MOC: Riviera Express with BR 10

[Haddock51]

 

A couple of years ago, I built the BR 10, a very beautiful steam locomotive originally operated by Deutsche Bahn, which was supposed to pull my long and heavy coal train.

It was only later I learned that the BR 10 during the 60’s mostly was part of the Riviera Express, a historic passenger train that drove tourists to and from the Italian Riviera.

The original which was built in only two copies had a top speed of 160 km/h!

Last year I decided to build my own Riviera Express and now, even this express train is part of my Lego train collection. It consists of: 

• A BR 10 (8-wide) with two 9V engines. This locomotive, still one of the most beautiful and spectacular steam locomotives in my collection, is a slightly modified version of @HoMas original.
• Total length including tender: approx.. 70 studs·      
• Six 7-wide coaches (DB and FS), whereof one dining coach DSG/Mitropa with two 9V engines. Length: 48 studs each  ·      
• The total train length is approx.. 3 meters.

Please note that all coaches – except the coach coloured in Tan/Dark Red – are equipped with real train doors! It’s been a while since last …

All beams are strengthened with super magnets.

And this is what my Riviera Express looks like:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The BR 10 on a German stamp:

 

And this is what the original looks like:

 

Some more pictures:

 

 

Tender fully loaded with "coal" and covered with a piece of fishnet stockings ....

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by Haddock51

[Selander]

Beautiful train set 👍👍👍Very well done.

[Feuer Zug]

Gorgeous locomotive and passenger cars. Creating the white stripe from bricks and plates is wonderful. I like brick built solutions and it matches the stamp. The entire layout (in your garage?) is phenomenal. I'd love to see more of the layout.

[Haddock51]

17 minutes ago, Feuer Zug said:

Gorgeous locomotive and passenger cars. Creating the white stripe from bricks and plates is wonderful. I like brick built solutions and it matches the stamp. The entire layout (in your garage?) is phenomenal. I'd love to see more of the layout.

Thanks.

You can read more about my display in my 40 sqm hobby room in these topics:

 

You are welcome to visit me in Sweden next time you travel to Europe. Your alias "Feuer Zug" indicates some connection to a german speaking country, or?

[Amoreternum]

@HoMas BR10 001 certainly is one gorgeous machine - I happen to have one as well, though mine is modified to run two L motors in the locomotive instead of motors in the tender. Its german nickname supposedly is "Schwarzer Schwan", which translates to black swan, quite fitting I beliebe - and a great machine to pull your beautiful train! Must be a great sight to see this chugging around the layout.Getting all those doors must have been a challenge.

[Haddock51]

1 hour ago, Amoreternum said:

@HoMas BR10 001 certainly is one gorgeous machine - I happen to have one as well, though mine is modified to run two L motors in the locomotive instead of motors in the tender. Its german nickname supposedly is "Schwarzer Schwan", which translates to black swan, quite fitting I beliebe - and a great machine to pull your beautiful train! Must be a great sight to see this chugging around the layout.Getting all those doors must have been a challenge.

Even though it's almost five years ago I finalized my Lego Train 9V Extreme track, I still get high pulse each time I run my trains up to the high level and pass the Swiss alps! 

I still remember the feedback I got from TLG when I contacted them back in 2010 re this project: just forget about it, this will never work ...

After I published this topic back in june 2015, I received many feedback from all around the world, but still nothing from TLG - the lines have been and are silent ...

 

And yes, it was quite a challenge to get all these doors. The challenge to find all necessary parts has been a common denominator for basically all my train projects, in particular the TEE VT 11.5 and the Swiss Be 6/8 Crocodile, which both are built based on @HoMas originals.

Edited April 4, 2022 by Haddock51

[zephyr1934]

The train looks amazing and the layout remains without equal. Phenomenal work!

 

It looks like you've upgraded the curves on the lower level to FX bricks wide radius, no? But I assume the mountain grade remains at R40. Is there a Y or some other facility for turning a full train on the lower loops?

[Haddock51]

42 minutes ago, zephyr1934 said:

It looks like you've upgraded the curves on the lower level to FX bricks wide radius, no? But I assume the mountain grade remains at R40. Is there a Y or some other facility for turning a full train on the lower loops?

No, I haven't uppgraded any curves to FX bricks wide radii, because there is simply not enough space for larger radii. I had to chase millimeters on this layout anyway...

And no, there is no Y or any other facility for turning a full train on the lower loops, simply because lack of space. The only way of turning trains is to park them on the train shelve that is temporarily connected to the layout at the very front of the display, disconnect it, lift it (eventually park it on the trolley), turn it around 180 degrees and place it back again.

The longest train shelves have a length of 272 studs, i.e. 2.18 meters. To turn these shelves is indeed quite an exercise ....

To be honest, so far I haven't seen any need to turn trains once they are deployed on the layout. For some long trains like the Swedish Iron Ore train - and based on experience of running these trains - there is only one way/direction of operating these.

 

PS:  I am very happy with your rods that I have mounted on several of my locomotives! Later this year, I will start my next train project - the Orient Express - with a French EST Class 13 Express Train Steam Locomotive with a 4-8-2 wheel arrangement, even this one with rods!

https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/39243?cHash=a2f3bd9577a5ede3553bd7a16e9d0b83

Edited April 5, 2022 by Haddock51

[Haddock51]

I just added some more pictures.

[HoMa]

@Haddock51 great to see some more trains in your excellent hobby room! Ah, the Riviera Express. I also build this train about 21 (!) years ago when I was new to the LEGO hobby. I needed some waggons for my first versions of my BR 10:

Later I invented the "large curves" using straigt pieces of track with an off-set to get rid of the R40 radius, long before third party radii came to market:

More old memories at Brickshelf (still alive): https://brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=4451 and on my own homepage: https://holgermatthes.de/bricks/en/riviera-express.php

... again, great that @Haddock51 keeps this fantastic train alive!

Best regards,
Holger

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Superb!

[Toastie]

On 4/4/2022 at 7:22 PM, Haddock51 said:

I still remember the feedback I got from TLG when I contacted them back in 2010 re this project: just forget about it, this will never work ...

Said it before - fantastic layout, which is for me much more so a heavy duty, excellently done, multi-level construction miracle.

Back to the quote: TLG even then simply entirely lost knowledge regarding the "meaning", the "feel", the "rational" of vision, skill, dedication, time ... I am not talking about the designers (you most probably did not talk to), but the machine behind/in front of them. These folks may have misspelled the words "never work" - but meant "never pays off".

You know, just leave "TLG" alone - they simply believe to rule, they know it all. Let them just make the bricks. Actually, even that is fading more and more, as competitors simply become - more than competitive. The "TLG silence" afterwards tells all about them.

The action, joy, and engagement elsewhere tells all about >not them<.

Just enjoy (as you do) and have as much fun as possible with and in your world.

With very best regards,
Thorsten

 

[Haddock51]

Great to hear from you again @Toastie ! It's been a while since last.

I totally agree with your comments above. Yes, I expressed a lot of frustration and anger over the past years about TLG's abdication when it comes to Lego trains in general and the 9V train concept in particular.

Instead of wasting energy on TLG, I  enjoy sharing with and learning from train nerds like you, @HoMa, @Selander, @alainneke and many more around the world! What a fantastic experience and joy - and what a wonderful feeling of belonging to a family with members dedicated to Lego trains! And sadly, TLG is no longer part of this family, I "mourned" them a long time ago...

Still hope to see you at my home in Knivsta some time in the future, now the Covid pandemic being (almost) history ...

 

Best regards,

Daniel

Edited April 6, 2022 by Haddock51

[Haddock51]

Thank you so much for your feedback @HoMa ! It's always a great pleasure and honour for me to hear from you who has been - and are - one of my greatest sources of inspiration and support when it comes to Lego trains in general and Lego trains 9V in particular.

My decision to build the BR 10, and ultimately a complete Riviera Express, is based on the history you are referring to in your reply above. Just like the TEE VT 11.5 and the vintage train with the Swiss Be 6/8 Crocodile. Thank you so much!

And yes, I learned early about your "large curves" using straight tracks. I successfully tested it on the floor of my new hobby room back in 2011 before building the new layout. Now I simply lack space for any kind of large radii.

Best regards,

Daniel

PS: What about your plans to bike to the Nordkap and step by in Knivsta, plans you had to abandon (postpone?) back in 2019 due to the Corona/Covid pandemic?

Edited April 5, 2022 by Haddock51