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Hello all, it was for a while again since I posted last time here, but I got really busy about moving to a new place, starting a new workplace and this project I show you in this topic consumed also tons of money so there was nothing new LEGO-creation to post until this month. My latest project is the SOB (Südostbahn) Stadler Traverso also known as FLIRT4 regional train which is a MOC train which has really no relation to Hungarian Railways I'm used to build for. Larger image: https://img1.indafoto.hu/4/9/2269_99ef04eb612baf0e86671a5109e22154/26984249_b953fff3b7470d8a4d7803ad3dba544b_xl.jpg This is the overall look of the train, unfortunately I don't have any photos of my own about the real thing. But anyone familiar with the real train could know that the copper or bronze colour of the real train is a pain when it comes to pick a LEGO-colour for it. When I was asked to design this train, I asked a friend to make some samples for me with copper-chrome colouring of some random bricks, but the larger surfaces didn't look so good as I expected so I looked around for LEGO-colours when a single and ONLY dark orange piece popped up in my "mixed" box of parts. Made a quick BL-search, many parts in this colour not existing, including larger plates and tiles, so LDD-design seemed to be a challenge. Also part costs are extreme compared to another colours, the 300+ 1×6 plates, 550+ 1×2 cheese slopes and the special, 4×8 plates for floor (no 1×8, no 2×8, no 6×8, etc) were a pain. After making the complete design the guy who asked for it was concerned about part prices, but I started to like the look of the train so I started to order in March of 2021 and everything arrived (and I could pay for) until second half of September. Digital planning and real assembly took around 300 hours. The train is driven by 4 PF train motors, 2-2 in each half, controllod via SBrick. Interior lights and front/tail lights also included. It consist of 8289 LEGO-parts, including all the extension cables, lights, motors. However it is "just an another FLIRT" in my fleet, some parts has been modified significantly as an experiment, to update my older FLIRT design on my existing other 4 FLIRT units. The most significant part is the angle of the roof part - when I built the first FLIRT back in 2009, I used 45° slopes because there were no other options, now small hinges and cheese slopes offer better options. The front cone is totally different compared to FLIRT1 and FLIRT3 designs, and making it using Dark Orange was really a pain, making PF led lights to fit. LDD-plan of front cone - outside and inside: Front cone builtof real bricks, including PF-lights and using my own technique with light transmitting cables to fit into small places at the front: The entire train with lights on and other FLIRTs around: The two, non-identical halves of the train - 1st class traincars have different positioning and number of windows: Video of the train running:
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[LDD-MOC] Powered Up passanger train and FLIRT3 crossover
Ashi Valkoinen posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Recently our LUG got the new Powered Up passanger train which was a great fun for the kids at the holiday LEGO camp to assembly. However it seems that TLC will keep the big, one-part train fronts for all upcoming passanger trains, in other details the new City set seems a really good deal even for my AFOL-eyes. The color scheme, the easily removeable battery compartment solution is really nice, and the improved remote handles the speeds better (train not stopping at curves with speed 1). It is a real drawback, that only two outputs can be handled by a single battery box and connectors can't be stacked, but I hope there will be an official solution from TLC to put more motors on the same port (and maybe AA battery box). But back to colors... this bright orange, dark blue and light bluish gray combination is just perfect, I think it looks better than the 75% of real train colors. So I decided to make a try in LDD how this color scheme would look like on my Stadler FLIRT3 EMU (which was build for real recently). I had to change bright orange to simple orange - bright orange parts are still very limited. So, here are some screenshots from LDD: 1. The overall look: 2. Front pattern (light bluish gray cheese slopes missing but could be fit for real): 3. Overall look focusing on front: 4. Next to my GySEV FLIRT3: Basically only small details have been altered - the hinge connection by the front needed to be changed since the 1×2 plate with bar (closed ends) doesn't exist in orange. Also the side detail next to driver's cab and front window have been changed a little. However FLIRT trains have two different levels (upper one next to driver's cab and articulation, lower one anywhere else) I kept all color patterns horizontal through the train. Some lines with 1 plate height in Powered Up set have been increased to two plates (white on side and darb blue on the top), and made the full-orange front to have a line back at the bottom just like Railjet locomotives are painted with the red pattern curving back to the bottom. The doors became orange, sincs new TSI standards require to make doors with outstanding pattern to be easily identifyable to people with damaged vision. For this train I decided to make the plan with 3 cars - most LEGO passanger trains are given with 3 cars. Battery compartment could be hidden at toilet section. Tell me your opinion. :) -
SBricks & Trains - Second test runs with Stadler FLIRTs
Ashi Valkoinen posted a topic in LEGO Train Tech
Previous tests with description of how SBrick should be mounter in trains and how it can be used from smart devices, please refer to this thread: http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=115885 After equipping my red Stadler FLIRT EMU (415-001) with SBrick and testing it on different events I decided to put the SmartBrick inside my blue (415-061) Stadler FLIRT EMU as well. The two 9V train motors had been removed and two PF train motors (each attached previously to a 9V one) remained in the trains. The basic idea from switching from 9V to SBrick was that the two Stadler FLIRT units with 8 train motors together needed a really high current to move, and after several tries with paralell speed regulators and more power supplies connected to 9V loops it became obvious for me that making 7 kg of trains consisting of two invidual EMUs run is not sustainable on longer time period, and I can't expect other LUG members to supply me with all those extra cables and custom 230V AC->10V DC adapters under their part of layouts. Other issue was that voltage in 9V tracks depended how far the 9V train motor from power supply was, so synchronising the speed of my two FLIRTs seemed impossible. The two PF-train motors driven from SBricks can deal with the 3.5 kg weight of each FLIRT train, however they really slowed down on sharp turns and points. Each train can run around 3 hours with 6 pieces of 2100 mAh VARTA AA rechargeable batteries. For synchronised run I needed to design a new SBrick profile on designer.sbrick.com, where a slider drived both trains' SBricks' driving output (actually output "D" in my MOCs). After setting up the right polarity (done in profile settings, the two EMUs started into opposite direction for first try) they started to run, the magnet couplers hold them together and there were no problems on straight track segments. Problems started to appear in curves, the rear train, running still on straights was faster than the first one slowed down in curves, so it simply pushed the first one through the coupling causing derailment of the last bogie of the first train. Unfortunately it seems that two PF train motors are not enough to keep up the speed in curves, however with careful driving and slowing down in time the derailment can be avoided. Also rechargeable batteries should be approx in the same condition, a train with fresh or stronger batteries will be faster, however they have approx. the same weight and number of train motors. These derailments and problems (I almost couldn't run coupled FLIRTS on points, the first train leaving the point become faster and decoupled from the rear one) are caused by the not satisfying number of train motors and maybe failures of my train couplings, I'm working on them by now :) , equipping FLIRTs with a third PF-train motor for less slow-downs and a stronger, technic-parts containing coupling system (but still keeping magnets for easy to play experience) Also I need to put EMUs front/tail lights for ends "A" and "B" to different outputs - I can't reach the small polarity reversal bricks to turn off lights between units (see Fig.1. for details). Fortunately SBrick has four outputs - now two for front/tail lights, one for driving and one for indoor lights are being used. Fig.1. Polarity reversal brick to turn off front/tail lights manually on my EMU when the end is connected to other EMU. Not very playable when the train is in the middle of they layout. And let see how the application worked for me. I used a HTC One M8 mobile with the latest application and latest firmwares on my SBricks. Problem 1.: You are not allowed since version 1.6 for Anroid to attach an SBrick port to more sliders or buttons. Therefore when I start to operate Stadler FLIRTS simultanously, I have to first exit from the profile wich allowed to run them separetely (with two driving sliders) then load a profile with one slider for synchron run. It's such a pity that only one slider or button can handle a function. Problem 2.: derived from problem one, application crashed when I tried to reconnect to the two SBricks with a new profile. I don't really now how informatics and programming works, but crashes happened only on the first day of exhibition (7th of April), for the remaining three days they magically disappeared. Problem 3.: Connection lost. It happened quite often, at least three-four times in 10 minutes time gap. When running two trains synchronised and the first stops due to disconnect,well, derailments and broken couplers were the results. Also while App tries to reconnect, the profile screen gets darkened (see Fig.2.) and while it is darkened, you can't handle your outputs - even while the other, connected train is running. The only way to stop if reconnect not happening in short period of time is to exit from the profile. I couldn't figure out the cause of these disconnects, they appeared both while trains were running together, trains were running separately or one or two of them were just staying somewhere with turned on lights only. Fig.2.: One Sbrick disconnected, but other working - and if set to run, still running. Photo is just illustration, taken of different phone and with second SBrick in my Bombardier Talent EMU previously. A short video of the FLIRTs running together with SBrick: Conclusions: Pros +Playability for first - I liked to have my trains run together, controlling both of them with the same slider, then decouple them and let them run on their own way. +Four outputs on one SBrick - I need them more then ever. Increases level of playability. +SBricks can be hidden - no visual contact needed and high range of control - a very needed advantage for bigger layouts. +Not SBricks's Pro, but my FLIRTs now can run on non-9V track as well, ME-models R102s really tempting for smoother run, while I spared 4 of 9V train motors for other MOCs. Cons: -Once it was available to drive an output from different buttons and sliders, it is needed when you need your train solo and synchron run as well. (Or a non-train application - turn sign of car can be driven separately, but when signing warn or get stucked you need to blink them synchronised.) -Still too many disconnect problems, when two SBricks connected to a profile, can't stop non-disconnecting one. (I know, disconnects vary with different type of phones and phone operation systems and it should be hard to write the code which works fine on every device.) -Slider's 80% still not moving a train - not only my heavy ones but any train driven with SBricks. Voltage output function for trains applications should be changed. Please note, this review was focused on the coupled run and my needs, previous review focused more on how to use SBricks. I hope you find useful informations here when you plan to run your locos, motor units together to pull a heavy freight train or carry more passangers in your LEGO-City! My experiences also had been sent to SBrick developer team.