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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

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

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, It's been awhile since my last post, so I thought it was time I made another. I have been in receipt of a BB12VB-RED recently! Ahem, probably more like a year or so ago. As you can see from the photos, one of the pickups is very damaged… Another Eurobrick member, Alainneke, had already kindly made some replacements out of brass… I had sent him the diagrams of the pickups in AutoCAD, and extremely excellent reproductions were sent as a test in return. At the time I’d only opened my 'teenaged' black motor, as seen in photos, and the new brass pickup studs were supposed to be destined for it… The RED 12V motor is very, very rare, I have held back on using the replacement pickups until now… I am glad I have waited though, my apologies Alainneke! After reading VGO’s suggestion in post http://www.eurobrick...pic=50345&st=25, post #28, I tried the idea out on a black motor and it moved during the operation and I snapped a tab off the end, see pic. So I decided to build a jig out of Lego to hold the motor. The top part of my jig is real Lego, while the bottom is entirely made of Fako(Fake Lego) due to my needing to augment some of the pieces to fit the underside of the motor and wheels. I used MEK(Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone) to ‘weld’ the pieces together, along with some small strips of a smooth(no embossed numbers) credit type card, see pics. Okay, My advice is that you try and run a razor blade around the circumference of the bottom of the motor, hopefully using a ‘jig’ like shown. I do mean “Razor blade” as a “Stanley” knife blade will do the damage that I have shown in my earlier openings, try a ‘BIC single blade’… Making and using a ‘BIC’ single razor blade… I used the razor whilst the motor was in the top part of the jig. Once in the jig, use a 2.5mm rod/nail and hammer in both power plug holes, to gently persuade the bottom to come loose on either side. Seat partially opened motor on the ‘bottom’ part of the jig, and use the remainder of the credit/shopping card to gently hammer down on the wheel axle to pry the last of the plastic welds apart. The motor is now broken open… Here are some pics of the open casing with the old and new pickups, I will update the post after I have cleaned up the motor parts. If for whatever reason you need to take a wheel off, I.e. for cleaning excessive hair/crud in sleeve bearing, then you start by removing the cir-clip next to the sleeve bearing. Move bearing nearer to gear cog, then gently pries the cylindrical spring clip out of the wheel in the same area as the hole in the wheel. When you're cleaning the parts inside, be careful with the metal part 'A'. There are two small hardened steel discs that sit either end of the spindle, only the dirty grease is holding them in.... Now it's time for reassembly and re-greasing...

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?

I had a whole stack of broken 12v light bricks where the bulb had gone. In particular they don't last that long when set in lamp posts. Sick of buying more so needed a way of replacing the bulb with a longer lasting LED. The first difficultly was finding the right LED with a built in resistor so they can run straight off the 12v power supply. I hadn't found 3mm white/clear LEDs before, just coloured ones, but found a supplier here for what I needed. These should also work fine for 9v. Then the other tricky bit was to open up the light brick without breaking it. This wasn't as difficult as I first thought, so here is the guide - no soldering and no glue! The tools used (almost common household items!) excluding the light brick and LED are : 1. A micro-screwdriver. 2. A bent curtain hook. 3. Some sharp nail scissors. Step 1. Using the screwdriver scrape off the plastic tab that helps hold into place the inner part of the light brick : Step 2. Using the holes for the plug as an anchor lever out the inner part of the light brick with the sharp end of the bent curtain hook until you can get under it : Step 3. If the inner part is still not loose rotate the other end of the curtain hook in the space made at the bottom : Step 4. Take out the inner part : Step 5. Use the micro srewdriver to remove the old bulb and contacts until the inner part is clear : Step 6. Throw away the old bulb and wiring and Insert the LED : Step 7. Bend the LED wires around the light brick making sure the LED is centred : Step 8. With the screwdriver continue to bend the LED wires into the plug contact holes : Step 9. Re-insert the metal contacts. This may take some force, but it will be this additional friction which means the removal of the plastic tab earlier doesn't matter : Step 10. Trim off the excess LED wires with the scissors : Step 11. Re-join the central part of the light brick with the cover (remember which way is up!) : Complete! Remember as it's an LED it won't work plugged in either way to the power supply, but that doesn't bother me in the slightest as you just turn the plug around / swap the pins if it doesn't work For train lights where the power will be reversed when you reverse the train I can recommend Janco's light bricks which are superb

Lego 12v Half Straights With my current addiction to old 12v trains I found myself looking to create more complex layouts. One piece I hadn't used yet was the (1) crossover piece in my collection. Using Bluebrick it became apparent that using only one crossing sometimes results in a half track offset, so I decided to cut 3 of my worst straight tracks in half. Note that I am not the first person to do this, but I have not found any documentation of it being done with blue era track, or many examples of geometry possibilities. To cut the conductors I used a handheld rotary tool with a cutoff wheel to get through the metal rails, and a thin hacksaw to go through the plastic. As you can see, I severely cracked one of my half straights by clamping it too hard in the vise. Oops! Cutting the rails is much easier, I simply marked the center and used the hacksaw to make the cut. As you might know, blue era conductive rails are slightly different than grey era rails. One of the changes between blue and grey era was the addition of mid rail sleepers in the grey era. While it seems like you can simply attach a 2x8 plate to the center of a blue era rail, there is actually a couple plastic supports (seen below in rendering) blocking where the studs would go. When creating a half straight out of blue era conductors, these supports much be removed. I used a handheld rotary tool with a sanding bit to carefully carve them away. I recreated the electrical connection tabs using rolled up aluminum foil. I'm sure I'll have to replace these whenever I change my layout, but its really not too difficult and requires very little aluminum foil. This is the finished product! Works perfectly! Here are some interesting geometry possibilities that are opened up with half straights on hand: *Bluebrick does not have a 12v half straight, so I used a 9v one in its place* Thanks for looking! If anyone else uses custom cut half straights (of any track type), feel free to post pictures of interesting layout possibilities! Unfinished_Projects

Last night I completed a refurbishment of a rather poorly 12v train motor. The contacts had worn giving intermittent working and the bushes were squealing like a pig so it was time to open up the case... First off made a jig to hold everything secure... I used my scalpel to cut into the case as shown on the red lines here... Then flipped the jig over and pushed down on the axles which released the two halves of the case leaving this in the jig... And the motor part in all its grotty glory.... Took the metal blocks out and started stripping down the axles and motor - +30 years of grime.... Also noticed that a wiring disc had become unsoldered - another cause of the rough running... The contacts were removed - you can see how uneven the wear has been... Got two bb53's from Bricklink specifically for their pickups... And split them open... The bb53 contacts have "nipples" on them which the motor contacts do not so these were filed flat... After that everything was cleaned with methylated spirits , the wiring plate resoldered, greased and reassembled.... Then glued and clamped.. And then after an hour taken for a test run.... https://i.imgur.com/CCPQZyD.mp4 I think the patient will live !!! Joff

So last week I needed to open up a 12v 80's era signal unit as the green LED was starting to fail and I wanted to see if I could repair the unit, as second hand ones are close to £20 delivered to me. First job, break out the scalpel and unseal the unit... This gives us the components - front , back and circuit board... The red LED was working fine... The green one not so... It's a simple circuit design with 2 LED's and one resistor to drop the voltage to 2.2v Sourced some replacement LED's from eBay which will work around the 2.2v area... And then proceeded to unsolder the old green LED and replace with the new one.. Then time for a test.... All was good so the unit was resealed and ready for further duty. I've never seen the insides of one of these units or even any pictures on the web, so here you go.. Jonathan

Hello, I'm creating this write-up to share my experience buying and operating a set of old 12v track in the US. I had been wanting some 12v track and motors since I was in middle school (and I'm in college right now, so yes my tastes in Lego have always been old and expensive haha) but hadn't found the right lot until about a week ago. I managed to score the following lot on ebay for a good price: It is a decent amount of stuff, but some key things are missing: motor (the blue one in picture is 4.5v and doesn't work), transformer, and the piece for connecting to the track. My goal was to have an operating train for as cheaply as possible. Hopefully these ideas can help someone else out who wants to make use of older track without spending a fortune. FOR PURISTS: I handled all of these missing components in an unorthodox way that includes modification of vintage parts, so consider yourself warned Motor: Instead of buying original 12v motors, which are only available for crazy amounts of money on bricklink, I chose to use @bricks n bolts method of picking up track power and using it to drive PF motors (https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/63535-mod-7745-to-use-the-pf-motor-still-on-12v-track/ I know it was a little while ago, but thank you @bricks n bolts for sharing! ) The process of cutting down the pins was pretty straightforward. I used a dremel with a cutoff wheel to make the initial cut and a sanding wheel to finish things up. If anyone attempts to do this, try to keep the pin cool, as I melted the plastic a bit on one of my pick-ups. I also ended up cutting off the curved section of one pick-up, to accommodate for the magnet assembly. Connecting to track: To connect to the track, I simply soldered some wire to the little tabs on the bottom of the rail. The correct part for connecting to these blue rails isn't that expensive on bricklink...if you don't factor in overseas shipping. Transformer: Since I live in the US, using an original transformer would require a converter (I had no luck finding the 110v version on bricklink or ebay). I originally thought of using a model train transformer of some kind, but wasn't sure so I asked here on the train tech. @dr_spock suggested a cheap DC motor controller and a generic 12v DC wall adapter (Thanks! ). This ended up working perfectly, and was quite cheap. Only downside is no reverse, but I'm ok with that for how much I spent. Final Result: With everything together I swapped out one of the motors on my Powered Boxcar (https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/169681-moc-powered-boxcar-power-functions/) with the completed pick-up bogie and turned on the speed controller. It worked perfectly! I now have a functioning 12v loop that powers my newer trains! I do however have to watch out that I don't over-power the PF stuff. I suppose I could have used a 9v power adapter, but I'm leaving room for a 7740 that I hope will join my collection if I find a good deal ^These last 2 are videos, you just have to click on them There's a few more pictures of this project here if interested: https://flic.kr/s/aHskR5KZX3 Thanks for looking! Unfinished_Projects

Hello, I bought some blue era remote points in rough shape, that need to be opened and repaired. Has anyone attempted this before? Is there any tips or tricks I should know about? Also, I do not own an original transformer, so I will be using a generic power supply for these. Will 12v DC work, or do I need higher voltage? Thanks, Unfinished_Projects

Hello, I have 4.5v train motor (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=bb07pb01&name=Electric, Motor 4.5V Type A 12 x 4 x 4 with 4.5V stamped on front&category=[Electric, Motor]#T=C) that needs wheels. I have access to a 3D printer and 3D modeling software/knowledge. My question is, does anyone have dimensions for "wheel2a" ?(https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=wheel2a&name=Train Wheel Spoked for Motor&category=[Wheel]#T=C) I would like to try to make something that goes into this motor and gives it a technic axle, or just recreate the wheel (either all plastic, or using purchased metal rod). Unfinished_Projects

Hi everyone, I've been mainly lurking and commenting occasionally these last couple of years because I've been busy building my latest layout, and rather than post WIP pictures as it went along I've been taking stills to put together into a time lapse video of the whole build. Here's a photo of the layout as it stands. Whole Layout (DSC09786) by andyglascott, on Flickr The video is on Youtube. Building started in December 2016 and for the first 8 months or so was fairly quick, then I got to the point of relying on monthly Bricklink orders. There is still a bit of work to do, particularly on the station, which as you can see is in a corner.... WIP Station (DSC09747) by andyglascott, on Flickr As well as waiting for monthly Bricklink orders, progress has also slowed as the birth of our first approaches next month, so I figured even though things aren't finished, if I don't post this now it might take a while to get to a "finished" stage! The top level of the layout is 9v, with just 2 trains on it, the bottom is 12v with 7 trains, 3 of which can run at any time (there are three 12v loops on the bottom). Enjoy. Andy

Hey guys, Long time no see! :-) I came back to Eurobrick with a new quiz: What train set from 80s misses (train) wheel(s) in its inventory? (can be as regular or alternate) Let''s restrict answer to 7710, 7715,....7760, 7810, 7813, ...,7821 The missing wheel already exists in the catalog of bricklink but it is not added to one particular set yet. You can check bricklink for the inventory of these sets, but other sources are ok too.

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

Hello all, I'd like to introduce my latest MOC, the Siemens Vectron locomotive of GySEV/ROeEE railway company. These locomotive appeared only months ago on Hungarian rails, the Austrian-Hungarian railway company, GySEV/ROeEE bought 9 of these with different equipment. Some of them are dual-voltage and run under 25kV, 50Hz (Hungary) and 15kV, 16.7Hz (Austria), some of them are capable to work with DC supply as well, and 2 of them with the two different AC-supply will get diesel units inside to ensure the locos can move on industrial tracks not electrified at all. When these locomotives started to appear I designed it in LDD, there was a little competition between Hungarian LEGO train fans with the design. I was the first who finished the virtual build and I loved it, so I decided to build it as soon as possible. This was the first versions, but only AC-DC locomotives have 4 pantographs, the AC-only types have only two of them. I'm quite proud of the angular green tile in the side pattern and also the angled front needed a little thinking around. I started to love the old hing plates with two and three teeth - these teeth do NOT brake the line of the hinge plate and the whole LEGO part fit into less space and easier to build other things on the top of these bricks. The slots for lights are also capable of to be lit by LEGO LED lights - another good invention introduced first in my Stadler FLIRTs to use the flexible exoforce tubes which are capable of bringing the light of PF LEDs where I need that light. You may ask why is that M-motor hanging around - it has a great importance in this model! As the real thing with two different AC-supply, my Vectron works under two different LEGO-voltages - it is compatible with 9V track and 12V track as well! The M-motor switches a polarity switch brick, which cuts off 12V pickups from 9V train motor's contacts - when the locomotive runs in 9V mode, the pickups for 12V track could touch the same rail when going through 9V points, and the loco could short circuit herself! When the loco runs in 12V mode, the polarity switch is ON, and the 9V train motors are supplied from 12V track. At the other end of the locomotive there is an another M-motor - it cuts off the 9V train motor from the output of the controlling SBrick - it won't be a wise idea to power that SBrick both from battery box and both from the 9V track, through its output... Look at the next image, how it works: So if the locomotive reaches the end of electrified track (12V or 9V), it still can carry her train forward - it can run on internal battery box as well. And finally, yes, these stuff did fit into the model: (Since the lower light on each side serves as red and white light on the real thing and upper slot serves for long distance lights at night I put white lights on the upper, red lights on the lower slots.) Also some other images and further details can be found in Hispabrick Magazine #29: http://www.hispabrickmagazine.com/sites/default/files/Descargas/HBM029_ENG.pdf Comments and critics welcome! Some other photos:

Hi all, since 7777 book came out, I've always wanted to integrate Trains and Technic worlds. Back in the 80's the problem was the complete lack of train wheels with a Technic axle hole. It was solved with RC trains a lot of years later. Therefore, I can convert a 9v train to PF without too many problems (aesthetically speaking). But for 12V trains it is different. Wheels are made in a specific way, they have the hole for connecting rods, they're more "fat" than RC/PF wheels. Frankly, I do not like 12V trains converted to 9V/PF standard bogies. But I like the PF motor, its speed, the possibility to increase speed gradually...and the fact it keeps the central hole for third wheel. So, in these years I repaired a lot of 12V motors...and some were really in bad shape. Look at the right wheel, it is completely destroyed inside. So I decided to try to implement my solution to connect standard, intact 12V wheels to technic axleholes (which I do not list here, since it was not satisfying). First, I got a standard Technic bush, and cut it a bit. Then I put it inside the damaged wheel hole. It fits fine, but needs to be glued. Once glued, it is time for some testing. The 6-long axle goes right in - but the red ring coming out from the wheel is too thick. So I prepared another wheel (gray bush). This time I cut the bush a bit shorter and fits right. The 5.5 axle is perfect , so I'll need to cut two 6-long axles to the right lenght. And this is the result - this is my 7740 no°3, totally converted to PF. It works fine, but as you all can imagine, it is all made by hand and bushes are not machinery-centered. Therefore the locomotive is not stable as I would like. For the moment, better than nothing!

So far, only ONE AFOL has given me the right answer :-) Hi everybody, This one is a real challenge! After the quiz N2 that we had as warm-up, here we are with a harder quiz. I am really curious to know if anybody knows or can find the answer of this one. I would consider a prize for the winner(s). If you are sure you know the answer, please "DO NOT SPOIL", but only pm me. But if you have any guess together with some reasons for your guess, you are very welcome to comment under this post so that we can discuss about it and who knows, maybe we get multiple responses. Here is the question: WHICH INSTRUCTIONS have MORE THAN ONE VERSION? The sets in question are 7710, 7715, 7720, 7722, 7725, 7727, 7730, 7735, 7740, 7745, 7750, 7755, 7760. I believe you cannot find the answer by googling (I couldn't). Good luck :-)

I have seen two variations of instructions 7860: 1) For the second release 1982-87, the code of instruction is 113483 ©1981. In the instructions, we can see this variation of "Straight Conducting Rail with Rail Interruption" 3242apb01: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=3242apb01&idColor=9#T=S&C=9&O={"color":9,"iconly":0} 2) For the third release 1988-94, it is 120622 ©1981 in which we can see this variation of "Straight Conducting Rail with Rail Interruption" 3242bpb01: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=3242bpb01#T=S&C=9&O={"color":9,"iconly":0} 3) What about the first release 1980-81? Is there any instructions for it (do you have it?) in which we can see "Straight Conducting Rail with Rail Interruption" 3242a: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=3242a&idColor=9

Having spent the last few days restoring some of my childhood Lego trains, I've run into a couple of problems which I hope the experts on here may be able to help me with! 1. 4.5V battery box (BL Item No: x488c02) This particular box comes from 7722 and was originally used to power a 4.5V train motor. The motor still works (I have tested it by connecting it to the 12V transformer with the control knob inverted) but it fails to run when connected to the battery box (filled with three brand-new rechargeable C batteries). Does anyone have any troubleshooting advice for these battery boxes? Can you suggest what steps I could take to try and get it working again? Any thoughts on the best substance to use to clean the contacts? 2. 12V conducting rail (looks like BL Item No: 2731b) This rail should transfer power to the track when connected to the 12V transformer, but fails to do so. I've tried unscrewing the plug and replacing it with another, but that doesn't help. Rather strangely, it also cuts the circuit when added to a loop! My suspicion is that there's an internal fault, possibly caused by corrosion (it looks nice and clean, but I spent some time rubbing it with a model railway cleaner before testing it!) Has anyone come across a problem like this before? Many thanks in advance for any help you are able to provide!