Bartosz

Maybe they still have lots to sell? But I wonder for how long can we count on it being present, I was wondering if I should snatch it, given I like it more than current.

Hi, So over the years I remember people using color sensor tucked inside locomotive to detect color tiles placed on a track to be able to figure out train location. I do recall some reporting it works just fine, while some struggling with color sensor readings being inaccurate. Now, I gather my best bet is to try it out, but there's something that I'm curious about - has anyone have experience with how mindstorms (51515) color sensor fares in this regard? I can see that they differ in technology used, because powered up one shines colorful light on the object, whereas mindstorms one has white led (quite strong).

Cool, that would imply it's more like "i see color where i shouldn't" rather than "i don't see correct color of the tile you've put straight under my nose", which can hopefully be solved by avoiding certain colors (seems like there's more options in that regard when not using code blocks).

Even worse, this smartphone is biggest enemy of other toys. Kid annoyed by tiny inconvenience/problems with running train can then just easily turn to some easier entertainment in that very same smartphone.

It's more expensive to treat it like supplier of bricks, the price per brick is lower for sets.

Indeed, I created custom block, inside i put some motor action with hub/port selector as input, for that selectors input I've assigned blue blocks 1 and 2 (I'd call them parameters blocks), and then from the top level it correctly recognized that one input is hub number while the other is port number.

Has anyone figured out how to avoid repetition when it comes to port inputs? Suppose i have a sequence that consists of couple of motor blocks that relate to same motor. If i have more than one hub this means each block input is in fact "hub port selection" input which is bordersome and requires lots of changes if hub/port changes. I haven't used the custom blocks yet, I can imagine this would be even more annoying there (or perhaps there's possibility to pass hub/port as an argument?)

Controlling the switches remotely is recurring topic which has been solved by various approaches. The ones I'm aware of involved a motor/servo controlling either the throw itself or just going underneath the switch and moving the springed part there while switch is in open position. So far so good. But then one wants some user interface. Again, couple of options: automating with powered up app, Brick Automation project, probably lots more. But what if one wanted levers, just not the yellow ones directly on switch but in some other place? In a brick-built control panel? With powered up i have no idea how i could "read" something that's not coming from the App. It is smart device focused, it allows building interfaces - i think that's great, but when I want to play with bricks, i don't want to play with touch screen. To much of those in our lives nowadays. So maybe a motor-less solution? I think one could build lever that would transfer movement via gears/axles (but I'm not a technic guru). Obviously it would be limited in range, but maybe it'd be fine (and bit cheaper as not requiring motors) - has anyone tried something like that? And if not, is there some system in which one could build levers whose motion would then be picked up by some controller driving motors (I'm afraid I'm restrained to powered up now, but would gladly hear about other approaches)?

Sorry, I meant it's not displayed for me in-line - just get the "broken image link" picture.

The link to image doesn't seem to work? What a great layout. The solution is really clever , I always feared that it'd be hard to be precise with strings and they would have to be adjusted all the time...

I think the goal was to make it more accessible/playable to kids that would otherwise get annoyed by the fact placing train on tracks is so hard. If it didn't help, no wonders - for case of my kids who just don't play with trains (rarely if even) having such ramp didnt change the overall picture at all.

With the DB 7760 thread recently popping out it got me thinking..wouldn't that be great candidate for turning this little shunter to be remote controlled? The bogie from the Elephant seems bit longer than of the 7760, but maybe that's not big deal. The vertically placed motors should fit in the 3 bricks + 1 plate height..and the battery should fit in the compartment... One problem I see would be the cables coming from side of the motors...

Oh I always wanted to replace expensive parts with more readily available ones. Do you have the pictures of the version which had those replaced?

While googling for related stuff I came across this image: What a wonderful layout, isn't it! It was somewhere on pinterest (which I detest and I just can't navigate around) so I just took a screenshot of it. I couldn't find it in n 1981 catalogues. Any clues?

Then it'd be awesome to have this program outside of IDEAS. Suppose someone builds a collection of coaches/wagons - something that's mentioned often that lego could return to making sets like that but it's not profitable for them. Then the "kickstarter" phase begins, all train heads order it and everyone is happy;)

Oh, managed to click through annoying pinterest popups and arrived at: http://www.carolinatrainbuilders.com/2007/02/lego-12v-train-poster-from-1981/ Shame the resolution is not great, but cool nonetheless.

Thanks for the review, I didn't even know it exists and I am quite interested in small motors for use with lego! They're on the Amazon as well though I don't know if it helps you.

Great news. And let's also hope for converts - I'm saying that because I don't own any 9V stuff but I'm seriously considering it after this release (looking for 4563, i just love that small red loco), so hopefully there's more such people.

Thanks, lots of useful tips!

How do you pick up power from rails?

How do you power the H-bridge ? Good stuff about the calibration, gotta hate the whining :)

Sort of a tangential question, hope it's not a hijacking. Do people using powered rails control their trains separately via some kind of DCC? (I understand itd require custom motors.) Does FX offering is going to alter the landscape in that regard (powered boogie?)

Just one cell? My understanding is that it'd give you the 3.2V to fullfil the chip needs (3.3V), but what about the PWM channels? How do they handle motor current draw(not too mention voltage is low), is the chip you're mentioning particularly tailored for motors?

Yes. But I'd also love to read about the nitty gritty details. That's awesome.

For me the Powered Up was better choice because of the programmability via the powered up app. Was able to set up some simple automation (even with sensor) in no time. And then you have Brick Automation Project as well. Don't have much experience with Power Functions, and how would that scale given it has some nice things like extension cables, and I think the remote control is bit more flexible in a sense that you can control two hubs with two buttons, as opposed to PUP where you've one hub assigned (you can toggle those if I'm right), and two buttons can only control what's on that hub. For me it was shop.lego.com for motors and sensors, bricklink for hubs. No idea why hub is so expensive on shop.lego.com.