MODded 10277 Crocodile Locomotion

[Dirk1313]

While I already presented my gap-closing little MOD using panels, here is another update.

I found a good addition for the panels: adding some tiles between panels adds a little stability.

To make the gap even more „invisible“, I have extended the step alongside the front by one stud.

The pantographs on the original set look very „high“. This is because the insulators would otherwise not fit. So you could choose...do you?

I found a way to add some insulators and still lower the pantographs by two plates, it is not a completely legal technique though as there is some tension.

So here is the result, please let me know what you think:

Which MODs would you keep, which ones would you remove?

 

 

[dr_spock]

NIce.  How well does it run on a layout?  Will it make through a switch's S curve? 

 

[Dirk1313]

1 minute ago, dr_spock said:

NIce.  How well does it run on a layout?  Will it make through a switch's S curve? 

 

I have run it through a switch that was just behind a curve. No problem.

[JWBDolphins]

To me personally, the pantographs aren't as big a deal (although I don't have a real model in front of me so that may change.)

But I Really like the additions to the side. They come close to meeting the edge of the added side panels (like the original model has) and really "hides" the addition of the side panels.  I'll definitely keep that mod!  :-)

 

[Phil B]

Love the side panel hack. Not a fan of the pantograph mods.

[TeriXeri]

Great update, watched a view videos where the real ce 6/8 II certainly has no visible gaps when straight so this looks more realistic.

Another difference ,are those round parts under the arches on the sides, they are black in the real thing, at least in the current one I saw in videos (14253), but I can understand that those arches being black also would look way too blocky so they kept the entire sides brown.

Edited June 19, 2020 by TeriXeri

[Memo5378]

Am I missing something here? The model is not even available yet... in Canada, anyways...  

[peterab]

7 hours ago, Memo5378 said:

Am I missing something here? The model is not even available yet... in Canada, anyways...  

There are a few models in the wild that were given out to fan sites for reviews.

[HaGLa]

I had the same idea to increase the step in front of the new panel, now I know this looks good!

The pantograph looks a bit odd as the insulators are all on one side.

The only other modification I am thinking of is moving the 3 grille bricks one stud towards the train middle and placing the 1x1 brick to the new spare location. In this way the grille bricks are centered over the motors and look a bit more prototypical.

[Memo5378]

17 hours ago, peterab said:

There are a few models in the wild that were given out to fan sites for reviews.

Gotcha.

[Dirk1313]

I have implemented three more updates and would be interested in your views:

1. I replaced the brown Plate, Round 2 x 2 with Rounded Bottom (Boat Stud) with black ones to be closer to the original colour scheme. However, in the original the arches would be black as well, but smaller. Thus I did not want the black colour to dominate too much and left the arches brown.

2. I moved the Brick, Modified 1 x 2 with Grille (Flutes) by one stud to the middle and I replaced the middle one above the arches with a standard 1x2 brick.
This is to improve symetrie and to better match the original where the grilles are service doors and there are two of them on each side above the arches.

Hope you like the new modifications - these are all very simple changes to the original model.

 

[Vilhelm22]

These modifications have really improved this model - will definitely be implementing them when I get my hands on one of these!  Thanks for sharing your improvements in ways others can copy them easily!

[Dirk1313]

And now I gave it another round of thoughts:

1. the black Plate, Round 2 x 2 with Rounded Bottom (Boat Stud) are closer to the original but then the dark grey parts would also need to be replaced to be a match. So why not have it all in dark grey? Thus now with grey Plate, Round 2 x 2 with Rounded Bottom (Boat Stud)

2. The grilles in the very front do not match the original where there are small doors without grille. Thus replaced the 1x2 with grille by 1x1 lamp bricks and 1x1 tiles. 

Now I am happy :-)

 

[Dirk1313]

There is always one little thing that one could change. How about a long hose rigid in brown?

Thoughts?

 

[Vilhelm22]

Honestly I’m not so sure about the hose in brown because on the prototype it’s incredibly thin, whereas here it’s rather thick.  It’s so small that I think it looks better without.  Also, if you get into that, there are more handrails than just there, so it could become overcrowded. 

Edited June 21, 2020 by Vilhelm22

[Dirk1313]

29 minutes ago, Vilhelm22 said:

Honestly I’m not so sure about the hose in brown because on the prototype it’s incredibly thin, whereas here it’s rather thick.  It’s so small that I think it looks better without.  Also, if you get into that, there are more handrails than just there, so it could become overcrowded. 

I agree, maybe completely without handrail would be the best solution.

[Thai bricks]

@Dirk1313, I just want to point out that the prototype picture you posted above is of a different version Krokodil. This one has a 2nd jack shaft near the front and a different side rod arrangement.

Edited June 22, 2020 by Thai bricks

[ChrisO]

10 hours ago, Thai bricks said:

@Dirk1313, I just want to point out that the prototype picture you posted above is of a different version Krokodil. This one has a 2nd jack shaft near the front and a different side rod arrangement.

Indeed, the Lego version is a SBB Ce 6/8 III and the picture you posted is of a SBB Ce 6/8 II.

@Drik1313, Lego also made a mistake that is easy to fix. In the central section the center window above the "10277" name tag should only be on 1 side, not both. And if you want to fix it properly then on the side where there is no window the name tag should be raised up to where the window used to be.

[Phil B]

15 minutes ago, ChrisO said:

Indeed, the Lego version is a SBB Ce 6/8 III and the picture you posted is of a SBB Ce 6/8 II.

@Drik1313, Lego also made a mistake that is easy to fix. In the central section the center window above the "10277" name tag should only be on 1 side, not both. And if you want to fix it properly then on the side where there is no window the name tag should be raised up to where the window used to be.

I was just going to post this: LEGO modeled a Ce 6/8 III but called it a Ce 6/8 II (see the sticker on the display plate). *sigh*

I posted this pic in the other 10277 thread too - but here is a Ce 6/8 III. Note that the arches over the motor are now in the body color:

[HaGLa]

4 hours ago, Phil B said:

I was just going to post this: LEGO modeled a Ce 6/8 III but called it a Ce 6/8 II (see the sticker on the display plate). *sigh*

Actually, the LEGO model is a combination of Ce 6/8 II and III: The center part is from Ce 6/8 II and the ends are from Ce 6/8 III.

Note the doors on the center part: the Ce 6/8 II and the LEGO model have two doors but the Ce 6/8 III has only one (visible) door. (The non-visible door is actually placed on the left 45° corner.)

I think that @Dirk1313 has done a good job to make the Crocodile look more like the Ce 6/8 II. I will certainly include most of his modifications when I get my model.

Maybe someone that already has the model can MOD the center part to look like the Ce 6/8 III instead? The 45° door might be the biggest problem to look good.

[zephyr1934]

Having now played with ps1flyer's stud.io file I've come up with a couple of small improvements on your MODs. For the running boards on the side of the hoods, going from end to cab I'd suggest 1x3, then 1x4 then 1x8 tiles. For the parts semi-visible on the end of the hood, I'd suggest replacing the random colored parts with brown bricks.

Meanwhile, from looking at the instructions, I don't like how close the tiles come to the technic axles for the drivers under the hood. Have you found any evidence that the axles are rubbing on the tiles? I've come up with an easy mod to eliminate the tiles under the axles, but it is only beneficial if there is rubbing.

[Dirk1313]

4 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

Meanwhile, from looking at the instructions, I don't like how close the tiles come to the technic axles for the drivers under the hood. Have you found any evidence that the axles are rubbing on the tiles? I've come up with an easy mod to eliminate the tiles under the axles, but it is only beneficial if there is rubbing.

No, nothing rubbing. All fine.

Can you share some images of your mods, please?

[zephyr1934]

4 hours ago, Dirk1313 said:

Can you share some images of your mods, please?

Sure thing,

pink = new parts not in the set. In this case the pink at the rear of the hood is simply changing the color of the existing bricks.

 

Then in the drivers, I moved the 4x8 plate and the left pair of 1x4 technic bricks over one stud, pulled the tiles you can't see, and moved some of the bricks around to clear the axles.

 

[ps1flyer]

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

By the way, I concur with Dirk, no rubbing at all. I finished building and cross-checked against the stud.io model and connections are correctly done. I agree, it looks tight, and it probably is tight in the real model, but 100% stable and has perfect clearance. (Anyway, the model has a few color errors and very 2 minor parts errors. Will do an update some time later.)

[Shiva]

How about a static model, where the gap between the different parts of the train is eliminated, by moving the noses 1 step closer to the middle? Making the model 2 studs shorter?