kyphur

I've got the hardboard sub-surface down on 13 of the tables and I've run a loop around the tables. I need to get more green 32 x 32 baseplates! I did rebuild the inclines and put my bridge in the middle of them. Here is a link to the video of my Super Chief with 2 Engines (1 A and 1 B Unit) and 6 cars (the 5 official cars and my Modded version of James Mathis' Pleasure Dome) going up one side over the bridge and down the other side. My B-unit has 2 PF Train Motors and the o-rings are upgraded. The incline is 2 plates for each section of track (16 studs length). You can see that I've also begun ballasting my track.

The above post is spot on but I would add the following: You'll need additional traction to get any train that is more than a couple pieces of rolling stock up the incline. To do this simply replace the o-rings on the wheels of your powered bogie with #35 plumbing o-rings (available in a 10 pack for about $2.30 at both Home Depot & Lowes in the US, Menards seems to only carry this size in individual packs at 60 cents a piece). Note that your incline will take 20 - 22 sections of track on either side of the highest point to raise the track high enough for a train to run under the elevated track.

So MOC yourself one. Make a few part substitutions: * - Airplane windows (Replacement Part)) for the portholes. * - Windscreen from 3677 (Replacement Part) for the one with trans clear glass. * - Replace all Old Gray with Blue Gray equivalents. * - Build the rolling carriages (Bogies & Buffers) in black instead of light gray. These four changes alone should make the Santa Fe Super Chief much more affordable. Follow this strategy for all of the official cars, EMD B Unit and Pleasure Dome for a complete train at a fraction of the amount I laid-out for mine in the original colors (you really don't want to know how much just the B Unit cost me to build using the original Old Grays and 6 of the portholes)...

Here is a little idea I've been kicking around: Self-Contained Powered Tender Might be useful to you...

Again, thanks for the spot-on info. But if they had done that then there would just be more complaints about everything that's wrong with their version! Seriously in the day when you buy 10020 brand new all it would take is 2 sets and you have everything to build the B-Unit with lots of spare parts for MOCing so I don't see this as a major gaff on TLG's part. Thanks for another site with lots of good info on the Chief, I just might buy some of the books listed there. For me the Super Chief is the most iconic train to date that TLG has given us. I have all 6 official components (5 cars +1 Loco) and built my own Modded version of James Mathis' B-Unit (That cost way too much). I'm just about to begin building the Mathis Pleasure Dome and will probably Mod it once complete. Most of my spare money in 2012 will be split between my Massive Table Layout and my other guilty pleasure (Scuba Diving) but I do plan to begin a new Super Chief Project also. Basically I want to remake the entire Train (Both A & B Unit Locos, 5 Official Cars and a Pleasure Dome) in modern (bluish) grays with slight design modifications to eliminate some of the more expensive parts (like clear macaroni). At over $3 each for lt BlGray buffers I'll probably just have to live with using black buffers, I wonder if it will look better with the bogies being black also? There are a few cosmetic (and playability) changes I'd like to make also so we'll just have to see what I can come-up with. This project will begin by getting all of the official TLG Designs into MLCAD/LDraw so I can make the modifications I want and product instructions to share with everyone.

yes but the pf tracks don't conduct power (obviously)...

There is resistance. I can't say for sure that it WILL damage the train motor but the best thing to do would be just build a second dummy bogie (there's instructions for the unpowered bogie in the manual).

Or you could just use a PF LED Light mounted in a Technic Brick 1 x 2 with hole...

I don't know where you're hosting your images but I can't see any of them...

Minor update: The 1/4 inch hardboard base layer has arrived at the house today! The sheets are all cut to proper size and I'll begin moving them into the basement tonight so I can position them on top of the tables. The next step will be to layout the baseplates that will hold the main loop of track. After that I'll start laying down the track ballast and the track. There will be updated pics before the first of the year. BTW, The size has increased to 19 tables!

Thanks for the info... For the layout I've got the hardboard sub-surface cut and should have it layed on most of the tables within the next week. Then I can start laying the main loop in it's final configuration next week.

So I've been looking into the equipment used and it seems the LEGO Official Set is an EMD F7A or older EMD F3A both of which saw operation from the mid 50's onward. I also noted that the list states that per company policy there was no Observation Car used while the EMDs were serving as the Chief's Locomotive. Is this correct? Did TLG give us an outdated car when they should have given us a Dome Car?

Post a pic of the baseplate here, I bet someone would recognize it quickly.

This sounds like a perfect example of a good use for the pp3 > 9v adapter...

How about using flickr to host your images and then just embedding them or linking to the set here?

That's awesome! Star Wars may have the Glitz & Glamour but trains are where the really cool stuff happens... I've also found the community in Train tech to be much more supportive.

Actually, look into vinyl cutters, first you print your image them feed the image into the cutter's software and it will make the cuts for you!

As I described it (using the RC Train Motor with PF > 9v Extension) would have the same footprint as the PF Train Motor just a less powerful 2nd motor.

When you overcome the Spring issue please let me know...

Cool idea but if you're going to cross wires wouldn't it be better to make a few "reversing cables" from the PF > 9v extension and use that with a RC Train Motor? I know it's said to be weaker than the PF Train Motor but we're talking about adding power so in most cases you'd be okay.

That would be original, a LEGO F.R.E.D. (Flashing Rear End Device)

I agree with that point, just wanted to point out that the ones being sold don't have that feature.

The only problem I see with recommending the pp3 > 9v Adapter is that it only works in conjunction with the IR Receiver.

I never said a Coaster would need an extra engine... What I said was that a Coaster would need components that are unlike TLG's current offerings. Of course you could build the wheels, motors etc using technic & PF Motors but it would get heavy fast and with the twists & curves of a coaster that would make it unstable.

For there to be any Roller Coaster Theme TLG would have to go back to the drawing board for the motors, wheels & tracks. Roller Coasters are nothing if they can't loop which means that they will need powered wheels that are both above & below the rails and the rails need to be rounded (tubular) so the drive wheels always have a surface to connect with. That doesn't even take into the consideration need for the motor to change speed automatically at certain parts of the track. I doubt it would ever be feasible...