[MOC] Atomic Streamliner

[Electricsteam]

After years and years in the making and on the back burner I finally had the motivation to fix some of the issues with non existent and expensive parts and PART IT OUT!

Here I present the newly completed ESCO Atomic Streamliner! 

A sleek streamlined locomotive inspired by the classic covers of vintage Science Illustrated magazine covers!  This Fission reactor fed steam turbine locomotive will get you where you need to go in first class comfort!

With a striking green and yellow color scheme with bright splashed of red to show of some of the more radioactive parts of this train! 

 

I'm so happy to have this done after so many years, it's the first train MOC I have completed since moving out and having every last one of my MOC and other trains smashed by my parent while moving away.  It's been a long process getting my things into my new place and own apartment! Just getting around to bringing most of my bricks over but I have to resort and organize my lifetime of collecting bricks... God help me.    About 5 medium moving boxes of loose unsorted legos.   I'm going to be crazy by the time it's sorted.

Anyways it runs fairly well but it does have a few hiccups.

The trailing truck likes to kick up over the rails sometimes and I need to have it pressed against the rails somehow instead of being loose on a single ball joint. 

It's a very very heavy train and the 9v motor has a hard time trying to keep up with the curves of the track and it has an ever worse time hauling two of the passenger wagons from the latest passenger train set. It's really cocerning since I do have some plans to make a set of matching passenger wagons for it so it's convention ready.    I'm pretty sure I bought just about every green 1x3 curved slope on the market at the time and the rest of it isnt too pricey either a lot of large and very common parts making a nice sleek wagon.

 

This has been a project that has been years and years in the making and I hope you enjoyed! 

 

[Murdoch17]

I loved it back then in the digital realm, and I love it now in the real world.  I can't wait to see the coaches in real life! On trailing wheel issue: maybe try the using the Emerald Night connection method instead of a balljoint? That always seems to help my trains. As for why it's so heavy: I haven't a clue..... add a second motor or use larger Power Functions 1.0 motors instead.

[Electricsteam]

1 minute ago, Murdoch17 said:

I loved it back then in the digital realm, and I love it now in the real world.  I can't wait to see the coaches in real life! On trailing wheel issue: maybe try the using the Emerald Night connection method instead of a balljoint? That always seems to help my trains. As for why it's so heavy: I haven't a clue..... add a second motor or use larger Power Functions 1.0 motors instead.

I need to dig around for a PF controller and bat box and I'll see how it behaves. I think it's mostly the very long wheel base with the XXL drivers or maybe it's because of the changes in elevations because curve not sitting on base plates.   

 

The passenger wagons will be a bit far off, I think I'll part them out once things open back up and I'm able to take this too a convention or something. 

 

Oh yeah I'll try and swap out the trailing truck once I have some of my horde in some sort of order.

[Laura Beinbrech]

I love it!  It looks almost like something straight out of the Fallout universe, and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one here who likes to make speculative trains as opposed to strictly modeling RL prototypes.

[Murdoch17]

2 minutes ago, Electricsteam said:

I need to dig around for a PF controller and bat box and I'll see how it behaves. I think it's mostly the very long wheel base with the XXL drivers or maybe it's because of the changes in elevations because curve not sitting on base plates.   

 

The passenger wagons will be a bit far off, I think I'll part them out once things open back up and I'm able to take this too a convention or something. 

 

Oh yeah I'll try and swap out the trailing truck once I have some of my horde in some sort of order.

Well, if your using XXL wheels, it says on Big Ben bricks website that his largest wheels are recommended for larger radius track, so that could be your problem right there. It just can't take R40's.

[Electricsteam]

2 minutes ago, Laura Beinbrech said:

I love it!  It looks almost like something straight out of the Fallout universe, and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one here who likes to make speculative trains as opposed to strictly modeling RL prototypes.

It was a really fun project!  A lot of it came straight from the ol' noggin and just staring at various different vehicles and machines off the old covers.   

That and one of my favorite pictures right here. lol

[mark6399]

Cool loco! I like all the greebles you have on the side of the boiler

[zephyr1934]

That is some great styling, you did a good job capturing the feel of the popular mechanics covers. Some of the angles you work in there are pretty tricky. While it is probably an old trick, the use of the 1x2 hinge bricks near the nose is very appropriate.

 

13 hours ago, Electricsteam said:

The trailing truck likes to kick up over the rails sometimes and I need to have it pressed against the rails somehow instead of being loose on a single ball joint. 

It's a very very heavy train and the 9v motor has a hard time trying to keep up with the curves of the track and it has an ever worse time hauling two of the passenger wagons from the latest passenger train set.

Yeah, I would suspect the ball joint as well. You probably want a double joint, one that allows left/right and one that allows up/down. If you are always going to run on flat surfaces you do not even need the up/down. The ball joint will let the axle twist (roll) which is probably part of your problem.

In terms of making it a good runner, it is definitely doable, but you have a few hurdles. The rule of thumb I've heard is that for normal train wheels you do not want a wheel-base of more than 12 studs for a given truck or two axle car. You are probably at or beyond that limit with the XXL wheels.

Probably the easiest path is to go PF and larger radius curves. You could power the drive wheels, but you would need traction grooves on at least one pair so that you could put bands on them. And of course you would have to rip apart the locomotive to get your motor etc. in there. So you are probably better keeping it with tender power. If you are running with a single motor then I bet a pair of motors would help a lot. If you don't care about going slow, this design can pull/push anything you can throw at it:

but there is a 1:1 gear ratio so it is slow. Replace the XL with L motors and it would still probably be more than enough power while giving you more speed.

[Coal Fired Bricks]

As far as making it go faster wider radius curves are your best bet.  Looking at the video it really speeds up when it hits the straight sections. If you can find a PF or PU motor try it on only straights and it should have some speed.  And as far as wide radius curves if you don't want to go get some Brick train Depot 9v high radii stuff go PF/PU and you could go Trix/BTD/BT/Find some files on Thingiverse(they are freeeeeeeee) or if you don't want to go out of quarantine just bend some flex track at high radii and the should work(I'm doing it for a temporary layout).

 

Bye Bye EveryBody

-Coal Fired

[Paperinik77pk]

Well, at least its "fuel" will last for almost 150 years

Great MOC! I like the colors, the futuristic shape...the side tubes remember me a lot the "Alien" biomechanical creatures of H.R. Giger!

Thumbs up!!!  

Davide

Edited May 13, 2020 by Paperinik77pk

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Amazing futuristic lines and smooth run ...electricity is better than compressed air!

[Electricsteam]

On 5/13/2020 at 4:54 PM, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

Amazing futuristic lines and smooth run ...electricity is better than compressed air!

Much better hahaha.   Doesn't mean I'll never return to the air train.... it just needs a whole overhaul after being smashed to bits. 

[Electricsteam]

Alright.  Follow up.   It runs TERRIBLY!   The trailing truck will lift up off the track and jumping derailing the rest of it.      I had to add some 2x4 curved slopes to the leading truck to keep the wheels from snagging on the turns.   There isn't really a way to power it from the drivers so I have a PF bat and motor in the tender.   I'll keep playing with it but at the moment I don't know how to keep the trucks from derailing the train.   Either the trucks float or the drive wheels float.... if ya'll have any suggestions or tips please tell me! 

[Murdoch17]

1 hour ago, Electricsteam said:

Alright.  Follow up.   It runs TERRIBLY!   The trailing truck will lift up off the track and jumping derailing the rest of it.      I had to add some 2x4 curved slopes to the leading truck to keep the wheels from snagging on the turns.   There isn't really a way to power it from the drivers so I have a PF bat and motor in the tender.   I'll keep playing with it but at the moment I don't know how to keep the trucks from derailing the train.   Either the trucks float or the drive wheels float.... if ya'll have any suggestions or tips please tell me! 

Maybe it's the ball joint connections between the trucks and the driving wheels? Try using the connections as seen in the Emerald Night, as there is probably a good reason they didn't use them in that set. (which you are now finding out!)

Edited October 6, 2020 by Murdoch17

[rday1982]

10 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

 I'll keep playing with it but at the moment I don't know how to keep the trucks from derailing the train. 

 

10 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

Maybe it's the ball joint connections between the trucks and the driving wheels?

Ball joints are terrible connections for a trailing truck or single axle (they work okay for a leading pony truck or double axle though, as long as they are restricted to lateral movement). I found this out about six or seven years ago, working on what was essentially a mashup of one of the Hogwarts Express sets with the Constitution Train Chase locomotive (sadly, this model met with Death By Cat). What you'll need is to replace the ball joint with something like one of the connections below:

I recommend the one I've called space efficient, or the one I've called simple. Or take 3x2 hole plates and stack the holes, then connect with a technic half-pin. Don't use doubly articulated joints except for double axle trailing or leading pony trucks, since they allow the wheels to "twist" out of the rails' alignment also. The problem with the ball joint is similar; it can move a little in all directions, allowing the wheels to move out of alignment with the rails and leading to derailment.

That's pretty much the extent of my own knowledge of this, and I hope it helps. If not, I tried. Good luck! Your locomotive looks fantastic, even if it doesn't quite run right just yet.

Edit: Connections from actual models (virtual ones, at least):

Each of these connections offers a degree of stability that the ball and socket joints lack.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2020 by rday1982
Added better example connections

[Pisces no Aphrodite]

Nuklepunk.

[KvadratGnezdo]

Finally, nukepunk that looks like it wasnt designed by IKEA! 

[Electricsteam]

6 hours ago, rday1982 said:

 

Ball joints are terrible connections for a trailing truck or single axle (they work okay for a leading pony truck or double axle though, as long as they are restricted to lateral movement). I found this out about six or seven years ago, working on what was essentially a mashup of one of the Hogwarts Express sets with the Constitution Train Chase locomotive (sadly, this model met with Death By Cat). What you'll need is to replace the ball joint with something like one of the connections below:

I recommend the one I've called space efficient, or the one I've called simple. Or take 3x2 hole plates and stack the holes, then connect with a technic half-pin. Don't use doubly articulated joints except for double axle trailing or leading pony trucks, since they allow the wheels to "twist" out of the rails' alignment also. The problem with the ball joint is similar; it can move a little in all directions, allowing the wheels to move out of alignment with the rails and leading to derailment.

That's pretty much the extent of my own knowledge of this, and I hope it helps. If not, I tried. Good luck! Your locomotive looks fantastic, even if it doesn't quite run right just yet.

Edit: Connections from actual models (virtual ones, at least):

Each of these connections offers a degree of stability that the ball and socket joints lack.

 

 

Thank you! I'll play with this today.  It's been a long road trying to make any large train.  I spent so long making those pneumatic locos that I think I forgot how to do simple things.   This is the largest train I have made myself and it's been a long road.       Even that little mine train is having problems with the rear axle but it doesnt matter that much because it wasnt designed to move really.

 

4 hours ago, Ragana9289 said:

Nuklepunk.

 

3 hours ago, KvadratGnezdo said:

Finally, nukepunk that looks like it wasnt designed by IKEA! 

Come on dont you want to build that cool flat pack bomb shelter? 

 

[KvadratGnezdo]

Just now, Electricsteam said:

Come on dont you want to build that cool flat pack bomb shelter? 

Meh. (Grandpa mode on) Back in my days we used actual furniture and rubble to build stuff!!1

[zephyr1934]

8 hours ago, rday1982 said:

What you'll need is to replace the ball joint with something like one of the connections below:

 I recommend the one I've called space efficient, or the one I've called simple.

Be careful, about half of those are only safe for pushing through, e.g., the axles in "long space" or the studs in "only good for double axle trucks" are likely to pull out if you try to pull through them. The two recommended ones do not have this problem. There are a large number of things you can do with a strictly technic joint, but it takes some mind bending to shift to thinking studless building.

[rday1982]

8 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

Be careful, about half of those are only safe for pushing through, e.g., the axles in "long space" or the studs in "only good for double axle trucks" are likely to pull out if you try to pull through them.

I left out the bushings securing "long space" and the beam/bushing combination needed to close up the other one so that it was easier to see how the joints go together. If you're really worried about using either joint method, they can both be secured (and trailing trucks can have something inhibiting them from moving backwards to mitigate the potential for it also). However, I like the joint I labelled "simple" for leading pony trucks and the one I labelled "space efficient" for trailing ones. Nearly everything else is overkill. So, yeah, don't really use my connections. They're just examples of a joint that doesn't use a ball and socket.

 

[zephyr1934]

Oh, I assumed that you were aware of the trade-offs. That was more a comment for anyone reading the post to remember the context. A great example of folks forgetting about such things comes in the way the hoods are attached in the standard crocodile set- using a single technic pin that pulls out any time you try to pull the hood off (like when you want to pick up the locomotive). Back to the main point though, sharing schematics and design ideas like that is always a good thing to do for the community, it sparks ideas, shares innovation, and so forth.

[rday1982]

11 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

Back to the main point though, sharing schematics and design ideas like that is always a good thing to do for the community, it sparks ideas, shares innovation, and so forth.

Thanks. I'll try to make sure I model and/or render things in Studio where I have an idea that might solve somebody's problem. One of the things that really saddens me is that the Lego community in general don't seem too keen on showing how things were done (and I've had the why explained and I understand. But it doesn't mean I like it).

[Electricsteam]

Alright I think I fixed some the running problems by changing out the ball joint with those modified plates with the technic hole.    It doesnt jump the tracks from being pushed anymore!  New problem is these BrixTrix switches.  Somehow the front truck wants to jump the track sometimes but only the front truck. Also!  Somehow the front yellow lip of the train rocks so low that it can hit the edge of the track it switches into... which is a problem.... 

I think I'll try and get some more brick link orders made for coaches and get this thing all put together !

[Murdoch17]

Glad to see it's working better for you now @Electricsteam! There are always teething troubles with some designs, and some just never go away even in the real world railways! Just think if you could ask the the designers of the PRR T1, which really never overcame the slipping-at-speed problem, or the Big Boy when it was originally tried on oil firing back in steam's heyday. They never could get it right back then! (They now have got teams that are working on T1 5550 that supposedly "won't slip at speed" and the restored Big Boy 4014 burns oil, but I'm getting off topic.)

Hopefully you get your model working the way you want it to without having to redesign it in any major way... though the front step might be a smidge too low, according to my eyes. I also can't wait to see the passenger cars!

Edited October 25, 2020 by Murdoch17