Tearloch

Says the file is not public....is that a brickshelf thing, or is it the settings?

You would have to hack off that handle....but it has possibilities. I finally got a chance to play around on LDD last night. I think the option I like the best is the 3x4x6 curved top panels. I had originally thought I could cover up most of the panel with decals, but then I thought that might not work because I would have nothing inside of them to mount things (like a floor) onto. So then I thought about maybe cutting them down, so they are only 3 (9 plates, or maybe 10) tall. I plan to put some decals on anyway to make the frames for the glass. It would cover up any seem. If you cut it clean right at the plate on the bottom, you should be able to cement it back together pretty well. I know its cheating, but I am an engineer by trade and a woodworker by heart, so I don't mind getting creative for a specific end goal. Here is what I got so far (without my cutting idea). Decal could cover up everything of the clear panels below where the green starts (or maybe a bit higher), of I could "modify" them to only be that tall overall and just use decals to "frame" the windows.... I could try to come up with a decal to make those front and back transitions (the 3x3x2 quarter spheres look like windows with glare. If only those came in clear (are you reading this TLG???) The problem I came upon with the other dome parts (3x3x6 quarter cylinders) was then when you mount them, you get a 1/2 plate gap to the tiles under it. I am sure there are ways past that, and I experimented a little, but I will be tough without pretty much making the entire car using SNOT (which I am a novice at....right now). I will keep experimenting with both. I do like the 4 wide options, but that comes back to the mini-fig issue with these cars.

Ah, thanks again. I couldn't tell from the picture. I could swear there was come curve to it, but that does make sense now.

Any really hate it when you get your mind stuck on a LEGO design problem, then no matter how hard to try and do some actual work, you can't stop thinking about it? Anyway, I had some other thoughts on this: This 8x6x2 double slope has possibilities, but I think the interior of it is not open, so that would mean no mini-figs enjoying the pleasure dome . I also am not sure if any other part would match the slope of this piece, so it may be useless in the end. The 3x4x6 curved top panels I mentioned earlier, I did find some parts that I think will match up (theory, not tested). The 1x3x2 curved modified brick and the 3x3x2 round corner brick may match up with this. The end pieces (3x3x2 corner bricks) would not be clear, but the rest of it should look really good if you decal the panels to make window frames and body transitions...... Oops, I almost forgot. I found this site dedicated to a really cool Super Chief set this guy did, and I can't for the life of me figure out what part he used on his pleasure dome......any help identifying that part(s)? The full site is here....it looks very nice, although I think his cars (while accurate scale wise) seem a bit long for a LEGO setup (unless he does big shows).

kyphur...thanks again...that was pretty much what I was thinking. The other issue that will pop up with that design is being able to transition from the round windows to the square body on both the roof and possibly the top part of the sides (depending on how high up you put the domes). It may even require a bit of creative cutting on the dome so that it blends in smoothly to the surrounding bricks (I am not a total purist, so this is not beneath me if the payoff is worth it ) I hopefully will get a chance to work on this tonight or tomorrow night, but thanks a ton for the visualization help. On the domes from the Naboo fighter (sorry, my Star Wars knowledge is very low) I have thought about those, but I want to try and keep the dome as wide as possible to allow some minifig action inside....

For starters, I absolutely love your layout. I have not tried powered doors yet, but do you think clearance is an issue? It looks like the doors fit pretty snuggly inside the chassis, and my first thought is that it is a clearance issue. With the square edges on both the doors and the chassis, it may bind up slightly as they try to pivot out (assuming it is a basic "4 bar" type of mechanism). You may try applying some lithium grease to the inside edge of the doors and the frame (it may be messy, but it would answer the question). You could also consider using some sand paper to slightly round the edges of the door frame to overcome this (if that is the issue). The other possible cause that comes to mind is that the two doors may be binding in the center as they both try and open at the same time. You could think about doing is setting up the drive linkages so that one door opens first, then the second door opens. This may require removing teeth from a gear to set up the timing circuit (allow them to run on one motor).

kyphur....that was my fear. I wonder what else matches that slope on those 3x4x6 panels? I need to do some playing, but I don't have the time tonight. Thanks for your help.

Thanks. I have seen the Mathis design before (I think that is the one that SaveTheAggie used). That is exactly how I was thinking of using the parts you showed, and I guess the size would work out...may have to add a couple of the 3x3 quarter round plates to get them to mount. I was actually wanting to see how the curve of those parts match up to the 3x4x6 panels with curved top...if I wanted to make the dome longer. I really wish LEGO made the 3x6x6 half cylinders in clear (like used on some of the tanker cars). Right now the only ones that would match in size are in white and purple....

I have been slowly working on a LDD MOC of a 70's era Burlington Northern passenger train. One of the most challenging thoughts I have deals with making a Pleasure Dome car to go with the train. I have found a couple of examples on Flickr from swoofty and SavaTheAggie that will work. Does anyone have any other thoughts or methods they have used or atleast thought about? I was looking for some ideas on BrickLink, and I think I may be able to do something interesting using clear 3 x 4 x 6 curved top panels (using some decals to cover up parts). I would need a transition piece, and I think that the 3 x 3 x 6 corner panel convex may work, but I don't know how those 2 parts would look next to each other (I am at work and unable to LDD the design right now). The 3 x 8 x 6 Bay Window would work great on an 8 wide model, but I am trying desperately to stick with the 6 wide MOCs (no reason in particular, I guess, other than sticking with what I have already).

This site shows the vinyl sticker paper that I used. http://www.papilio.com/inkjet%20waterproof%20adhesive%20film%20media.html I really like the product. I takes inkjet ink very well. It is very flexible, and since it is vinyl, you can even stretch it a bit it you covering odd angles or curvers. It cuts like butter with an X-Acto knife, and sticks very well (although I don't know if it would be possible to remove the sticker after some time (week, month, year, etc) without leaving a residue on the bricks. I don't plan on removing the stickers, so that doesn't worry me personally. The UV coating I used comes from the same place. It is their LLA5000 UV Spray, which they recommend for use on this product. It is a spray paint can. I have been using 3 coats, with 5-10 minutes between coats. After final coat, I wait a full 24 hours before messing with anything. On my OTM Tracker model, I even used a yellow Sharpie on the edges after it was cut to hide the white edges (it took that ink as well). I didn't do this on the BNSF, but so far I can't say that I notice the difference. Matching the colors will be the most time consuming (and frustrating) part of making decals. I think I have the yellow just about perfect (both BNSF and OTM Tracker). The dark green and orange didn't turn out as well as I hoped, but I was not in the mood to keep trying (at the moment).

Thanks for the compliments. Probably not for a while. I did actually work on a "Rail Gang" at BNSF about 15 years ago, so I was thinking of making a few machines like a spike driver, a tamper, and maybe a cribber, but this project wore me out. The antenna and rods sticking up need to be cut so they don't stick up so much. I think it will work fine on the truck, but I probably will do some more work on the crane, since it is not as stable or functional as I had envisioned. I also need to find a better way to get the crane to actually clamp onto the gondola.

OK, so after months of not touching this project (finishing my BNSF PF conversion), I finally got back to the OTM Tracker project. I will rehash it all (briefly): This started with the OTM Tracker presented in RailBricks issue #6. From there, I updated the cab of the truck to look more modern. I added in the couplers (which were missing in RailBricks), redesigned the hydraulic support pylons, moved the hi-rail wheels to be more realistic and stable on track, and even added in some tool boxes. I also redesigned some of the crane, particularly the “legs”. I actually operated one of these machines in the late 90’s, so I wanted to make the “legs” more realistic and workable (the workable part will probably require some continued redesign, but its better for now). The cab will slide the entire length of the beam in my design, and I completely redesigned the crane arm. Here is the OTM Tracker in the travel position. The crane sits very stable on the bed of the truck, and will a little effort, you can get the crane arm into an acceptable position for road travel. Here is the OTM Tracker getting up on the Hi-Rails to travel the rails. The second picture shows the gondola I added for the this project (which needs to be longer than my 24 stud version to allow the crane of actually sit on top and still have access to the car…you will see in a minute what I mean). Note the Hi-Rail wheels tuck up neatly inside the frame of the truck, preventing any issues when driving on the road (all this without compromising strength in the frame). Here is the OTM Tracker preparing to off load the crane. The hydraulic support pylons work (I need to shorten the tops eventually so they minimize interference with the crane). The real truck has a pretty elaborate system that actually lifts the crane up to the same height of the gondola car, but I omitted that part (for now….). Here is the OTM Tracker working from a gondola car. The “legs” at each end of the beam did not turn out as stable (or functional) as I had planned (hoped), so it may be in for a design in the future. There was also supposed to be some hinged part that actually clamped onto the gondola (again, they didn’t come out as envisioned), so right now it is just sitting there. You can see that the crane (18 studs long) it a bit too big for the gondola car to actually have access to it, so I think I will redo the gondola to be 28-32 studs long. The Brandt and OTM Tracker decals were created using the corporate logos, and the red danger stripes were added to “pinch points” on the crane. All were custom made using Papillio white vinyl inkjet sticker paper (great product IMO). I hope you enjoy this. My redesigns will probably wait for me to get done with my next project, so it may be a while before I update this.

OK, so I have been working on the passenger cars to go along with this engine. I have found two paint schemes that I am contemplating from BN's past (one patches the engine, one compliments it). I took the Santa Fe passenger car design and gently tweaked it to get a look at the paint scheme possibilities. Here they are. Tell me what you think.... This paint scheme matches the engine, and I carried the striping from the engine design using SNOT techniques. I could also do the striping with decals, which would make the build easier, but I am still not sure if I am a purist or not (identity crisis?) Here is the other option. This uses the stainless steel look for most of the body, but has the complimentary green and white striping. (The green tile would be a BN logo tile) This is an easier build, but I am not sure on how well it would look with the green/white E-9A engine pulling it around.

Let me know if you are interested in the sticker template...I just emailed a copy to another interested user.

Thanks. Well, you could just upgrade the stickers, and possibly some of the other modifications I did and still leave it 9V (if you like the 9V). The changes I made to the hood area (in front of cab) are very minimal, for instance, as well as the changes to the rear end. Myself, I don't have any 9V parts except a few track pieces (that came with the BNSF when I got it on ebay) so PF was my only real option, without investing alot into the 9V systems.

OK, thanks for the heads up.....eagerly waiting the update.

Sorry, I know there is a LDD help forum, but I need help from the Train Tech crowd on this one: I can't find the train wheels with the Technic axle hole (like for the PF motor). I find it hard to believe they were excluded from extended mode, but I cannot find them anywhere.... Any help?

Sorry to rehash a subject, but just checking in to see if there has been any new and innovative development in the 3 axle truck world? I finally have put my BNSF GP-38 MOD to bed, so now I am looking at starting on my BN E9 passenger train project.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/swoofty/sets/72157621354964727/with/6296284216/ This is the flickr set for the one I noted, but he has an amazing collection of MOCs on flickr, I think all in 6 wide.

Thanks for the compliments. I found some pics of an alternate light configuration on GP-38s....it worked better for the front end decals, although I realize look at this one again, I guess they didn't do the logo in full color...used the yellow/green version instead. Oh well, I like mine better. Although I may need to add the lights back in above the windshield (and to think that was in one of my earlier version, too ) http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=380802 I have the LDD file on my MOCpage, but you will have to be careful with it...it had the center headlight design, at the PF parts (battery box and IR reciever, are modeled with bricks due to not being in LDD (yet?) I will try to post the decal sheet that I used, although the colors will need to altered based on your individual printer (painful process). I will see if I can link it to the MOC page as well. [EDIT] MOCpage now updated, but I can only link one file, so I left the LDD file. Send me a email if you want the sticker sheet.

OK, so I am finally getting around to posting the pictures. I am not sure if I mentioned this before, but I used some vinyl sticker paper from Papilio to make my decals, and I LOVE IT. Thickness is similar to paper, but being vinyl it is flexible, making it easy to bend corners, or even stretch it a bit for curves (like the hood in the pictures below). It took inkjet ink very well, and a couple of coats of a UV top coat, to protect and give it a gloss, and you are done. I believe I got a 100% match with the yellow. I thought the dark green would be the biggest trick, but it ended up being the orange. The final printing (shown below) drove me nuts because the orange was not the same as when I printed my test grid...I guess the printer caused some variations when printing the dark green, yellow, and orange at the same time compared to just printing different shades of orange. It is noticable close up, but from a distance none of my family could tell, including my artist brother in law . So the dark green was OK match wise, and the orange is the worst of the 3, but luckily the BNSF logo on the side draws attention away from it (on the battery box atleast). I think the front end decals turned out great. Moved the headlights based on a photo I found. I guess they had multiple variations of the headlight design over the years, and this one worked best for my big BNSF logo on the front. Here is the back view showing the pinstripes I added across the back. Here is the back showing the battery box with slightly wrapped around decals. Here is a detail of the inside showing the polarity switch squeezed in to allow for 2 PF motors with no rewiring. Here is a detail showing decal work on IR receiver. I also couldn't resist redoing the hood sticker (but I kept the LEGO railroad symbol) to make it full green with just the yellow pin stripe effect (still used yellow hood).

Hello all. So basically I have only dabbled in this over the last year. I started with a BNSF train, that I have slowly converted to a PF unit (another topic with updated pictures coming soon....I finally finished the decals ). By affinity for BNSF is from my Illinois roots, and working for BNSF right after the merger. Always loved BN trains going by my house growing up. Anyway, my next project was to MOC the classic Green and White "Hockey Stick" passenger trains that BN used into the 70's. I had planned on using decals for the stripe, since I hate the gap you get trying to use opposing slopes. Then I finally decided to look into this "SNOT" construction all the pros rave about. Did that today, and couldn't wait to try it on my EMD E-9A MOC that has been sitting idle for months. Here is a quick look at how it turned out. (Please note the trucks were just some generic 3 axle trucks just for the looks...I am still looking for a motorizable design that I like...suggestions are always welcome there). Basically I used the front end from the Super Chief, although I saw a really neat 6-wide version on flickr (swoofty? I think) that I may attempt later. I did the door into cab and at the center with a 1/2 brick inset, to make it stand out. The stripe looks OK like this. Added bonus was I was able to reduce the number of the 1x1 modified plates with vertical clip in green that I need. BrickLink has sold 21 of them in the last 14 months, and I got 13 of them. If I am gonna do this with a line of passenger cars, I need a few more, and they seem ultra rare. Any suggestions are appreciated. Go easy on me...this is my first ground up (mostly MOC) and my first attempt at using SNOT (other than the ways LEGO has done in their sets).

Thanks. Ghost Train looks nice. Didn't even think about the pictures when I replied on first go around...was on a quick break at work, and, well, enough excuses....won't do it again.

What blue color is that? I can't tell from the picture, but it looks really light.

PERFECT! Thank you so much. That is exactly what I wanted to see. I have been beating my head against the wall looking at the Maersk blue vs. Medium Blue vs. Sky Blue vs. the new Medium Azure that TLG is making for their new Friends line. What a pain in the butt. They seem to be making some new colors, but it is getting confusing out here. I think Sky Blue matches the color I want the best, but I also like the Medium Azure (not in your picture...new color I think)...neither of which is made in enough variety of parts (yet) to build my MOC. I might have to get created, or wait it out and hope the Friends line is popular enough to keep making the new part colors. Thanks for the help. I have read other places that there was a difference in the Maersk blue colors over the years...does anyone else have any data on that? I would hate to order some parts from BL only to have the parts not really match up, if they come from different sets / years. BTW, I did find that BrickLink has a very nice color palette in their catalog (sorry, I am still a rookie at this stuff). But not only does it show all the colors they have made, but it also will show you a list of every part (they know of) made in that color, and a listing of every set that contains that color....pretty cool tool. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogColors.asp It doesn't give any of the color codes (RGB, etc), but other than that, it is great. Edited by moderator. Please do not double-post/bump your own topic. Both your replies have been merged. -TheBrickster