I think I may collate all generic feedback which can be applied to different models into the first post so it become a little bit of a resource for noobs like me! 

Thanks

-wolfman

[Roadmonkeytj]

7 hours ago, Wolfman122 said:

Will the masonry bricks be more expensive than the standard plain bricks?

Slightly yes but you can set price limit filters in BL ... Last time I cought 236 for .02 cents a brick.

7 hours ago, Wolfman122 said:

Lastly, what do people think of custom stickers - are they accepted or frowned upon?

Only true purists will frown upon them ... As long as your keeping with the "spirit of Lego" it will be accepted.  Custom stickers can make a MOC Pop.

 

12 hours ago, Vindicare said:

That’s why I wish they would make a 1x1 masonry brick for corners. Two sides would have the brick pattern while the other two would have the opposite

I doubt that they ever do but I agree with your thought process however if you use a 1x1 modified brick with two studs on the corner you can apply tiles and get a very effective corner treatment as seen in this wip shot of my interlock tower

 

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Very clean style, beautiful architecture and cute train stuff!

[Phil B]

11 hours ago, Wolfman122 said:

16 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

For this 16 wide MOC there probably isn't space for trash cans and vending machines (or ticket machines if a contemporary station) but those would make sense elsewhere on the platforms.

Its actually 18 wide. Is there a standard multiple for widths? I was thinking of making it a little wider already. Are multiples of 8 better than 6?

There is no forced standard (as with anything LEGO), but baseplates are sized in multiples of 8 (or 16), so most people follow that when they want to build something modular. LEGO's official modulars are also in multiples of 16 - PetShop and the new Bookstore come in 2x 16x32 buildings, Assembly Square is 48x32, and the rest is 32x32. The MILS standard also uses 32x32 modules (though it can accommodate other sizes, most often multiples of 8) and Brick Model Railroader's landscape modules are based off of 96x96.

Net, going in multiples of 8 should make your life easiest. Note that LEGO train track (straight) is 16 studs long, also a multiple of 8.

[Wolfman122]

So I ended up going back to basics, doing a section of modular platform. Ended up being multiples of 6 not 8, but I think I can make it work. If not I'll revisit, its Lego after all! :)

Tweaked and added some more details to the building exterior, still need to do the interior and but I need to think about adding details to the basic platforms too (signs, etc).

Thanks,

-wolfman

 

[Phil B]

How is that security camera attached to the wall? Seems to be a hinge brick bottom, but what is the top? There is no 1-wide hinge top, and I cannot see how else it would be integrated into the wall without leaving a huge gap (unless you have a cheese slope on there and that somehow works). Can you show some more details of that?

Otherwise this looks very very nice. I love all the little details you added to make the build more interesting.

[Wolfman122]

Its the 2 wide hinge sticking out of the wall on top of a 1x3 plate. Its designed in Stud.io so I would not be surprised if the camera does not fit or look so good when it gets put together for real, I'll just have to improvise if that is the case.

Looking at that image I may need to raise the camera from the hinge with a 1x1 plate to avoid the other stud, which might mean moving down the wall a little to avoid the roof. All possible though! :) Most of this is hidden by the overhang of the roof so you just see the camera side on. Again if there are any suggestions on alternate mountings I'm all ears.

-wolfman

 

[Phil B]

Ah that explains it! I would mount it on a round stud, and I would change the color to black, just to provide some contrast. White could work too.

[zephyr1934]

On 12/30/2019 at 5:33 AM, Wolfman122 said:

Its actually 18 wide. Is there a standard multiple for widths? I was thinking of making it a little wider already. Are multiples of 8 better than 6?

Lastly, what do people think of custom stickers - are they accepted or frowned upon? And how do people usually go about making them if they are accepted? I want to have some posters and signs dotted around the station.

As others have said, typically MOCs for shows are built in multiples of 8 or 16 studs, but that is just for the ease of fitting things together on a temporary layout for a show. Many top of the line modules are 3 bp or larger and have buildings at all sorts of odd angles that look more "natural," but it is the large format that integrates them together. As long as you do not need to integrate with other builders (especially in the time crunch of setting up a show) then whatever is convenient for you (I only have 4 MOC buildings... only one of which adheres to the the 8x stud rule of thumb)

As for custom stickers, it certainly doesn't hurt to seek advice, but ultimately don't worry about what others think, do what you are interested in. Some folks are "purists" and some are liberal with impure techniques, each path has its own unique challenges. Even when someone strictly follows one of these paths in their own building, they will appreciate the challenges overcome by another builder along the other path.