kyphur

I'm not sure how long it will be but the layout will return! The move is good for the family, especially Gabby (whom the layout is dedicated to). I have a design for tables that will be sized 60x30, 30x30, 30x15 and finally 15x15 triangle (for inside corners). They will have mounting holes every 7.5 inches on all sides that will be used to attach the tables to each other and also to mount a plexiglass barrier around the perimeter. As designed only half of the tables will need legs. Until I again have the space for the whole thing I'll focus on building enough of the tables and design/building smaller sections of the larger plan.

Sorry I've been absent for a while... Now we're going to move over a thousand miles to Savannah Georgia so I'm in the process of packing up everything including the LEGO Train Layout. Here is all of my track: LEGO Track Inventory Flex Track - 1,281 Double Crossover - 7 Straight - 202 Curve - 191 90 Degree Crossing, 9v - 2 Switch, Left - 13 Switch, Right - 13 Train Bridge (uses 16 Flex Track) - 1 Active EOL Buffers (My MOD, uses 2 Flex Track) - 20 Ballasting Sample (uses 1 Straight, 1 BlokBricks EOL Buffer) - 1

Use this part - 8886, Power Functions Extension (Short) The LED Lights dim with the speed even when used with the PF Components (unless you connect them directly to the battery instead of the IR Receiver) so it won't be a concern.

Why not just use the PF LED (insert it into a Technic Brick 1x2 with hole)? The PF LED will provide a better (white now yellow and brighter) light. You can also use the second LED to provide backlighting in the Engineer's Cabin.

The only issue I have with Flex-Track is that it would indeed flex during operation. If I ran a train too fast and had the track too close to a switch or curve (so that the train still had sideways momentum) then the track would move. To counter this you can either stiffen the track by adding plates or tiles to the studs either between the tracks or on the sleepers outside the tracks, just be sure that the plate/tile is the length of 4 and crosses over the flex joint (instead of the joint between 2 pieces) unless the plate/tile is 8/12/16 long in which case it can cover multiple pieces of flex-track. Of course the other option is to ballast the Flex-Track which accomplishes the same thing but from beneath the track bed. As I mentioned earlier, I kind of like the clickity-clack of flex-track...

I think part of the issue is that in some countries (like Singapore) the items simply aren't available through "official" channels and in other countries they are times more expensive than places like the US (Australia for example).

I can't imagine anyone making this complaint. I have tons of extra Curve pieces and will probably never use all of them. If you really need more Curves then just visit BrickLink, there is no shortage...

FWIW, even 9v guys can use Flex track under their EOL Buffers. If a 9v guy wanted to use it for the Wide Curves then I imagine they could use the same metallic tape trick I've seen used for the PF Straights as the gaps in the Flex track are small enough that I doubt the wheels loose complete contact with the track.

I use the Flex Track under my EOL Buffers, for level crossings, for my Train Bridge (the deck of the bridge as well as the inclines on either side) and in my switching & freight yards for all of the track except curves and switches, the curves of my Wye are also Flex Track. When I build my Train Tunnel I'll use it in there also. Here is my flickr with images. I have purchased hundreds of pieces off BrickLink and even traded some 9v track for Flex track! In all I own somewhere in excess of 1,300 pieces with 975 pieces already installed on my layout! Yes it's noisy but then again trains are supposed to be noisy aren't they?

I don't have any of the track but I've read in several places that it's 100% compatible. As for the Rolling Stock & Engines, I have all of them. Here is my flicker set showing them with their LEGO counterparts: Click here The quality is less (I'd say about 80% as good as LEGO) but they're compatible. BTW, here's a thread with quite a discussion about them.

I don't think we would really need custom parts, just an adequate supply of parts they already have molds for...

My opinion on this is maybe we don't really need TLG to design and build us a lot of Rolling Stock or Locomotives, we just need them to make the specialized parts (like Train Bases, Wheels, Bogie Plates, Couplers, Train Windscreens, Windows, Doors, etc). Something like the Hobby Train Set but maybe a little smaller (thus cheaper) so help drive sales. If they could do it in different colors (a Red Set, a Yellow Set, a Black Set, a Dark Gray Set, a Light Gray Set, etc).

upload your pics to another site like flickr or brickshelf then link to them. You'll be able to post larger pics this way as well.

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'll be reworking the MLCad Files and hopefully have building instructions available in a week or so. I will include an alternate 2x3 door design using brick-built doors. I don't think the motors being all black looks bad, it might even be worth making the structure on the front of the front body in black instead of gray also. I know the bluish-gray couplers and train motor decorative sides are expensive and honestly if they're all black it's not bad. Besides, I pretty much wiped-out the supply of those parts on BrickLink in preparation for this project. The instructions will have them in black.

Yep, that windscreen from 3677 works well for the NEW Super Chief. I'm kicking around a design for brick-built 2 x 3 Doors to replace the old Gray ones...

Here is the EMD-F7A Unit in REAL BRICKS! I haven't installed the PF components yet, the Motors are dummies. All I'm missing are the decorative sides for the PF Train Motors in Light Bluish-Gray (I ordered a dozen from Australia). Total cost for parts (not counting the Light Bluish-Gray Couplers, PF Motor Decorative Sides and PF Gear) was just about $60!

Yep, parked on the Wye is my Santa Fe Super Chief complete will all five official Cars a B Unit and a Pleasure Dome (both based on James Mathis' great designed but MODed to my taste).

Under Curves & Switches I'll have to use tiles with strategically placed plates that the track can snap onto. Layout update: First I've finally started the task of sorting all of my loose pieces. I had to move all of them into the main area of the basement before I can do any sorting and that's done now! Here's the beginning of my landscaping supplies: Then I moved the 2 tables in place that will support the Freight Yard. I've even laid out the Track for the Freight Yard. The first switch is 32 studs from the bridge, I'm thinking of reducing that to 16 which would increase the length of the 2 topmost line each by 16 studs. I just need to be sure that the Engine & Rolling Stock can negotiate a curve that close to the bridge. There will be a small office complex in the upper left of the table that will include the Harbor Master's office. The lower half of the tables will have the area for transferring cargo from Ships or Trains to Trucks.

Yeah, I estimate it will be somewhere just north of 5,200 1x1 round plates! Fortunately I don't have to get them all at once. I'll be ballasting the track as the parts come in a little each month.

I'm giving more thought to the ballasting design for my track. I think this is the base design I'll go with and then I'll speckle the ballast with 1x1 round plates of varying colors (black, white, light gray, dark gray a little green and brown).

I should receive the BrickLink order with the rest of the parts needed to build both Engines sometime next week. Once it arrives I'll have them built in a day or two. Then I'll be able to confirm that they are structurally stable and can finish the instructions for those who are waiting. Sorry for the delay in getting to this point, Real Life has been interfering a lot lately...

A little kit-bashing and you can easily turn the two engines from the second set into another passenger carriage to give you a total of 3 carriages between the two engines. IIRC when I did that I needed somewhere around 6 to 8 parts but they were pretty common. Then you'll also have all of the PF stuff for your Maersk as the Passenger train is lightweight and a single PF motor can easily pull 3 carriages & 2 engines. Oh, and welcome aboard!

Thanks for the compliments on the Station. There will eventually be a ton of foliage. I'm collecting greenery in preparation for that stage of the build. I can't really do a lot of that until I've decided on the exact layout of buildings, roads and such though. Maybe I'll post a pic of the Green and brown bits I've amassed so far. I've decided that I'll MOD the Apple Tree House to serve as my Farm House. The garage door will be replaced with a bay window but I think the exterior will remain otherwise untouched. I'll probably also get the Pig Farm set just to add the small structure, not sure what I'll do with the tractor. I'm planning on having a couple of baseplates worth of "crops in the field" and might tackle a CITY Scale Combine (Harvester). For ballasting, what you see currently on the layout is just temporary. I'm loosely basing my plans on the Railbricks ballasting info but really doing my own thing. I do believe I'll be going with a height of 2 plates and a bottom width of 10 studs. This means the plates directly attached to the track will be the same width as the track but sitting on a base that is one stud wider on each side. Once I've worked out the details I'll post them here and in my Flickr.

Ha ha ha, yeah I got it right on the Flickr Set but missed the "7" hitting "9" apparently...

Minor update: Acquired 2 sets, some track and some baseplates yesterday: 10211 Grand Emporium, Donated to the layout by my wife! 7637 Farm Set, purchased from BrickLink 6 each 16x32 Green Baseplate, purchased from BrickLink 2 each 32x32 Green Baseplate, FREE using VIP Points! 8 each Straight Track 16 each Flex Track As you can see I've laid the spur line that connects the Switching Yard to the not yet built Freight Yard. My MODed version of the 7937 Train Station sits on this line. I used 2 copies of the set to create the station. The Commuter Line that connects the "Big City" to the Urban Suburb will run through this station to the left of the spur line (which will not stop at the station. The purpose of the walkway is to allow commuters to cross over the spur line safely. Finally, the building of my Farm has begun with the 7637 Farm Set! The image is a link to the update Flickr Set