mDaro Posted January 4 (edited) Hello all. After spending the last year or so investigating Lego trains and falling in love with the Lego hobby all over again it was time to start planning and building my own empire. The Brickville Railroad was born. I purchased the Lego Passenger Train set #60197. Thanks to some other sites and people here in the US I found Monty's Trains https://montystrains.net/ and his article on powering Lego engines with RC car batteries. It was a very convincing article. The power supply is small, effective and cost efficient! I also discovered PFxBrix and their amazing line of electronics for light and sound as well as the ability to use my phone to control several trains at once. Coming from N Scale and DCC I was ecstatic that could have prime mover sound as well as alternate sounds on my Lego trains. We've had the Lego Main Street and trolley under the tree the past two Christmas's and I felt keeping the basement layout in a permanent winter scene would allow a place for the Xmas buildings to reside during the "off season". I also felt I needed a plan that I would be able to finish and enjoy before going around the wall of the basement with a massive plan and undertaking. I finally settled on a 5x9 foot plan to hold my current Lego buildings and trains. The plan will allow for the two car Trolley from under the tree to operate as a passenger service on the Brickville RR. I found Vince-strange's Tram MOC on Rebrickable and purchased a second Main Street set to make the two car tram. The extra pieces from the building were used to create the Little Music School MOC for an additional small building. I needed a small American type locomotive to do some local switching on the initial layout. I love the Maersk set but the prices are way beyond what I would consider affordable to have four to five units down the road. Luckily I found Battery Powered Bricks YouTube channel and his videos about making the Maersk train on a budget! Perfect. I got to work adjusting the IO file to match the passenger train and I didn't realize when I was finished I kind of recreated a scheme that looks like the CSX. The past week I've been ordering items to get started on the basic loop and I've been going over benchwork in my head. I feel like I'm just going todo what I know and use L-Girder out of 1x2's and some sheet plywood on top for a nice level stable platform. While waiting for materials and bricks to arrive I got to work making a generic US looking boxcar and also decided to try my hand at building a baggage car similar to the one in the old Lego Train set #4512. I wanted the roof heights to match the newer passenger set so it took a little work to get it right. I think it will be close enough to not be noticeable to most people when they see the layout. The next step will be to source a place that makes custom stickers. Id rather use stickers then decal transfers but if I need to I'll just create the custom decals and print them myself. I'm getting a parts list together to order enough to make six boxcars and the engine. I have loved Lego for a long time and never realized how the train side of the hobby had grown the last 5-10 years. I am very excited to start on my new L-Gauge railroad! Edited January 4 by mDaro Grammar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JWBDolphins Posted January 4 That's Awesome! Please keep us updated on your progress! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Murdoch17 Posted January 4 (edited) Looks VERY nice! Although, I would heavily suggest a walkaround layout, if this isn't one already... LEGO trains derail in the worst spots, and thus a non-walkaround can make your life miserable. What program did you use to design this, as I don't think it's Bluebrick? and what radius curves will you using? (or are you using official LEGO parts only?) Edited January 4 by Murdoch17 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mDaro Posted January 5 (edited) 20 hours ago, JWBDolphins said: That's Awesome! Please keep us updated on your progress! Thank you! I plan on posting here as it goes. That way i put some pressure on myself to get things done and update the post. 19 hours ago, Murdoch17 said: Looks VERY nice! Although, I would heavily suggest a walkaround layout, if this isn't one already... LEGO trains derail in the worst spots, and thus a non-walkaround can make your life miserable. What program did you use to design this, as I don't think it's Bluebrick? and what radius curves will you using? (or are you using official LEGO parts only?) I plan on doing a large basement layout in the future. I wanted a small working railroad that i could actually finish to include my modular buldings and Xmas tree layout buildings. It will be away from the wall with a gap at the back to access and build. I used AnyRail to do the layout and I’ll use TrixBrix track and switches. I exported the layout design and just used a simple photo editor to add buildings and roads etc. The initial 5x9 will be smaller radius curves to be able to fit the things in i want to play and operate. The future around the walls layout will be much broader curves to make the trains look and operate smoother. Edited January 5 by mDaro fixed track name Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zephyr1934 Posted January 5 Very nice! At the rate you are going, you'll quickly out grow the 5'x9', good thing it sounds like you have the whole room to spread out to Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SD100 Posted January 5 Love those boxcars! Thats a KISS method that really carries through. SD Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoHabsGo Posted January 5 Very nice project ! Please keep us posted ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Feuer Zug Posted January 5 Good looking setup, both the layout and the rolling stock. Can't wait to see it executed in real bricks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faph Posted January 5 Love the colour scheme on the engine and the cars! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mDaro Posted January 5 Doing some clean up work on the freight engine today. Made the roof flat and added some vertical handrails front and back. Next step is to fit in the PFxBrix receiver into the cab. I mocked up an element that's the same size. It will fit for sure, just have to adjust the build. I also added a non-powered truck to the front and removed the mocked up powered truck from the rear so I can have an accurate parts list for the loco. Hopefully the box car parts arrive soon so I can build one and start measuring for sticker sizes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Murdoch17 Posted January 5 (edited) Just so yo know @mDaro: The magnets need to turn with with the bogies in order to work on any curves - official or otherwise. This means you'll have to lose the staircase handrails as well. Edited January 5 by Murdoch17 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mDaro Posted January 5 1 hour ago, Murdoch17 said: Just so yo know @mDaro: The magnets need to turn with with the bogies in order to work on any curves - official or otherwise. This means you'll have to lose the staircase handrails as well. UGH. Ok back to the drawing board...... 1 hour ago, Murdoch17 said: Just so yo know @mDaro: The magnets need to turn with with the bogies in order to work on any curves - official or otherwise. This means you'll have to lose the staircase handrails as well. Is there a coupler that works with a fixed pocket? Time to search the internet! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Murdoch17 Posted January 5 43 minutes ago, mDaro said: UGH. Ok back to the drawing board...... Is there a coupler that works with a fixed pocket? Time to search the internet! Generally, LEGO trains just don't work well with fixed-to-the-frame couplers past a certain size, although this varies based on curves being used. (I only use official R40 curves) I could be wrong, but I don't think I've ever seen a train MOC with fixed couplers of that size. (You might want to get others opinions just in case!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FGMatt Posted January 6 I'm excited to see the Jazz Club. Nice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted January 6 (edited) This wagon caught my eye! Not only the color is beautiful but also the design in its essentiality is pefectly done! Edited January 6 by LEGO Train 12 Volts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zephyr1934 Posted January 6 22 hours ago, mDaro said: Doing some clean up work on the freight engine today. Made the roof flat and added some vertical handrails front and back. Next step is to fit in the PFxBrix receiver into the cab. I mocked up an element that's the same size. It will fit for sure, just have to adjust the build. I also added a non-powered truck to the front and removed the mocked up powered truck from the rear so I can have an accurate parts list for the loco. The technic axles on the trucks cause A LOT of drag. If you are going PF, easiest solution is to just put two motors under the engine. Otherwise, it adds a plate but you can use the normal train wheels. Or, you can rework the trucks more and use the 3rd party ball bearing wheel sets for really low friction. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mDaro Posted January 6 3 hours ago, zephyr1934 said: The technic axles on the trucks cause A LOT of drag. If you are going PF, easiest solution is to just put two motors under the engine. Otherwise, it adds a plate but you can use the normal train wheels. Or, you can rework the trucks more and use the 3rd party ball bearing wheel sets for really low friction. I had planned on replacing all of the axles and wheels with low friction metal ones. but thank you for the info! Please keep it coming!! OK. Fixed the bogey and railings. I guess I'll have to do a display loco and detail the crap out of if. Thank you Murdoch17! Maybe when I go around the walls and increase the radius I'll play with some new designs. I don't intend on running long trains. Even though it will be an around the walls layout eventually I plan on making it a highly packed switching layout. Here is the fixed freight loco, I still have to fit the PFxBrixs receiver in the cab. Once again, THANK YOU to Battery Powered Bricks for the Maersk Engine IO file to have a starting point! I changed around your non powered truck to look more like the powered one with the sideframes. I got distracted when I was done and instead of finishing something else I started a wide cupola caboose in the BVRR colors....... 11 hours ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said: This wagon caught my eye! Not only the color is beautiful but also the design in its essentiality is pefectly done! Thank you! I wanted something simple and with the look of a modern boxcar and Lego model. I don't want the layout to look 100% prototypical. I want the Lego look and vibe in every piece of scenary and rolling stock. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faph Posted January 6 3 hours ago, mDaro said: I don't want the layout to look 100% prototypical. I want the Lego look and vibe in every piece of scenary and rolling stock. I’m with you on this 100%! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mDaro Posted January 7 Went down the rabbit hole with the caboose. I thought the first version was too long. I extended the platform beyond the standard freight car base so I made a shorter version also. Short Version Long Version Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mDaro Posted January 7 Calling it done and going with the shorter version. Not sure what to do next. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ejayb Posted January 7 Do you have an operations plan? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mDaro Posted January 7 13 hours ago, ejayb said: Do you have an operations plan? With only three sidings on the 5x9 it's going to be a very limited operations. Ill involve the little two car trolley as a passenger train so the freight moves are a little more involved. I think 6-8 cars (boxcar, gondola) will be about the max so it will just be switching them in from the interchange to the two sidings. I cleaned up the box car build and eliminated some parts. I don't need functioning doors so I eliminated the extra rail to clean up the look slightly and I changed the roof panels on the blue and brown box car for some variety. And of course I had to mock up a train........I think I have the sizes and heights at a good size. I'm glad I redid the caboose and made it shorter. Also shout out to c_bloxx from Rebrickable if you are on here. I saw your BN caboose and got inspired. You have a seven wide cupola on a six wide car. I think i figured out your technique. I love the way it looks so I 'stole" the idea and incorporated it into my caboose. Thank you for the inspiration. It was a fun night figuring that one out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
