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Hello all, I'm starting a series on YouTube about how to enter the wonderful electric world of 12v Lego trains, and I thought I'd share it here for those of you who may have heard of this line but never learned much. In my opinion, this is the Golden Age of Lego trains and something that won't return in the foreseeable future- the remotely operated points, signals, plus other accessories and the train designs are uniquely fantastic. It's pretty inaccessable to those of us in the United States, and I know I would have really appreciated a guide when I started my journey nearly 2 years ago- so I'm trying to provide a comprehensive starter guide if you are just getting into 12v trains. This is one of the only videos out there to serve this purpose. The first part is already published and is about the different core components of a layout- and, it includes a section regarding voltage converters (aka "step up and down transformers") for those of us in the US, because we need to create European outlets to plug the 12v transformer into. I'm editing the second part right now, which will be an overview of the 9 train sets and which to purchase if you have no prior experience/knowledge, and I will reply to this post with the second part when it's published. I hope you all enjoy, and learn something new if you're just starting 12v! -Reker1000000

Has anyone figured out how to integrate the 2x6x2 black weight bricks into 7810 (with 12v motor installed)- and this is the important part- without altering the original stickered assemblies and without removing the stickers? I ordered the set but don't have it yet, and am planning to put 7865 into it once it arrives.

Hi guys, im looking to build some 12v models in alternative colours. E.g. 7745 in all black or 7755. Looking at Bricklinking cheaper parts. Wondered if anyone had some pictures they may have of stuff they had done for some inspiration? Thanks in advance and I look forward to hopefully seeing some of your creations. ?

Well, it finally happened... I never saw one for sale until now, but on BrickLink there is a seller with a MISB 7750 listed for 9,000 euros (about $9,500). Just posting this here because I thought it might interest some of the other 12v fans out there! This is a very very rare occurrance. Edit: Also realized there's a sealed 7755 (different seller) which went up for sale since yesterday as well...

Hello everyone, My previous layout video got a lot of positive feedback here so I thought I'd post the newest one! Here it is. This is my largest layout yet, including 5 electric points, 3 signals, 1 decoupler, and 1 level crossing in addition to other supplemental sets and 3 train sets (7730, 7745, 7750). I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and it even includes a night section that has the 7745 with lights in it. I hope you enjoy!

Hi, I have a question for maintaining 12v tracks and motors, The motor speed at the first run was so fast that passenger coaches were derailed at the corner but after 10~12 mins running, it has become slower and stops in the middle of the track. So I though I may need some lubrication work and cleaning rails properly. Is spraying grease like Super lube works for lubricating 12v motors? or would affect solder part or plastic? or is there any tips for lubricating 12v motors? Also, cleaning the conductor rail, would whiskey or alcohol spirit with cloth work? as black spot does not go away. Thank you.

Hello EB, I'd just like to share with you a new video I uploaded to YouTube yesterday, complete with 80s synthwave music, that is about a 12v train layout I made and features my 7750 I got recently along with a 7730 and 7745. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out! -Reker1000000

Hi all and Happy New Year!!! Since I'm waiting for H0 parts to arrive to continue my experiments, I am browsing the Internet a lot to get some inspiration. Searching for some American locomotives I found (again) the Bipolar, a locomotive which I like a lot...but I always end forgetting its name. I recall the GG1 in my mind...but the name Bipolar name simple does not fit into my 64kb of memory (38911 bytes free)! So, I thought it could be nice to try this big lady in 12v, just for fun. In this case, I built the E-2, the lattest rebuild of one of the Bipolar family, made in 1953. It's a massive thing, and the two motors will surely be helpful to move the locomotive and the Hiawatha train (I did not design the wagons, but for sure they would be...heavy!!!). As the original E2, the locomotive has asymmetric details on the two "big noses". The colors are WRONG - yellow should be orange, black should be dark gray, so I kept a 7740 paint scheme, well suited to the color range available in the 80s. As any high-end locomotive it has some expensive parts (all the windows). One note - the 2x2 windows can be also in old gray (from 7740), a bit cheaper option. The locomotive has 6 point of articulation, I think it could manage the R40 curves - my real life DB BR78 is less articulated, just to made an example. As you can see, the whole body seems a bit taller than normal 12v trains, but all in all, the real bigger details are the two pantographs. I don't think I'll ever build it in real bricks - for the only reason that I'm not so convinced to see it going around R40 curves. Maybe it could be a good shelf queen I hope you like this one! Ciao! Davide

Book Review (Review by Thorsten Benter) Almost a year has passed since initial publication of this book. There are a number of on-line reviews available – this one on EB seems to come in a bit late. Well, I don’t think so, in contrast. This book is a comprehensive how-to-build-a-train resource rather than a compilation of what is out there. And this sets the book aside from so many others. It will be up-to-date as long as The LEGO Company produces bricks and sets. Plus, with the arrival of the Powered Up system, more space becomes available inside the train body as compared to comparable PF functionality: The dedicated receiver becomes obsolete and no line of sight is required for communication creating some additional space – space for sophisticated building techniques! This books tells you everything you need to know about the historical LEGO train theme development at TLG, about scales and widths, about pivot points, microstriping, SNOTing and offsetting, and so much more with relevance to train building! (Note: A PDF copy of this review with higher resolution pictures will be shortly available at Holger’s website) Summary: A must-have for every LEGO train fan, for people entertaining the idea of getting into LEGO trains, and for people who still don’t know that they will become train fans after reading the book Superb photography of LEGO models, outstanding renders of CAD models In-depth analysis and assessment of the different LEGO train eras Demonstration and teaching of advanced building and design skills My personal LEGO book score: 10/10 About the book: Author: Holger Matthes Published: Oct. 2017 by No Starch Press Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA. Hardcover, 135 pages + 90(+) pages reserved for 4 full building instructions (ICE train, gondola car, Swiss Crocodile, and a vintage passenger coach), 150+ most relevant and educational figures (excluding the beautiful chapter openers or page breakers as well as the set building instructions), 20+ tables including bulleted lists. ISBN: 1-59327-819-5 Price: € 14 (Kindle edition, Amazon); € 23 (Print edition, Amazon) both as of 9-2018. $ 19 (ebook only), $ 25 (ebook and print edition, nostarch.com) both as of 9-2018. The present English edition published by No Starch Press is based on the initial German edition “LEGO Eisenbahn – Konzepte und Techniken für realistische Modelle”, which was originally published by dpunkt Verlag Heidelberg, ISBN: 978-3-86490-355-7. The initial German edition of the book based on Holger’s manuscript composed in 2015/16 caught the attention of foreign publishers: It began with the present English edition in 2017. It then took a bit longer until the Chinese publisher “Posts & Telecom Press” (who has already published a bunch of LEGO books written by fans) very recently released the Chinese version: http://www.ptpress.com.cn/shopping/buy?bookId=0ed0cd68-ca59-41fc-9bf9-193b06089996 (ISBN: 978-7-115-48419-2): After publication in 2017, No Starch Press’ English version became the reference for further translations. In summer 2018, the Spanish (“LEGO TRENES”; LEGO TRENES https://www.amazon.es/TRENES-Libros-Singulares-Holger-Matthes/dp/8441540179) and the Italian (“TRENI LEGO”; https://www.amazon.it/Treni-Lego-colori-Holger-Matthes/dp/8868956411) editions became available. And the Russian version is on its way (sorry, Holger couldn’t tell me any further information about its availability): (Note that the Russian cover on the right is purely made up by me – Google translator says the Cyrillic headline reads “in preparation” – but who knows …) About the author Holger Matthes is a hobbyist who has been building with LEGO since 2000. He was involved in the creation of various official LEGO projects such as the Hobby Train set #10183 and frequently presents his models and gives workshops at LEGO exhibitions worldwide [copied from Amazon website]. Table of content of the book (short version) Part 1: Overview and history Introduction A history of LEGO trains Part 2: Building your own train models (My own creations – MOCs) Basic principles Designing your own models Case studies in design Part 3: Building instructions A note on the included building instructions Appended to the body of the book, you’ll find four high quality and carefully composed instructions in addition to two free online instructions: Inter-City Express (ICE; driving and trailer cars, PF motorization, windshield designs) Gondola car Swiss electric Be 6/6 “Crocodile” Vintage passenger car Steam Engine BR 10 (as bonus online available at http://holgermatthes.de/bricks/en/br10.php) Steam Engine BR 80 (as bonus online available at http://holgermatthes.de/bricks/en/br80.php) There is further information available online. Holger directs you to https://www.nostarch.com/legotrains; but most of the very valuable stuff is actually hosted on his website. I highly recommend to visit his site: http://www.holgermatthes.de/bricks/en/index.php. You will find a wealth of background information, tips&tricks, how-to, and much more. The Book Let’s face it: Almost one year after initial publication, Holger still sets the stage with this book for LEGO train fans. It will be tough to get it much further; not on 135 pages (not counting the instructions pages), not with regard to the topics covered, not with regard to the width of the audience addressed. This book provides diverse perspectives on the art of building LEGO trains, coaches, and rolling stock – and is at the same time always determined, focused, and addresses most relevant “issues”. Train builders repeatedly face tough challenges: A train is not a building, which simply resides in all its beauty; rather trains are work horses – either hauling heavy cargo loads or endless passenger coaches, or switching rolling stock for hours and hours in a train show – or on your personal layout. At the same time, a LEGO train is “beautiful” and “esthetic” in the recognition of a train fan - as a building is for City fans. However, to be able to render real trains into LEGO models, regardless on the scale used, requires some serious knowledge about the myriads of LEGO bricks available, about advanced building techniques, and even electrical wiring skills. There simply isn’t much space in a LEGO train. Space as in “Space … is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.” [Douglas Adams, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, 1979]. It is usually >extremely< packed inside a LEGO train model, particularly when electrifying it. Shaping the outer appearance with advanced building methods such as SNOT or angled and carefully secured pieces usually eats up all the space inside the hull. And lastly: Trains need to be sturdy. They not only haul heavy loads – they also have to run endless distances on track – in the best case on long stretches of straight track and smooth curves, here and there a bit bumpy – in the worst case negotiating endless and sharply bent curves and switch points in complex rail yards. This is exactly what Holger addresses in his book: How to achieve a sturdy, reliable, and at the same time esthetic and beautiful train. And we should just get it straight from the very beginning: Stickers are frequently recognized as the “icing on the cake”. And this is certainly true. BUT: Believe it or not, you can also legally “build” tiny lines, sloped coloring, narrowly split windows and much more when using advanced building techniques! And that sets aside this book from so many postings, building instructions, and other resources: Holger shows us how to accomplish “brick-built stickering” by using the endless variety of bricks and plates to build streamlined and nicely accentuated and smooth surfaces – rather than using the bulky, essentially non-LEGO-philosophy-but-by-TLG-released ICE #55768 nose with stickers attached all over it … There is so much more in the book. This is what I am trying to highlight in the following. Holger’s book is a must for us all: Beginners, advanced builders, as well as Train Tech gurus! And those who believe that they already are. One more thing to add: Photography and CAD image rendering. Or: A picture is worth a thousand words. Holger says: “The biggest thank you goes out to my old friend and master photographer Andy Bahler, without whose pictures this book would have been useless. His commitment, night after night, was above and beyond expectation …” The pictures are spectacular – you will notice right away. Organization of the book There are three parts in this book, although there is no such explicit assignment in the table of contents. Holger tells us on page 2 though: “The first part of the book gives an overview of LEGO trains over the different eras, covers some history, and answers questions about how to combine old LEGO trains from the attic with today’s kits. The second part of the book is about building your own LEGO train models, also known as My Own Creations (MOCs). Using my many years of experience building LEGO models, I’ll show you how to create proper train models, covering both the possibilities and the limitations. Finally, the book ends with step-by-step building instructions for several models.” Usually, the table of content is a good starting point for the organization analysis. However, this book is extremely focused and self-contained in each of the chapters of the three parts. This is very helpful (and also very different from other books), as the LEGO universe, including train worlds, is as diverse as it possibly gets. The number of pieces alone currently available through TLC’s official channels such as LEGO sets, PaB, and LEGO stores – or even more so – through the uncountable BrickLink stores around the globe is truly mind-boggling. Well, it is not only the sheer number, but more so the endless combinations possible – and what you achieve with such. Chances are: One gets rapidly lost and a little frustrated. Exactly this is NOT happening when “reading” this book. OK. We do it differently – as it seems appropriate for a “different” book: We walk through, as the very nice and focused organization of the book simply allows that. Part 1 “INTRODUCTION Decades ago, the toy designers at LEGO likely never imagined how durable their work would be. Today, parents can dust off their childhood LEGO trains and play together with their children who have just received their first brand-new LEGO train set. And fans of all ages can revive older sets and parts to create entirely new models.” In order to prevent such an almost natural “disorientation” or lost in parts and ways to connect them, in part one the book begins with a review of on-line resources. Information-, instruction-, and brick-availability-wise. Holger lists only the most relevant internet locations. Start here and progress further on your own. It makes your building life so much easier. As with every printed book, online references may become outdated at some point in time. Holger names thus only most reliable web portals, which will most probably exist for a long time. “A HISTORY OF LEGO TRAINS Let’s explore the evolution of the LEGO train systems from the earliest set to the present.” Next, there is a historical review of which type of train system was available at what time defining an era. This is rather significant. First of all, this approach results in a theme classification rather than a temporal evolution of sets: The blue, grey, 9V, RC, and PF era. As the pieces from different areas are naturally largely interchangeable (otherwise it would not be LEGO!), you may mix them as you see fit. Nevertheless, each era has a certain typical appearance – if you want to capture that, you need to know what was going on during that particular era. As an example, people in love with the grey (12 V) era often capture the look and feel of that time – for example studs everywhere, not many curved bricks/diverse slopes (as they were not available at that time) – rather limited colors schemes, black, red, and yellow ... The reader learns what has been produced when and in what color scheme. There is also ample of information on the technical features of each era – it appears as if the author is deeply involved and well connected in the LEGO train community – all the way up to participate in the design of selected sets. Holger shares his knowledge with the reader – always in a concise and focused way. It is pointed out that Holger is not even attempting to compile a complete list of sets available within the different eras – in contrast, he is summarizing the unique era characteristics and features. He focuses on power sources, tracks (including switches and crossings), and other elements (wheels, baseplates, in addition to unique features, such as trucks, couplings and buffers). The grey (12 V) era sections stands out of course, as this was the most diverse and most creative train theme ever (IMHO, of course!). Here you will find an – again unique – compilation of “remote-controlled accessories”, “windows and doors”, “light bricks”, “weighted bricks” … What I personally find extremely useful – and it must have been a considerable effort – is i) a summary table, listing the most important features of each era, and ii) Holger’s evaluation of these features he headlines as “Seen from today’s perspective”. Even long-time and experienced train enthusiasts will surely find valuable information in this chapter! Part 2 “BASIC PRINCIPLES Let’s dive into the world of LEGO elements and explore the endless ways to connect them.” Now that one knows the individual features of the different eras, Holger opens part two of the book with a compilation of relevant LEGO pieces for train building. It is really surprising how many there are! I have built trains myself – seeing all the various elements nicely grouped and organized makes it so much easier to get an overview of individual pieces, select the ones you may want to try out – and compare them to other options. This section is extremely helpful when you start off with a new model – or when you want to overhaul an already existing train. In the following section, Holger introduces typical train specific building techniques (although you can use many of them throughout the entire LEGO universe!). And is not surprising that there are eleven dedicated pages on SNOTing and fractional-plate offsetting in all three dimensions. These are the most crucial techniques when shaping the look of a train. SNOT (studs not on top) is a powerful technique and has become very popular among train fans. Originally rather restricted to a few elements, which allowed to “reverse” the building order, the LEGO Company has released a broad variety of SNOT elements over time. These are of course also shown in the preceding chapter on relevant LEGO train pieces. I’d say that this chapter is extremely important for beginners and of great interest to experts as there are various approaches shown side-by-side. At least for me this chapter is highly inspiring. The same is true for plate offsetting, i.e., building with only one half stud or even less displacement off the stud grid. First, the look of a train becomes much smoother even when not using curved bricks; secondly, this technique allows you to literally “build” colored surfaces with fine structures and even thin stripes (called microstriping). Without using stickers that is … Ever used minifig guns to create pantographs? Or ice skates as door handles? No? Well – Holger shows you! “DESIGNING YOUR OWN MODELS You might be wondering if you’re ready to begin making your own models. Which train should you build? Maybe you should start with the commuter train that takes you to work every day, or a freight train? And who hasn’t dreamed of a beautiful steam engine in LEGO?” Now we are getting down to business. The following two chapters of part 2 are not about “building a train” – they are about “how to do it right”. We are talking about scaling and modeling rather than “pushing along”. Before Holger goes into details though, he points out the importance of thoroughly choosing a scale. This is an extremely important decision to be made when attempting to model a real-world train. How much detailing is required? How much abstraction is allowed? Citing Holger again (page 73): “Building a recognizable model isn’t about scaling every part exactly, although proportion matters. Intentionally omitting some details or exaggerating others is usually necessary. Scale modeling with LEGO is a bit like drawing a caricature: the end result may not be an exact likeness, but it is recognizable and undeniable.” We learn about model scales (1, L, O, HO …), alternative approaches (scaling by wheel size) as well as choosing a model width (6-, 7-, 8-stud-wide). Don’t mix these up – almost any scale may be used for any track width! There are so many diverse examples here on EB. Holger narrows the scope of widths covered in his book to 6 - 8 stud wide (see cover page of the book), as these are the widths most builders choose – in addition to the official 6-wide LEGO models. He discusses the advantages and downsides of each of these widths in detail. A very important aspect when designing and building a LEGO train – regardless of the model scale – is the official LEGO track geometry. Maximum distances of fixed axles, alleviation of this rather restricted distance using articulated single trucks (a theme repeatedly discussed here on EB), sliding middle axles in three axle trucks – you will find all the answers in this book. When it comes to attaching cars to each other – even more design aspects have to be considered, which are all discussed: Pivot points vs car distance, additional pivot points to reduce car distance, the effect of pivot points on design issues, to name a few. And then: Steam engine design: 7 full pages! As far as I am concerned, steam engines are the most challenging models to render in LEGO. To say it with Anthony Sava’s words: “I'd buy a set with a steam engine in it, but I have little interest in buying a box on wheels.” (EB Forum, April 2nd 2018). Holger shows us all the challenges and caveats. The remaining sections in this chapter are: Power and Control, discussing mostly the implementation of PF elements, Modeling Details, and Track Design and Layout. Again, extremely valuable information and guides are given. One comment on third party suppliers: At the time of writing this book, both SBrick controllers (as a replacement for PF receivers, featuring wireless Bluetooth connectivity) as well as ME Models (as a supplier of wider radii curves) were actively present on the market. As of now (i.e., August 2018) though, the new LEGO Powered Up system introduced lately makes SBricks for trains almost obsolete – and Me Models have gone out of business some time ago. There are a good number of very good 3rd party alternatives for additional track pieces – large curve radii, complex switch point geometries to name only a few. They come as superb injection molded pieces which are almost indistinguishable from original LEGO track, as well as 3D printed varieties. I believe that a book of the format Holger has chosen simply does have to deal in-depth with such developments as they are much more volatile than almost any LEGO product. Taking aside the LEGO RC interim solution of course. But again, Holger gives a full account of why RC happened at all and why its lifetime was even shorter than that of many 3rd party small businesses. I really enjoyed this section very much. Regarding very recent developments by TLG naturally not covered in the book (the original German manuscript was written in 2015/16): The introduction of the Powered Up system leaves much more space within a train engine so that all the building tips and tricks provided in Holger’s book become even more intriguing! It appears as we can even more freely combine advanced power/remote control options with the present advanced building instructions. Which makes this book even more valuable! “CASE STUDIES IN DESIGN Armed with the tools and knowledge about LEGO modeling covered in the previous chapters, we’ll now take a closer look at the actual design process using some of my own builds as a guide.” This chapter needs to be explored – interpreted – by yourself. This is – as far as I am concerned – the heart of the book. Here you will learn how to begin designing a model. I find this part the most difficult: How to begin – looking at the all the bricks, plates, slopes, clips, there are so many of them … so we should take this to our heart: “Designing a model is a creative and personal process: there’s no right or wrong way to build a successful model. The guidelines in this section are meant to get you started. You’ll certainly develop your own strategies along the way.” Along with: Decide on a scale and choose the width: 6-, 7-, or 8-wide? Decide how the train will be powered and what type of track it’ll run on. Choose a target audience: should it be a realistic, recognizable model, or are play functions more important? You will notice: This is about >you<! Nevertheless, you will also learn a lot in this chapter. Holger has chosen a regional express train (Bombardier double deck train), a powerful electric locomotive (Siemens Vectron engine), and a (well, Holger is German after all …) steam engine (BR 10) as case studies. This is a very clever selection – as the techniques he shows apply to almost every engine I am aware of – including American diesels as well as American steamers … or all the various European trains, Emanuele (EB member LT12V) is currently presenting here on EB … And finally … Part 3 “BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS! Get inspired with these step-by-step instructions for building an Inter-City Express, a simple gondola, a Swiss Electric Locomotive Be 6/8 “Crocodile,” a vintage passenger car, and a steam engine.” From page 136 to 227 you will find first class, high(est)-quality building instructions for the above referenced models. There is nothing more to add. As said: This book is a must … Play Well! @Jim Thank you very much Jim for giving me the opportunity of writing this review for EB - it was a great pleasure. And for sending me this wonderful book! @HoMa Thank you Holger for writing this book. And for all the additional information you gave me when writing this review and for your comments! Thanks for reading, Thorsten

Hi all, always starting from this inspiring discussion... ... @Reker1000000 introduced me to a very particular locomotive: "DB V3201 seems like it would be an interesting starting point for a locomotive to model in 12v style with the red motor..." The locomotive we're speaking about is the DRG V3201, one of the first experiments to upgrade from steam to Diesel engines. In this case, Diesel motors were available , but problem was related to transmitting their power to the wheels. Gears were too weak, Hydraulic transimission was still in development...so the idea was to replace steam with compressed air, therefore maintaining the "old" transmission system (including distribution) used by steamers. In short, it worked this way: DIESEL ENGINE --> COMPRESSOR --> RESERVOIR -->CYLINDERS --> COUPLING RODS --> WHEELS More or less what is seen in some Pneumatic locomotives made in Lego (great stuff!) with electric motors. Well, seems great, but there were many problems related to the heating of compressed air, its cooling (!) and cylinders lubrication - all for maintaining its efficiency. Here's an interesting link! http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/diesair/diesair.htm All in all - a very complex hybrid system, with many gaps to be solved with engineering "patches". But it's a cool locomotive and making it in 12v style could really be a challenging task. First of all, it's the most asymmetric thing I've ever seen , second - it's a very tormented design - which cannot be captured fully in 12v style, due to lack of parts at the time. It's however a very peculiar locomotive (depicted also in a postal stamp!!!) and it's worth to be tried. Here it is, just out of the shed , helped by a small V60. In reality, this event could not happen, since the V3201 was scrapped many years before the launch of the little shunter, but since we can do whatever we like with our fantasy, I was more optimistic and imagined a restored V3201 ready for some hystorical train! The V3201 is based on the chassis of a BR78, which - luckily - is one of the 12v locomotives I've already tried to create. Therefore, chassis was already prepared and only needed to be adapted to the longer body. This big beast has a quite boxy body, which seems to be made soldering together some parts of cabins, cut from steam locomotives. The central part of the body is sticking a bit out from the overall shape, and this is due to the big submarine diesel and air reservoirs. The main charachteristics are the two big gray radiators, the small windows on the corridor side, and those big stairs. Stairs were a nice thing to replicate, even if these are not the same as in the prototype. I did not use the big train doors, since these did not allow me to recreate the stairs and handrails. In the real thing, the stairs go over the cylinders, so using the 12v standard ones was quite a mess. I replicated them with normal parts. and this was not a problem. I had however to "cut" the stairs in half, the upper one being fixed to the body, while the lower one being part of the bogie (and turning accordingly). With the 12v motor, this design needed to be somehow adapted. On a real 12v motor, the central hole can accept an half Technic pin. Using a normal Techic brick some plates and tiles solved the problem. The ladder is kept in place by the pin and "slides" together with the motor. Between the radiator and the cabin there's a small, virtually transparent door since it's made of a panel full of small holes. The body in reality should be 4-wide in that point. I tried fences, door fences, everything did not fit and SNOTting was quite impossible (for me at least), given the limited parts available. Even Marklin's model is solid in that point, so I concentrated more on having at least a grille pattern. Using the ladder part was not so nice, it was just confusing. I therefore tried the just seen @zephyr1934 technique (thanks to you and Katy!), to have some visible horizontal lines. I used 3794b parts (jumper) . It works also with normal plates, but this is way better. Doors features a possible, even if not used at the time, SNOT for the door hadle, using headlamps bricks. Here's a shot from above, showing the 7-wide central part of the locomotive. As you can see I played a lot with the jumpers parts. And here's the "blind side" of the locomotive there's not so much to say ,being pretty smooth! Apart big red wheels and red motor, 2x1x2 and 1x1x2 black windows are there, just to remember there's some 7730s and 7750s blood inside the veins of this "thing". Here is visible the big radiator... ...and here is visible the smaller one. Looking better at the central headlight you can see some "white stuff" between the bricks - it's the classic 12v light brick with the addition of a small diode. This old trick allows the headlight to be lighten up according to locomotive's direction. Radiator is made by 1x1 plates, trying to replicate the "pattern" of the real thing. I put here red lights in 7777 style, even if these should be white, according to prototype. A brief mention to the Shed - it's an old MOD - I do not sincerely remember if I already presented it here in Eurobricks. It's a 7777 build, converted to a more shed-looking thing. Since I like to replicate dioramas in 12v style, this could be a nice addition to the overall scene. I hope you like it! Thanks again to @Reker1000000 for his inspirational idea! Ciao, Davide

Hi all, during a pleasant discussion in this thread... ...a very interesting question was raised by @SDLgo9 member: The 7777 idea book pages mentioned here are those three pages showing the blue matter (!) unloading station and the famous auto-unloading wagons. These wagons are pulled by an obscure locomotive, which is never fully depicted. In fact - the front view is missing, and there's no clear view of the boiler. I've NEVER taken care of it, nor analyzed it too much. It really seems a 7730-based locomotive, but simplified in some details. There's a strange combination of "simple look" and now overpriced rare parts. So maybe it's simple - but it is a wanted effect? Analyzing the whole scenery depicted in the book - it's not a place for a fancy locomotive. There's work to do - wagons are fully loaded and heavy, so that unloading station surely needs a workhorse. And these workhorse is powerful, maybe not so good looking, but simple and solid, ready for its everyday duty. Here's a rear view, similar to the one in the Idea Book: It's a long locomotive and it's not using the classic train base (like 7810). It's pretty boxy and looks heavy. I had to take the scans from Brickfactory and to modify the photos to see a bit better. But which parts were used of the body is pretty unknown to me. So, we have the 2x2x1 black windows on the rear part - being a 7730 derivate - there are also doors, and at this point, the 1x2x1 small black windows. But it seems (to me) that these are not facing towards the front, and instead are used as small side windows. Side reservoirs are big, so fitting the two weight bricks was not a problem. The smoke stack is visible and there's not so much to say - but the boiler...is not completely visible. I added a square steam dome just for completeness. There's an headlight on top of boiler, and it seems there are also two headlights on the "nose". They are not fully visible, for this reason I think these are not placed on the corners of the chassis. Let's try: Simple and straight - the boiler is not round, but goes down to the chassis, same "steering wheel" as in the 7730. Headlights are a bit more inwards. All in all it's a simplified 7730 nose. Then, a more "Narrow Gauge" look - always with 7730 parts: There could be more styles, just removing the front steering wheel part and playing with slope parts. Suggestions are welcome!!! Davide

In 1980 the golden (grey) age of LEGO trains started. The Grey Era was lounged with a firework of great sets like #7740 and #7750 and the train station #7822 and the entire rail system with remote controlled switches, signals and later level crossing and decoupling unit. After collecting the missing sets over the last years, I thought of building some MOCs in the classic grey era style, maybe using some newer colours and elements. But to keep the characteristics of the original sets. @Paperinik77pk already came up with a lot of extraordinary stuff for the grey and blue era. So I took the social isolation time this weekend, lowered the blinds and got the photo equipment ready for some shots. Mallet Steam Engine (inspired by #7750 and the Baureihe 99 … I just wanted to build a "large" 12V style steam engine without copying the great work of @Paperinik77pk or the large steam engine in #7777) It opens like #7750 Rear view: Full side view: With historic cars: I build 3 of these cars, inspired by Hofzug Kaiser Wilhelms II. The cars are longer then the classic 6x28 train base plate. I added a 2x6 plate at each end. This requires a special way to lengthen the couplers and buffers. The bogie plate can not be moved outer due the limitations of the train base plate. And see the simple solution to fix the minifigure shield which I use as logo of the train: V100 diesel engine (based on #7755 with shorter base and 5-wide body) V100 diesel engine and so called "Silberlinge", very typical local train in Germany in the 1970s/1980s: Trains like this were able to operate in both directions due to a steering post in the end car: Side view of the "Silberlinge": Classic 12V style interior in both cars: Small electric engine in medium/blue and hopper car #4536 in brown, ready for the 12 volt system: Small electric engine in green/red hopper cars #4536 in brown, ready for the 12 volt system: Green electric locomotive with a red 12 volt motor inspired by Baureihe E 44: Green electric locomotive inspired by Baureihe E44: Enjoy and stay healthy these days! Best regards, Holger

12 Volt Roundhouse full front view Back in April I presented some will received train MOCs in 12 Volt grey era style. Recently the Brick Train Awards caught my attention and this contest was a good reason to pick up on my 12 Volt Roundhouse project which started 2016/2017 but was never finished. So time was limited, the deadline came closer. But I made it. Now it's time to share the 12 Volt Roundhouse with you folks. I named the Roundhouse "Bamberg", the city I live in. And close to my place there is the ruin of the real Roundhouse. Nothing more to see there and the place is prohibited to visit. So my Roundhouse is just a phantasy model, like the 12 Volt grey era trains sets are also "phantasy", but pretty close to Deutsche Bundesbahn locomotives and waggons. The Roundhouse has 7 segments, one for each official steam engine of the Grey Era from 1980 - 1986 which are: 7710, 7715, 7722, 7727, 7730, 7750 and 7810. The side and back walls are build entirely with 1x2 and 1x1 plates in red and dark-red to model the characteristics of red brick walls. The segments are modular in a 3-1-3 configuration for easy transportation. The turntable is operated remote controlled using a Electric, Train 12V Remote Control 8 x 10 with 2 Circled Arrows Pattern which fits nicely with the more standard remote controls for signals and switches. An old 12 Volt Technic motor is integrated in the bottom of the turntable. The 2 cables are used to power the motor and the electric middle rail on the turntable. The cables are not placed well, the should go in the centre of the rotation point. Hmm, I need to think of a purist solution for this issue. If you build a turntable, the complete track level has to be elevated. So the complete layout (except the roundhouse and the turntable) is elevated by 2-3 layers of brick. This is really eating my basics and plates in old dark grey, dark tan and black. But it was worth it. Using an elevated brick build ground it was easy to hide all the cables for the good old 12 light posts and the power supply for the tracks in the Roundhouse. Finally some typical 1980's style vehicles and other accessory bring back the typical charm from this time. Trucks were only 4 studs wide ... long time ago. Enjoy the video and the pictures :-) Stay safe and healtyh and keep 12 Volt alive! Holger #7730 and #7727meet just outside the Roundhouse The blue workers are busy unloading the new #7750 train wheel from a #7720 platform waggon. A MOC diesel V36 engine brought in the valuable delivery. No social distancing required for LEGO blue work-men The backyard has an additional access by rail and by road. Can you spot the statue of the founder of the Roundhouse? Back door view through the Roundhouse. Can you identify the steamer on the turntable? My green Mallet steam engine on the turntable. #7750 (derailed, opps) is getting fresh coals. This graphic shows the wiring diagram. The 12 Volt trafo powers the turntable and the selected track. The V36 MOC engine has some trouble. The hood was lifted off so the blue mechanic man can fix this issue. It's getting late, but the blue workers are still busy. Not very secure to keep the lights on while weltering the mast? Top view of the Roundhouse at night. All pictures also in my Flickr album https://www.flickr.com/photos/holgermatthes/albums/72157715067356186

Hi all, this time I propose a real build, it's not completely new - many of you surely has seen it in some of my digital renderings, but was never built. I finished it yesterday, when the red motor finally was repaired and the missing rare 2x2 black window arrived. To create this one, my third copy of 7810 was used as donor for the baseplate and black windows. So I decided to keep the 7810 number when I chose the stickers (the renderings have 7730 decals). Just to explain, all my MOC locomotives keep numbering of original Lego sets from which are derived in terms of parts. To celebrate its arrival, I used my small 12v test track. As you can see is a very simple build, standardized in 12v style adding the black side doors (absolutely not present in the prototype), and 5 2x2 black windows. The red motor was a must- I tried to use the black one - but it wasn't the same thing!!! This motor was not running anymore, so I bought a black one in bad aesthetic conditions as donor. I removed the electric motor from black shell, cleaned all inner parts, reinforced the red shell internally with some superglue (it had some cracks), changed axles (using the ones from black motor) and performed a test. Once the test was ok - I finally glued the two parts of the red shell. Even if the chassis is common to other locomotives, it seems very small. The inside is small aswell, and I only could fit a lever in 7750 style. You can see the 12v light brick and its cables. I bought some 12v light microbulbs - maybe I will succeed to light up also the rear headlight when going in reverse. Even if it has no weight bricks, it still has a decent pulling power and runs fine with small wagons. Now it needs its own set of cars. I hope you like it!!! Ciao, Davide

Two great trains are dueling on 12v gray track: the British Railways HST 125 vs the Deutsche Bahn BR403 "Donald Duck"! Two big countries with high expertise on trains,two different power sources (Diesel vs Electric), same speed (above 200km/h or 125mph). Who will win this Lego contest? None of them, since they both are built on the same Lego platform and shape - I created first the "Donald Duck" in Lufthansa colors and then I modified it a little to recall the HST125. So same power cars ,and same wagons, only with a different paint scheme . I've always focused on standard trains, and this is my first experiment with fast ones. After all , during "gray Era" we've seen a lot of steamers, diesels, electric trains...but only one example of fast train. So here's a shot of the DB403, with an applied sticker on front "window" to simulate double windscreens... ...and one of the "Screaming Valenta" - here the sticker is a bit different, but you can easily tell it is only a bigger one! Both are using parts available in the last years of "Gray Era" (so they could have been made starting from 1987). The HST could be a bit older than the 403 - since it's using the old style blue window in the cabin. I could also recreate a yellow sticker to cover the outer part of the trans-clear headlight, but I preferred to keep it as it is (just imagine the sticker detaching when the glue is old...I HATE that sensation ) Both could have working headlights, the DB403 can use a 12v light brick on top headlight. For the HST125 the problem is how to diffuse light from light brick to transparent slopes. But both trains could also leverage on 9V lights, which were already available at the time. The 9v Battery box fits easily in both bodies. Finally the 7745 has some internal competition!!! Hope you like these two! Ciao! Davide

So, I'm curious... Does anyone else have a stage of a build, whether it be a building, rolling stock or, as in my case, complete layout that they have a love-hate relationship with? We move house too often for our liking, so recently I've been building new layouts every 2 to 3 years, and being a 12v based layout it involves a lot of wiring (see below for a bit of it). Much as I love the end result, the wiring drives me nuts and I really slow down in my progress when I get to the point of needing to do it all. Anyone else got "pet peeves" so to speak that are part of the fun? 20200927_115339 by andyglascott, on Flickr

Hi all, another appeal to the collective EB mind, maybe particularly to my fellow 12v enthusiasts. I'm installing all the wiring and controls on my new layout, and the lights on the level crossing don't flash. The flashing is controlled by this piece, and I suspect it's just getting old.... (I probably bought it 35 years ago.) Have any other 12v fans had this issue? Is it solvable? I've tried the usual checks of reversing the plugs, connected a light directly to the unit on a single short wire etc, but they will only come on and stay on rather than flash. While I'd rather not open it, if it's possibly repairable I'm willing to try, because I don't need it to just have the lights on. Alternatively, is there a simple piece of electronics I could wire in between the control unit and the lights to add flash back in? (I have little to no soldering skills.) Thanks, Andy Ok, update already.... When I looked at this listing for a replacement the seller mentioned turning the unit upside-down. And the light flashes..... Any thoughts? Update 2 - The control buttons are a distance away from the 12v power pack, so connected via a wire. Switch the plugs on that around and the lights flash.... Feeling slightly dumb, but rather than remove the post I'll leave it up to hopefully help others out.

Hi all, My croc arrived a couple of weeks ago and got built last week. I put one of the 12v Technic motors (image below) in it and improvised a working, albeit imperfect, power pickup for the 12v centre rail. When I apply power I can hear the motor is wanting to work, and when I lift the centre unit (I haven't attached the end units in tests yet) off the tracks and supply power directly to the motor, it works fine and the wheels turn. Put it on the tracks, with power directly from the 12v power supply and it won't move, so my guess is that the rather old motor just doesn't have the power to get this wonderful loco moving.... Any insights or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks, Andy

Hi all, I've started to use again the 3D printer after a big time it was unused (I had to re-align it and still has some work to do). Thinking about a model of @Evans (a large steamer in 12v style with old 12v medium size wheels - those of 7750 , but in black), I tried to recreate the original 12v medium wheels design and I also tried to go further, enlarging them to 37mm size. The new wheels feature 10 spokes as the original old wheels, angled at 36° each. I used Tinkercad since it is easy and more than sufficient for my projects. And this is the result ,printed both in black and red (red filament is new - I have to understand why there is black filament residual - I'm still a total noob on 3D printing ). I printed on a medium quality setting for the red ones. The black wheels were printed on draft setting. The filament I used is PLA - a medium cost one but it works fine. The red color is somewhat between the red one used for new Large wheels and the old red of the 80s. I think there are darker and lighter red filaments, but it's really difficult to tell if the printed result will be of the correct color (the raw filament color is quite the same as the original Lego wheels, but once printed...they are a bit brighter). I used a pair of normal red wheels (the ones used on wagons - like in 7720) I removed the original wheels, kept the "red axle" and used it with my 3d printed wheel. Then I locked again in place the red pin on the black wheel holder brick - and that's all. I'll post here all my experiments - there's a lot to improve! If you have any ideas or suggestions - feel free to comment! Ciao! Davide

Hi all, I gave another try to the new 12-wheeler chassis, and this time I could not resist to recreate another iconic locomotive. The real DB E03 is based on a CoCo wheel arrangement, so the 7740 locomotive was more accurate on this aspect. But I'm in the "Blue Era" , so I am a bit limited to the 4,5v/12v motor size and "rigidity". Therefore, my DB E03 is still a 12-wheeler, but in a BoBoBo-like arrangement. Don't tell anyone! This is my first DB E03 - I've never built one in other styles or sizes, apart the 7740. I chosed the first one produced since i liked that silver middle line separating the red and the yellow parts. It can be built also as a DB E103, removing the gray line in the middle of the body, adding a second line of lateral grilles, and changing the pantographs to the one-armed model (it was already used in the late 70s - so it fits the Blue Era). The correct wagons for this one could easily be the Rheingold ones, but in red/yellow color scheme. They should be a bit longer too. In this case, they would be also a lot heavier, I wonder if the 12v motor can pull such heavy things on highly-uneffective wheels lof the time. I hope you like it! Ciao! Davide

Hi all, I'd like to present you my first 12V MOC. It is a Deutsche Bahn BR78 - inspired locomotive, built using extra pieces from a 7730 and 7750. This is the third big steamer I use, along with the original 7750 and the 7777 steam locomotives. I built this one following using special pieces (e.g. lights lenses are yellow/clear like in 7750 - rubber pipes on the sides) and following the style of the early 80's Lego trains. It was simplified in many details, like the cabin (using standard doors and windows) and sides (which are missing a lot of leverages, handrails and so on). Here it is on my test station - front and rear lights are on when moving forward, small white light on the back is on when moving backwards. Hope you like it!

Hi all! After the projects, it was time for some real building. I am in "12v phase" so I concentrated on the BR50 I draw during Christmas Holidays: Since there are many expensive parts, I used what I already had at home. I ordered the two front 1x1x2 windows and a pair of big wheels. Here's the final result: It is similar to che project, but it's quite different in some parts: - Front bogie was redesigned completely - while perfectly working from turning radius point of view, its overhang made the locomotive to hit the 12v switch remote control! Now the lower part is turning according to bogie, the buffer turns too. - Chassis is higher, in order to accomodate some details (by the way, the BR50 had small wheels so I needed to increase the space between the wheels and the body. - Flexible Pneumatic tubes instead of black "antennas" to reproduce side pipes (I found this solution more...7777-ish) - Cabin is half stud lower and has a longer roof to cover part of Tender. - Some details are different, and were thought directly "on the run" - Tender is a bit longer, the one I designed was wrongly shaped. Bogies worked fine with the central ladder, but I did not remember the motor has rubber bands on it (and they get stuck on the ladders). - The connection between the thender and the locomotive is using a very very vintage part from the 60s - 12v Motor is now in the rear part of the Tender, since the unpowered bogie was easier to modify in order to accomodate the fixed bar coupling. ...and now some photos: In general, it was built thanks to some incomplete spare sets: a 7715 (doors, two red buffers, boiler parts and some wheels) , a 7810 (two windows, red ladders and black parts) and a 7710 (black parts, some plates...). It was a real fun to build it!!! I hope you like it!!! Ciao! Davide

Hi all, this evening I prepared a wagon which was in my mind for some time, but I've never built. @jtlan mentioned it in the "castering effect" thread, showing us his two very nice Umbauwagen 3YG, which are built with new parts. Since these wagons are the perfect partners for DB BR78 locomotives, I tried to replicate it in gray era style. It is very simple and straight: the narrow part where the doors should be was not replicated interiors are similar to the 7725 undercarriage is quite simple - since it must leave space to the passive steering system I added a toilet, since it was a nice challenge. It does not have a door in the photos, so the toilet is visible. After some passengers complained, I closed the door. Steering system is very basic, and it leaves space for interiors (I just noted that the two red parts have "Pat Pend" markings - my 60s collection will be happy) . The only part not used in the gray era is the 6x24 train base. It can be made of plates, but I have a lot of them - and this is a good use. I cannot use the green color, but I saw the Umbauwagen was also made in blue as a wagon-lit. Here it is with my 12v BR78 and 7820 . Hope you like it! Ciao! Davide

Hello All, So I've finally got my act together and started building my layout however due to space the Lego 12v points are my only option as the 9V/PF switches take to much room. However an electronic pair will set you back around £90-£110 with all the switch boxes etc. So my challenge was can I do it cheaper? The answer was Yes. My first design (first image) was to use the Lego servo motor as it turns 90 degrees however these are around £20, then you'd need a Sbrick or another way to control it. It works but it looks bulky. So as I use Ncontrol from 4D Brix, I like the interface, click options and Tom is really helpful. So after a quick chat he wrote some code for me to limit the movement to 90 degrees and I purchased a Monorail Switch. It is very simple, looks neat and above all works. You have to purchase the quad motor control module but the beauty is that this will do four switches. So if you have 4 switches you save £30 on the second pair. So your first pair will cost you £80 but the next pair will only cost £50. This is the cost Lego 12 Volt Points Pair @ £100 My Second Design @ £80 Lego 12volt points not motor > £20 2x 4D Brix Motors > £25 4x 1 Meter Cables > £5 4D Brix Quad Control > £30 The only downside is you lose the turning symbol but I can see that in the software so it doesn't bother me. Andy

Hi Lego train fans, I have recently bought a 7740 set and was told that there are two versions of green tray of early 12v trains sets' packaging. The early one has no side support in every corner of the green tray with relatively narrower top surface, whereas later version has thicker top surface and triangle support in each corner. In terms of tray's wall, I was told that early version is thinner and later versions. Any detail or knowledge train tech fans know about the difference of 12v train boxes packaging?