MOD Lone Ranger, Constitution Train Chase, set 79111

[zephyr1934]

[full gallery]

I have modified the locomotive from the Lone Ranger, Constitution Train Chase (Lego set 79111) to add working driver rods. I had to completely rework the pilot to make everything work, but I think the final design is pretty good. The new model is the same width as the original, one stud longer, and it has working rods. The mechanicals are packed in very efficiently. The front wheel just barely clears the cow catcher, the side rods just barely clear the crossheads, I came up with a clever bearing to fit over the moving pilot axle, etc.. With the moving rods I think this engine is shaping up to be pretty sharp. A larger tender would be nice, and one of these days I'll take a stab at that. The one tradeoff (and I'm not sure it is much of a tradeoff) is the fact that I had to convert it from a Ten Wheeler to a Mogul.

Here's a shot of the modified engine on a curve

I've prepared instructions for the modification and have already uploaded jpegs to brickshelf (I'm working on finding a good home for the .pdf version). There are two versions of the instructions: V1 is for building the modified model from scratch, V2 is for retrofitting the completed model after it has been built.

To build this modified model you will need the parts that come with Lego set 79111 and the additional parts listed on the last two pages of the instructions. Note that this build requires 4 non-Lego pieces for the driver rods, available here.

[full gallery]

[Hey Joe]

Hey, great looking mod! It's impressive that you even went so far as to put the pilot axle with rods. If I were to try to do something like this, I'd probably just connect one rod to the three driver wheels and call it a day - mission accomplished.

Thanks for including the instructions. Dropbox could work for the PDF?

This train would look a lot better (not that it looks bad now) with a bigger tender now that you mention it.

Out of curiousity, what would it cost for those four non-Lego 'mod-rods' (hey, that's kinda catchy) postage-paid 'round St. Louis way? Feel free to PM that if you want.

Thanks, Joe

Edited September 9, 2013 by Hey Joe

[Prince Manic]

That is the most epic mod I ever seen if I've done this I would make my Lone Ranger Train Chase Brickflim 100% more better then just slapping on my own custom rod from technic connectors, for now I'm not sure when I'll make it happen for mine. What the Price for the rods for this? I'm somwhat on a tight limit that depends how much I would need to get transfered VIA from my SSI benefits, I tried my own version and it didn't went well.

I don't have those train wheel without the ring could a wheel bearing also work if I wanted to use that?

Edited September 9, 2013 by Prince Manic

[alainneke]

Nice mod, 'zephyr1934'! The train looks a lot better with side-rods.

I also tried this myself, but ran into trouble with the front wheels. Removing one of the axles is a clever idea!

Edited September 9, 2013 by alainneke

[Murdoch17]

Is this tender any better?

The tender was inspired by Anthony Sava. (I'm using it on my Lone Ranger train, which now has your working pistons.) I'm not trying to hijack your thread, (please forgive me if I am!) but I just thought you would like this design better than the official one.

I'll upload the file to MOCPages and link to it here if that's okay.

Thanks for designing this awesome MOD!

Edited September 9, 2013 by Murdoch17

[zephyr1934]

Thanks all for the kind words...

@Hey Joe and @Murdoch17

There have been a few posts with various tender mods out there. The one I would like to see (or design) is one that can contain an entire PF system (battery/RC/train_motor) while still looking like a realistic tender. I was also thinking changing the coal to wood.

@H.J. and @P.M.

price for the custom parts is currently $21.96 +s/h (the nice thing about the custom rods is that the set up is very low for the first part, the unpleasant thing is that the set up cost stays the same for all subsequent fabs too). While this price means the rods are not for everyone, as of last night, Amazon had this set for sale for about $20 off, so you could get close to MSRP with free bonus rods tossed in if you tilt your head the right way (grin).

@H.J. and alainneke

while I wanted to add rods, I also wanted to keep the charm of the original design. Like the EN, you fix the rods and the engine looks 10x better. One of the hardest parts of this design was working with the four wide boiler. Initially I wanted to go 10 wide at the cylinders, which would have allowed a lot more room for wheel swing, etc., but with the narrow boiler, that would have looked awkward from the front and rear views. So I decided to stay 8 wide at the cylinders. There goes the rear pilot truck axle.

@M17

you made a few other choice modifications too, e.g., the straight smokestack and making the overall color more homogeneous. In any event, yeah, that is fine with me if this thread picks up other "how to fix the LR CTC loco" tips.

[Prince Manic]

How I could incorporate my rod design if I decide to order more bricks needed from pick a brick on what I have made from LDD?

Edited September 10, 2013 by Prince Manic

[Hey Joe]

Amazon had this set for sale for about $20 off, so you could get close to MSRP with free bonus rods tossed in if you tilt your head the right way (grin).

Yeah, I know, but I'm kinda hoping to get it in the discount bin at Target or someplace like that (I avoid trading at Wal-Mart) sometime in the future for less than that. It's difficult to be patient though.

Joe

Edited September 10, 2013 by Hey Joe

[Werlu Ulcur]

Hey Benn! I don't know why, but I can't see any pics from Brickshelf. Anyone else having issues ?

[zephyr1934]

@P.M., you should definitely try bricklink.com, the prices can be up to 10x cheaper for 90% of the parts listed on PAB, but be careful, it can also be addicting.

@W.U., yeah that's the charm of brickshelf, clunky old system likes to go down way too often, seems to be up at the moment though. I'm just a fan of having one place with so many lego photos and nothing else.

[Werlu Ulcur]

Ah, now I'm seeing them!

Fantastic job, it looks great !

[Hrw-Amen]

That does look rather good. I am hoping to pick this train up later in the year and hopefully will be adding some rods, not sure which set to go with yet, though I will probably try some half width technic ones first before spending a load more than I need to. If that means a few other mods then so be it. I'd only be buying the set for the engine, Captain Mini-fig and other useful bits for my own trucks.

[zephyr1934]

Just a quick update, the pdfs have finally posted. You can now download much more user friendly versions of the instructions from the RailBricks Instructions pages.

Meanwhile, I've gone and pulled my back, so I'll be moving slow for a while. As such, I've "closed" my bricklink store. The bypass is posted on the door, and as long as you do not mind a little extra delay you can still come in and shop for rods (for now I've pulled down most of the sets though).

[firstofminifigs]

The Constitution is my first Lego train (aside from the blue tracks I adopted from my father at age 4). I am currently working on powering it. I have fit the battery box into the tender car with the train motor underneath so far by taking out the back of the tender and using the extra dark green pieces (plus a couple others from 76008 explaining the triangle gap you see in the picture) to build up the sides to help disguise it in what I think is a pretty attractive design.

I have yet to purchase a remote and IR receiver as I'm waiting on a good deal or to get them for Christmas (so frustrating), and until then I will not have a running train. Then I will figure out a way to incorporate the IR receiver probably on the locomotive somewhere.

Let me know what you think of the design.

[Paperballpark]

@firstofminifigs

You might want to have a look at the thread linked below, showing how I incorporated the IR receiver into the cab. At the moment the PF gubbins have been removed so that I can use them in my Pannier Tank engine, but when I put them back in the Constitution I'll most likely modify it again to do something similar to Brickset user crazycarl and put it all in the tender.

http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/comment/236255/#Comment_236255

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Much better than the original! :wub: