cptkent

My replacement ties arrived today. Well packaged and presented as usual, and bonus track pieces included. Excellent service once again. Thank you Michael and team.

Can I borrow your Dremel?

My shipment Fx Bricks switches arrived yesterday. This is my 3rd order, following on from the original PFx brick and later some straight tracks. While I did receive the switches with the incorrect tie bar, that does not detract from my experience or the products I have received. The switches exceed my expectations, and I look forward to integrating them to my layout (there’s a hole that has been waiting to be filled). I have followed PFx / Fx from the original kickstarter, and continually been amazed by Michael’s (and his team) ability to deliver great products and support, and an exciting roadmap forward. It’s an epic achievement that I am sure many underestimate. Michael, you are to be congratulated on your achievements to date, and I thank you for your skill and persistence. I would place an order right now for R168 if I could, and look forward to seeing what else is to come.

@michaelgale Do you have R120 on your roadmap? I appreciate you're busy, I was just wondering if they were on the horizon yet. Thanks

Greetings, As happens from time to time, people introduce their projects on this forum. Now it’s my turn. My town is named. Population 830, and comprised of the usual modular buildings, off the shelf sets and some custom terrain. I have a train line that is the backbone of the layout, and that’s why I’ve posted on this forum rather than over at the “Town” forum (come to think of it, I’m not sure I’ve ever been to the Town forum….). I like to think of what I’m doing as “the story of a town”, but really it has always been a train layout with a town, rather than visa versa. If I hadn’t wanted to run trains, I’m not sure I’d have built a town. Much of the layout could be called WIP. I have a tendency to start a project, and not finish it immediately. Some sections of the track are RC, but I hope to convert it all to 9V, just awaiting some appropriate switches and (the sticking point) R120 curves. You may have already come across some of my photos on Flickr (where most of my images are), or more recently Instagram (which I dislike intensely) or perhaps you are one of the 8 people to have watched one of my videos…. <Edit - Currently not active> As I write this, my 5th video is now on Youtube, and it’s a “tour of the layout”. I hope to do one of these tours each year, just to document the evolution of the town. It’s been a ~15 year project to date, but doesn’t necessarily look that way as it’s been rebuilt and relocated a few times. It’s a big project because I tend to design and build and photograph and write blogs and make videos…… There is always something to do and NEVER enough time, which I’m sure you all find with your own work. Progress has been rapid the last year (while COVID has me at home) but probably not so much from now on as I head back to work. If you have any questions, ask away. I tend not to reply on the other places. David Mayor / CEO / builder / cleaner….

@Stuartn Thanks. I wish I could make more regular updates. @RopefishThanks. Size isn't everything. Some days I'd like it a little smaller so I could finish something. @LegoDWI plan on converting the entire layout to 9v - I just need the fxbricks switches, and then R120 curves. The purpose of having it all metal and 9V is Because it like the look of the metal rails, and I'd rather just have all the track like that. I'd like to be able to run 9v LEGO sets without modification - I don't want to modify my original 9V trains to PU. As for automation - I've just not crossed that bridge yet. It seems like a big subject, with lots of options and decisions, that is ever changing. I just seem to be putting it off until a really great solution seems obvious and easy - I'm hoping someone will visit my layout one day and just fix it for me!! @zephyr1934Thanks. It's something I'm interested in, and seem to spend too much time pursuing! @BrickwolfThanks for the comment.

W Well done. I was just thinking of doing this via a motorized coal tender, to use on either of those trains as I need. But the circuit cubes are so handy I may just modify both trains with their own motor & Bluetooth hub.

Use a lightsaber. Works on Tauntauns....

Has anyone tried using a combination of "bluetooth circuit cube / motor" as a replacement for the old 9V electric motor? I've had a look, and don't think both will fit. But I think the motor could be made to fit in a chassis to replace the old 9V motor, and I could run the power wires to the hub placed inside the cab. My specific interest would be so that I could have my 9V trains running on RC track, just by replacing the 9V motor with a Circuit Cube replacement. I've got a few 9V trains that I'd like to run, I don't want to go to the lengths of trying a LEGO solution as I'd need to fit in in a Power up hub or RC battery box or something. Alll the LEGO solutions seem too bulky. My Circuit cube kit should be here shortly, so I may try it myself. David

Hi Michael. Any chance of an update on your roadmap? I’m wondering if we will see R120 next year?

DCC and every other fancy thing is great. But I think such a power supply, and a simple motor, would be the backbone of any L-gauge ‘system’. Track-motor-controller, for everyone who just wants to get started running trains. Great stuff Fx team.

That was cool. Give me some motivation to get my tracks powered. Wish I had some switches too.

I'm not sure what materials work best outside. I think a simplified track piece such as this, less prone to getting dirt and debris stuck in it, would be great outdoors.

At first I thought “that’s going to be a garden layout part” - and it still could be. I like your idea.

You lost me at ‘Wow!’

Well I could.... but it's probably best I left the conversation.... My R72 was drawn years ago (probably before Michael announced his, when I was expecting ME models rails) and it appears I've drawn it with one less sleeper. My diagram has 5 full sleepers, Michaels (and, FWIW, the ME models track) has 6. The sleepers were never used for practical purposes, so I never noticed the mistake. I thought what I had may have been helpful, but it appears not. I can fix it easy enough (and probably will) but it still only shows sleepers, not ballast, so it may not be that useful anyway. Let me know if you want me to do a revised version. Sorry for any confusion. David PS. I'll take down the incorrect images, and see if I can edit the previous post. Edit. I did a revised version. Some studs appear close, but nothing is a direct match of any kind. Again, ballast may be different.

POST REMOVED DUE TO GENERAL INCORECTNESS !!! OOPS !

L-gauge seems to be a repository of sorts" http://l-gauge.org/wiki/index.php?title=Reference_Instructions#Bogies_.2F_Trucks_.2F_Wheels Probably not entirely what you're looking for, but a start.

I am so “on the fence” about this. I love the idea, and especially the motor.... but I have: 9v / RC / PF / PU and fxbrick. It’a already bad enough! But that tram is sooo cute!

I knocked up a simple switch control servo a couple of years ago, during a period when I didn't have access to my LEGO sets. I figured a 'wired' solution may be easiest for what I wanted at the time, just a remote way of powering and controlling a switch. I wanted to learn how the servos worked, and roughly prototyped something, but stopped at this point knowing it was a solution I could use, but a decent implementation would have to wait for another day: Link

Hi, Can anyone tell me if Big Ben Bricks is still selling their custom wheels? I tried to send a couple of emails, but got a blank ‘auto reply’ both times. thanks

Given the brief of evidence you’ve assembled to argue the case that LEGO does such a crap job with trains, I’m not sure I’d like to see them increase their commitment to the theme. Surly it would just be a continuation of the downward spiral 12v / 9v / PF / PU etc etc...

A great review, leaves very few questions unanswered, and I like the rolling updates. On the topic of 'cant', I've seen other curved rails (R120 from another manufacture) do the same thing, or a little worse. I find the curved tracks seem perfect in single pieces, but over 1/4 or more loop, they do not accurately form the expected arc. Forcing them slightly to lay where they should (ie, ends pinned on a baseplate) produces cant and stresses the joints. The issue seems to be caused by very minor, so I've not even raised it with the manufacturer. I'd just presumed that if the moulding tolerances weren't 100%, then they would add up over the course of 1/4 loop, or longer, and cause issues. If the FX curves can be pinned at each end of a 1/4 loop, and ballasted without issue, then that's fine by me.

If you can’t find anything on Bricklink, PM me, I have a box full of r40 curves.

Great news. I hope you have made enough to go around! And I hope R120 or bigger is on your radar - it's my missing link...