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2024 update to my original 2002 passenger train - real world MOC
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Originally, me and my dad made me a train way back in the early 2000's as my first train MOC. (you can see it as the last photo of this post) At my request, he got rid the bright colors of the original 1980's train sets it was inspired by with more subdued tones. The black and red are what became the standard color scheme for my fledgling railway for a good many years. And now, two decades later in 2024, I'm updating this original train again. This time, I've Americanized them. Before they were more European looking, with a baggage car at the rear - now, they will have an observation car with a platform at the back and the baggage car added to the front of the train instead. I also added a updated 4-6-2 steam loco with a 7-wide cab and tender inspired by the works of @SavaTheAggie. I really liked the cab and tender from from the 2-6-2 steam loco I recently built (which was originally a Sava design) so I decided to make another engine that uses them too. I took a 4-6-0 frame (originally from the 2023 Hogwarts Express loco) model, stretched it out a bit and added the 7-wide cab to make it a 4-6-2 Pacific (the 2-6-2's tender design was stretched out quite a bit too!). I also put on a bucket as a funnel like in the Orient Express LEGO set. Rear of the loco, with the stretched tender design mostly taken from a few Sava models. (his 2-6-2 for the basic look, and his 4-6-0 for the stripes) BRS stands for Brick Railway Systems, which has been my railway for twenty years. This anniversary prompted me to make this revised MOC. Inside of the cab, which has also been lengthened by a stud since the last time I showed it off. Inspired by set 7722 (steam cargo train set) and the red / yellow guard's van. These three coaches were inspired by the red and blue coaches of set 7715. (Push along passenger train) The observation car is my own design. ...and here is what it all looked like originally. (picture circa 2017) The diesel at bottom left is long scrapped, but the original 0-4-0 steamer survives to this day. This tiny loco was inspired by set 7722 (steam cargo train set) while the steam engine's tender was inspired by 3742 (My Own Train series) from 2001. Thoughts? -
My beefed version of 58 engine with more wheels for balance and yeah like people from reddit mention it`s also kind of looks like BR GT3 (not international but...) Sadly not a motorized version coz i don`t know witch setup is better (i could use just for big wheels standard lego train motor or use something other (now it`s lot`s of options but sadly not all i could integrate (for now)) Bricklink
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Wild West sidewheeler and sternwheeler steamboats - real world MOCs
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Historic Themes
Notes: For the sternwheeler, I saw a similar steamboat on LEGO Ideas a number of years ago and in 2019 I finally got around to recreating it from the pictures provided. (the project sadly never made it past several hundred votes, it my memory is correct.) I modified it heavily into the version you see far below with my own tweaks and twists in the design installed, such as I added a second funnel, revised the placement of said funnels to the front of the ship, and removed the roof off most of the second deck. Oh, and I added three whistles to the top of the pilot's cab like those in set 21317. (Steamboat Willie). The sidewheeler model (seen directly below) was created in 2024 out of my desire to have two very different styles of steamboats in my collection, with this one being a sidewheeler, and the other a sternwheeler. (I also have a 1930s towboat and a few tows to complete the scene, but those are too modern for this thread.) The sidewheeler has no interior, just like the sternwheeler, and was also inspired by set 21317. I named this later vessel Lodi and the first one Proud Mary - both of which are Creedence Clearwater Revival rock-n-roll songs from over 50 years ago. Lodi (sidewheeler, built 1869) "...Just about a year ago I set out on the road Seekin' my fame and fortune Lookin' for a pot of gold Thing got bad things got worse I guess you will know the tune Oh! lord stuck in Lodi again..." This notorious side-wheel steamboat, named Lodi, was named after the city of it's construction in 1869. But unlike the strict city of Lodi, with it's anti-gambling stance, Sunday no-business laws and abstinence from alcohol attitude, this boat thumbs it's nose at those rules, resembling the city in name only. It's a haven for card-sharks, shady ladies, pick pockets, and con men selling 'medicinal' snake oil cure-alls. Why would anyone take a ride on the Lodi, you ask? Well, the only other steamboat plying Rapid River is the slightly older Proud Mary stern-wheeler, which takes about a two weeks to get from one end of the river to the other. (not including stop times at towns and villages) The Lodi then has a sweet spot when the competition is out of the way: it's the only other steam boat in town, making it very easy to attract potential customers. The ship is captained by a man by the name of James Dagny, who is known for taking serious risks without a second thought to safety of his ship, passengers, or crew. This has earned him the nickname of Jim Danger, but don't call him that to his face if you value your life! (You can see him above standing by the second deck's railing towards the stern of the ship) The rear of the sidewheeler. Proud Mary (sternwheeler, built 1867) ...Left a good job in the city Workin' for the man ev'ry night and day And I never lost one minute of sleepin' Worryin' 'bout the way things might have been Big wheel keep on turnin' Proud Mary keep on burnin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river... The captain of the Proud Mary is Thaddeus Sweeney, better known as "Old Man Sweet-tooth", for his habit of chewing saltwater taffy when the going gets tough and and giving candy out to the little children whenever he lands at small towns and native american villages such as Lone Tree, Nebraska, or Fort Legoredo, Colorado. He usually plies his stern-wheel steamboat up and down the Rapid River, with the Missouri River landing at Kansas City at one end, and the the mighty cliff face of Showdown Canyon Springs at the other end in the middle of Colorado. Thaddeus is the only one he trusts to handle his ship, as he says the Rapid River is too treacherous for many newer pilots, as the wrecks that litter the shoreline prove. However, even Captain Sweeney admits from time to time that age is catching up to him, and he has been looking for a suitable first mate for the Proud Mary for some time. The rear of the sternwheeler. Captain Thaddeus Sweeney, also known as Old Man Sweet-Tooth. Thoughts? -
Wild West steam locomotives - four real world MOCs (rolling stock added 6/1/24!)
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
This long journey started in November 2021 with a used copy of Toy Story 3 set 7597 - Western Train Chase - bought from a local Lego resale shop here in St. Louis. I quickly expanded the loco to have a tender, then working pistons, and finally rolling stock. I was then inspired by the original 1955 engines from Disneyland for a second coal-burning loco, (the C.P. Jupiter and U.P. 119 from the Last Spike Ceremony of 1869 was also an inspiration!) and then awhile later a 4-2-4T styled after the C.P. Huntington. (This became a 2-4-4T last December.) The 4-10-0 was originally 8-wide, and was built before I got the 7597 set in August 2021. I never liked it in eight wide, (I never even photographed it in that form) and when I was taking apart all my eight wide MOCs recently, I took pity on it and converted it into 6 wide to preserve it. Then, I took photos of all the locos... I still haven't finished some of the freight cars, so the rolling stock will be added later. (I promise it won't be three more years!) All rolling stock added 6/1/24! The trains all together, minus the rolling stock. This 4-4-0 pulls my passenger train This was the first engine finished. Rear of loco No. 1. It's styled as a mid-to-late 1860's wood burning loco. You could also say it is likened to the Jupiter and the Gov. Stanford of Central Pacific Railroad fame. The passenger cars were styled after three sources: the one in set 7597 - Western Train Chase, set 10015 - Passenger Wagon, and the Disneyland and Santa Fe 'Retlaw 1' MOC's made by @TJJohn12. This is my coal burning 4-4-0 (numbered 8), and pulls my railroad executive's train. The front of the coal-burning locomotive. This MOC is modeled after a early-to-mid 1870s loco, but it could be considered to partially resemble the Union Pacific 119 from the Last Spike ceremony of 1869. The combination baggage / sleeper car is for my railway executive's train. This car's purpose and paint scheme is actually inspired by a car owned by the (fictional) Wasatch and Nevada Railroad in the 1975 Western / thriller 'Breakheart Pass', based off the novel of the same name by Alistair MacLean. This private car was based off the same source material as the tan sleeper / baggage car, which is the film Breakheart Pass. In the film, the car was named 'Fairchild', after the fictional Nevada Governor played by Richard Crenna in the film. As to why Abraham Lincoln is standing at the back of the car even though he is actually long dead by the 1870's, I have but one answer: because it looks cool to have him there! The 2-4-4 tank engine I'm using as a switcher, and is seen here moving a cut of freight cars. In my fictional backstory I wrote, loco No. 4 was originally a 0-4-4 Forney loco that soon needed a leading two wheel pony truck to operate better at speed and keep wear down on the front set of driving wheels. Of course, in reality, it was first built as a 4-2-4T like the C.P. Huntington you can still see in the California State RR Museum, or at you local Zoo / amusement park, as smaller-scale replicas are made by Chance Rides for places like that. This coal-hauling hopper car was modified from 2007 set 10183 - Hobby Trains - specifically, it was alt model 28 - Gondola. The tanker car you see was inspired by part of the 1997 set 2126 - Train Cars. This green boxcar was taken directly from 2011 set 3677 - Red Cargo Train. The caboose was inspired by set 10014 - Caboose - and set 7597 - Western Train Chase. This monster of a steam engine hauls my freight train. This loco (No. 3) is modeled after the only 4-10-0 to ever run on US Rails. This, of course, was the 1883-vintage El Gobernador. (Spanish for "the Governor") The real locomotive was a colossal failure, but this one is (in my fictional backstory) built from the plans with the mistakes corrected, making the loco a good drag-freight engine. The rear of the engine, with it's tender being two studs longer than the others. The cannons on this flat car were inspired by 2013 Lone Ranger set 79106 - Calvary Builder Set. This drop-side gondola was inspired by the one in 2022 set 60336 - Freight Train. This red boxcar was lifted from 2006 set 7898 - Cargo Train Deluxe. The caboose was inspired by set 10014 - Caboose - and set 7597 - Western Train Chase, but done in yellow instead. ...I just realized these locos are almost all modeled after CP engines! This was totally accidental, and wasn't noticed until I made this thread. Anyway, that's all I got. Comments, questions, and other things like that are welcome! -
[MOC]: Brockenlok 99 236 (Harzbulle) of the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen (HSB) in scale 1:22,5 (gauge IIm)
Spur II aus Klemmbaust posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Hello everyone, after a long time without a new locomotive, I would like to introduce you to my newest MOC: 99 236 of the Harz narrow-gauge railways (HSB). The model is my most complex one until now (11 months of construction time, over 5,000 bricks). About the original: The 99 236 (formerly 99 7236-5) has been my absolute favorite locomotive for as long as I can remember. Therefore, it was clear that when the time came and after I had some experience with building MOCs (99 1782-4, Mallet 11sm) I had to build this machine out of Lego. About the model: The locomotive is completely to scale and is powered by two L-motors on one axle. I'm a little proud of the slanted driver's cab windows, the slanted tender and the snow clearers, which cost me a lot of work. The MOC can run on standard garden railway tracks of gauge IIm (gauge 45mm). As always, I have put together a short video with detailed shots, driving videos and, as a bonus, a ride with the great role model from Wernigerode to Drei Annen Hohne. I hope you enjoy watching it. Best regards, Niklas -
My attempt at making a 4-6-0 locomotive. It's a tough challenge due to wheels sizes, for making it properly sized and shaped. Plus, I tried using standard cylinders for shaping the boiler. But it comes with a cost of some stability and impossible? for further motorizationBased on LNER/BR B1/B17 4-6-0 4-6-0 Victorian Voyager from BrickLink Studio [BrickLink]
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This railway engine shed was mostly inspired by user @lightningtiger, who designed the basic Technic frame on his own smaller shed for his town in 2018, and I ran with the technique to create this wooden western-style steam locomotive shed in June 2022. It is also slightly inspired by by the shed used to store the replica Union Pacific "119" and Central Pacific "Jupiter" 4-4-0 steam locomotive's over at the Golden Spike National Historic Park. (link is to Wikipedia article on the site) located at Promontory Summit, Utah. The shed is 3 1/2 tracks long with a total of 56 studs from back wall to the leading edge of the baseplate, with injection molded 1/2 track pieces from Bricktracks used in the MOC. The building also features a cow skull on the front between the locomotive stalls, just to give it that Wild West flair. The model quite neatly fits both 4-4-0's I made that were inspired by set 7597. You can see the real world photos of the engines and more in this thread here. (sorry for the digital-only picture like this, but I can't get the roof off to take it in real life!) The rear of the shed features a personnel door for workers. The roof of the shed is not removable, but it can fold open a very small amount bit on clips on either side. (maybe a quarter of an inch at most?) I took the wood hutch from set 76428 (Hagrid's Hut - An Unexpected Visit) with the water tower design my dad made in he 1990's and a generic coal bin to make this refueling depot for my wild west steam locos. I also added a bathing mini-figure to the top of the tower (Petticoat Junction-style) and removed the sand green from the wood hutch roof. Another view from the opposite angle. ....And that's all I have! As usual, comments, complaints, and suggestions on this model welcome! EDIT: Main post updated with real world pictures of refueling depot as of 5/8/24!
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Thomas the Tank Engine - MOCs of locomotives and rolling stock
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Builders note on the following models: These engines were my most beloved thing to watch in childhood up until the Polar Express movie came out to displace it in 2004. I loved to play with my wooden railway models, and would have thought I'd have died and gone to heaven if I'd had the Lego models described below when I was little, around the time the movie came out when I was 6 or 7 in 2000 / 2001. So, in short, look on, younger Murdoch17 and gasp at what you've been able to accomplish with the help of many others and quite a few years of knowledge and learning. I still am a passive Thomas fan, BTW, (my collection of books is still around somewhere!) but everything after the switch from the models to CGI turns me off., so I haven't watched the show in 10 years, just in case anyone is wondering. Oh, and the Polar Express models by @SavaTheAggie were what inspired me to get this serious into LEGO trains in 2011 or so, so I've come full circle - from Thomas to Polar Express from the movies, then from Polar Express and back to Thomas the long way round via LEGO. LADY the magic engine + coaches Here is Lady the steam loco and her train consisting of two (custom) coaches Victoria and Elton, driven by Burnett Stone and Mrs Conductor. They travel between the worlds of Sodor, our world (circa the year 2000), and many other rail-gateways, to bring the vital magic gold-dust, paying passengers and small amounts of cargo to their respective destinations in the multiverse. It's a difficult and dangerous job (especially with Diesel 10 on the prowl) , but somebody's gotta do it. This model was originally Hunter Dobbs steam locomotive and is based off of "Lady" from Thomas And the Magic Railroad (you know, the 2000 Thomas And Friends film that sadly, flopped horribly.) I redid the boiler using @ScotNick design from the BR Class 9F 2-10-0. Here is a link to Hunterdobbs' original engine. Fictional background (from Thomas and friends wiki) for this engine, as seen in the Magic Railroad movie. (Also, the figure in the cab of the engine is a representation of Burnett Stone, caretaker and driver of Lady, as played by Peter Fonda in the 2000 movie.) Lady once came to the Island of Sodor a long time ago, when she was found by Diesel 10, an evil diesel engine who wanted to destroy her. Lady and Burnett Stone both ran away from Diesel 10, but during the chase, Burnett used up all her coal and made her go too fast, causing Diesel 10 to catch up and crash her. Lady was taken back to Muffle Mountain and stored inside Burnett's workshop, where he spent years desperately trying to restore her to working order, but he did not have the right coal to make her steam. Years later, Lady was still out of service, and without her, the Magic Railroad began to lose its magic. That all changed when Lily, Burnett's granddaughter, and Thomas brought a truck of coal from Sodor to Muffle Mountain, which proved to be the correct coal necessary to make her steam. Lady came back to life and returned to Sodor, where she was once again chased by Diesel 10. Lady, Burnett and Thomas successfully managed to escape Diesel 10, and she gave the Conductor Family the Gold Dust they needed. As a side note, while watching Thomas and the Magic Railroad as a kid back in the early 2000's, I always wondered how it was supposed to be a technical railroad if Lady (the magic steam engine who powered and ran the warp-gate railway) had no coaches for people to sit in. She had a station on Sodor, and one on in the real world in the form of her owner's workshop, (as explained in the movie) but where were the coaches she most likely used to deposit people at these points? Well, now there are two brand-new coaches ready for service! The rear of the loco, with the red headlamp. These cars have been named Victoria and Elton. These names were chosen for several reasons, but mostly for these facts: Victoria was because of when Lady was supposedly built (in the 1890's) in "Thomas and Friends" canon and that is who was Queen at that time. Elton because I was listening to a good Elton John song ("This train don't stop here anymore") and decided then and there he was going to model the second car. So, we have a stuffy, quiet-loving type coach of the late 1800's, and a flamboyant, lovable, with a passion for singing out load coach from the 1890's, but with the heart and soul of Elton John. Oh, and they are both painted bright magenta to match Lady, who is still driven by Burnett Stone, but conducted by a female version of the Mr. Conductor character from the Magic Railroad film. Burnett Stone (Played by Peter Fonda in the 2000 movie) and Mrs Conductor (played by a actress as yet unknown... fill in your favorite one!) DIESEL 10 the antagonist of the Magic Railway film This 6 wide "Warship" (also known as BR class 42) with hydraulic claw (AKA Diesel 10) has been heavily inspired by KaijuBuildz and his Diesel 10 model to have a completely new design compared to my older inaccurate model. I did this by looking at two or three pictures of his model and reverse engineering it except for the frame and main windows. (The front / rear windows were changed as I couldn't figure them out, and the frame because I wanted to make sure he could pull trains.) As you can see, I chose to leave off the face to keep the engine more in line with the rest of my locomotives. You can see @KaijuBuildz Diesel 10 MOC here in his Flickr photostream. The rear of the locomotive. This in-universe background info is from the Thomas and friends wiki and concerns the events of The Magic Railroad movie (though he is still in the TV show until ~2017, unlike his opposite number, Lady the magic steam engine): Diesel 10 once visited the Island of Sodor a long time ago, and caused trouble for the steam engines while he was there. During his visit, he found Lady, the engine responsible for keeping Sodor alive, and chased her, making her crash. Following the accident, Lady's caretaker, Burnett Stone, hid Lady in his workshop and tried to restore her, but failed to bring her back up to steam. Several years later, Diesel 10 came back to Sodor when the Fat Controller was on holiday, intending to destroy Lady forever. He was first seen by Thomas and Gordon when he raced past them at Killaban Station, and brought his two lapdogs, Splatter and Dodge, to the railway, who were present when he was scheming. He caused several problems for the steam engines, such as dumping sneezing powder around Tidmouth Sheds and later destroying the scaffolding that had been placed beside the shed. When Mr. Conductor travelled across Sodor to find the windmill, Diesel 10 found him and held him over the Big Dipper viaduct, intending to drop him. However, Mr. Conductor managed to escape by cutting one of the hydraulics hoses to his claw with a pair of wire cutters, causing him to fling Mr. Conductor across the island and to the windmill. Diesel 10 was later present at the Coaling Plant, where he was covered in coal when he was teaching Splatter and Dodge “how to stop being stupid”. After Junior flew in the air after riding the windmill's sails, he landed on Diesel 10's cab, who raced across the island and to the smelter's yard, where he tried to push James and Junior into the melting pit. Fortunately, Junior and James managed to escape by using the last of the former's gold dust. After Lady was brought back up into steam and returned to Sodor, Diesel 10 found her and began to chase her, Thomas and Burnett across the island, until they reached the viaduct, but not before Splatter and Dodge betrayed him. Lady, Burnett and Thomas managed to cross the viaduct safely while it was collapsing, but it had already done so by the time Diesel 10 came over it and he plunged into a barge of sludge below the bridge, and was sent away in disgrace. THOMAS the tank engine + coaches My newly revised Thomas is based off these instructions from Block Junction, albeit in heavily modified form. Thomas' two coaches Annie and Clarabel are my own design, and were built almost totally from my own parts collection - only wheels and buffers were purchased for them. The front of Thomas is lacking a face, but I'm not concerned about that... I says he's sleeping when kids ask at trains shows. The rear of the famous tank engine. There is a bit more inside printed details this time for his cab controls. The car on the left (Clarabel) is mostly passenger seating in the front three-quarters, with the guards compartment (and luggage storage) in the rear-most section. The other coach (Annie) is meant for passenger seating only. PERCY the small engine This rendition of Percy, the 0-4-0 saddle tank steamer from the Railway Series books and Thomas and Friends TV show was heavily inspired by the Lgauge website's Percy model (as seen here) However, I added Big Ben Bricks green medium wheels to make it stand out, plus working pistons whereas the original had only 9v powered wheels and no real pistons. Rear view, with the cab controls visible. As for cars for Percy to pull, I have two mail cars already built from late last year. MURDOCH the heavy goods engine I originally built the model in late 2013 based off this unfinished 9F Murdoch model by @ScotNick. It was uploaded on Brickshelf first, and later on Flickr after I uploaded my copy (LDD only, at first) in November 2013. When I had redesigned the engine to build it IRL, I realized orange had virtually been eliminated as a color choice at that time. Windows were (up until that summer when CITY Arctic dropped) only from the 2004 BNSF loco, and orange was VERY expensive as a color. It was impossible in the correct color. Orange's pallet of parts would increase in the intervening 8 years, culminating in 2022 with every orange part I needed being buyable! The rear of the tender with the number 17 on it. A view inside the cab. JAMES the mixed traffic engine + branch line coaches I used the instructions of set 76423 (Hogwarts Express and Hogsmeade Station) and modified it a bit to turn it into James the mixed traffic engine from The Railway Series! I removed the pistons, changed the funnel / dome, added side rods + magnetic couplers, revised the front bogie into a pony truck, and I even made enough room for a mini-figure to stand in the cab! The only things missing I can't replicate are a pair of leather bootlaces... The inside of James' cab. These four coaches are for use with James the mixed traffic engine. The four coaches seen above are based off Thomas' carriages Annie and Clarabel, but in a different color (these in tan vs. their reddish brown) to keep those two special. I also added a curved tumblehome to these new carriages as well. The three regular coaches. The guard coach, with the space for the guard / conductor at the rear-most compartment. DIESEL the original antagonist The BR class 08 diesel switcher you see here is based off a @Chromeknight design from way back in 2011-ish. It features a sliding center axle to get the three wheels to clear curves and switches, and is built in British Railways unlined black. The loco is supposed to represent The Evil Diesel as seen in Thomas and Friends TV show / The Railway Series books. (The less said about the travesty known as All Engines Go, the better!) The rear of the locomotive. I hope he's learned his lesson since the last time has was on Sodor! (Spoiler: he hasn't) HENRY the green engine To create Henry in his latter form from the Thomas and Friends TV show / The Railway Series books, I took set 76423 (Hogwarts Express and Hogsmeade Station) and modified it quite a bit. I revised the boiler design, added two plates to the cab height, devised working pistons, up-sized the front bogies' wheels, and changed around the tender a tiny amount. Here we see Henry with his driver (on left) and fireman. (on right) The rear of the tender. Inside of Henry's cab. GORDON the big engine + express coaches For the third and final time, I have taken set 76423 (Hogwarts Express and Hogsmeade Station) and modified the engine portion quite a bit. This time I stretched it out into a 4-6-2, specifically Gordon from the Thomas and Friends TV show / The Railway Series books. In fact, I changed so much, that there isn't much of the original set left! The rear of the loco. The completed express train. These four regular coaches (alongside the Guard coach seen in another picture) are inspired by the 2019 Hogwarts Express cars, but without interior or removable roof / walls. I based the colors of the coaches on a inverted set 10194 (Emerald Night) coach color scheme. I always thought the colors looked better like this, and it avoids the problems of the tan 1 x 4 x 3 train windows used in the original set. (which are very expensive!!) EDWARD the kind old engine The one that started it all! This inside-connected 4-4-0 was designed by taking parts of set 7597 (Western Train Chase) and combining them with a tender originally designed for certain other English loco. The resulting amalgamation is supposed to be Edward from The Railway Series books / Thomas and Friends TV show. Rear view. EDIT 4/13/24: Edward in the real world added! Have any Thoughts, Comments, or Questions? All are welcome here! -
1930's NYC passenger train with streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson steam loco - real world MOC
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Before we get to the real model pictures, first, let's set the scene: It's Friday, January 13th 1939: The Civil War in Spain is raging, Neville Chamberlain (British Prime Minster) has just started conferencing with Pope Pius XI after talking with Mussolini for the past few days, and the film 'Son of Frankenstein' is released into theaters. In a rural area west of New York on the NYC Railroad's four track water level route, a J-3 streamlined Hudson is pulling a passenger train through a picturesque snowy landscape of the early morning while heading for the Grand Central Terminal of the Big Apple. ...And now, onto the finished real-world MOC! The entire train in real bricks. This Dreyfuss-style streamlined 4-6-4 steam loco is numbered 5448 and is mostly modeled after a real, long-scrapped New York Central engine. The loco's tender really should say the railroad's full name of New York Central instead of its initials, but I don't want to shell out the money for all those 1 x 1 tiles, so I'm using fewer 2x2 tiles instead to spell out NYC, as it's much cheaper that way! the combine three coaches the observation car. I was originally going to use the new 3x3 macaroni bricks in trans-clear for the rear window, but I couldn't obtain them. Frustrated, I gave up and made my own version. Note: As some of you might be able to guess, this loco with matching coaches were inspired by pictures of Anthony Sava's original streamlined Tequila Sunrise train from 2007... however, no instructions were used to build the engine or cars. Oh, and all the historical things stated in the intro actually happened on the stated day in 1939 according to Wikipedia... and I'll bet the train bit happened too! Thoughts? -
https://www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/design.page?idModel=523436
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[MOC] 1:48 Pennsylvania Railroad T1 4-4-4-4 Duplex v4 (Power Functions)
Commander Wolf posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Hello all, almost ten years ago I posted the first version of my 1:48 scale T1. This was one of my earliest scale models and it was perhaps not that great and/or perhaps limited by the parts of the era. The model underwent many changes over the years, but at least from an aesthetic standpoint it fundamentally stayed the same. Having designed, built, and operated a ton more trains since then, I finally decided to do a complete rebuild of the T1, and this latest version shares practically nothing with the earlier versions save for the overall profile. Most significantly I moved the drivetrain from the tender to the locomotive, after testing a similar setup in my PRR Q2 (behind). This is a much simpler and more performant setup, and unlike the Q2, the T1 has coupled bogies and can navigate R40 geometry. It it also still an almost entirely purist build save for the BBB #11 and #5 wheels. Anyways, see the video for more details and running shots, and have a nice day! -
"Masterpiece" Spending so much time at the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum, one will really begin to appreciate everything in their collection, not to mention the facility itself. Everything from the extraordinary to mundane will find its way into your mind and heart. I must admit that in my years of steam locomotive research and enjoyment, the Nickel Plate 700's did not strike me. For whatever reason, they just didn't click with me. I'm not sure what it was, but obviously, that's changed now. Cale and I modeled 765 way back in 2017 when we were still figuring out Brick Model Railroader. It took some convincing, but we eventually decided that Nickel Plate Road 765 would be our first collaborative steam locomotive model. We had a running model that needed some adjustment, but quickly became disinterested in the project due to external factors. We were never quite happy with where we left this project, and vowed to each other that we would return to the model some day to do it again, properly. Several years later, in late October 2021, and on a whim, I laid out a scaled wheelbase in stud.io, just to see what it would look like. I left the file alone for a couple more months until the Holiday season of 2021. I began thinking about a Nickel Plate Berkshire running around a Christmas tree, inspired by the amazing "Travel Refreshed" speculative project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2mU6jVcv4w&ab_channel=FortWayneRailroadHistoricalSociety This set my mind racing with thoughts of the late 1940's when large mainline superpower led "hotshot manifest" trains through the heart of America. If there was ever a perfect depiction of postwar steam railroading, it was this, and the Nickel Plate Road was the poster child. The Nickel Plate Road connected the farms of the Midwest in St. Louis and Chicago to Buffalo in the east. The road took a fast, level route along the southern edge of the great lakes. A direct competitor to the New York Central, it was purchased by the Vanderbilts in an effort to remove competition. As such, the line was never optimized and operated with older and slower equipment. The Nickel Plate was purchased by Oris and Mantis Van Sweringen, brothers from Cleveland who had controlling interests of several other roads including the Chesapeake & Ohio, Wheeling & Lake Erie, Pere Marquette, Erie, and more. The "Vans" would lead efforts to completely transform the Nickel Plate into the powerhouse bridge road it is remembered as today. One of those efforts included the creation of the Advisory Mechanical Committee (AMC), which served as a design bureau for the roads under control of the Vans. One of the first projects for the AMC was the design of the C&O T-1 class 2-10-4 engines, the largest two cylinder steam locomotives when built. Continuing in efforts to rejuvenate the Nickel Plate, president John Bernet assigned AMC officer William Black the task of designing a super-power locomotive. The result was the Nickel Plate S class of 2-8-4, built by ALCO Schenectady in 1934. The AMC, capitalizing on their winning formula for the T-1, maintained the factor of adhesion just above 4 while scaling down the rest of the locomotive: eliminating the fifth pair of 69" drivers and creating a locomotive with 70% of the tractive effort and 70% of the weight. Unbeknownst to Bernet, Black, and the AMC, they had just captured lightning in a bottle. To truly appreciate why the 700's were such good locomotives, the operating mentality of the Nickel Plate must be understood. The road was a masterpiece of engineering, maintaining a very flat right of way along the mainline, running shorter but faster trains handling bridge traffic over the line. Operating conditions like these coupled with the high-horsepower 700s, there has hardly been a more perfect match of locomotive and railroad. The Berkshires were so effective and loved, the Nickel Plate laughed away EMD diesel demonstrators multiple times until the end of steam in 1958. Even still, several of these locomotives were stored serviceable in anticipation of a traffic spike that never occurred. 763, part of the third batch of Berkshires in total (S-2 class) and second batch from Lima (Works #8671), was one of these locomotives. Officially retired a few years after the end of steam, it stayed in Conneaut, Ohio until 1966 when it was purchased by the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia. 763 remained in Roanoke for several years until it was towed to New Jersey for inspection to pull the American Freedom Train, but other locomotives were selected., and 763 returned to Roanoke. Ohio Central and Age of Steam founder Jerry Jacobson purchased the locomotive from the museum in 2007, returning the engine home to Ohio. It is currently stored inside the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in stall 4, a regular favorite part of any regular public tour. All that to say: I never expected to have such a deep, genuine understanding and appreciation for these engines. It says a lot when someone can connect with a piece of machinery in such a way, and gain understanding of its purpose and reason for existing. The 700s were truly magnificent machines. So, in deciding that I was going to model one of these amazing locomotives, I began working in stud.io, and over the course of several months, I came up with what must have been at least a dozen iterations of the rough shape of the engine solely to achieve "the look." With 765 currently operating and with countless fans of the locomotives, the 700's are well recognized and people are going to be able to pick out the details, so any model of one has to be done properly. Once I had the correct shape and proportions, I filled in gaps and rebuilt section after section until I had a completed digital model in June of this year. By then, I had just seen 765 operate in person for the second time and was feeling inspired, so work on the custom wheels and connecting rods progressed alongside. Refining, trial, failure, adjustment, and testing continued until December 2022 when I completed the physical model. Naturally, I had to model 763 specifically, being the preserved example at Age of Steam. Under the hood this model is identical to my Mohawk: a pair of Power Functions L motors geared 1:1 driving the third axle, each operating from its own Power Functions IR receiver, and powered by a Tenergy 7.4v 2200 mAh battery. 763 operates smoothly and without issue thanks to the drive train design and high-quality printing of the wheels, rods, and valve gear. Drivers and trailing wheels designed by me and printed by Rob Hendrix, all rods and valve gear designed by me and printed through Shapeways. All artwork was faithfully recreated by Cale Leiphart. Decals printed by OKBrickWorks and UV printed number boards and bearing caps are from Richard Glatter. Thank you all for your help with this project. Having completed and published Buffalo Creek & Gauley 13, Morehead & North Fork 12, and now Nickel Plate Road 763, my Age of Steam collection grows. Those who know me personally understand that I'm not one to brag about my work. However, I feel I must say that I think I've outdone myself with this model. I would say this is the most new, ground-up design of locomotive I have built in a while. I've achieved detail and accuracy that I haven't seen on even some traditional scale models, and it all works together to make 763 perhaps my best model yet. A masterpiece of a masterpiece, if you will. As 2022 winds down, I'm elated to publish this locomotive and check it off the list. As I mentioned earlier this year, I've had a lot in progress recently so wrapping something up feels fantastic. There's a bit more in store for the immediate future, but we'll get to that later. As always, thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone for their support of my work through comments, questions, and compliments. It is always sincerely appreciated and I am thankful to be a part of such a fun community. More photos here: Video here: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Glenn Holland
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2-6-2 Prairie steam loco MOC - heavy Sava instructions MOD - finished in the real world 1/29/24
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Back when Bricklink allowed you to sell custom instructions, I bought some plans for a small 2-6-2 Prairie-type steam loco from @SavaTheAggie in January 2014. I devoured them, used the techniques shown to make me a better builder. Now, exactly ten years later, I've revisited the model: I built it in LDD, (with some stand-ins for BBB parts) then went to town making it into my style, and now it's done in the real world. You can see Sava's original MOC on his Flickr page here. I changed the boiler to be studs-up instead of SNOT, and removed the squeaky old tiny wheels from the model, and made space for XS Big Ben Bricks wheels instead. (this actually was easier than I thought it'd be!) I added a bigger headlight, and a different stack along with heavily revising the piston / side rod assembly. As for the tender, different wheels were added and a 'painted' box put on the sides. The engine is numbered 119 and lettered for BRS (Brick Railway Systems), my original LEGO railroad that I began when I was in late-stage elementary school nearly 20 years ago. (Man, how time flies!) I also gave it the original black-and-red paint scheme of my first train MOCs from the early 2010's, as a nod to my past. This loco was my third set of instructions I purchased from Sava back in the day, although I had never built this one until now. (I did build the 4-6-0 and Berkshire I bought in 2010 and 2012 respectively, but oddly not this one from 2014) The inside of the cab. Thoughts? (Updated with new 7 wide tender 1/29/24) -
NOTE: As some of you might be able to guess, the loco was inspired by pictures of @SavaTheAggie's original streamlined Hudson locomotive from 2007... no instructions were used to build this engine. See the inspiration here on Flickr. So you think I'm building a streamlined passenger train too, right? After all, it's a streamlined locomotive... ..WRONG! Yes, I know the streamlined Hudson's never pulled freight in the real world. HOWEVER: The Iron Giant animated film has a New York Central streamlined Hudson pulling a coal train that is badly wrecked (accidentally) by the robot. As I have the Iron Giant model already built, this was a no-brainer to make. Along with the engine and tender, there are going to be four coal hoppers, as you will see. Front view of the loco. This Dreyfuss-style streamlined 4-6-4 steam loco is numbered 5448 and is mostly modeled after a real, long-scrapped New York Central engine. The tender really should say the railroad's full name of New York Central instead of its initials, but I don't want to shell out the money for all those 1 x 1 tiles, so I'm using fewer 2x2 tiles instead to spell out NYC, as it's much cheaper that way! The cab of the loco is actually unable to fit a mini figure inside. (It's a brick too short.) These four heavily modified copies of the 1991 set 4536. (Blue Hopper Car) They lack the drop--bottom dumping feature of the set, as I made it much simpler (and cheaper!) by removing the playability from the cars. As you can see, I also had to shorten the train by one car from the original five down to four. This was because I ran out of room in the box to store them with some other freight cars. Now, if the train gets wrecked by a big metal man, I obviously need to add him to the post too! This is not my MOC: I bought the instructions for the model from B3 customs back in 2021. I found them on my hard drive again in late July 2023 and decided to build him in LDD. Then, in mid-August, I built him in real life... and promptly forgot to take photos of the completed model for over four months until November of last year. (whoops!) The rear of the robot. The original models' rotating hip joints (as used in the Build Better Bricks instructions) were removed from this version of the model because it was not strong enough. If the parts were worn even slightly, then the robot would not stand up under his own weight, breaking at the hip. Thoughts, comments or questions welcome! Updates: 1/30/24 real world photos added of everything, including Iron Giant!
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Took some ideas from recent Orient express but made it longer, thinner. And took idea with front boogies from recent Hogwarts Express and Lego's big trains wheels don`t look so small https://www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/design.page?idModel=503834
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Linus, The Brave Locomotive - 2-4-0 steam loco MOC based on an animated short
Murdoch17 posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Meet Linus, the Brave Locomotive from Andrew Chatsworth's "The Brave Locomotive" animation on YouTube. I decided to make this 2-4-0 out of LEGO after watching the short over and over, as it's an inspiring tale and very well done animation-wise. (Shout out to Peter, a friend of mine who showed me the short in the first place!) I did make some changes to Linus' design, such as adding a number to his tender and cab. (He's become engine No. 2, in case you were wondering) I also borrowed heavily from the 2019 Disney train and 2010 Toy Story Western Train Chase sets. In fact, the Toy Story loco is engine number 1 on my railroad. The rear of the steamer. (handrail parts and some printed tiles are missing in LDD) Linus' engineer from the animated short, Henry, will be built as well at some point too. (probably by using most of the CMF series 25 train-suit kid figure) The whole train together. Once Linus is built in the real world, he will be added to my Conjunction Junction train, which also has Katy Caboose (from the book 'The Caboose Who Got Loose', and heavily inspired by a @zephyr1934 MOC.) featured as well. Fun fact: This is almost a Disney train - Linus from "The Brave Locomotive" was started by Disney animator Andrew Chatsworth before he got hired, Bill Peet wrote "The Caboose who Got Loose" some years after being let go from Disney, and Conjunction Junction (part of "School House Rock!" educational TV series) was created by ABC, which is now owned by Disney. Thoughts? -
The Frisco 1522 loco is a 1926 oil burning 4-8-2 "Mountain" type, (4 leading, 8 drivers, 2 trailing) that was made surplus in 1951, donated to the Museum of Transportation (in St. Louis, Missouri) in 1959, and restored to working order in 1988 by the St. Louis Steam Train Association (SLSTA) for it's excursion career. It's new lease on life lasted until 2002 when rising insurance costs made the engine enter it's second retirement, which will be probably be forever. When the engine was running in it's second career, the SLSTA had four train cars in it's excursion support role. They carried parts, tools, merchandise to sell, and crew members not on duty. After re-retirement of the 1522, most of the cars were eventually sold to Milwaukee Road 261 organization and were renamed and repainted into a different paint scheme more suited to that group. This may not be the best interpretation of the Frisco 1522, but it seems to be the one of the few I've seen built out of Lego. The model you see here has been my dream ever since I was 5 or six years old and rode behind the steamer on one of it's last public trips. (I don't remember much of the trip, but I do remember the sense of awe and respect for the power of steam after seeing the loco pull past us on it's journey back to the museum and into what looks to be permanent retirement.) The cab walls on both model and real engine have the name of the railroad (Frisco) on it's side, while the number of the loco (1522) is on the tender sides. One half of this baggage car (named 'Black Gold' after a train the 1522 used to pull) housed tools, spare parts, lubricants and a fire hose or getting water for the loco, among many other things. The other half (usually closest to the engine) had the souvenir shop with shelves and tables for fundraising merchandise selling. The car is now repainted and named 'Golden Valley'. It has been used with Milwaukee Road 261. The 'Firefly' was the crew car. It was also named after a train the 1522 used to pull. The car has been sold to be used with Milwaukee Road 261. It sits in storage currently. The diner-lounge 'Chouteau Club' wasn't owned by the St. Louis Steam Train Association (SLSTA), but by a private individual who was a member of the club. It now is stored / owned by Illinois Transit Assembly in Madison, Illinois, sidelined by side sill rust. The 'Bluebonnet' was a business car and brought up the rear of the train. It was also named after a train the 1522 used to pull. The car has been sold to be used with Milwaukee Road 261. It has been renamed back to it's first name of 'Milwaukee' and repainted into the proper colors for that railroad. The real engine is publicly displayed at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri. The Lego model of the loco is sitting on the front of the loco, just above the cowcatcher. This official Frisco 1522 website gave me invaluable info and pictures of the excursion cars and the loco itself. This page in particular was very helpful in getting the window amount / spacing / 'look' of the excursion cars right. NOTE: Yes, I had a thread made in 2016 for the loco only. That thread was last updated in 2017, and I didn't want to mess with the moderators by bumping it. Thus, this new thread was created. I hope that was ok! EDIT: 9/23/23: Real world photos added!
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After some time in the making I can finally share a little something I’ve been working on. This right here is one of the engines built by the Société de Saint-Léonard, and employed by the SMMP (Sociedad Minera y Metalúrgica de Peñarroya) in the mining complex of Puertollano, Spain. It hauled coal and other goods between the different facilities until the mid-70s. By the time the mineshafts closed, they had no use for these engines and most of them were scrapped. Luckily a couple of them survived, one of them being this very same engine. Although officially named “Pozo Norte” after one of the main mineshafts in Puertollano, to this day everyone referres to her as “La Gorda” (The Fat One) no doubt in part because of her imposing girth. Nowadays you can find her sitting (in a rather disheveled state…) on a few meters of track in the gardens of the Mining Museum of the same town it used to work at. I’ve been to this museum many times, and seeing this locomotive was always the highlight of my visit. It was only a matter of time until I finally built it out of Lego. Building this engine was a refreshing change of pace from the high-speed modern trains I’m more used to. Trying to replicate as many shapes and details as possible was a fun challenge. Also, shoutout to @Redrado for suggesting the use of the 4625 hinge 1x4 tile to represent the riveting on the side of the water tanks, it looks great and the engine wouldn’t feel complete without it. The models for the wheels (ML), connecting rods and side rods are from Breckland Bricks. The model is designed to be motorized with a Powered Up L motor, the power is transmitted to the middle axel and through the connecting rods to the rest of the wheels. I’ve used this type of transmission before and I trust it will be strong and durable, however, I’m not so sure about the placement of the battery box, I’m concerned it’s hanging off too much and will cause balancing issues. Hopefully the weight at the front will shift the center of gravity forwards, but that’s something I won’t know for sure until I start messing with real bricks. Here’s a bonus picture of what these engines used to look like in their heyday.
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Hey guys! I have made some custom parts for Stud.io which I wanted to share with you! First of all I added the connectivity to the files of the Big Ben Bricks drivers. In addition I used them as a basis to make part files for the #13 (XXL) drivers as well as thin train wheels in sizes #6, #7 and #9 (MS, M and L using the old naming convention). custom drivers for Studio by ScotNick1, on Flickr Also I created parts for the windows which are in develoment by Fx Bricks: Fx Bricks train windows for Studio by ScotNick1, on Flickr Here are the links for downloading the files: Train Wheels Train Windows Best is to download the whole folder as a package. I also included a text file with instructions how to add the parts to your custom parts library. Keep in mind that some of the dimensions might not be 100% correct, but they are pretty close and have always worked out for me so far While I didn't have any problems rendering the wheels I did run into problems rendering the glass panes of the Fx Bricks windows in trans-clear. Let me know if you run into any problems or struggle with adding the parts! Hope this will be helpful to you! Cheers, Nick
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So as promised I finally got some pictures of it on a layout. But first some back story. The EN was released during my dark period and I had no idea it existed till early this year. I was fortunate enough that a coworker was getting out of Lego's and got one for a decent price. So I dug out an oval of track and much to my dismay the engine ran horribly or simply derailed. It was a good looking engine so I pulled the PF and made it a static model. A month went by and I had decided I will make this train run come Brickworld Ft Wayne. I tried the motorized tender option but did not like the look. So I ripped the thing apart and put her on a diet all the center section came out and a L motor went in. A custom "gearbox" needed assembled. I rebuilt it 13 times before I found a solution I was both happy with overall speed and torque, also that didn't blow apart after an hour of running lol. The front trucks have been reworked to not derail and @zephyr1934 worked with me to get his custom rods and valve gear running good. After many hours on the test oval I felt she was ready for the show. Once at the show I soon discovered she hates switches... So much help was needed getting her on the main off the siding. Then I found she hates uneven track lol so I did some more reworking and that solved most of the wheel slip (the front and rear boogies would lift the drive wheels) allowing the front to pivot seemed to resolve most of this. So it ran around our Lugs layout and ran into the first issue (my train was the first steam train to ever run on this layout) the rods hit the station platform! So we moved it a stud and a half back and it was good but then it came to the elevated section. It ran up the hill (fairly steep) without issue but once at the elevated station its canopy hit the light guards then the rods the platform. So it was committed to a siding as the elevated would take too much rework. Fortunately another steam display was willing to let her stretch her legs. First we ran it with the stock car that came with the set ... then we hooked her up to a rake of coal. (I won't mention his name as I'm not sure if he's OK with being mentioned but I'm sure many of you know him... Hats off to you sir) It was great to see her run and my boys loved watching it run! Again thanks to all! I am working with a light company to light the firebox and the rear tender. Now to work on my Lug to increase track clearance for steam lol. Update: as she currently sits. Added brickstuffs custom lighting. Replaced the original pf lights with LEDs' installed flickering fire in the firebox and a rear lamp on the tender.
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One of the reasons I'm excited about the 2023 Hogwarts Express is that I hope it gets people into building steam locomotive MOCs. This happened for me by modifying it's predecessor, 75955 20230508_162151 by Sam Szeto, on Flickr I got two copies of 75955 cheap on eBay. My aim was to make the locmotive look more like a GWR Hall Class, whilst keeping it "LEGOish". I wanted it to be able to run on R40 tracks, with power functions. I also wanted to mainly use parts from the sets, with some from my own collection, and not have to Bricklink anything. This meant it had to be 6 wide, and use a similar boiler design. Also no custom wheels/rods/stickers. 20230508_162212 by Sam Szeto, on Flickr The original locmotive's proportions were rather tall and not long enough. I extended the boiler by 4 studs, and the firebox and the smokebox by 1 stud. I need to take a better photo, but I'm quite proud of the taper on the boiler. It extends by 1 plate, over 12 studs. The rear of the boiler is clipped to the firebox and the smokebox. The smokebox is not attached with studs to the running board, but on a Technic axle, so it can legally be a fraction of a stud off grid. I also added droid arms to create break rigging and sand pipes. 20230508_162243 by Sam Szeto, on Flickr 20230508_162447 by Sam Szeto, on Flickr 20230508_162508 by Sam Szeto, on Flickr The biggest challenge was getting the pony truck to go around R40 curves, and not interfere with the cylinders. This was an absolute headache - a lot of MOCs I've seen in recent years, are designed for wider curves, or they have the second set of pony wheels fixed, and only have one set of flanged drivers. I didn't want to do this so I created a pony truck with a sliding front axle. The pony truck can pivot to a fixed angle, than there are stoppers under the cylinder, which stop it moving any further. As the axle is free to move axially, it will un-centre itself to go around the bend. It works, but looks a bit strange, and is something I want to improve on the next version. 20230508_162221 by Sam Szeto, on Flickr Tender has all the PF components. Again for simplicity, I used the normal train motor guards (and mimicked the design around the front wheels), but I want to improve this in my next version. Also, for part reuse, I'm using the trap door from the original's tender to mount the train motor and thread the cable. 20230508_162629 by Sam Szeto, on Flickr 20230508_162711 by Sam Szeto, on Flickr The coach isn't meant to be a BR Mk1. I don't have any dark red parts, so I just decided to extend the official coach out to use a proper train base, whilst keeping the removable wall from the playset. I also have some older windows in my collection which were quite useful. If interested, their are more photos on my flickr. When I have the time, I'd like to do a full rebuild in 7 wide using custom wheels, with dark red Mk1s. But for now, I'm happy with this - I'm glad LEGO's play set was mis-proportioned as it inspired me to do this. Already working on a proper MOC now . References A lot of inspiration was taken from Phil B's incredible MOC/MOD @Phil B, particularly with the tapered boiler using the original set's design
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[MOC] 1:48 Pennsylvania Railroad Q2 Duplex (PF / PU)
Commander Wolf posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Hello all, I have recently built a model that might actually deserve a post. This is a working, running (albeit only on R104 curves) 1:48 scale model of the Pennsylvania Railroad Q2 duplex. PF or PU motors power all five driving axles, and the design uses no third party parts besides #11 drivers. See the video for a more detailed description. -
Hello together, we have the beginning of October, so time for an new OcTRAINber ;-) Whereby I will be honest: I started with this project already at the beginning of September (after the announcement of the topic for this OcTRAINber) and thus in the construction a month ahead. But I first wanted to get a feeling for whether I can even create such a project in the short time. I therefore show here in the first days the construction progress of September and then approach after a few days the actual state on my desk. Ps: for the readers from a German forum: please do not spoil ;-) Thomas
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Updates! https://www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/design.page?idModel=418816
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Hello Again. I have a rather iconic piece of railroading equipment for you all today. It is the oldest engine on the Strasburg railroad as well as the only operating 4-8-0 mastodon operating in the United States, it is 475 herself. She is a rather unique piece of equipment in more ways than one. Built as part of a series of locomotives in 1906 for the Norfolk and Western Railroad, they were the answer for increasing train loads. The 4-8-0 was utilized over the 2-8-2 because of adhesive weight. The M class was a deckless locomotive where the cab was alongside the firebox with the crew literally sandwiched between them. They were at first given Stephenson Valve gear but were later on given Baker valve gear 10 out of 125 ordered was superheated and all were fired by hand. Nicknamed "Mollies", they may have not been the prettiest locomotive created, but at over 40,000 lbs. of tractive effort for something made in 1906. However, when the Norfolk and Western started ordering new Y Class locomotives a decade later, it downgraded the Mollies to branchline work. 475 still runs to this day at Strasburg About this model: With my plans to start a company now taken seriously, I decided to build another and this time a smaller locomotive to complement Santa Fe 3463 and the C&O Allegheny. All I have to say was HOLY HELL, it was a bigger challenge than I thought it would be with its "distinct" shape of the boiler. But with a little help of brackets, I was able to complete it. However, it renders part of the boiler to not be as aesthetically pleasing, primarily along the bell area and below it. This model is equipped with Baler valve gear, but I also want to apologize for the lack of complete valve gear, for I had technical issues that saw my last computer's boot device fail, and it is only compounded by PartsDesigner being temporarily disabled at least on my side. Therefore; I am unable to make the new parts required to complete it. I do plan to have that resolved in time) With that being said, here is the photo gallery: As stated before, these locomotives were deckless. I did try my best to cover every square inch as possible, even the "backhead" to this locomotive. If I offer this as a product, the only thing that will be added aside from crew members will be the Reverse gear and the train brake. The throttle is also present but it is attached to the cab roof.
