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Hey guys, I have seen about 3-4 different types of packaging for the old blue 4.5v rails and I am wondering If I can date them easily by the box style without opening it This is my sealed box: Lego 155 MISB with plastic shrink warp fully intact. by Railco1, on Flickr Lego 155 MISB with plastic shrink warp fully intact. by Railco1, on Flickr I hope someone can help me date this without opening it accurately! Thanks -RailCo P.S. Should I open it?
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Hello, my name is Agustin; i'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina. After some years going aroud i decide to move back to my great love: lego trains. I'm very inetrested in LDD files posted here. i hope to be able to understand how to order pieces to Lego to build set without paying much. Best regards.
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Hello, I have nothing to present here, but I have a bit of bricker's block, same as writer's block but in front of tiny bins full of lego parts :) I have space left in my train+town layout for a 16 by 32 base and building, facing the main (and only) street of my town. I had an 'emergency services station' there, part police, part fire station, but I've just dismantled it: too tall. I want a short building -- max height should be 13 bricks from base plate. The back faces a straight railroad, the front faces a main street. The back needs to look good, because I'll be looking at that most of the time :) It has to be short, because of perspective : I want to be able to see well the façades and details of the modular buildings on the other side of the street. Next to it there's a station and a small freight loading dock, so no more of those :) Ideas? I saw the small 16x16 adorable toy store posted this week, it's really neat. I initially wanted to build a store / exposition center for speed champions cars, but they're really too large for the space. What would you build? A one story bank? A library? A rambler i.e. one story house? A post office?
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2-6-0 Mogul steam engine with Vintage passenger train - LDD MOC
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
(Please note: I could not remember making a topic for this train. I looked through about 15 pages of train topics and couldn't find anything like this... sorry if I missed it or something.) This four car passenger train was inspired by LEGO sets 10015 (Passenger Wagon) and 79111. (Constitution Train chase) The color scheme is based upon the one seen in the movie "The Lone Ranger", although that film takes place in the 1870's and this train is from the 1910's. The locomotive is a 2-6-0 (two leading, six driving, and zero trailing wheels) steam locomotive. The piston design was taken from Benn Coifman and his instructions for adding pistons to set 79111's locomotive, while the tender was inspired by the one attached to Anthony Sava's 4-6-2 steam engine, with SNOT (Studs Not On Top) stripes from his 4-6-0 engine's tender. The rear of the engine features a ladder for access to the cab from the train along with a red tail lamp. The coaches were originally designed to look like set 10015, but the design evolved to it's current form through a combination of expensive parts shortages, guessing and inspiration. The rear of the train is supposed to have "BRS" (short for Brick Railway Systems) in black printed 1x1 tiles situated on the back railing. These letters also go on the sides of the tender, while the number 4613 go on the locomotive cab sides. The LDD file is here if anyone wants it: http://www.mocpages....1421791760m.lxf Here is the pictures of the train in real life: The locomotive is a 2-6-0 (two leading, six driving, and zero trailing wheels) steam locomotive. Engine number 4613 usually pulls the Emerald Express. Combination baggage and passenger car for the Emerald Express. Two identical passenger coaches for the Emerald Express. The observation car of the Emerald Express. The letters BRS stand for Brick Railway Systems, the owner of the train. Comments, questions, & complaints welcome! -
Inductive Charging for PF Trains - Last chance to support!
Brickthus posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
My first project on the LEGO Ideas site is an Inductive Charging System for Power Functions LiPo batteries for Trains, Technic and Mindstorms. The project concept enables a train LiPo battery to be charged without manual intervention. The train stops over the charging coil. The charging coil would sit between the rails, powered from the standard charger. The receiving coil would be held between the bogies of a wagon, plugged into the charging port of the LiPo battery. The device would be compatible with use for Technic, Mindstorms and other themes, so that a robot could return to a charging station and charge itself. It might be possible for the charging and receiving coils to be two of the same device, minimising cost. This would bring LEGO products up to date with the charging of mobile phones and tablets. It may be a key technology to enable more development of Power Functions trains because it would make it easier to run them at shows. Please add your support to the project. We have 90 supporters so far, which is good for a technological project (as opposed to a populist project). Let's see if we can reach over 100 supporters, perhaps 150 in April! Even if the LEGO Ideas route is not the best route, your support adds weight to the case for pursuing another route, such as third party production or crowd funding. Thanks, Mark -
Hi everyone Christmas Train22 by Cristiano Grassi, su Flickr This is my version of the Christmas Train and i think it will be perfect in any Winter Village projects and dioramas. It is based on the Constitution train set locomotive. When I project this train I think about Holydays and to what I wanted to find under my Christmas tree when I was a child. I hope you like and comment it. If you want you can also support this project on Lego Ideas following the Link. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/95546 Thanks to all.
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A MOC based (loosely) on the Imperial Hovertrain as seen on Kessel in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. As the game has such low-resolution textures, the task of making an exact model seemed pretty pointless, and so I have simply modeled the main features of the car, leaving the rest to my own design. The main car, carrying stormtroopers, is followed by a prisoner transport (which is simply a rougher, boxier, more primitive version of the main car instead of being modeled after the game equivalent), and the train would be transporting prisoners between the Kessel spice mines and the planetary Imperial prison. A few pictures: The sliding guillotine-doors were achieved through the usage of opposing grille-tiles: A couple of close-ups on the doors (the doors in the stormtrooper-carriage were meant to bear a resemblance to riot shields): And the cockpits/controls, eventhough non-visible (without partial disassembly), are still existent:
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I have noticed that alot of Train forum members have in their signature, train sprites of certain LEGO sets. And I was wondering where can I get some? Thanks
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Before coming up with the final design for my I had a few other drafts, most of which I had to abandon because they were just a bit too big to fit my room. I recently stumbled upon these and I thought I'd post them here in case someone would be interested in trying them out. Like the final layout, they all have 3 independent interchangeable tracks. https://drive.google...Z3VOaUgwVTcwaWs https://drive.google...R1R6czlrVjV1dkE https://drive.google...TUFqZ1VFSDVVZlU https://drive.google...QmxZY0hBbGxDVXM
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[WIP] Automatic train turntable (and other things)
MajorAlvega posted a topic in LEGO Technic, Mindstorms, Model Team and Scale Modeling
Hello. This is about trains but I think it's more appropriate to post it here under Mindstorms theme. My LUG (PLUG, from Portugal) train fellows have been developing their own modular standard (MFL) for our exihibitions. Since it defines a 6-brick height above the table surface there is plenty of space under the tracks to hide motors, gears and gadgets. That idea attracted me so I decided to try MFL. First I rebuilt a motorized track switch I was already using with WeDO and then decided to also try a turntable and then... well, you know :) At this stage, this is my setup: - a Mindstorms EV3 running ev3dev (Debian linux) to control everything - a wi-fi USB dongle (not essential but allows me to use my laptop as a console, much more easier this way) - a bluetooth 4.0 USB dongle to control the SBrick-based trains - an EV3 ultrasonic sensor to sense when the train reaches the middle of the turntable - an EV3 touch sensor to sense each time the turntable completes a 180º turn - two Power Functions lights (with a NXT-9V adapter) to signal the movement of the turntable and the control of the train - one USB RFID reader to sense/identify the trains - one LEGO WeDO to control the two track switches (one Power Functions M motor under each) Each train has: - a SBrick (will try IR later) - a RFID tag The train is brought to the RFID sensor where the EV3 recognizes the train (green lights start blinking) and tries to establish a bluetooth BLE connection to the SBrick (green lights keep ON). Then the EV3 takes control and sends the trains to the turntable, using the ultrasonic sensor to prevent collision against the end of the turntable. When the turntable starts turning, the red lights blink (and a claxon sound plays, but its not used in the video). There is also a touch sensor under the end of the track that senses when the turntable completes each 180º turn. Then the EV3 sends the train back to the starting point, using the RFID sensor to detect the train. The bluetooth connection is dropped and now the train is available for manual control. The EV3 is ready for another train. For a near future I plan to give good use to the track switches (only one is motorized but the second will follow soon). I also want to try a method I saw here at Eurobricks to separate the train engine from the wagons. This way the train engine could drop the wagons, revert direction at the turntable, move along the left path and pick the wagons again. To be honest, the turntable still needs some adjustments - sucess rate is ~1/3, sometimes the train slips when moving in, sometimes when moving out. -
Leaving from Kings Cross' Platform 9 & 3/4 to Hogsmeade Station at exactly 9 AM, this train carries students (and sometimes faculty) to and from Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft & Wizardry in the Harry Potter series of books and movies. NOTE: Students leaving school (for reasons including Christmas vacation or expulsion) are subject to leaving on the Hogwarts express. The Express is made up of four corridor coaches though sometimes a special fifth coach is attached with an open floor plan. The train is supplied with all kinds of goodies and sweets, from Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans to Chocolate Frogs. The locomotive is a 4-6-0 (that means 4 leading, 6 driving, 0 trailing) Hall class steam engine built by the Great Western Railway and later used by Hogwarts Railways. It is named Hogwarts Castle and numbered 5972, which is something of an irony as the Hall class is closely related to the Castle class of steam engines, so "It's the Hall that thinks it's a Castle". Four BR Mark 1 coaches painted in Hogwarts Railways colors. The coaches include two corridor coaches, one corridor guard's coach, and a baggage coach. The end car is not accurate the the films, but it is what I prefer compared to the alternative: a gangway leading nowhere with no red light on the end. This locomotive is a heavily modified version of LDDModelmaker's Black 5 model with some parts from set 79111, Constitution Train Chase. The numbers 5 9 7 2 go on the sides of the tender... it's not prototypical, I know, but it works well enough. The tender features a three wheeled bogie design modified from the one in Anthony Sava's famed ALCO MRS-1. The middle axle moves side to side, as to allow going through switches and curves without issue. The sideways stripes are also a Sava inspired feature, and are derived from his American 4-6-0. Hogsmeade Station (Version 1) This station is the terminus for the Hogwarts Express on it's school-ward journey. The platform is four tracks long, with the possibility of adding more sections due to the modular design. Their are two end-caps, two platforms and one station structure. Four benches are also included on the platform sections. This part is supposed to be on the tan 1x4 sign out front ( http://www.bricklink...asp?P=2431pb022 ) but LDD doesn't have the print. The inside features a ticket desk, and post box on the lower floor, while the upper floor features a station masters office space with a desk on the right side, and a switch / signal machine on the left. Two fireplaces (one per floor) keep the building nice and cozy during those cold winter days. These models are grouped separately in the LDD file: 2 Platform end-caps 1 Platform, left 1 Platform, right 1 Station, ground level 1 Station, second floor, 1 station roof Here is the street side. Notes: This model is based off of the building in set 10132, Hogwarts Express, from 2004. (motorized edition) The LEGO Digital Designer files for the Hogwarts Express train cars, Hogwarts Castle locomotive, & Hogsmeade station are available here: Hogwarts Express train coaches: http://www.mocpages....1426728491m.lxf Hogwarts Castle 5972 steam locomotive: http://www.mocpages....1426728306m.lxf Hogsmeade Station: http://www.mocpages....1412793766m.lxf Thank you for reading. Comments, questions, and complaints are welcome here!
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Good morning, Quick question . . . and I have looked through the forum for answers and come up empty handed thus far, there's lots of DIY stuff, but I'm working on a theory and I've found the parts that I think that I need on bricklink. I have a working theory and just want confirmation. If I have . . . . .the two rails with the missing triangle, a regular remote control like 7863 would I be able to control trains stop & go or no. I've never had a 7860 set, and I still mean to get one. But does the remote work the same way as others do?? Then you add the whole red light/green light thing and that only gives you the visual in terms of if the train can go or not? If I had one of these sets I'd just do all of this experimenting on my own. While I'm asking stupid questions. The 7864 set (the actual Transformer), if you assemble the whole technic top assembly and remove the dial, does that thing actually stay together well or does it disintegrate the second that you try to use it?? Third question. If you disassemble a PF cord at one end and plug it into a 12V track while it's already plugged into the 12V transformer and then bridge the positive and negative sides of the track, is it possible to create a time portal that will take me back to 1985?? Thanks in advance.
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Hello, I have presented my small "Waiting for the train" vignette some time ago. Upon presentation there were some suggestions to have at least some representation of a train station as well. Since that one was too small to fit it, I have expanded my MOC to a 32 x 32 footprint. I hope you'll enjoy :) EDIT: This MOC is now on LEGO Ideas - please support it by clicking here if you like it: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/96989 THANK YOU! I am especially happy with the bench: All the pictures are here: http://bricksafe.com..._train_expanded
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I'd like your input on this set I made recently: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/95531 It's based on a very famous event in US history in 1869, when the rail networks of the East and West coasts were symbolically connected for the first time with the driving of a final golden railroad spike with a silver hammer. To the best of my knowledge, this would be the first non-fictional Wild West Lego train set. The 150th anniversary of this event is only a few years away, so I figure now is as good a time as ever for Lego to release something like this.
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Hello all, I haven't posted something for a while. mainly because I have resorted all my bricks. Anyway here is what I've been busy with lately: First raw sketch for LowLUG by UrbanErwin(EPJL), on Flickr And here are the first two modules Second progress shots by UrbanErwin(EPJL), on Flickr Bonus MOC I never posted here: And for the interested: The topic on the forum of Lowlug which this is going te be part of (Dutch link)
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Hello This creation isn't that new anymore, however after publishing pictures on brickshelf and flickr, I think it's time to present this train here in this forum. The prototype was the RAe TEE II 1053 which is today a historic train and was used on the TEE-Network some decades ago. The train consists of 6 cars: two cab cars, two coach cars, a dining car and a motor car. This train only had first class seats and was (or maybe still is) one of the most luxurious trains of the swiss federal railway SBB. The four passenger cars in my model have each 13 seats, in the dining car there is enough place for eight passengers. The passenger cars have gender seperated toilets, the women toilet even featured a make-up table. I tried to make it look like theres a mirror in this toilet room, since there is very limited space on creating something like that. Well, now let's continue with the pictures. Cab car by StefanEris, on Flickr Cab car front by StefanEris, on Flickr Toilet by StefanEris, on Flickr Dining car interior by StefanEris, on Flickr The whole train by StefanEris, on Flickr And here is a picture of the real train: RAe TEE II in Zurich by StefanEris, on Flickr The front of the train was quite a challenge to build and I still want to make some improvements, however the parts I need don't exist (yet) in dark red. There are more pictures on flickr if you are intersted. I also have a video there:https://www.flickr.c...157633185923370 Thanks for looking and reading, critics and comments are welcome! Regards Stefan
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2-10-4 "Texas" type steam engine with 909 Limited passenger tr
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
First uploaded in November 2012, this passenger train originally had six 8-wide cars consisting of a baggage car, four passenger coaches, and a observation car. It was pulled by my 2-8-4 steam engine for a while before I whittled down the number of the (slightly heavy) cars to a more manageable total of four. Over these two years I have modified them a lot, taking out the detailed interior and replacing the complex window assembly with something less fragile. The last time I changed the train was October 2014, when I modified the baggage car to a half baggage / half passenger coach (this is known as a combine) and lengthened the 2-8-4 Berkshire type into a 2-10-4 Texas type. After I originally had built the six cars I realized the only thing that could pull my 8 wide cars was a 8 wide engine. The coaches just didn't look very good with a 6 wide locomotive at the front, but the opposite was true about 6 wide coaches with an 8 wide engine. So after much internal debate over the possibility of reducing the size of the train cars, I found a workable solution that looks good. This is that solution, plus their is an added bonus of having enough parts left over from the "slimming down" of the four 8 wide train cars that I could build a third passenger car. This makes me happy, because a full size 2-10-4 that can pull 10+ heavyweight cars in real life looks silly as a LEGO model pulling only 4 coaches of the same style. (although five isn't much better, it's good enough for my purposes) In case anyone want to see my original inspiration for these cars, here is a vintage 2009 LEGO model of "Galaxy Express 999", which caused me to select reddish brown heavyweight coaches as the color / style of choice. (Link to Brickshelf: http://www.brickshel...ry.cgi?f=374748 ) The name 909 Limited is a combination of this train and the Beatles song "One after 909", which is sort-of about a train. (If you are looking for said song, it's on the album, "Let It Be") The rear of the 6 wide train cars feature an observation platform, with a single tail light under the roof. Statistics for the coaches: Train name: 909 Limited Car Types: Baggage / coach (1) Coach (3) Observation (1) Configuration (per car): 4 wheels on two bogies Designer: Pullman Car Company Build Date: 1924 Builder: Pullman Car Company Current Owner: Brick Railway Systems Length: 28 studs Width: 6 studs Height: 10 â…” bricks Here is an updated look at the 2-10-4 I modified from Anthony Sava's Berkshire. I didn't do much this time, except for rounding out the originally flat middle segment of the boiler. As before, the letters spelling out "Brick Railway Systems" go on the tender sides, while "6297" goes on the cab sides and tender rear, next to the ladder. Background for the locomotive: Engine Type: Steam, heavy freight Configuration: 2-10-4 Engine Class: Texas Designer: (unknown) Build Date: 1939 Road number(s): 6297 Builder: Lima Locomotive works Current Owner: Brick Railway Systems Length: 81 studs (with tender) Width: 8 studs Height: 10 bricks Top Speed: 100 MPH Please note: the pistons rod are missing two pieces that are laid off to the side of the locomotive. They do work in real life but LDD doesn't like them being attached. LDD file for the whole train: http://www.mocpages....1424626224m.lxf And if anyone doubts the fact that I've built this engine and have photographed it and the prevous version of the coaches here's the proof: (Please note, these are cellphone camera shots... they are not the best, but they work for me.) Steam loco #6297, in real life (this photo show an older form of the model, as the tender is now closer to the engine and the tender wheels have been changed to the form in the LDD screenshots. Combination baggage car / passenger coach in 8 wide The two 8 wide heavyweight coaches ...and finally, the observation car (8 wide version) with rear deck and number board. (The black tiles on the rear say "909", the name of the train.) Comments, questions, and complaints are always welcome! -
So . . . by now some of you may have seen me lurking around here. I registered back in 2011, introduced myself and then didn't make an impact. Things have changed a little, especially with the acquisition of lots of late 1980's lego and very early 90's lego and my first new lego sets in an eternity. I got a pair of 60051 trains, I do already enjoy the RC trains . . .minus the batteries that they use. I'm a little unique as I grew up looking at those catalogues that came with the sets and wanting the 12V stuff, even though we didn't have it in Canada . . .where I'm from. So . . . starting around 1999, I just started piling up Ebay transactions from everyone world wide. I once got a feedback of: "Good to dial wet" originally I thought it was something really perverted, and refused feedback. 2 years later I realized that I was "good to deal with." I can't really complain, my German is rather non-existent and I have a good amount of German blood in me. I play a lot of ball hockey (not field hockey, it's basically ice hockey without the ice), that's me, I'm big, strong extremely agile goalie. That's what makes me unique in my eyes rare traits to put together . . . . that and my 5' tall box of Kraft Dinner. I do a lot of hockey photography (ice hockey), I'm no pro, I don't even own an SLR camera, but it's something that I enjoy. I love just about all things from the 1980's: Transformers, Lego, Hair, Music (specifically pop rock and hip hop). I also love my Grand Prix's, I have three in total. In 2013 for my birthday one of my closest friends treated me (at my request, you can request free crap) for a photo shoot of AJAM & AMY (below) later in the shoot we had a hot air balloon land in the background of a shot (I also requested this about 30 minutes prior to happening, but jokingly), I'm active on the car scene on the internet and attend 3 meets a year, all in the US. I'll blame my nephew for sparking my interest in Lego again lately. He loves the stuff, my home is like some kind of theme park to him!! It probably needs some work (lots of work??) but I made 90% of this car 20 years ago and then never put a front end on it. Not sure I'm happy with it the way it is, but much the passenger jet conversion of my 6544 plane, tonight it's a true sign that I'm back in the lego fold. There will be a Youtube channel . . . and it will be epic. This is me about 6 years ago. I had bought a wrench for the house since I didn't have a BFW, but was shocked to find it was no ordindary wrench (rated PG-13): Will have a new Youtube channel for lego related stuffs). Thanks for being so welcoming already, for me the best is yet to come . . .and "ALL OF YOUR IDEAS IS BELONG TO ME." Some sets that I have kicking around: Trains: 182 727 7715 7722 (partial) 7745 60051 X2 Town: 6354 6358 6375 6378 6380 6382 6386 X2 6389 6391 6392 6394 X2 6395 6396 6397 6398 (and wish I had a 6399 . . . . maybe some day)
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Hello, One of the first things I built as an AFOL was a bridge made of blue old LEGO track. I know that the idea to use the blue LEGO track is not new - I think I have seen this in some of the old LEGO idea books. Now it took some years to "finish" it and make this small diorama to present the bridge. At the end of the 19th centuries they built these beautiful portals for train bridges - I like them very much - so I wanted them on my bridge, too. (larger images can be found in the flickr album) Hope you like it, Steffen
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Just learned about this tiny Intel Compute Stick Wondering if it might be practical for use with LEGO Wedo, Minstorms NXT and EV3 BTW how are LEGO Train configured. Does it need a computer? -
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Hey all, Last October a report from WGRZ-NBC in Buffalo, NY visited my home in Chicago, IL to film this story on my 100k-piece restoration of the historic NYC terminal. Humbly presented to this forum for your enjoyment. http://www.wgrz.com/longform/life/2015/02/11/lego-central-terminal/23220533/ More photos & videos here: http://tinyurl.com/kvmx2p8 Thanks, Chris
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Hey guys, I have found a cool way to use the minifigure style head piece to go inside boilers. I just used that and an upside down 1x1 to give it some depth. Lego train Boiler by Railco1, on Flickr Lego train Boiler by Railco1, on Flickr I think it adds a small touch to the boiler and I hope you like it! -Rail Co [How you can use it for cars!]: http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=105602
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So I've been steadily increasing my collection of steam era 7 wide wagons over the last few months. Most of them came out remarkably well and remarkably quickly and needed little or no modifications to the original design, others (well the brakevan) needed a little work but didn't take too long all the same. Then there's the van conundrum. I just can't get these right, and it continues to bug me that the most simple shape a railway wagon can be is causing me the most issues. The original design took a lot of time to perfect, and in LDD looked pretty good, but it turned out to be less than solid in the bricks, and whilst it basically looks really good, it's also a bit too short compared to the other rolling stock I have and am designing. After a fair bit of faffing, I was still not altogether happy, so I decided to pad around the net for other people's ideas, and I stumbled across H.A.Brick's PF battery van kit. It arrived, and I enjoyed building it (there's an extra instruction book and some extra pieces to build it without the sensor hole), but it only served to highlight the problems with my existing design (too short, not sturdy enough). Never the less, it gave me some ideas, such as using some black Lego to represent the frames the van is sat on to bulk up it's height, so after slightly modifying the (upper part of the) build to closer fit my needs, I set upon one of my existing vans to have a look at the idea with my standard truck chassis design. The height was good, but the bufferbeam was terrible, in order to line up with the rest of my rolling stock, it needed to be lower than the 'frames' which just doesn't look right at all. The current line up, L-R: modified H.A.Bricks van, modified version of my cattlevan MOC (with some random colours and random gaps), my original standard van MOC. The modified H.A.Bricks design. Internally strengthened and black plate/rail removed from between the body and the roof to bring down to my preferred height. (See also the rather ugly bufferbeam of the truck next to it.) Modified version of my cattle van. Although now the correct hight, I really don't like the fact the bufferbeam isn't inline with the 'frames'. Original design. See the less than perfect panel alignment due to less than perfect internal structure plus old and chewed bricks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Still not exactly happy with any of the designs, I went back to LDD. First I married the H.A.Bricks design with my own frames, and it wasn't bad but I was still not sure it was right for my preferred style and level of detail. Another thought I had was to add an extra plank to my existing design (and drastically redesign it internally). I've come up with several variations, none of which feels like a complete winner to me. H.A.Bricks inspired vans, both short and long bodied (whichever style I settle on, I will eventually produce long and short bodied versions). Several variations on the 7 high version of my van and cattle van. At the moment, my preferred normal van is the one with the 1x8 tiles running down the side and preferred cattle van will probably be a long bodied version of the one with the 1x8 tiles hanging down the side (although I can't decide on plain doors (middle version) or slatted doors (other two). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Any ideas or suggestions are very welcome, also if anybody wants the LDD files to play with (complete with engine and brakevan), feel free to PM me.
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MOC- the streamlined North Coast Limited passenger train
zephyr1934 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
[ full gallery] I am pleased to present my MOC of the Northern Pacific streamlined Vista Dome North Coast Limited. The North Coast Limited ran between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest (the train split and went to Portland and Seattle). Much of the attractiveness of this build is simply due to the prototype, designed by Raymond Loewy. More info on the actual train can be found here. One of the unusual features on this train was the full sleeper domes (as opposed to the dome-observation sleeper cars found on several trains). More info on the domes can be found here. I have been working on this MOC for over two years and it remains a work in progress. The initial assembly occurred about two years ago and it has been displayed a few times. However, without the lettering, I considered it far from complete. I just applied the decals this past weekend and uploaded the photos to brickshelf. The cars are 42 studs long plus diaphragms (another stud total), to strike a balance between realistic scaled length at 6 wide (more like 52 studs) and the operational constraints of lego curves. The cars have a real vestibule on the door end (set off from the interior) like the prototypes. They also feature close coupling for display, with the diaphragms connecting, while with the insertion of an extra magnet allows for sufficient clearance to take a curve. The domes were my focal point. The use of the 3x6x1 curved windscreens was one of my favorite features, but there is a lot of snot in the domes themselves to get the right shape and form. I used transparent headlight bricks so in principle one could see through the dome, but in practice only a bright light can make it through all of that plastic. Still it does a good job reflecting the ambient light so the design worked, just not as originally intended. There are lots of subtle features to be picked out, including the detailed under-frame (no great shots at the moment) and the half plate vents on the side of the dome cars, e.g., as seen below the dome here. Throughout the cars I used an unconventional approach. Sand green plates are way expensive. So the lateral strength of the cars comes from white 6x plates between the sand green and dark green layers. This has the added bonus of making the windows much more apparent than they would have been without the reflective color on the inside. I did seek bonus points for the use of a large unruly piece for the roof of the observation car. I had to leave out several cars (including the RPO/dorm; travelers rest lounge; several coaches and sleepers; and a sleeper dome). The locomotives have a lot of subtle features going on, e.g., the louvered openings between the porthole windows and the much more complicated snotted nose. Unfortunately for me, the NP was one of the few railroads to actually paint over the chrome upper grills on the F-units, still, I took the liberty to use chrome lego grill tiles since they are typical of most F-units and dark green grills would not show up well. The train is powered by a pair of PF train motors in the b-unit, which also houses a rechargeable battery, IR receiver, and extra weight for traction. I've made a few small changes to the build over the years, e.g., swapping out 1x2 grilled cheese for 1x2x2/3 curved slopes on the nose of the locomotives. The train runs fine around standard lego curves, but it looks a little awkward, It looks REALLY sharp on the wide radius curves, e.g., on PennLUG's layout (videos can be found here) All of the photos thus far are from before applying the decals. Here are few shots with the custom decals applied, Many more shots are in the full gallery. Enjoy the ride, questions and comments welcome, [ full gallery]
