snowvictim

It's a shame they don't make additional carriage sets for sets such as the Emerald Night or the Horizon Express. Have to get that stuff from BL or order the necessary parts to make them. That's what I liked about the 4511 set. It had the 10157 and 10158 supplementary sets to develop your train. Bottom line is - trains were better back in the 9V days... @Edit And what's worse, I think the trains themselves just kind of deteriorated. I would love to see more sets like the Santa Fe Super Chief, the BNSF GP-38, you know, like model sets that represent actual trains. You can argue that "Oh well you've had the Maersk, the Emerald Night is pretty much the Flying Scotsman, and the 60051 is practically the ICE train". I can only accept Maersk in this sort of arugment. The rest, although based on a given train, is not an actual model of that train. :(

Jethus Cwithe! Is that dark bluish gray 9v track?

Thanks for the suggestions, but even without the standard train base I've got overhand because of the side decorations. :/

It's such a shame that this crosstrack doesn't allow for both tracks to go straight...

Yes, I am. I had a feeling it would be too long.

I know what's causing the problems. The bogies are too far apart. On a standard curve, when the front wheels are halfway through the curve the rear wheels are still 1.5 tracks away from starting to turn. Eventually it reaches the point where the front wheels are pushing in a direction, but the rear wheels still have to go forward - the train therefore can't move anymore. I found what this guy did could be a solution - making the bogies like the ones on the Emerald Night.

So in less than 2 years you've accumulated 1.3 tonnes of Lego? Are you perhaps related to Maersk McKinney-Møller?

I think what's best about this is that there's like a 1 wagon interval between the engine and the last carriage. :grin:

I've watched this twice now and for reasons I do not know or at least cannot understand I couldn't stop laughing whilst watching this:

Alright, back with a quick update. First thing not really relevant to this build, but I'm excited about it so I'm going to include it anyway. Parts for my Yellow Engine have arrived! Woop woop! Now, back to the topic. Finished the underbase. I've decided to stick with Southern Pacific, got the decals ordered today. They'll be in clear foil, didn't want to have different tones of white. The remaining parts, mostly the dark blue slopes, are arriving tomorrow so I'll have the train completed. I'm trying to get that 10179 sold as quick as possible to get the 9V engines for this badboy. Added these two stickers. I think they look nice, especially the LEGO one. Gives it that "official sponsor" impression" Mind you, there are also "GV" and "YS" bricks visible in the previous pictures. I checked my sticker pack. Most of the stickers there didn't match, but I was looking at the Constitution Train Chase ones for quite a while though. They'd match nicely if not for the dark blue motive of the train. Shame... I've experimented with the designs for the beds in the sleeper carriages. Came up with this, just for the banter.

Ok... that like... fills up like... a warehouse... right?

I knew from the beginning, but I think it's still an interesting idea. I think a smaller version would like nice on the desk. My only concern is the sound volume this contraption generates.

Indeed it is. Couldn't find the actual photo but the display base is the same. Thanks!

Hi folks! After completing my 8-wide Southern Pacific Inspired Diesel Engine I've set off to build an actual Southern Pacific Engine. I have decided to replicate a build that I saw on Google - I absolutely fell in love with it. Please bear in mind that this is a replica, I am not claiming authorship over the train used for the project. Furthermore, I am sorry to say that I do not have an exact source from which I got the train, I will try to provide one if I can. I would like to give credit and thanks to the original builder of this train, Swoofty, for an outstanding creation that I would very much like to see amongst my trains. You're my hero. Here's the train: http://www.flickr.co...@N08/2632143117 - link to the flickr gallery with the photos. Actual bicentennial Southern Pacific EMD GP40P-2 And here's my version, slightly different: I still haven't figured out what to do about the buffers. I guess they're going to have to go under the grey ladders. Again, thanks to the author of the original train, Swoofty. You have definitely made a great contribution to Lego Train MOCs.

What are those metal discs on the buffers? Is that custom?

You've got... 1.3 tonnes of Lego trains? I assume that's what you mean as 1.3kg is not that much, thus your "That is a lot" wouldn't match in there.

Oh Gee, thanks for that. Wouldn't have figured that out. This works with my baseplate well as I made the 7-wide with a 2-3-2 arrangement.

No need, used the 2x3 rounded plate you guys recommended. I just couldn't attach it in a way that I think is good because the baseplate is very weird.

Wow! Amazing build. Might attempt this myself. Oh, what's SNOT lettering?

The 2x4 plate with holes doesn't center it. Fixed it a sec ago. I'm still not content with the way it looks, and I think the part might fall off. I'll have to play around with it on the actual model.

So... ummm... this is kind of what I mean. Any tips?

Right, I've found the problem. It's not the bogies, they turn fine. It's the length of the train. It's too long to make the curves. I've found the solution is to make the curves on a C-S-C-S-C-S-C (C = curved track, S = straight track), which allows this big bastard to actually make the 90 degree turn. I'll upload a video soon because the motion of the train on the curves is so hilarious, you've got to see it for yourself. It looks like a snake. Here are some pics: Borrowed 2x 9V motors from my Red Engine and 4511 HST. It looks better with the light grey wheel covers so I'll be ordering those. By the time the front motor is halfway through the curve the rear motor hasn't even started to turn. But I've got to say, this bull pulls 4 Horizon Express carriages without breaking a sweat. Wow, I've just ordered the parts for the first carriage, turned out about $73. I'm planning to make 4. He's going to need a separate layout. I might have to dedicate the dough from the Millenium Falcon purely for 9V straight rails and 4x 9V motors. Unless I take a loan. Hard to choose between getting the BNSF, Limited Edish Santa Fe Super Chief, 2003 High-Speed Train, Green Cargo Train (9V), Santa Fe Car OR the parts to make this colossus run.

I'll post that in the topic for the Southern Pacific Inspired engine not to split the threads. Thanks for the ideas for the 7-wide, I'm building an actual Southern Pacific engine now after my own version so I'll put that to use.

Hi folks! I've got two questions concerning the width of Lego trains. 8-wide - do these fit normally on curved tracks, by which I mean 4 curved tracks (90 degrees turn)? My South Pacific Inspired engine had some problems on curves but it's because the underbase doesn't allow the bogies to move completely. I'm rebuilding that now, hope all works well. I mean it's just hard for me to imagine an 8-wide doing a 6-wide curve, especially considering the fact that my 8-wide model is twice the size of a stock Lego engine. Bottom line - do they turn smoothly on normal curves or do I need some special layout? 7-wide - how do I get the bogie on the center stud? In a normal even-wide engine the bogie is between the studs, but in odd-wide engines you need to get it on the center stud. I've worked out a few ways of doing this but they all take a probably unnecessary amount of components (and they stick out a lot, something I want to avoid). Thanks!

The motors don't have enough area to turn. I might have to do some tweaking to the underbase and the components on it. That or doing the long straight-rail curves.