James Mathis

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Posts posted by James Mathis

  2. Posted

    In the spirit of racing, exploration, and competition, classic themes from throughout the history of space, town-- and whatever theme you dream-- engage in a desperate search for G.E.M.S., the dark energy of the Universe, and answers to legendary secrets... Ok, maybe not, but maybe you'll like these futuristic formula-style racers in the style of Classic Space, Blacktron, and, uhm, Octan. These craft are descendants of my answer to an age-old call during the LEGO Universe LUP days, as seen in a CES 2010 game promo video.

    https://ideas.lego.com/projects/78737

    Thanks for checking it out, supporting, if so compelled,

    Aloha

    James Mathis

  5. Posted

    Glorious 12v! I love to see these sets, and you inspiration and dedication is to be commended.

    My pre-emptive apologies, but your experience has trigger a monsoon for me!

    We have a similar original and initial 12v era childhood disappointment. For I, too, received the push-along set 171 instead of glorious new-age-of-gray set. The year was 1981. I was 11 years old. The local toy shop in Grantham, Lincolnshire, offered the showcase LEGO® catalog of the new age of gray sets. I salivated. I dreamed.... and I got the blue track 171... sigh. A short time in England-- about 5.5 months-- then I was back in the USA, without a gray 12v set. Even a trip through the European continent countries of Germany, Switzerland, and even Denmark-- with a trip to LEGOLAND, didn't win for me a gray treasure. In fact, the lone chance I had, a toy shop in Switzerland, was thwarted by the ever-haunting words of my father, "Wait until we get to LEGOLAND, I'm sure they'll have all the new sets there..." Famous last words. He (rightfully) didn't want to haul a LEGO set around Europe for 3 weeks. Waiting until LL was the right thing to do. But, upon arrival at the LEGOLAND in Billund, no new gray era 12v sets were to be had. We were informed that Germany and Switzerland received first product drop due to market penetration. Bummer! That was a very sad day for that 11 year old boy.

    Fortunately, my father returned to England a year later, and my 12th birthday opened the treasure box: a beautiful 7740. I was in train euphoria. :-)

    Treasured are your trains.

    They inspire more than play.

    They harbor our childhood treasured dreams.

    Well done! and thank you, sir,

    -James Mathis

  6. Posted

    To myself,

    In the mix if your own gallery, it would seem you are lost and forgetful(old man). Seems you can't remember posting this APT Exp prototype before...

    http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=4714

    Tucked away in this obscur folder, a movie of the tilt in action:

    http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=6789

    Rest in piece Eric Brok, whose pioneering efforts in tilt and close spring couple inspired many a LEGO® train builder. I remember marveling and studying Eric's work for both his engineering and artistic prowess.

    I wish links to his historic works preserved.

    It's nice to reflect and be reminded of our collective and cooperative efforts, as well as seeing the amazing evolution and original designs that train builders output to this day.

    -James

  8. Posted

    I found an old hard drive with many of my train MOCs. Came across this abandoned design study for the cab of the British Rail APT prototype. I recall it was gray in real life. I was entertaining the SNOT of an interesting slope element that has studs on the slope section…and the complementary angle made with that of a SNOT cheese slope. It all seemed to fit rather nicely. Alas, I never built it with real bricks nor did I continue the MLCad project.

    Here's the link to see an MLCad screenshot:

    http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=523996

    -James Mathis

    P.S.: I wonder what else I might find…re-discover.

  12. Posted

    Lone Ranger Train Question: What does the lever on the roof of the box car do? Is it some kind of "action" feature? The water tower looks like it has an "action" feature to "blow it up" with dynamite(?) and tip it over. Pretty cool.

    Stage Coach question: it looks like there is a brown Technic element with a bar under flexure to the rear axle. Is this true? Is it some kind of "action" feature?

    If there are action features like this, I wonder if there is an action feature on the locomotive-- perhaps some lever and "dynamite" that blows the boiler off the main carriage of the locomotive frame? or dislodges the locomotive cab?

    Nice train!

    Wondering...

    -James Mathis

  14. Posted

    Imagine:

    It's December 6, 2001.

    You're a big LEGO® train fan.

    You work hard on a lot of train designs.

    You've been sharing, learning, and showcasing your trains online.

    You're "blown away" by seeing LEGO Train Club layouts.

    You meeting and making LEGO Trains "friends" online.

    You remember rec.toys.lego.

    You're reading and posting to Lugnet.

    You got to participate in the First LEGO Train Summit in 2000, NYC, LEGO Direct.

    You met some of your LEGO Train designer peers for the first time face to face in NYC at LEGO Direct.

    You met Jake McKee, Brad Justus, and Joern Thomsen.

    You got to see previews of concept train models and the (then) soon-to-be-announced re-release of the classic Metroliner train.

    Then, later in the summer of 2001, you got to see Brad Justus at a BricksWest at LEGOLAND® California-- talk trains, be a fan, have fun, and eat all day at the theme park.

    Then, on December 6, 2001, an e-mail arrives, and blows you away!

    "Hi James:

    "I'd like to talk about commissioning some train car designs from you for

    sets to be produced next year. The cars need to be based on historic

    prototypes and will be part of a series that we'll be introducing starting

    early in the year with a new locomotive (already in production). I think

    you'll really like the project -- it's something that's pretty close to home

    (based on what I've seen from your existing designs). Hope this piques your

    interest!

    "Could you send me your phone number and a good time to call?

    "I look forward to talking to you soon.

    "Best Regards,

    -- Brad

    Brad Justus

    Senior Vice President, LEGO Direct"

    Imagine that!

    To be continued...

    -James Mathis

  17. Posted · Edited by James Mathis

    My wife and I have a Honda Element. ...was thinking about "what to build..." Started brainstorming... Tinkering with pieces in LDD... started playing with elements... thought about my Honda Element... threw some Honda Element style parts into the LDD space... took a look 'round the web for others' Honda Element models built from LEGO® elements...

    Found these nice representations, among others:

    Pierre Normandin's Honda Element (4-stud wide)

    http://www.brickshel...ry.cgi?f=259817

    http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/32080

    Bransford L's (6-stud wide)

    http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/323853

    Great models above!

    I'll add my version to the mix.

    http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/345920

    honda_element_jmathis.jpg

    Next up is (maybe) to work out a version that uses pieces that are readily available via LEGO S@H Pick-A-Brick®....

    -James

  18. Posted · Edited by James Mathis

    In recognition of the 2002 release of the Santa Fe Super Chief train, presenting the micro scale ONE stud wide Santa Fe Super Chief.

    micro_santa_fe_super_chief_10th_anniv_v02_800px.jpg

    LEGO Cuusoo project page:

    http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/23345

    MocPages:

    has LEGO Digital Designer® LXF file.

    http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/336864

    BrickShelf:

    deep links before moderation:

    parts list page 1 of 2:

    http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/jamathis/MiniModels/microTownAndTrain/microOfOfficialSets/SuperChief10thAnniv/micro_santa_fe_super_chief_10th_anniv_v02_parts1of2.jpg

    parts list page 2 of 2:

    http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/jamathis/MiniModels/microTownAndTrain/microOfOfficialSets/SuperChief10thAnniv/micro_santa_fe_super_chief_10th_anniv_v02_parts2of2.jpg

    Should you like this Super Chief in ONE, you are invited to vote for the Cuusoo project equally as well as simply sourcing the parts from the above links and information using element in your own collection, BrickLink, Shop at Home Pick-a-Brick, etc..

    Potential expansion. I can envision add-ons to this concept, which I would love to see what others' might come up with, such as:

    - wooden bridge over waterfall, lake, or stream/river

    - Train station from Chicago, Kansas City, Albuquerque, and Los Angeles, USA

    - Super Chief diorama set in a city OR Mid-Western USA farmland (corn, wheat fields) OR ???

    Thanks for checking it out.

    -James Mathis

    PS: A bit of history of the LEGO version of the Santa Fe cars 10022 and 10025-- I was an original design contributor/collaborator to make these sets (please note: I did NOT work on the Santa Fe locomotive set 10020-- just want that to be very clear.) I later designed a couple of versions of a dome car (privately, unofficially)-- as did quite a few other excellent LEGO train builders-- and this ONE scale micro Super Chief has a dome car in the consist. Again, my thanks to you for checking out the concept and model, if nothing else than for the novelty.

  19. Posted

    No, no..... ;-)

    Please return to your excellent 6wide designs, which brought me out of my dark ages a decade ago.

    Return to 6wide...

    What can I design for you? :classic:

    Seriously, I like to design with a purpose. Do you have a suggestion?

    Perhaps I can design it in both SIX and ONE?

    -James

  20. Posted

    Wow, totally new inspiration for the pleasure dome:

    6771787217_daf2d7db83_z.jpg

    Anyone ever seen this? What is amazing is that this photo was taken about 10 miles from where I grew up, and I even recognize the location. This is a full length pleasure dome with a neat observation window on the rear end. This could make a pretty cool MOC passenger car.....

    Brickshelf gallery of designer named grapeape is a good source.

    Here is grapeape's end observation theater car prototype.

    James Mathis

    Here are the instructions for the James Mathis designed Pleasure Dome (Swooftie link): http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=119484

    I started with these and made some changes to my own liking for my own SFSC Pleasure Dome.

    I I've looked at alternatives for the dome as those glass pieces are hard to find in the US in the quantity needed but in the end I just ordered anough for 2 models from italy (as I'll be doing a Pleasure Dome in my EMD-7F update project).

    The two curved panels do match-up quite well but they are a bit tall to use standing up. Maybe if you used 4 of them laid on their side that would work?

    6750335061_95c89f5215.jpg

    The these parts end up being 6 wide by about 11 and a half studs long, the dome in James Mathis' design is 12 studs long.

    tee_obs_car_v1_1.jpg

    Is this the look you are going for?

    Some MLCad renderings of this type in my German Intercity Express folder.

    I also designed a dome car using clear macaroni bricks.

    James Mathis

    This solution looks pretty close to some of the 1st class cars on the Glacier Express in Switzerland.

    Glacier-Express-Train-Observation-Car-Switzerland-Europe.jpg

    RHB9921.jpg

    And someone did a lego model already

    Glacier1

    Glacier Express-inspired observation:

    cityexpress_v1_6.jpg

    James Mathis

  21. Posted

    From polygon 9v track to 1-stud trains, I'm curious of how they move? Air hockey style? I'll might have a crack at my own trains in 1 stud style. Brilliant all round Mathis. Cheers. :)

    Please check out my brickshelf file. Just search 'borgshadow'.

    These look great. I particularly like this box. Now, that is a collectible..

    -James

  22. Posted · Edited by James Mathis

    No, no..... ;-)

    Please return to your excellent 6wide designs, which brought me out of my dark ages a decade ago.

    One may be my present-day response to my own decade-old aging.

    "One on the shelf" philosophically fulfills:

    1) Historic Appreciation:

    - Reminder of a "Golden Age" (for me and others') or an "Early Age" when I discovered "rec.toys.lego" (was there a .trains?)

    - Reminiscent of my own growth with LEGO® System Town, Train, and Space sets. These sets from the mid-1970s to early 1990s held my hand, tutored and mentored me into an understanding and appreciation of ever clever construction techniques and the introduction of many new element shapes-- partly SNOT elements.

    - Reimaginations of such classic town, train, and space sets again, reminds me of my youthful days-- and coincidentally the origin of the Minifig.

    - With the mini/micro models, I try to honor our collective origins and inspiration of the LEGO Designers as delivered in amazing set design, creative constructions, and ingenious element (brick) production.

    - Personally, I also reimagine in the scale of One, several of my favorite MOCs from 6-wide trains: the convenience of One on the shelf is a simple space-saver, while the staged presence prompts my memory of my 6-wide trains

    2) Artistic Challenge:

    - Discover an essence of design, color, form, and presentation.

    - Reimagine in a scale of One-- to downsize to the smallest scale possible?-- yet preserve the recognizability of these iconic trains from both real-life and of official LEGO® sets.

    3) Price Challenge:

    - In conjunction with Piece-count challenge, create models of minimal piece count, so to be "affordable" (surely a relative term!) to purchase via Shop at Home Pick-A-Brick or (the sadly now defunct) Design byME.

    4) Playful Challenge:

    - Preserve some semblance of a "play set" environment, complete with road plates, guided rail (straight) train track, and modularity

    - Here, we interact with the models of One, which now reminds us (me) how we used to play with police trucks, fire trucks, and trains, etc. on our town layouts with LEGO® system road plates.

    - It's in miniature, it's cute, fun, easily displayed, (somewhat )interactive... and a creative challenge.

    5) Psychological (amateur) Analysis?:

    - Our brains "fill-in-the-details" so that One in the hand, becomes Six in the mind, and subsequently the "real life" article.

    - We can "see" in our Mind's Eye the 6-wide trains (and other similar minifig-scale models) that we play(ed) with as children and create now as adults.

    - One brick can take on many meanings in a context surrounded by a collection of One bricks: adjacent collections of bricks, in the proper configuration, define and assign meaning to their respective neighbors. A simple one-stud circular plate can be a sandwich, or a person, or a snowball, or a light, or a wheel all depending upon the bricks that surround or connect to it. The scale and interpretation of the scene builds from One brick to the next One brick.

    And, to some degree, each of us is One brick, neighbored by other One bricks...

    :pir_wacko::wub:

    Mahalo,

    James Mathis

    Cute! Cant wait to see the Super Chief in this version... default_classic.gif

    Here is the Super Chief in brick. I need to revise the War Bonet stripes, as I like the CAD rendered version much better.

    One real brick Super Chief

    And here is a LDD Super Chief... complete with Dome Car:

    slide28.jpg

    -James

    Really clever James and I find your introduction/presentation really amusing. I like "One" - in fact it's one very nice collection of trains!

    While all the trains are nice, I really like the orange and white monorail. How are those grey side tiles attached?

    Great line-up! In fact, I had to create a new category in the MOC Index. Your image is the first or as some might say, #1. :thumbup:

    EDIT: in counting the MOC index images, yours is twenty-one. :laugh:

    The monorail side tiles are attached using the "Lamp Holder" element 4081.

    4081b.1085317550.jpg

    and a 1x1 round plate on each side of the lamp holder.

    I must admit that the monorail is "stuck" to the track. The lamp holder element plus the two flanking 1x1 round plates allows the side tiles to attach. The "flanges" on the flanking 1x1 round plates "grip" the one-stud wide tile trackway- a bit tenuously. However, I find the appears to be attractive (if not actually swoosh-able) in static pose, particularly since the shape of the lamp holder element actually "elevates" the monorail train ever so-slightly off the surface of the tiled monorail track.

    -James

    From polygon 9v track to 1-stud trains, I'm curious of how they move? Air hockey style? I'll might have a crack at my own trains in 1 stud style. Brilliant all round Mathis. Cheers. :)

    Please check out my brickshelf file. Just search 'borgshadow'.

    The trains (not monorail) slide fairly easily in tiled 1-stud wide grooves. Imagine placing your hand on the top/back of one of the trains, then simply rocking your hand back-n-forth, sliding the track between two imaginary "end-stop" train stations. This works for trains in which the undersides are fully connected across adjacent wagons/coaches with 1-stud wide plates. The high speed train coaches are interconnected this way; however, I built the freight wagons individually so the "play" method can be to occasionally swap the freight cars around. It is simple enough to build each car individually or build a full train as one connected consist.

    -James

    Wonderful, clever work! I made some ONE planes a while back and thoroughly enjoyed the minimalist part of the challenge.

    Now, those trains... about the curved tracks...

    Oh, I'd love to see your ONE planes. Agreed the minimalist is a fun challenge.

    Curves, that, we must work on...????

    -James

  23. Posted

    Aloha.

    Since building 6, 8, and 7. Even down-sizing to 2 for a bit many years ago... and observing others' 10, 12, 14, and beyond...

    I discovered One.

    Wonderful One.

    At one.

    1 : 1

    One with 1.

    Inspired by the:

    1) 2-wide train gift at the First LEGO Train Summit, NYC, circa 2001

    2) nearly decade old Star Wars Mini models

    3) AFOL micro city

    4) LEGO Architecture sets

    5) LEGO Mini Modular set

    6) others' One wide trains

    7) ...and acknowleding All the micro that inspired "before"...

    I've engaged One.

    One Stud Rail.

    img_0592_800.jpg

    A gallery of One at BrickShelf.

    And, CAD renderings here.

    And some Architecture-inspired designs, space (2-wide), and other designs in my mini models gallery.

    One stud rail and other mini/micro models on display: James Mathis at Cuusoo. NOTE: You may need to click on the "PROJECTS" link at the right side of the page so that the page populate with the the specific project list (seems to be a problem when open the page.

    Maybe a few more posts to this topic, but it might only be just this One.

    One Brick.

    mahalo,

    James Mathis

    PS: just one wafer-thin brick...

    One stud to rail them all...

  24. Posted

    In 2011:

    I purchased brick from S@H through both Design byME and Pick-a-Brick.

    I also priced-out the same design through Design byME and Pick-a-Brick.

    Model piece quantitiy: about 450 pieces.

    Design byME cost: around US$90.

    Pick-a-Brick cost: around US$60.

    Design byME: easy "buy" button, then "walk" through the box design, etc. to shopping cart.

    Pick-a-Brick: laborious task of deconstructing the model and "hand" documenting all the pieces used in the model (using LDD picker tool to grab all of same part shape and same part color), then shifting over to Pick-a-Brick website to "hand-enter" all piece shape, color, and quantities. Double-checking bill of materials, wheh!

    Design byME: Getting a custom box with nice high-resolution image of the model was pretty cool. Of the sets I bought, only one came with printed instructions, and that had a lot of "hanging-in-space" or "hidden piece additions" constructions that unfortunately could not match the quality of official LEGO in-set instruction books. Result: I either built from memory or loaded the model up in LDD to rotate, hide-bricks, and reverse engineer my own design.

    Pick-a-Brick: No instructions here. Just open up the model in LDD... same as I did for the Design byME product.

    At the end of the build, either with DbyME or PaB, the models would be the same. With DbyME, I now have an empty box that I will try to preserve for posterity-- especially since the DbyME program is no-more. I guess I have my personal "collectible", as does everyone else who purchased their own model from DbyME.

    I enjoyed Design byME. I liked the pairing to the PaB palette. The price premium for the DbyME box was leading me to solely procure the parts via PaB. In the near-term, I may try to print or fill an Excel spreadsheet with the PaB inventory, but that seems a daunting task!

    Does anyone have ideas how best to work withe this LDDv4.2.5 and strictly utilize only the PaB palette?

    Thanks.

    -James Mathis

  25. Posted

    Anyone know what the "send" button does?

    This "send" button is located in the upper right corner below the "build", "view", and "building guide" icons.

    When I click "send", get a message that the model is being up-loaded to LEGO.com, then screen area within LDD goes blank (brick palette and model disappear), then the LDD screen repopulates. No further dialog box pops up nor does any web page to a LEGO/LDD/gallery popup. Maybe this "send" feature is a remnant of the Design byME removal? Or, hopefully, and I speculate with great hope, that the "send" button remains as a place-holder for us to upload the model for some way in which to buy the parts from Pick-a-Brick.

    I, too, wish that the palette in basic LDD mode reflected the inventory of parts available from Pick-a-Brick.

    Thanks for having this discussion.

    -James Mathis