My first 8 wide train model

[MightySlickPancake]

Hi

I have been drawn in to the world of 8 wide models.

I was looking around brickshelf and i saw the level of detail and size, after a few hours of careful planing i decided on a once British rail now EWS class 56. i struggled at first with the bogies and articulation on corners but after an hour or so i got the hang of it. the main body didn't take me as long as i thought and looked pretty good as my first try.

My first poblem was when i started on curves an switch points. i new that ordinary curves would over hang a lot so i tried

Mark Bellis way of 1 curve, 2 straights, 1 curve, 2 straights and so on with only one little grumble i have is it rocked the loco a lot. also a problem is switch points where the loco breaks this piece http://media.peeron.com/pics/inv/custpics/2866.jpg then derails it on to its side.

Class 56 folder (when moderated)

so if there is any advice you could give me on any thing-model or curves it would be much apreciated.

cb

Edited August 6, 2009 by crabboy329

[Captain Green Hair]

Looks like a nice model you made, but isn't it a bit too long for an engine?

[Captain Zuloo]

Looks like a nice model you made, but isn't it a bit too long for an engine?

It looks a bit long indeed. Maybe it could be improved by adding something underneath it between the bogies. Some sort of motor thing, I'm not sure what it's called, but most of the LEGO trains have them.

Otherwise, it looks tops mate.

[Quarryman]

Couldn't sleep so I did some calculations..

The width of a Class 56 is (according to Wikipedia) 279 cm, which if we divide by 8 (studs) and then divide by 0.8 (width of a stud in cm) gives us:

(279 / 8) / 0.8 = 43.59, that is, an 8 studs wide Class 56 should be in scale 1:43.59

And as the length of a Class 56 (again according to Wikipedia) is 1935 cm we get:

(1935 / 43.59) / 0.8 = 55.48 studs

About 15 studs too long then I'd say, though it's a bit hard to count with such blurry pictures I think it's about 70 studs long now?

[MightySlickPancake]

hi

Thanks Quarryman but i have been in conversation and he says it should be 63.5 studs alond which is a lot less than the 75 studs before. For the new finished train it is here version 2 and it has about 3mm of clearance under switch points. as this is my first 8 wide train i have no intention of keeping it as i will soon start work on my 8 wide thunderbird(is its nickmane)'57/3'.

cb