Rob Klingberg

Thanks Toastie and skaako for your input! All great points. The multiplexing idea is a very good one (and necessary for economies of scale on large layouts), and one I have also looked at. I have also been using servos instead of motors because of their ability to ensure accurate positioning (with a motor, it is difficult to make sure it has fully thrown the switch without the addition of two pressure sensor switches or some other, more complex mechanism). Servos are so cheap these days, and as others have said, can be easily controlled with microcontrollers. I'm curious: how many people have layouts with space beneath the switch to hide a large servo? This would be similar to the Tortise switch machines used elsewhere in model railroading. I don't have a permanent layout myself, so my experiments have needed to use a very large assembly mounted directly next to the switch. Just curious if under-the-switch mounting is a workable option for most people with large layouts. Thanks again for the input! --Rob

Hello all, apologies if someone else already posted a video of the amazing Lord of the Rings display from Brickworld, but a friend of mine posted a video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mpM6vhPXWc This was one of my favorite displays at BW this year. --Rob

Hmm I think I will definitely need to add this set to my list of coveted items! I used to work in this house (the University of Chicago had alumni offices in the house for a time in the 1990s, if you can believe it), so I've spent quite a bit of time inside. Would love to have the model as a reminder!

I've been tinkering around with this problem (electrifying switches) for several months myself, as it really seems like the holy grail of Lego train operation. I've taken the approach that *not* modifying switches (removing friction) is more important than using 100% Lego parts, but I'd be curious to hear what others thought. What are the most important factors in a switch motor, in your opinion (in order of importance): * All Lego parts * No switch modification needed * Small size (or ability to mount underneath a table) * Uses standard 9V Lego battery pack (or similar Lego power source) I've also made the assumption that using RCX/NXT elements is cost or supply prohibitive for large layouts (10+ turnouts)-- would others agree? --Rob

I went to my local TRU yesterday just to see if they even had a space on the shelf for the set. There was a LEGO employee there, sprucing up the shelves. I asked her if she knew when the set would be back in stock-- she hadn't even heard of it. She also said TRU typically gets most sets one month before the LEGO stores and other outlets-- she showed me her spiral bound catalog which had several products listed with release dates of August 2011, yet they were already there on the TRU shelves.

If you can find it in a Toys R Us store (or if they get stock back online) the set is "buy one get one 50% off" -- quite a deal! (Update: just called all the TRU stores in the Minneapolis area. All are sold out. I'm wondering how many locals on Eurobricks beat me to the local stores!)

Holy cow those Legoland animatronics are awesome! Agreed they take a full-time staff to maintain-- sure would be nice to have even a fraction of that in my backyard. Allan, I think you should recommend your bumper cars design to them-- that is so cool! Any videos of it in action? --Rob

On the topic of weight of Lego vehicles, weight itself is not the primary consideration but rather friction in the steering mechanism. The wheels of the vehicle would support the weight, and the internal motor would propel the vehicle. If you had a steering system with very low internal friction, in theory it should be possible to steer with very little effort (i.e., a moderately-sized magnet). Remember the vehicle would be moving forward under its own power, so all the magnet would need to do would be to turn the vehicle left, right, etc. The Faller cars have the magnet on a bar extended beyond the front of the vehicle to add leverage to the turning mechanism. It would be interesting to see if an extension bar like this would be needed to turn a Lego vehicle, or if you could mount the magnet flush with (or even under) the vehicle. I'm thinking I really need to order some Faller parts and try building a prototype! On the topic of internally-guided (i.e., Arduino or similar microcontroller), you could easily build a line-following system and have the vehicle follow a black line on the road. There are numerous open source line-following microcontroller examples out there. You could also implement this with NXT/RCX I believe. --Rob

JopieK, can you provide more details about what you tried and what, specifically, did not work? I have been thinking about creating a city that would use the actual Faller system elements. Seems like all the base elements should work: motor (PF, in vehicle), battery (PF, in vehicle), magnetic switch (custom), steering arm with rare earth magnet on tip, magnetic wire under baseplates (use Faller wire), electromagnet under baseplate (Faller, would need to be installed in a raised installation or under a table), and voila. The only issues I could imagine (not having tested it of course) would be magnetic adhesion (could likely be solved with a stronger magnet) or turning radius of vehicles (not sure of how to design around this were it to be an issue). Would be interested to hear what challenges you encountered, as again the Faller product is an amazing and very feature-rich system (though definitely not cheap!). --Rob

Cool, thanks Bryan! So it seems I was the one who missed the fancy badge pre-order. Will definitely make sure not to do that again next year! Gotta have that Brickworld bling, you know! Thanks again for all the hard work to put on a great show-- my kids are still talking about it, and we're already planning for next year. --Rob

@Bryan, thanks for the feedback-- I realize BW is an evolving thing, and it's great to know organizers are so open to participant feedback. My primary issue with the Light Registration wasn't the price of one ticket, and what benefit that conferred, but rather the multiplied cost of 5x Light Registrations, even for my 3 1/2 year old. In that case the value was significantly diminished-- my kids didn't participate in minifig speed builds, etc. (weren't interested in that particular activity) So my suggestion would be to consider allowing Light registrants into seminars next year (excluding us from seminars with as broad an appeal as ME-Models track best practices was especially disappointing), and also to consider a Light Registrant family pack. If people aren't displaying but still want to participate in as full a capacity as possible, I think you would draw a lot more "middle of the road" people like my family to the Light category vs. the Public category (resulting in a more profitible event). One other suggestion I forgot to make in my original post was to allow Light registrants to register on Thursday, along with the Full registrants. I tried to do this (drove 500 miles to check in at the hotel a day early), and was greeted with more than a little disdain from the "Full" people staffing the registration booth. Even if Light registrants don't have access to any events on Thursday, we could sure use those badges to take advantage of the LEGO Store discount before everyone else has picked the shelves clean! :-) Lastly, just to reiterate, I think Light Registrants should be provided with the ability to order their own engraved nametags that are identical in appearance to those of the Full registrants. Receiving a Brickworld 2011 engraved brick with nothing to attach it to was a downer. Since it seems as though I'm the champion for the Light registrants, feel free to contact me off board-- I'd be happy to volunteer next year in the planning to provide suggestions on how to make the experience for this attendee group even better. rob(at)theklingbergs.com. Thanks! --Rob

Hi 'brickmack', I too attended my first BW this year (just got back to St. Paul, MN, tonight actually). Overall I thought it was a fantastic show-- I had a great time, my kids had a blast, I thought everyone was extremely nice, and I loved seeing everyone's creativity on display. I'm a train and City fan, so those were my favorites (and there were amazing specimens of both on display), but I also enjoyed the mind-blowing Lord of the Rings displays. I thought the venue was excellent, though there could have been more onsite food (the only food onsite was sold through the Westin's gift shop, and of course they ran out almost immediately). I'm definitely planning to make this an annual trip. My only major complaint relates to the "Light" registration (which I purchased). I felt there wasn't anywhere close to enough content to justify the price of a "light" registration ($40/person-- and I have three kids!) vs. the public registration ($10). Nor did I want to pay $60/person (again, including my 4-year old?!) for "full" registration. I felt there was too much content offered to "full" registrants only, and far too little content offered to "light" registrants. My suggestion would be either to open up more of the seminars to "light" registrants or offer a $10/kid flat rate for all children not displaying MOCs and/or under age 8. That, and give all preregistered attendees the option to purchse their own engraved BW nametag! My $0.02. Overall, a great experience! --Rob

Hello all, I'm wondering if anyone knows or has measured the peak mA consumption (typical, no load) of each of the Lego train motors: * 12v motor * 9v motor * PF motors Just curious, thanks! --Rob

These are great discussions! I love seeing the creativity of Lego fans out there. Adding lighting to buildings and trains is a passion of mine, and I am about to start a project to write a comprehensive book on the subject. I've done quite a bit of experimenting myself and have some ideas, but I'd really like to connect with fans around the world who have added lighting to their creations using custom solutions. Specifically, I'd like to gather best practices for things like: * Mounting lights in small spaces * Running wires inside buildings so they don't show (building conduits in the walls, etc.) * Specific types of lights, connectors, and power supply systems used * Any electric or electronic automation people have implemented in their creations * Designing for large numbers of lights (i.e., high current applications) I'd like to start talking with people who have information and advice to share-- again my goal is to collect these into a book that could be shared with the community. And of course I'd love to showcase photos of the best and most creative implementations! If you would like to participate in this project, please contact me at: rob(at)theklingbergs.com. Brick (and light) on! --Rob

Thanks Andy for the additional detail. Again, great work! --Rob

Great work, Andy! I could look at photos of this layout all day-- so much detail to see, so much going on! Fabulous. One question: can you comment on the power (transformers, etc.) you needed to drive the layout? Also, where are your signal/switch controllers? Great stuff! --Rob

There are extra strips packaged with each set of rails, and the number of extras appears quite generous. I thought about mounting the strips beneath the rails so the strips stuck out just a bit from the end of the rail-- this would allow easy connection/disconnection but not sure if a solid strip is needed beneath the entire rail. Again, will have to run some tests when time permits (never enough time....). I also thought about putting a small piece (cut) of strip on the inside of one end of rail (vs. underneath the rail), in effect creating a tighter connection to the joining rail, but not sure there's sufficient clearance for that. Yes, based on my initial and very unscientific tests, the "spring" action on the OEM rails does mate nicely (and tightly) with the ME rails, so you do have that option if you want to alternate. --Rob

Hi everyone, ME-Models has started shipping their first shipments of track (or at least mine shipped this week). It came in the mail yesterday, and my first impression is that the track is very well constructed. I especially like the way the LEGO bricks snap (and hold tight) to the bottom of the rails. Will need to test this out in a layout format soon, but initial connect tests with my 9v track showed tight alignment. These are clearly very well-made items. On the downside, I was disappointed to see the inclusion of adhesive metal strips, which are advised to be stuck to the plastic sections joining the rails (under the rails) to ensure good conduction. I wasn't aware these would be required, and it seems their nature is better suited to permanent layouts (which I don't have) vs. temporary ones. Again, I have yet to test conductivity with and without the strips. This was one thing the OEM Lego 9v track had going for it-- the thin metal covering on the plastic rails had a "spring" to it in the inner portion where two rails connected-- this led to a tight fit on each connection. The ME-Models rails don't have this "spring" because each rail is solid metal (which of course has its own advantages over the OEM track having just a thin covering of metal). The other surprise (I ordered a variety of track packages) was the lack of 2 x 8 plates (sleepers) in the "double" and "quad" rail sets. Sleepers are provided with the ME900G/B (box of rails for $19.99) and also with the "half" rails, but not in the polybag ME900G/B-BAG of standard-size rails. This is clearly spelled out on their website if you look at the detail page of the product, though, so clearly in my haste to order the products on the first day they were available I missed this detail (my fault, not ME's). FYI though for those who have ordered "double" and "quad" tracks-- you will need seven 2 x 8 plates for *each* section of "quad" track and three 2 x 8 plates for each section of "double" track. I placed a rather large order on BL last night to build my stash in anticipation of ordering more ME track later. What are others' impressions and opinions of the product? All in all I'm delighted that we finally have an affordable alternative to OEM 9V track and I plan to order more from ME (and I can't wait to see what they have cooking at Brickworld next month). I also am excited to order some of the curved track (especially the wider radii) when it becomes available. --Rob

VICTORY! Had to fight my way through throngs of parents and kids , but I got my two sets! Check out all the beautiful boxes on the shelf.... Mall of America Lego Store Photo 1: http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0098009/photos/29523889@N04/5579907022/ Mall of America Lego Store Photo 2: http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0092009/photos/29523889@N04/5579907062/ It's going to be a fun weekend! --Rob

So in addition to the Me-Models announcement today, the Maersk train arrives. A great day for Lego train fans! Anyone bought a Maersk set yet today? I'm planning to head over to the Lego store at the Mall of America in Minnesota in 45 minutes to see if they have them on the shelves! --Rob

I'm relatively new to Lego so forgive me if this sounds naive, but is it common practice for TLG to reach out to entrepreneurs like deejay who have prototyped their own extensions of the line and issue cease and desist orders? What are the boundaries here? Are there any formal rules for what to do if you're thinking of starting your own cottage industry extending the Lego line? I understand that deejay modded bricks, so that may have been the reason he was asked to halt sales of his really excellent looking product, but what would TLG have said (or could they have the right to say anything) if his design hadn't modded any bricks? Just asking if anyone else has faced this kind of response from TLG in the face of some really revolutionary entrepreneurial idea. --Rob

I've been watching the site visitors counter on the ME-Models site since I saw the news of the pending "announcement" and it's been incrementing like crazy (was at 60k last week, is above 80k this week). I don't know much about ME-Models but I searched for some photos and it looks like they have been making limited-run custom train cars and engines (many of which look excellent) for several years. I for one would love to have a pin put into the bubble that is the market pricing today on OEM 9v straight rails. $95 for a box on eBay? Crazy. If someone, anyone, was able to inject new product (current-carrying rail) at any volume into the market, that would help the 9-volters among us substantially. Hey, I might even be able to set up some cool double-track long curves in my house without needing to think about taking out a second mortgage! Whatever ME-Models is cooking up, I hope they announce soon. I've been going to their site daily now for some time, but am getting more and more frustrated with each visit at the lack of new information (or even any more of a "reveal"-- if they are this far down the road of design and production, do they really need to worry about someone copying their product and bringing it to market before they do?). I will be interested to see what they release, and if it is truly current-carrying 9v rail, I'll definitely evaluate the product. I wonder how anyone but Lego can custom-manufacture studded sleepers or rail that interconnects with existing 9V rail. Doesn't that violate Lego's patents? Unless ME-Models purchased the 9V assets from Lego-- now *that* would be a coup!

This is absolutely AMAZING! Do you have any videos you could post of this layout in action? I could see a whole movie being made of this!

Hello all-- Just wondering, if I live in the central U.S., what is the best Lego show to attend in 2011 for trains? I see all kinds of events but am not sure which is the best attended by Lego train fans, or which will have the most trains on display. Thanks for your input! --Rob

Thanks all for the great pointers-- I had a feeling this group would be "in the know" as usual. And Jopiek, it was your original topic that got me interested in the Arduino platform-- I have two Mini Pro boards on the way from SparkFun and can't wait to get started. (One problem-- I can't seem to get into your Moodle site-- I registered but it says I can't enroll myself in the course..... ) I agree there is value to creating an area to discuss PF automation in greater detail-- perhaps a pinned topic? I saw the BL article on coming NXT/PF control as well-- it looks interesting but I have never gotten into the NXT platform (though I did get the RCX 1.0 set back in 1999) and am going to approach things from the standalone (embedded) Arduino board approach and/or Arduino integrated with Zigbee WiFi boards or USB controlled by a PC vs. getting into the Scout, RCX, etc. modules. When you can pick up an Arduino Mini Pro board for $18, that's hard to beat! Prices for Scout, NXT, etc. on BrickLink are too high to justify populating a layout and stations/signals with them. Just my preference tho. I hope to have some cool 12v and 9v automation projects to share with this forum soon. And once I get the train detection circuit down (I found a really cheap and great-looking integrated IR detector/transmitter on SparkFun) I look forward to providing real-time control of RC trains as well. A guy can dream, right!? Thanks everyone for the tips, and Jopiek if you can give any pointers on getting into the Moodle site, that would rock. Thanks! --Rob