kyphur

I added the detail above the doors (didn't notice it on the Prototype before) and adjusted the roof to have a 1/2 stud overhang at each end. I also redesigned the Brake Control. @JopieK, I'm not sure what you mean by "Build the train a bit off the baseplate", the cabin on the prototype is basically a box directly on the baseplate. As much as I like SNOT and intricate details this design is for the 7777 Redux Contest on Flickr. One of the points is to keep the build from getting too complex.

I know I already have one entry completed but the rules say you can enter multiple times (only winning is limited to one per user)... I've been thinking of Cabooses (or is it Cabeese) and one that I haven't seen yet in LEGO is a Transfer caboose. I present my initial design: Here is the prototype: Here's the set. I would appreciate any feedback.

Wow, seriously. Please point out exactly where I said anything about "Majority Approval". According to my understand of language "Greater Tolerance" does not equate "Majority Approval". Furthermore, I would never apologize for anyone else's actions as it's not my place. And I would agree that it's problematic when a company does directly copy TLG Sets and emulate the Box/Instruction designs in such a way as to intentionally blur the line between their product and TLG's (regardless of the brick quality). On the other hand, as I have already pointed-out of the 18 currently available EN Train Sets only a couple can be considered to fall into that category. To go even further, EN does have a few unique pieces that I wish LEGO would make, many of them used in their Train line. Maybe if EN improves their piece quality enough and completely discontinues pirating LEGO Set designs then it could benefit everyone by providing a cheap alternative to those who care more about price and by motivating TLG to think about some of the interesting EN piece designs and expanding their own options in areas that are lacking.

Dude... You really need to de-stress a bit. First it isn't bootleg. Granted Enlighten started with things like direct rip-offs of pirate ships and such but as has been pointed out only a couple of the Train Sets can be considered direct knock-offs of the Lego version. Compare EN's Frisco Fe to TLG's Santa Fe Engine, sure the prototype is the same but the two models are miles apart in construction and I actually like some of the things EN has done on their version. Second, as has already been pointed out LEGO has lost exclusive rights to manufacture the interlocking brick design. Third, Mr President, if you don't like the brand then simply don't spend your money on the brand. LEGO is #1 for sure but honestly I just might swipe the Gray Portholes (depending on how close the print color is to Lego Grays) from the Frisco Fe as I'm making my own 8 wide Santa Fe since I can get 4 of them for $16 verses $20 - $25 each for TLG version of that part (and the supply on BL is currently very low). I say to each his own...

Thanks for the honest review of the sets. I have to say that EB membership has shown a greater tolerance for the "Clone" brands lately and I share your hope that the trend continues. I actually just jumped on a deal ordered one each of all 18 Enlighten Train sets, The cost was $13.55 each including shipping from China!

Here's a link to a Flickr Set with all of them: I just ordered the 629 Heavy Duty Passenger Locomotive "Frisco Fe" for $17, really more for the instructions than the bricks. I has a few neat features that I like. Based on what I think of the Frisco I just might also order the 630 Heavy Duty Freight Locomotive "Union Pacific". Heck If nothing else I figure I can just build them with real Lego pieces...

My Updated List of Trains Miscellaneous: Unique: 1, Total: 1 Locomotives: Unique: 14, Total: 19 Rolling Stock: Unique: 15, Total: 30 These counts don't include the Rolling Stock from 7939, 3677 or 7898 yet. Custom Miscellaneous: Hand Car (MOC for 7777 Redux) Custom Locomotives: MOD 3677 Red Cargo Train, Shortened to 28 Studs length EMD B-Unit for Santa Fe Super Chief PF Locomotives: 10219 Maersk Freight Train (x3) 10194 Emerald Night .3677 CITY Red Cargo Train .7938 CITY Passenger Train (x2) .7939 CITY Cargo Train (x2) RC Locomotives: .7898 Deluxe Cargo Train 9v Locomotives: 10001 Metroliner 10020 Santa Fe Super Chief Locomotive 10133 Burlington Northern Santa Fe Locomotive 10157 High Speed Train Locomotive 10183 Hobby Train .4535 LEGO Express Deluxe (x2) Custom Rolling Stock: Container Car (Black Base, Gray Accents) based on Maersk Container Car (x 6) Rolling Stock: .7938 Passenger Car (x3) 10001 MetroLiner Passenger Car 10013 Open Freight Wagon 10014 Caboose (x2) 10015 Passenger Wagon (x2) 10158 High Speed Train Car (x2) 10170 TTX Intermodal Double-Stack Car 10022 Santa Fe Cars Dining Car 10022 Santa Fe Cars Observation Car 10022 Santa Fe Cars Sleeper Car 10025 Santa Fe Cars Baggage Car 10025 Santa Fe Cars Mail Car 10194 Passenger Car 10219 Maersk Container Cars (x6)

To be honest, it's not really that I think it SHOULD be shorter. It's just that to me the overall look & feel of it tends to give me the sense of a shorter Engine. I guess part of it comes to how I came to Lego & Trains. I'm not a "Train Guy" per-say, which means that I'm not into Trains first and Lego is my chosen scale or medium for Trains. Instead I'm a "Lego Guy" whose Theme of preference is Trains. I'm enjoying picking-up bits of info here and there about Trains but I would have never made the connections you linked to without someone doing as you did. So when I think of Yard Engines (Shunters) compared to "True" Freight Engines I think of the Freight Engines being on a larger scale as they are meant to pull trains that can measure miles in length whereas the Shunters are basically for moving stuff around the yard and possible moving rolling stock between yards but not really designed for the heavy long haul. On top of that you add the lines of the 3677 Engine with it's low hood and it just seems like it should feel small when parked next to my Maersk Engine or even the Yellow Freight Engine. Thanks for the compliment, while the primary goal was to shorten the overall length of the Engine I was not willing to compromise the look & feel of it's design. As much as I want to recolor it I'm not sure that I'll take that leap because right not I'm just not happy with the resulting look.

Here is how it would look in Dark Gray: And if the Battery Box was available in BLACK: Unfortunately I can't really do either as all of the parts are made in either color. I think this version might actually be build-able:

Thanks, I agree it's a great engine. The only issue I have with it is the scale. It shouldn't be the same size as the Yellow Cargo Engine and just a bit smaller than the Maersk Engine. This MOD fixes that without compromising the overall look & feel of the Engine I only needed a few parts that weren't in the set: 1 - 1x4 Brick, Black 1 - 2x2 Tile, Black 2 - 1x2 Plate, Lt BlGray 2 - 1x2 Cheese Slope, Lt BlGray I actually picked-up my second set when Toys R Us had their Buy One Get One Half Off Sale. I'd actually purchased the first on 2 weeks before the sale and just went back to get the second. I explained at the service desk that I wanted to "return" the first one even though it was assembled and at my house then immediately re-purchase it along with the only one they had in stock. I paid $86 and walked out of the store with my second 3677 Set! I like the re-sized version so much that I'm honestly thinking of building one in Dk BlGray (Primary Color), Lt BlGray and Black. That one might be 8 -Wide though as I'll need a nice Shunter once I start building my 8-Wides...

Since getting this set it has bothered me that what is basically a Shunter/Yard Engine is comparable in size to the full size freight hauling Locomotives. My original goal was to get down to a total of 24 studs long but I think I would have had to remove the seating from the cabin to house all of the wiring and I don't want to do that. First I replaced the 28 stud long Train Base with a 24 stud long Train Base. Building on this I basically took the 4 studs out of the area between the Cab and the battery box. I placed a LiPo Rechargeable Battery in the Red battery Box, to charge the Battery I just need to remove the "vent" disk. I needed to use the outer most holes in the base to attach the trucks/bogies so I had to shift some of the first layer of construction as to allow these holes to be accessible. I also had to adjust the actual trucks/bogies for the new length of the Locomotive. The powered bogie is shortened by 2 studs: The Unpowered bogie is shortened by 1 stud:

This link worked for me

Mostly they are close estimations but in recent years Lego has reached out to the LDraw community and actually provided exports of official parts which are then manually cleaned-up and reduced in size for faster rendering by the LDraw community.

Here is my Official Entry in the 7777 Redux Contest on Flickr: Hand Car I've been thinking about building a Hand Car since I got into trains in April of this year (2011) but never got around to it. Thanks to the 777 Redux Contest I've completed it. There is a Hand Car right on the cover and it is actually the first set of instructions (on Page 3) in the book. As you flip through the book you'll notice that the hand car keeps on making appearances amoungst the other models, it sure gets around the yard! It may be the smallest model in the original book but I think it may also be the most iconic... I wanted to update the look to the more modern sleek look (not too blocky) but still keep the build simple and sturdy. In addition to showing less studs I've noticed that Technic parts have worked their way into system scale sets more and more so I figured using a couple for the pump handle would be a good idea. Since the original Hand Car seemed to get around I figured I'd follow our dynamic duo, Moe and Joe, as they do a general once-over of the Train Yard. For most of the tour they stayed off the main lines but towards the end of the workday they decided to take a short-cut using one of the long distance main lines. Unfortunately they neglected to check the schedule or they would have known to stay off that line for at least another 30 minutes becuase the Santa Fe Super Chief was running a little ahead of schedule! Luckily Joe has a good throwing arm and even better aim! I doubt he'll ever let Moe talk him into hopping on to the main line with the Hand Car again. You can view all of the images and Building Instructions in this Set.

I agree with everything you've said, it'll remain as is... BTW, here is the link to the Set on Flickr which now has instructions: 7777 Redux Hand car by Kyphur More pics will be uploaded tonight, I'll be sure to get it next to a few of my locomotives & some rolling stock.

Here it is complete! I'll get instructions done this week, then do some better Pics (that tell a short story) and make my official entry into the 7777 Redux contest. I would like to know what everyone thinks of the "Scale", should if be smaller?

In the end it was that sense of "responsibility" that actually sapped the fun out of collecting. I mean my set was so close to complete and something in me couldn't let go of that need to complete it. If I knew the license was ending in a year I could have held on but with no end in sight I just got out while the getting was good... With the Trains I don't care to complete the collection, just get what a I want and play with them. The trains are more about playing with than collecting...

I guess I should have checked in a little sooner myself. I've been hanging around in Train Tech since about April. My Signature image is a little outdated (I've been otherwise busy lately) but it will get caught-up in the next few weeks... Here's a link to my flickr set with images of some of my Trains.

As a kid I didn't have a favorite or really even know there were themes, it was just all LEGO... The 1903 Wright Flyer brought me out of my dark ages and I have all 3 Historic Planes (Sopwith Camel & Red Baron) but Star Wars was the Theme that kept me hooked. Over a period of 8 years I collected LEGO Star Wars Sets to the point that I was only missing 7 of the very earliest sets (4 of them were the MiniFig Packs). The collection grew to well over 200 unique sets with multiples of several sets. I always had more than half of it on display is glass cases purchased just for that purpose. The missing sets bothered me so the hunt carried on. Earlier this year I came to realize that LEGO will probably never lose the SW License since it's literally a license to print money for all parties involved so I've come to the conclusion that my quest for a Complete Collection is impossible. In April I began the great SW Purge and have sold over 90% of my collection since... LEGO is not gone from my life though, I've moved on to Trains!

So here it is, the final push to get the last of my Lego Star Wars Sets out the door. I'm down to 18 remaining sets from well over 200! These prices are 20% (rounded up to the next dollar) off my current BrickLink listed prices! This sale will last one week. Prices are firm, all sets are from an Adult Collector assembled & displayed (out of direct sunlight) but not played with. Consider the sets complete but used which basically means all of the parts to build the main model are present but any extras are not. The Technic Models will come with rubber bands that have not been used. To get the discount prices listed I only have 2 requirements: First you're a registered EB Member and Second you purchase 2 or more sets. International shipping will be using USPS Flat Rate Priority Mail, insurance is the choice of the buyer (I have only had 1 package lost in shipping so far and it WAS insured) Domestic Shipping is either Flat Rate Priority Mail or Parcel Post, buyer's choice. Insurance is the buyer's choice also. Send me PM to arrange payment & shipping, first come first served. I'll update this list as sets are ordered. . Price . . Description $ 84.00 . . 10186 General Grievous Includes custom (2 sided) Cape, Stickers applied, No Box $ 72.00 . . 10215 Obi-Wan's Jedi Starfighter - UCS Stickers applied, No Box $ xx.xx . . 4481 Hailfire Droid, No Box $ xx.xx . . 7181 TIE Interceptor - UCS, No Box $ 34.00 . . 8001 Battle Droid, No Box $ 34.00 . . 8001 Battle Droid, No Box $ 22.00 . . 8009 R2-D2, No Box $ 67.00 . . 8002 Destroyer Droid, No Box $ 67.00 . . 8002 Destroyer Droid, No Box $ 39.00 . . 8010 Darth Vader, No Box $ xx.xx . . 8012 Super Battle Droid, No Box $ 24.00 . . 8012 Super Battle Droid, Instruction Manual has water damage to cover, No Box $ 25.00 . . 7262 TIE Fighter and Y-wing (TRU exclusive re-release), MISSING: Darth Vader and his TIE Advanced, No Box . . . . . . This is only the Y-Wing Starfighter with it's pilot and R5-D4 Astromech Droid $ xx.xx . . 6208 B-wing Fighter, MISSING: Sticker Sheet. $ xx.xx . . 6205 V-wing Fighter, No Box $ 12.00 . . 6205 V-wing Fighter, No Box $ 16.00 . . 7252 Droid Tri-Fighter, No Box $ 16.00 . . 7252 Droid Tri-Fighter, No Box

I think you're making quite a leap there. This thing looks so cheesy that it will probably die a quick & silent death in just a matter of months. The whole "place stickers on your parts to scan them in" kind of blows the idea of scan a physical model and convert it to LDD file.

Most of the parts are here! All I'm missing is for the undercarriage.

Oh, so it's the BrickMaster Book:

Can't really make out much in the photo. What exactly is it? All of the Mini's? The Book with a Clone, Droid & 230 Pieces? Something else?

The white looks great. The only improvement I can think of would be to recolor the undercarriage. In the original it was white, while the rest of the train is white the original white should be gray IMHO.