MaineBrickFan

You know, another option if you want a pure, unmodified LEGO solution might be to build larger versions of a half-Lowell Sphere in light tan. http://rebrick.lego.com/en-US/bookmark/lowell-sphere-instructions/hx793v

I gather from the other reports/photos that it is a portion of the train station roof that extends over the track for some reason. It does not make much architectural sense to me, but then again, it is a toy.

So, the link above goes to blurry, partial unauthorized pics. Assuming they are accurate: Passenger train has a solid molded nose, looks very similar to the 2006 train. Disappointing. Cargo train looks very nice. Blue diesel engine Too little of the train station to tell.

I should not feed the troll, but I can't help but smile at the assertion that if TLG were public, the board would be replaced over this. Shareholders would be too busy counting their cash from CMFs for that to get much traction, methinks.

Sorry -- my speculation above was only that Lego would release a WV train station (which would fit well with the era of that theme) before it would release a modular one. Nobody (I think) believes that 60050 will be a WV set.

In the discussion.speculation thread, user 1974 (who appears to work for LEGO) told us that the passenger train would be white and the cargo train would be blue. I bet we get a WV train station before a modular one... and even that may be a reach...

Happy Holidays, EB! My kids and I are happy to present our market-themed entry this year: a butcher's shop, for all those looking to pick up some meat for their holiday dinner. Ham, goose, steaks, roasts, chicken, sausage -- it's all here. (Some quick Google work convinced me that butcher stands do indeed set up at Christmas Markets in Europe, so we thought this was fair game. We've got lots of different meats -- what would you like? The butcher is slicing some ham. Here's a view of the interior from above; you can see the sink, fridge, etc. And, around back, somebody else is taking a treat home... Anyway, hope you all liked it We always enjoy these contests and everybody;s entries, and we really enjoyed the build this year.

Love this entry! The colors are striking, the build is very clean and the scene conveys action and fun! Great job!

HI all: I've been participating for a while here, but have been out of my dark ages for a year and a half and have gone all in on trains. I have the Maersk, Emerald Night, Yellow Cargo and Red Passenger trains, and am working on acquiring the Santa Fe and Horizon Express. I do have one question for those who have been around -- whatever happened to user kyphur? He was extremely active and helpful in this forum until earlier this year, but appears to have disappeared. Just wondering if anybody knows....

Thank you all for the very nice compliments! We are a little proud of the ham design; and I owe credit for the brick-built steaks and shoulders to my 10-year-old son. Good luck to everybody in the competition... I cannot wait to see the other entries.

So I've been working on an incline to get to the required 14 brick clearance. I am working in modular baseplate sections. One issue as a result is that as my track rises, the length of the track is coming up increasingly short to connect to the next baseplate section. After about three or four (36 x 36) sections, I cannot completely connect the track sections. This makes sense as a matter of trigonometry, of course; as your angle increases the end point of the track will recede from a flat piece of the same length . It seems that as long as the rail sections are only a few mm apart and are aligned laterally, the trains can navigate this gap (although I don't have this layout loop complete yet, so it's hard to be sure). So the easiest solution is to just leave every seventh rail section unconnected. The alternate solution I thought of was to build 2x4 bases to prop up the rails. That way, the base can flex, but this tends to leave a pretty fragile hillside under considerable tension, and it can be a pain to reconnect. I suppose another option is to just leave the track bed free from the ballast/baseplates, although I am not sure that is ideal. Any other folks with long climbs on their layouts grappled with this issue or come up with more creative solutions?

I believe those who favor the rechargeable battery box like the flexibility of not needing to break down the train as much as they would to replace the actual batteries. I believe you can plug the transformer in without having to remove the box from the train. There also may be an argument that it holds a charge longer (although I guess that would depend on the quality of your batteries). Then there is the savings on replacement batteries. I use rechargeable AAA batteries myself, but once you factor their cost in, the rechargeable box may still be an economic wash (if not an advantage) in the long run. I should note, though, that you need the right battery box -- the transformer ($25) and rechargeable battery box ($50) go together, so make sure you buy the AAA battery box if you elect to go that route.

zephyr -- Thanks for a very detailed response! You have always been a real resource on these boards and I appreciate you taking the timer to answer my noob questions. I'll definitely give it a few test runs before i get the hill entirely built. One side of it is the edge of my layout so I can safely build my 2x4 brick wall there, but the other will depend on how it works out. The hill is all straights, so I tat least have avoided adding the uncertainty of gaps in curved inclines. My thinking is that I will add a second motor to the longer trains if necessary; the tests I have done so far are with the Yellow Cargo and all three trucks. I anticipate that the EN will be problematic and will try to figure out the best way to handle that one -- maybe it will just stay on one level for now... I will try to update with some pictures when I have made significant progress...

The cottage is not only my favorite Winter Village set, but one of my favorite sets in any theme. The fantastic small builds, the detail on the inside, the color scheme, and the playability of the truck, igloo, etc. is off the charts, and it's a great overall value at $100. I've only been out of the dark ages for a little over a year, but I would put it right up there with the Emerald Night and Fire Brigade as being among the best overall sets I've seen. I prefer the Post Office and Toy Shop to the Bakery, but don't have the market yet, so cannot comment on that one.

Hello, all. My son and i worked on this shed and work truck for our train layout. On the layout it will be placed near a track junction, but for now I'll just present it in isolation as the layout is very much a WIP. I apologize in advance for the image quality .. a light tent is on my Christmas list! Here's the overall view: A close-up on the truck (didn't get the roof pushed down -- oops!) Interior shot. Workshop space, hat and coat rack, wood stove for a crisp autumn day.. Around back is the woodpile and chopping block -- the stove needs fuel! Thankfully, TLG provided us with some lovely fall trees... Bringing the wood around... Hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks you all for the kinds words. Thanks -- I am considering that option but need some small wheels to try and make it work,. Might have to redo the bumpers a bit to give enough clearance for them to fold down... That's the idea -- just a little scenery to pass by on an otherwise empty baseplate.

Thanks -- I should have made it clear that this is PF track. And I think your solution (echoed by Urban Erwin) is the easiest one - every second baseplate or so I will just not click together the link to connect the tracks. (I am using technic bricks and pins to hold the modules together, so that will provide a solid connection for the landscape. Regarding your last note, are there particular PF trains you think would be a problem?

You can download the PDF for like US $4. I did that with the train issue, from the BrickJournal website, I believe..

Looks fantastic! This is just the look I am going for in my layout... but it seems such a long way off. I guess just one baseplate at a time...

I went to my local LEGO store in Massachusetts yesterday -- and found out that Jamie had been in there not an hour earlier! (He apparently used to work there). I could have asked him drectly about the seagull! It's a beautiful building. The ppp and interior detailing more than make up for the smaler statute -- which I think is perceived more because of the patio than the actual height. You could string some lights across the top of the pati for some true al fresco feel -- and I think it's nice to have something in the back of the row.

I went to the Lego Store in Burlington, MA yesterday. Was pleasantly surprised to find 1x2 in dark red -- loaded up on those! Also grabbed some tree leaves, white farm fences, 1x1 light blue-gray tiles(!) and a fair amount of yellow 2x2 tiles and dark green 1x1 bricks. Great selection overall. Only problem was leaving with a light wallet...

Whoa?! Breaking news? Thanks, nesquik, for the info (whch I at least had not seen confirmed).

Great entries all! 33 - vecchiasignoraceppo - 3 points 21 - Kristel -- 1 point 37 - Etzel -- 1 point

Seconded, from a Mizzou graduate. ('97)! Seriously, though, great MOC. Very well done.

Yeah. Although it's a nice set, I passed on this one because there's only so much room in a layout, and I could not justify purchasing a set so similar to the yellow train (esp. when the Maersk meant this would be a third freight train for me).