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Showing results for tags 'gray era'.
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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
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Hi all, after a specific request of @LEGO Train 12 Volts, and seeing the last posts on various BR locomotives, I retrieved from the basement an old MOC I built a lot of years ago - it literally comes from the 80's. It is a gray era, and it was made copying the style of the 722 set: It has a troubled story - it was never finished. It started as a multicolor prototype which ran a few times with custom 4,5v wheels adapted on 6 studs Technic axles. Then it was destroyed for something else, then I rebuilt a blue cabin...then it survived until the 90's as a cabin only, then I rebuilt it with a newer Technic chassis and custom wheels, then it was destroyed and re-built again in its actual shape. This last version was prepared in 2001 if I remember well. I put it away to keep it intact, while I was focusing on my current 4.5v / 12v collection. Be prepared, it was made with reeeeeeally basic parts, starting from a few photos I had at the time of the Deltic prototype. I loved it. The small 4,5v motor was put on the "front" and had a cardanic shaft to the gear reduction part on the "rear" of locomotive. I remember I had a big plate, modified with a hole,both to connect and transfer power to bogie trough a vertical axle. All cables are gone (used for more important tasks). The battery holder was REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY heavy. It was faster than a 4.5v normal train and pulled nicely the 7740 wagons due to its good traction. Another thing I remeber: it was extremely noisy, but - all in all - it was an unwanted tribute to the real one (thanks Youtube for making me hear the real DELTIC power) Am I planning to end it? I do not know. I'm tempted - I have my 3D printed wheels now , and I can make her run again - Let's see - for the moment I'm after by big scale trains I hope you like it, even in this disastered status! Ciao! Davide
