Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'depot'.
Found 19 results
-
1920s Art Deco modular "Ironwood Union Depot" - train station real world MOC
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
This modular station was inspired by a long since expired Cuusso / Ideas project, (not mine), and set 2150 Train Station from 1996 while the clock tower is inspired by Big Bentley Bust-Out (from Cars 2 set 8639) from 2011. I added a removable six track long platform and put a luggage ramp from the street side for use by the wheelchair pieces LEGO recently made. By the way: the logo right below the clock is the official LEGO trains logo built in bricks, while the words in the center (just between the middle pillars) reads "Ironwood Union Depot" in printed 1 x 1 tiles. The street side of the station has been extended towards the edge of the base-plate, allowing for a more room (and more details!) inside the building. The year of the stations completion, 1928, is right above the main entryway. The lower floor has the central ticket desk, plus pizza restaurant (complete with opening oven!) on the right side with seating available on the left wing. These wings also allow for access to the platform under the twin canopies. The second floor has the switching control room and station managers office which floats inside the exterior walls on some tile-topped pillars. This assembly is barely connected to the build by two studs. (NOTE: No stairs to the upper floor were made because that's how the official CITY sets are, so I didn't include any as I was going for an official LEGO set feel.) This a closeup of the four-sided clock tower and brick-built LEGO Trains logo. The modular station features two platform sections, two lower roof sections, one upper roof section, and the removable second floor on top of a cafe (with seating) on the lower level. The station platforms fit via Technic pins while the other sections attach via a few studs. The station building shown above has been built since 2018. I've been trying to add a good looking canopy and passenger stairs to it since about late 2019, but gave up and added one that is solid in roof panels to my Disney-lookalike instead in early-to-mid 2021. Then, in early October I saw 76183 (Riddler face off from the new "The Batman" line) and knew I had found a solution to the pedestrian staircase between both platforms. I hashed out a better, more see-through version of the canopy on the MOD Disney station which should work... it has a half stud gap right now, but it most likely is an LDD problem instead of a design one. (I hope!) The stairs are a color changed MOD of the ones in the set with more space between the tracks and a bit more height in the middle section by way of bumping the whole structure up a brick or two. There is eleven bricks of clearance from the railhead to the bottom part of the arches, meaning the twin staircase's fit most of my trains through with room to spare. However, the pantograph's on electric loco's and a caboose cupola for a freight train won't fit under the bridges. This view also showcases the neat little hanging lights used under the canopy area itself. The bridges are missing eight black candlestick parts for the lights on the part of the walkway, where the stairs have their landings. I'll also have to cut the two 48 x 48's down by eight studs on one side per baseplate to better fit the footprint of the canopy. EDIT 11/9/21: This canopy project would would cost around three hundred US dollars (or more) if I didn't have 850 of the more expensive parts already found from my own collection and with serious help from my brother. Sadly, the Disney Station MOD's canopy has been sacrificed to make this project work as well. (Using those parts knocked it down to about $160 for what you see above.) Thoughts on new development or the original station? Comments, questions and complaints are always welcome! -
1870's modular Wild West railroad depot - 7594-style MOC with free LDD file
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
This 1870's-style modular Western railroad station was originally inspired by set the Sheriff's office in 7594 (Woody's Roundup!) which I have re-named "Gold City", after set 6765 (Gold City Junction) from the Wild West theme of the mid-1990's. If this model looks familiar, your are not suffering from Deja-Vu... this model was designed and built in early 2016 for use as my original Fort Legoredo passenger station, but in a different color scheme more reminiscent of the Toy Story set that inspired it. It lasted in it's as built condition until mid-2018 when it was dismantled. (Being built of mostly reddish-brown at that time, it sadly shattered upon attempting to take it apart. ) In June 2021, I found the old LDD file and began working on it again, adding new windows, revising the roof sections and changing the overall color scheme. The street side of the station. There is a freight ramp at either end of the platform for hauling heavy items into the station proper. The main floor features the twin waiting rooms and ticket office, with a staircase to the employee's-only top floor. Upstairs is the stationmaster's office, complete with Telegraph key, opening safe, and scale for measuring silver nuggets weight / worth. Outside on this floor are two identical station signs (one on the front and on on back) along with the standard twin station clocks. The modularity of the station means the roof, second floor, main floor, and the two platform extensions are removable from each other as shown. NOTES: Here is the original model in 2016 as seen in the only photo series ever taken of it. This is not one of the best of that series, but it IS all in the shot! Also, I don't think it's going to get the newer one built in real life anytime soon... though it is 100% buildable according to BrickLink. (too many projects to build already, and it would be my fourth RR station at this current time.) The free LDD file can be downloaded from Bricksafe here. -
This modular Victorian-era train station was inspired by set 71044, Disney train and Station. It now has a chimney flue featuring two fireplaces, freight area with dual sliding doors, and three loading platforms under a large canopy. The street facing portion of the station should have the year 1891 on the studs above the two main doors. (This was the year the 100% fictional station was built.) The large clock on the tower is gone, replaced by a smaller version above the main door to the platform, while the word GLENNCOE (a slight misspelling of a real Missouri town... the real town only has one "N" in it's name.) goes above the right hand door, as this is the name of the station and the town it serves. Also in that general area of the model, you can see I removed the second floor balcony, as I thought it looked better being replaced by a window. The upper floor features the station master's office with desk and telephone, along with a much later addition than 1891, a computer to track train movements. The lower floor features the cargo depot with opening mailbox, and passenger waiting room with ticket desk. Six public waiting chairs are also included on this level. The station comes in several large, easy-to-take-apart sections: -tower roof -second floor hallway roof -second floor -first floor Train track 3-way switch designed by 4DBrix, printed by OKBrickworks. It works like a charm, and is used on the station as a funnel for trains to be switched to the proper platform. NOTES: This real-world picture of the REAL Glencoe station is from 1910. It no longer exists as a building, and this is the only known photo I could find, taken from the Facebook group, "Missouri railroad depot's and structures". (I had to ask if anyone had seen a picture, and this was it.)The rail line passed through there from the mid-1850's to the mid-1940's, when it was moved to it's current alignment, and the old one abandoned to nature. However, a little 12-inch gauge ride on railway now calls Glencoe home, as it has since the late 1950's. This station (and any of my LEGO trains lettered for the Wabash Frisco and Pacific, the name of the small 12-inch gauge line) are a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the rail line that has had such an impact on me growing up.. and still inspires me today! EDIT 5/4/21: Added real life pictures of the canopy and updated train station to this post. I also changed the formatting a bit. Some pictures of the inside details remain to be changed over to the newer style. (I.E. with the canopy showing, not the old singular platform) As usual, comments, questions, and complaints are always welcome!
-
LEGO City Station - a set 4554 / 71044-inspired MOC model with free LDD file
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
This station was inspired by several sets, chief among them 4554 (Metro Station) and 71044 (Disney Train and Station). I added a fireplace and a different, more vertically-sloped roof to the 4554 style station with the attic windows from 71044 as a bonus. The lattice windows in the arches are my own idea, while the lower half of all the windows comes from set the ones in 21324. (123 Sesame Street) The model is modular, and features a detachable track side platform, ground floor, and lift-away second floor and tower roof sections. The words "LEGO City" go on the awning above the platform entrance, while the year 1891 (100 years before set 4554 was released) goes on the street side as the date of construction completion. (Both of these should be in official printed 1 x 1 tile letters.) The street side features the same basic look as the other side, but in this case their is a staircase.... which could cause a problem for luggage trolleys and wheelchairs as there is no ramp. (It doesn't have one as they weren't required in the 1890's, when this was "built") One could easily be added to the platform ends, however. The top floor features the tiny station master's office, which includes fixtures such as a desk, telephone, and some filing cabinets. The ground floor features the ticket counter (with old fashioned cash registers), indoor seating, and cozy fireplace. Drinks on the white podium are also available for sale to thirsty travelers. Every floor and platform is grouped separately in LDD. Speaking of which, the file can be found at this link to it's Bricksafe page. As it stands right now, the parts collecting from my personal stash has started for this model, so it should be built by the start of summer, at the latest. Thoughts, comments, and complaints welcome! -
OCTAN diesel refueling depot with Santa Fe Bluebonnet F7 units
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Inspired by set 149 (Fuel Refinery) from 1976 as seen above (pic from BrickSet), this model takes the 4.5v era Shell refinery and turns it into a two-bay diesel locomotive / oil burning steam engine fuel depot for the modern PF age. The new refueling depot model features two floors with removable roof sections, two track-bays for servicing locomotives, plus a 1950's style tanker truck inspired by set 8486 (Mack's team truck, which hasn't been built yet.) The Santa Fe Bluebonnet model proudly uses no stickers, only printed parts. It's road number (327) is of a real-world Santa Fe bluebonnet engine, one that no longer survives after it's eventual conversion to a CF7 and scrapping sometime later. Sadly, all the Santa Fe F-series diesels were converted to CF7's, (whole body shell stripped away for viability reasons) and boy, were they ugly. Not many of the CF7's survive today, if any. As a side note, the locomotive bays are tall enough to let any official car through, including the double stacked container car from the Maersk train. The upper floor of the depot features a control station for monitoring the flow of fuel from the tanks on the roof to the service bay, or from the as-yet-unbuilt tanker truck to the storage tanks. The roof of the facility comes off in two sections. The upper floor features a opening door to the tanks and staircase to the lower floor and the flow-monitoring systems. Emergency fuel shutoff valve and fire extinguisher are at the top level next to the door to the tank area. This is a heavily modified version of set 8486 (Mack's Team Truck) 1950's style semi truck, like the one seen in the 1970's Spielburg movie "Duel". This time, it's a tanker truck in the OCTAN colors scheme. The model can seat one mini figure at the wheel, and features opening doors, a removable roof and a detachable tanker trailer. The tanker section features a moving stand to keep the tank stable when the cab is not there. The trailer is supposed to feature this print on both left, right and rear sides of the tank where the white 1 x 4 tiles are. The idea for this bluebonnet came to me in 2014 when I came upon @raven1280's very similar model, as seen here. I didn't want to use stickers at that time like he did, so I waited, modifying and tweaking the design until the parts came out in the correct colors to warrant it's building. (Particularly the windscreen!) Inside of the cab unit. Inside of the booster unit, with cab unit connected on the left hand side of this locomotive. (Yes, I placed it backwards to what it should be!) (NOTES: Real life model 98% done, just need the tanker truck built.) As usual, Comments, Questions, Suggestions & Complaints are always welcome! -
I'm slowly adding structures and other decorative detail to my Small Layout On a Door. My newest creation is a small train depot similar to what you'd find from the late 1800's or early 1900's throughout the US. Depots of this era pulled double duty as both a passenger and baggage stops and many depots shared similar design features. The baggage handling area was usually at one end; often with a ramp or loading dock for the easy loading and unloading of goods onto what would have been horse drawn carriages initially. The other end served the passengers and contained a small waiting area with the ticket office separating it from the baggage area. My depot is restored and repurposed for modern tourist travel. While the building itself has been lovingly restored, the old wooden platform had to be removed and a larger more modern concrete platform poured for convenience and safety. The size of my layout and the density of my track dictates I build small structures. While I built it to fit next to the main line, it also fits a few other places on my layout. I wanted to make the platforms and stairs and ramp very modular. Simple pins allow for easy removal or rearranging of these areas. I've posted the LDD .lxf file on My Bricksafe Page for anyone who wants to review, modify, copy or build it. Hope you like!
-
Barretts vintage 1901 railroad depot - Brick City Depot real life MOD
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
The model seen here is originally based upon the Brick City Depot "Winter Village Train Station", which can be seen here. I recently (2018) updated windows and doors to be white to give better contrast to the other chosen colors, and I extended the platform clock away from the wall and double-sided it so both ends of the station can see it. The following is a fictional backstory on Barretts station that I have written. (Their is a real Barretts station in Missouri, but it looks nothing like this an is not as old as my model is supposed to be. That station's history is nothing like this one!) This station was built in 1901 in Barretts, Missouri for use by Brick Railway Systems. It stands on the old Pacific Railway of Missouri right-of-way, which first ran through the area in the mid-1850's. The station is a wooden structure with a stone fireplace, indoor waiting area, and a freight storage room that was added to the station in 1928. The upper floor is for the telegraph operator, which as of 1977 the telegraph has been replaced with a computer for the dispatcher to locate any train in his sector at any time using advanced software. Here is the street side, with the date the depot was built proudly displayed. The upper floor has the computer for the dispatcher. In true Lego City style, their are no stairs to the top floor. (Though I still need to add the coffee machine up here.....) This is the lower floor, with a waiting room and ticket seller. The freight storage room off to the right was added later in the 1920's, and connects to the station via a door cut into the wall. Two sliding doors allow for cargo to be loaded onto the platform side, or out the street side for loading onto a truck. (This freight room also conveniently features a ramp for wheelchair-bound passengers to ascend into the building.) Here is the modular side of things: One left and one right platform, the station proper, the control room and it's roof are all connected by either pins or a very few studs. As usual, comments questions, and complaints are always welcome! EDITED 2/20/17: Updated the screenshots into real-life pictures. EDITED 7/24/18: Updated the model's real-world pictures and associated text. -
Mount Clutchmore small town railroad depot (modular 10259 MOD)
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
I really liked the Winter Village train station when it came out, but it it is so small, with no back wall / roof. I tried for many months and multiple design changes to get it to work, and then I recently stripped away most of the basic framework underneath to give it a cleaner foundation. This last attempt finally gave me the needed inspiration for the model as shown below. This is the result, with the LDD file available here at Bricksafe. I added a freight office, a bathroom (the toilet design was stolen from the Modular Pet Shop set but the sink is my idea) and a "stone" fireplace. Their is a loading dock for the freight section, and two detachable platforms for added track-side length. Most of the rear wall opens up 90 degrees to allow access to the inside, and the roof comes off for viewing the passenger section. The tower should have three of this clock print, while the reddish brown 1 x 4 tile on the rooftop-sign should have this "Mount Clutchmore" print. The rear features a small truck loading platform with sliding door for the freight depot, plus the fireplace. (By the way: the window closest to the staircase is the ticket seller's window.) Here you can see all the many details of this model, including the removable roof, left and right sections of platform, swing open wall and the station itself. This new station might be built at some point in the future to replace my other rural station, of which about 60% of the older one's parts will be use to built this newer model. Fun Fact: This is my first building designed for my own personal LEGO town to include a bathroom! As usual, comments, questions, suggestions and complaints are always welcome! -
The right forklift for every circumstance. My latest build has been commissioned by a german leading pallet truck and forklift manufacturer. I've built the entire line up of its truck range plus three different warehouse scenarios: unload/upload, storage and picking scene. Every scene is fitted with the right forklifts. The three different subjects are the advertising campaign of the company and in these days my work is featured on many logistic and transportation specialized magazines. It's been very challenging and even funny building all the pallet trucks and forklifts and the company has been really satisfied by the work. Below few photos. Unload/upload: Storage: The entire line-up in all its glory : More info and pics on my flickr. Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas to all of you Eurobrickers!
-
Hi, near the Danish border, in Hohenweststedt / Germany, was the 1st German LEGO distribution center. On this premises LEGO used in the 80ies an own KÖF locomotive in original yellow colour scheme. You'll find background infos in the railbricks magazine #8. The model has no motor. My goal was to create the KÖF in "LEGO scale": That means, it is a little bit smaller than the original and the buffers are on a compatible hight to other trains. You'll find more pictures in my brickshelf gallery. Thanks for watching! ThomaS
-
1920s Adventurers resupply depot with crane - Yellow 21310 / 7596 MOD
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Town
(NOTE to the mods: This model could go in the adventure forum, but since it's origin is a CITY-like set, I placed it here in the town forum. I hope that's okay!) Heading out for parts unknown, searching for lost treasure, discovering ancient civilizations, fighting the mysterious forces of evil and finding helpful allies, all in far-way lands not on any map! Check your compass, secure your gear and plot your course: It's all in a days work for the ADVENTURERS! (and yes, that was supposed to sound like a early TV / radio drama intro. ) I took the "Old Fishing Store" Ideas set number 21310 and turned back the clock on it from a rundown fishing shop in the modern era to a modular 1920's supply depot for Johnny Thunder and his friends, also known as the Adventurers. I added a set 7596-style freight Crane that's a part of "Trash Compacter Escape" (a Toy Story 3 set from 2010). I revised the color scheme of the mainly yellow building instead of the original sand green, and removed a ton of the mixed bunch of colors that were used a "patch jobs" on the dock and building proper. I removed the roof and redid it completely to be brick-built with slopes instead of plates and tiles at an certain angle. I also stripped the many windows styles off and replaced them with a single type. I added a warehouse section to the lower floor by sending one of the walls about 16 studs back, allowing for storage space for various equipment not yet designed. The back wall of the building shows off the new wall art placed on the roof section of the building: a giant propeller from a ship of some kind. I also am going to use the "Great" and "West" printed parts for the sign out on the front of the building where the "Anton's bait shop" 4 x 2 tile originally was. The back wall still opens in two sections, but the inside is a rough estimate. Some parts I already have from my previous depot model from almost 1 1/2 years ago, such as the safe, radio and various maps. Also, the two freight loading doors actually open and shut quite nicely. The model comes apart into four sections, with the main roof, tower, tower roof, and main building + dock all separating from each other. The crane was totally copied from my previous depot model, which itself was duplicated and color-changed from the dark green / white one in the Toys Story 3 set I mentioned earlier. That's all I've got so far with the building (which is coming soon in real bricks)... any thoughts or ideas for this model? As usual, Comments, Questions, & Complaints are always welcome. Stay tuned for real life pictures that might be coming in October. If you want the LDD file, it is here. -
Gothic train station "Ironwood" - 10199 / 10249 style modular passenger depot
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
This model was inspired by set 10199 / 10249, Winter Village toy Shop. I originally built this as an open-back building in 2013, and scrapped it in 2015 for a larger, full-bodied station. I never did forget about this model, and rediscovered it while looking for my Hogsmeade station to go with my Hogwarts Express model I had designed. The model will be finished in real bricks very soon, and as such I have tweaked it again by adding stairs to the top floor where the station master's office is. The track side also features a space for eight printed 1 x 1 letter tiles to be placed to designate the station name along with plenty of passenger seating along the five-track-long platform. That's three tracks longer than the new Winter Village train station, and mine also features a rear wall and second story! Here is the street side of the station. This side includes an overhang that protects passengers entering the structure from the rain along with a wheelchair / luggage ramp access to the platform. The model features two modular lift-off levels and two split-away platform sections, along with some inside details. The lower floor features a fireplace, four chairs, and a desk for workers to hand out tickets. The top level features the station master's office, which is accessible via the staircase from the lower level. Here is the complete LDD file. I already have 95% of this model collected IRL, and I just need to order the last 500 parts early next month. Comments, Questions, and Complaints are always welcome! UPDATED 8/23/17: added new pictures and staircase to the model. LDD file also updated! -
Hello mates,today I show you my latest MOC: a little diorama of a warehouse. Recently I've visited a warehouse and I was stricken by the layout. The new MOC is complete with pallets, boxes, shelves, hand pallet truck and a fork-lift.Below a couple of pics Thanks for stopping by! Andrea | Norton74
-
I was inspired by a Facebook post to the Modular LEGO Buildings group by a person named Kade Rodgers to create this railway station. Here is the original version that comes from 2011 and was later demolished: This model was inspired by set 10199, Winter Village toy Shop. The building is open backed, and features a desk on the top floor and ticket counter with cash register on the first floor. ...and here is the newer version the above model was turned into. This newer model is modular, and as such has five removable sections that combine into one medium size station. Here you can see the track side of the station which has plenty of seats (16 chairs, to be precise) for waiting passengers to sit on. Here you can see the street side, where the public enters the station from the parking lot or can directly access the platform via the ramp. You can also see the stairs to the upper floor which is where the station master's office is. This is the inside of the station, with two ticket machines and six seats for the indoor passenger waiting area. The coal burning fireplace is still used on really cold winter nights, but since the last few winters have been mild in Ironwood, it hasn't been used in a good long while. Here is the old station master's office on the upper floor, which is off limits the the public. In more recent years it has been made to function as the employee break room / switch control tower for the tracks in the immediate vicinity of the station. The entire model is made up of five sections that come apart. They are as follows: first floor, second floor, second floor roof, left platform and right platform. Sadly, their is no LDD file available for thew new station. However, comments, questions & complaints are always welcome! (EDIT 7/13/16: After hearing some good suggestions about adding a ramp back onto one of my railroad stations, I have finally finished finding the parts for it and gotten some pictures taken of the updated model. Enjoy!)
-
This station was built in 1912 in Glencoe, Missouri for use by Brick Railway Systems. It stands just a stones throw from the Meramec River on the old Pacific Railway of Missouri right-of-way, which first ran through the area in the mid-1850's. The station is a stone structure with a fireplace plus indoor and outdoor waiting areas. The upper floor is for the telegraph operator. As of 1997, the telegraph has been replaced with a computer for the dispatcher to locate any train in his sector at any time using Global Positioning Satellites. (also known as GPS) Here is the track side of the station, featuring a five track long platform. Here is the street side. Their will be printed 1 x 1 tiles spell out the town name of GLENCOE on both of the signs when built in real life. Here is the modular side of things: One left and one right platform, the station proper, the control room and it's roof are all connected by either pins or a very few studs. In reality, the town of Glencoe really exists, but this station does not. There really was a Pacific Railway of Missouri, which bored the first two railway tunnels west of the Mississippi River in the mid 1850's at Barrets, Missouri. Barrets is where the Museum of Transport is located and Glenoce has the Wabash Frisco & Pacific Railway (a 12 inch gauge steam railway) which runs for two mile round trip on the old right of way. The original model seen here is based upon the Brick City Depot "Winter Village Train Station" instructions. I think I have modified it enough to upload the LDD file, which is available here: http://www.mocpages....1421346826m.lxf I have calculated the cost of this model at around a $110 USD (give or take), and am currently raising funds to create it in real life. Comments, questions and complaints are always welcome!
-
Traditional Bus Station I've been on a rampage building Chicken Bus after Chicken Bus and I've finally got around to building a Bus Depot/Station for them. The building has been through several iterations and styles but I've finally got to a point where it had enough of a run down feel to it so that it would fit in with my economically depressed Lego City. Here's the main facade and of course it has broken windows, cracked stucco and exposed brickwork. There's a display on the roof - with another small scale Chicken Bus - just in case no-one realizes that it's a Bus Depot and I used some SNOT to build the circles in the facade. The view from the rear of the building. As I built the glass-curved roof structure it turned into something that looked like it came from a British Rail circa early-1990s design manual. And although it invoked painful memories of too many years commuting into London I decided to keep it. Loading time! And there's an interior with a waiting room, departure board and luggage lockers And a Bathroom area behind the wall with the arrow pointing the way. And a final image with yet another Chicken Bus I hope you enjoyed it! Comments, criticisms, and ridicule most welcome - now excuse me I have a bus to catch!
-
My Lego Town is continuing its downward economic spiral. But there are signs of life. Here's my latest MOC for the downtown area. It's a Tractor Supply Depot that's rented out the second floor to a Dance Studio. It's built on one and a half base plates. There's an archway leading through to the Depot area at the rear of the building and an external staircase that leads to the second floor. On the roof there's the water tower that the owners have hidden behind a rickety Billboard. Here's the inside of the Depot showing the landing bay, a whole bunch of packing crates, spares and a chain-saw. The second floor has Miss Fiona's Dance Studio. It has a diagonal wooden dance floor, a beat up Piano (played by a crusty Trawler man!) On this floor there's also a tiled waiting area and a fully fitted Bathroom (behind the Green Door) Business is okay and Miss Fiona is content with life. But she doesn't realize what happens when she closes up shop for the night. The crusty Trawler man takes over the Studio and turns it into a nightclub! The piano is moved to one side, a light show bought in and the DJ spins top tunes until dawn. Things are going well, but then suddenly the foam machine breaks down and bubbles erupt everywhere! I think Miss Fiona will have something to say tomorrow! Comments and criticisms welcome!
-
My home LUG - CoWLUG, the Colorado-Wyoming Lego User's Group - was asked to put up a display at the Laramie Train Depot Open House two weeks ago. Our setup took two and a half hours, and we ran the show more or less all day over the course of the weekend. Stuart of lifelites.com was this show's organizer. He hacked together some PF IR receivers and a couple of barrel connectors as an experiment. What we ended up with was an awesome fully remote-controlled layout for both 9v and PF trains. This allowed us to not have to take shifts in the center "pit" where all the regulator gubbins were at. In addition, we also had interactive arcade buttons set up that allowed the visitors to control various functions in the layout. This was also the button's first outing and we plan to have more functions at the next display. This year, one button controlled the track power for the elevated Chicago-style trains, another controlled the pumpjack on top of the Steampunk district, and the third controlled the steam plant for "Peter Piper's Pickled Peppers Plant". The buttons also helped keep the kids from glomming onto the trains as they went by. Of course, now you'll want images I suppose. *sigh* ok Cows are indeed a running theme, considering how the name is "CoWLUG". Hide yo' kids and hide yo' cows. Grumpy Thor is grumpy. Lego displays = srs bsns (CoWLUG displays =/= srs bsns, however). This is where the real fun happens. I feel my camera car is especially graceful. Just look at that low profile! Did I mention Stuart also had a CNC and engraved bricks for a while? It broke though and he hasn't gotten it working again yet. So there is a use for those Dino Attack pieces, at least. I still think the squid in the lower middle is the best bit of this picture. Among other things not pictured, there was a Doofenshmirtz Evil Inc. skyscraper (from the show Phineas and Ferb of the Disney Channel) and a prison complete with prison riot. There were guards dual-wielding bananas in one hand and tommy guns in the other. Ostriches were involved. Well, that should about wrap it up. Feel free to ask questions! Edit: D'oh, I forgot - I'll be posting my custom trains that I built for this event in their own thread. Look forward to that, I know I will Edit2: Oh snap, I forgot another thing. My mom took the pictures, which is why they're so good. Thanks Mom!
-
Winterville Station For years, Lego trains have circled the base of my Christmas Tree. More recently, official Winter Village sets have sprung up to join them, but the train never had anywhere to stop. So, this year, the mini-folk of Winterville finally have a train station to call their own. The station is a little bigger than the existing kits in the line, but then it's a train station, I'd expect it to be a little bigger than a toy store or a bakery. It looks pretty good next to the official kits and has the same sort of "feel," that's really what I was after. I don't usually do much at Mini-figure scale and Christmas Kitsch is definitely outside my normal comfort zone, but hey, it's the holidays, why not mix things up a bit. Here we have all hands on deck, clearing the recent snow from the platform to make way for the presents waiting to be loaded into the mail car. The far end of the platform features more lights, seating areas and a station clock. In keeping with the Winter Village style, we have a separate little mini-build to pad out the area. I figured all that snow they cleared from the platform had to go somewhere, why not build a snowman? In keeping with the Winter Village HGD (Hospital Gown Design - i.e. open in back) style, it's interior is readily accessible. I was shooting for something spacious without being boring, functional yet homey. The inside features a ticketing desk an open waiting area with clock and fireplace. And yes, Computer Geek Guy has just finished reading a copy of the Daily Prophet. Of course, what would a Winter Village set be without a light brick? In this build, I decided to hide the brick in the hearth to light the fiery bits in the fireplace from below. I'm not a great photographer, but trust me, it looks neat in person. The dark gray plate visible in the base of the open sidewall is the switch for the light. It sits flush when the fireplace is on and protrudes half a stud or so when it's off. I hope you've enjoyed your tour of the the new Winterville Station. Happy Holidays. EDIT: In re-reading the contest thread, I realized I'd posted too many photos. This has now been corrected. For the curious, the additional shots can be found here. EDIT: Or here (when MOCPages is acting up)
