kyphur

So I've been playing around with getting a final track design for my layout and I think I'm pretty close. Image is link so you can view it larger (for details) Some Notes: The Stations: ============= The "Main Train Station" is where three lines converge, The Mail Line (Cross Country), The Regional Line (to the Rural Station) and the Elevated Line (Intercity Commuter). In Chicago terms these are Amtrak, Metra & CTA's "L". It will be two stories tall. The "Rural Train Station" is a MOC of 7939. I used two of them and extended the elevated walkway to traverse 2 sets of track. There is shop, just two matching shelters with a ticket machine on each platform. The "Local Train Stations" will be two different styles. The one closest to the Rural Station will be a MOC in the style of the Winter Village. The one closest to the Switching Yard will be a simple platform. The Cities: =========== The Main City will be the Major Metropolitan Area of my layout. All buildings will be either official Modular Buildings or MOCs based on the Modular Building Concept. "Suburb One" will be an Urban Suburb. It will contain smaller structures than the Main City but retain the urban feel. "Suburb Two" will be very rural, I think I'll even have a small farm. It will start with the Winter Village Sets (having the snow removed from the roofs). And now for the current Parts List (just for the Baseplates & Track: 416 - Baseplate, 32x32, Green 020 - BasePlate, 16x32, green 004 - Baseplate, 16x24, Green 002 - BasePlate, 16x16, green 004 - Baseplate, 8x16, Green 012 - Switch Point, Right 008 - Switch Point, Left 326 - Track, Straight 122 - Track, Curve 747 - Track, Flex 014 - EOL Buffer Note the track count doesn't include the track that will be used in the Freight Yard as I haven't designed that area yet.

I use BlueBrick and while it took me a while to warm-up to the program I like it. For dimensions you can easily lay down a layer of baseplates or tables to give you size referneces, that's what I do.

Yeah, in MLCad I've remade the Super Chief Loco in 7 wide... I could see 6 & 7 wide trains co-existing on my rails without problem. For me the biggest issue is building stable train bases. With 8 wide you can use the 6 wide bases and just make the first layer 2 wide plates to widen each side by 1 and slap plates under the overlap to match the train base profile.

Dan, Part of the point of this project (for me) is to replicate as close as possible the original LEGO designs with only minor tweaks (like the Cabin Doors on the Loco) as homage to the original Super Chief Series by LEGO. I have always planned to built variant color schemed versions of at least the Loco. Don't let the limits I've imposed upon my project hamper your creativity. Honestly I'm still struggling with the decision to stay 6 wide or go 8 wide for trains running on my layout. If I go 8 wide then I can make some amazing versions of my favorite trains but it would mean no Official TLG Sets on my rails.

I hope it's allowed, I retook my photo as the sun is up around here now and the lighting is so much better. I just used the replace option in Flickr so the link is the same. Here's a link to the not rezised for the contest version of the updated image in flickr where you can view it different sizes (and see that Subulba is making his escape on a Segway in the background!) BTW, just figured I'd point out the fire was big enough that we had help from 2 other Fire Departments! In the truck there is a classic City Firefighter (with silver helm) and the 2 guys in gray are Launch Control Firefighters...

So you think you're MAD? Well, my Yard Supervisor fired a recently hired Dug named Sebulba because he just wasn't up to our company's standards. He was escorted off the property by security and warned not to return. Apparently he was MAD enough to return and sabotage our poor Maersk Loco. The fallen tree to trap the engine on the siding was a nice touch don't you think? I'm thinking it's a good thing we have a dedicated Fire Crew on duty around the clock at the switching yard... So Brickster, which makes you more MAD... That the Maersk is burning or that Sebulba is currently more MAD than The Brickster?

You'd think you could save money getting used baseplates but you'd be wrong! Sure the odd seller on BrickLink has 1 or 2 for $2 - $3 but by the time you see a usable quantity for this project the price is up to $4.50 and up! If I'm going to pay that price then I may as well get then New in the Box. I bought about 60 from Lego during Bricktober so I got double VIP points (equals 10% rebate) and free shipping. Another 20-ish came from BrickLink orders, while ordering other things I'd see of the store has baseplates and would get them if the price was below $5. About 10 - 15 came from existing stock I had and trades while I was liquidating my LEGO Star Wars collection. The latest order of 120 came from a single BrickLink store where I paid $4.49 each for the baseplates NIB! I've just come to accept that I'll pay about $4.50 plus shipping (or Tax if from TLG) for the baseplates and generally buy them a few here and there until I have all I need. I'll be happy if I get the remaining 150 that I need by December. I've put out the word that anyone who wants to give ne a gift can just get me a few baseplates also, my oldest daughter's boyfriend is rumored to have grabbed a few to give me the next time he visits...

All of the baseplates are laid out! Note that the black 2x2 round plates are just temporary until my ballasting, landscaping and structures tie the baseplates together better. I've ordered 15 of the 16x32 baseplates (I'll still need about 5 more) to fill the gap down the center that will exist in the areas that won't have the double length (like the Switching Yard, Freight Yard and City will). I won't be updating the layout for a couple of weeks as I begin the mammoth task of sorting my parts inventory (in preparation for a building spree) and finishing up a couple of other things like instructions for my New gray EMD-F7 Locomotive & Booster Units. When I need to putter on the layout I'll work on swapping out the parts under the inclines. I've improved the pillar design to include the slight slope and want to get the good bricks out in favor of some "seconds" I have.

There is a Lego Train Club in my area (NILTC) and I've thought about checking them out but... I'm just not sure that I'd be a good fit for a club and from the outside it seems like they're all looking for people who want to build a lot of stuff for a massive club layout. You guys have seen what I'm working on, I couldn't put a group display before my layout but it would be nice to have some locals to bounce ideas off and just share the overall experience with. I don't have a problem going to events and helping with the grunt work but to be honest most of my building efforts are always going to be directed towards my massive layout. I'm hoping to be able to transport and display my layout at some point (current goal is one AFOL Convention by the end of 2013). I just don't know if it would be worth the time & effort for either myself or the local Club for us to check each other out an consider an on going relationship so to speak. I would like to hear about other LEGO Train Enthusiasts experiences with LEGO Train Clubs.

In an interesting turn of events... It looks like I just might have a bit of a Sponsor for my layout. A bricklink seller who has been very helpful and is offering to provide some inventory in return for placement of a structure (small shop) with a sign on the layout. I do plan to configure the baseplates of this layout so that it disassembles into 30 by 30 inch (3 by 3 baseplates) sections for transport with hopes that I will be able to take it to some AFOL Cons starting in 2013. I've got a guy who could build me appropriate "travelling" tables to use. I wonder if this is an idea that might get a little interest and help defer some of the expense?

Yeah, the solid base of studs does make a huge difference. I wasn't really sure if the baseplates would be worth the investment (over 300 in total to plate the whole layout!) until I finished this last night. I still need to finalize my ballasting plan but I think it'll be 2 plates high with the lower layer being Dark gray and the second layer being light gray. I'll then pepper in some black, dark gray, white and even green with a few other odd colors here and there 1x1 round plates to add dimension. Okay, now you're just being silly... (ha ha ha) Of course the off color plates are just temporary. Since we know there's a slight gap between the baseplates when attached properly I needed something to hold them together properly until I get all of the green plates for that job. Thanks for the compliments. So far none of my MOCs have been anything special (very complicated) but I do think they are effective. They also fit into my "Big Plan" quite well. I wonder if the guys in the other thread (about LEGO Train being "Real" Model Trains/RailRoad) would consider this layout a "Real" Model Railroad? I don't really care if anyone else thinks it is, I know that I'll need a train engineer's hat once I've got the yard complete with offices, truck garage, warehouse and all of the expected facilities a Railroad needs in the yard.

Here is the switching yard fully plated (90 32x32 Green Baseplates)!

Update: My order of 120 Baseplates arrived today... Here are the boxes: I'm busy plating under the switching yard now... This weekend I'm getting 3 more packs of track (Straight & Flex) plus I've ordered another 64 pieces of Flex with a Bricklink order. I'm also getting my first Modular Building this weekend, the Fire Brigade.

Here's another possible candidate for the Dome (pic is link): 4 Wide by 8 long by 2 high. It would be a little long unless you make your dome car a little long...

Part #30161, Windscreen 1 x 4 x 1 1/3 with Bottom Hinge

No Problem, I had though about going that route but it seems like it would work best if you just want the model to look good from the outside but not contain Mini-Figs as the cavity would only be 2 wide between the sides if you use that Sloped Brick. I think your first idea (conical corners) or the James Mathis route are currently the 2 best ways to accomplish a usable Pleasure Dome. The other solution (by Swoofty) is okay but the trans clear macaroni bricks look heavy and clouded where you'd want the dome to feel light and airy.

the side windows are slope brick 65, 2x2. The minifig dress without the center tube. the end pieces are the windscreen from the flash speeder. sorry I'm posting from my phone so I can't get exact info

I would think about adding a connection points to the top edge of the doors. That should smooth out the motion and reduce binding as the doors move in/out of the opening.

Tearloch, How about this?

RailBricks (railbricks.com) has info on ballasting your track.

From MLCad... I do believe I own both of these parts so I can try to find them and confirm but it might take a while.

I just need to spend the time cleaning-up the MLCad Files before I can generate building instructions. I will publish instructions for the 2 engines before I start on the cars.

Here are the instructions for the James Mathis designed Pleasure Dome (Swooftie link): http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=119484 I started with these and made some changes to my own liking for my own SFSC Pleasure Dome. I I've looked at alternatives for the dome as those glass pieces are hard to find in the US in the quantity needed but in the end I just ordered anough for 2 models from italy (as I'll be doing a Pleasure Dome in my EMD-7F update project). The two curved panels do match-up quite well but they are a bit tall to use standing up. Maybe if you used 4 of them laid on their side that would work? The these parts end up being 6 wide by about 11 and a half studs long, the dome in James Mathis' design is 12 studs long.

Here are the 2 Engines together:

It won't. The reason I've setup both the A & B Units to be able to handle 2 PF Motors is to give anyone who wants to build this the option of powering either of the Units (or both if they want a really long train). I haven't decided which unit will have the power in my copy... I'm leaning towards the A Loco because while you'd never see a B Unit pulling a tain alone an A unit sure could.