ColletArrow

These BR Class 08s come up a lot in this thread... which is good, I quite like them. I like connecting rods and jackshafts on a diesel too... mainly why I really quite like the BR Class 04 and 14. (Although, they're a pain - on my ancient Bachmann OO gauge model of an 04, I took them off because they added too much friction. They were behind a grille anyway, so not too visible, and the connecting rod still extends as if they were there.)

@Nik Sentker Neat! Very similar to 3677; just needs a centralised cab, and slightly pitched bonnets... hmm, there's an idea for a project... @Steamdemon So, similar to the City class, but longer and with a different wheel distribution? Interesting. I guess the GWR got rid of most of them themselves. The American Challenger loco has an impressive number of wheels, and that's just the tender... (Side-not for British train buffs: there's a pretty good 5-part series on YouTube called "Britain's Railways Then and Now", I found it interesting at least! Start with the GWR one)

Yes, however in the pictures of the 2018 Duplo trains we have seen, the tiles have no such ridges and are all identical in shape, meaning some other method of identification is necessary. I think it seems likely this will either by colour-sensors or NFC-style chip. So it's pretty certain trains are being used as the testbed for mainstream PF 2.0 sets, although exactly how it is going to be implemented is still a mystery. Are the other elements of the sets identical to what we have seen in the earlier images? What other details can be distinguished?

True. Thinking about it, if it were based on colour detection then if you placed the track on a coloured surface that could trigger the sensor. Unless it's been designed to only trigger when it sees a colour for a certain distance. Hmm, so the track tiles are different lengths, and the train does something dependent on how long the button is depressed for? I like it, but in the photo the tiles all seem the same length. Also, each one would need a ramp at the end if it were to push up a button, unless of course the button is tapered. Even so, as the tiles aren't taller than the rails, such a button would also trigger on points and level crossings. NFC style chips in the tiles, read by a sensor on the train, does seem the easiest option then. As with so many things TLG is doing this year, we'll have to wait and see.

Ahhh, lovely. We used to have hamsters (one at a time); they lived on the same low table that the LEGO creations and small street scene did. I still occasionally find dried hamster droppings, food crumbs or sawdust, especially at the bottom of tubs where they've sunk after years of sifting. I presume it was gathered when I swept a pile of parts off the table into a tub, and collected some other debris as well. Hamsters are devilish little escapologists though; one morning we discovered one had got out. Luckily we found her not to far away, with stuffed cheeks. My first thought was that she'd tried to eat some parts, but no, she was smarter than that; she had only found the food storage tub! Another escapee clearly tried to eat the rubber parts; several now bear testament to his teeth.

I thought, "that's a neat little model, wait it's got a MOTOR?!" Even though it's just the motor, it's still impressive it could fit; I'd never have thought to use tyres for traction. Do you think a 9v square-type battery and custom adapter would fit? It couldn't be remotely controlled though, so a bit useless for shunting. Excellent work nonetheless. @Steamdemon I think the "Flying Bufferbeam" wins in being the flattest, rather than shortest locomotive.

On the other hand, when I first saw it I presumed it would simply be colour detection, similar to the Mindstorms. Why over-complicate a young child's train set?

Stunning work! Pretty big, at 10 studs wide, but full of detail and excellent shaping. Well done! Can it function correctly? If you were to fill it up with 1x1 round plates (or any other granular material), would it be able to empty?

Oh, I will, I will! If you need some inspiration, here's an excellent Class 33 by Michael Gale: https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelgale/9427881375/in/album-72157634087903856/ A Class 58 might be interesting; they were mainly used on coal trains, but did find work elsewhere. In terms of LEGO, despite the fact that the central section would have to be 4 studs wide, it would be DBG - very easy to hide the battery box in!

What an excellent idea and execution, well done! A fitting treat for the simple LEGO brick.

I'm glad you decided to enter this excellent mechanical monster! I like the variety and interconnection of mechanisms in this, especially the aerodynamic damper. I don't think I've seen one in LEGO before; how effective is it at damping the weight?

Here in the UK, I think the only single-cab freight loco still in use is the Class 20. Due to the poor sighting when travelling nose-first, they're often used in coupled pairs anyway, with the cabs at the outer ends, effectively making a double-cab. So yes, it is the re-occurrence of the regional-difference thing; but I suspect, when (if) they release the second cargo train next year, it will be a more american-styled single-cab, so that there's a train for both areas on the market. I too would love this, perhaps sold with a small amount of track and a few wagons. But using only LEGO-legal solutions, and keeping it as robust, playable and easily-to-build as the larger trains might be a challenge. How do you instruct a younger builder on careful cable management?

As soon as I saw the title I was excited, and the content does not disappoint! You've captured the essence of these vehicles perfectly, and the stickers really work well on them. Now we need some more Railfreight wagons, perhaps the similar VCA van wagon or open wagons OBA and OCA? They are all long-wheelbase, air braked stock. And then a guards van, and a Class 20 to haul them... I'm getting carried away, but I do hope these wagons are incorporated into a suitable train; I think they'd look stunning. (EDIT: woohoo, my 500th post! Sorry)

Pretty neat! It's nice to see technological and sustainable development (I've just finished a whole course module on that, and I've learnt that the "3 pillars of sustainability" are economy, society and the environment - these drones seems to tick all 3). Also, that's two local departments using them; who else needs them now? Police and Fire certainly, not sure about Ambulance though. How about a pizza-delivery drone? Perhaps some variety, other than the colour scheme, is needed in the fleet. I'm not sure what, maybe subtly different tail/rotor guard shapes, a different cockpit design, something to keep them interesting yet similar. Very good so far though.

These are pretty nice, I quite like short wagons that can be shunted around. I also appreciate the level of detail; there's enough that they're both interesting, but not so much that they're fragile or expensive. The only issue I have is that the platform on the end of the tanker makes it look unbalanced; perhaps just a 2x6 plate placed similarly on the other end, even without railing/ladders/wheel etc, would help. Or, of course, just add another identical brake wheel arrangement, but I think that's less prototypical.

Good work! I like the ball distribution system on the top. Incorporating this into a true GBC module would be very interesting, although it might drive the exhibitors crazy listening to the same tune over and over! Perhaps you could design an easy and quick method of swapping the treads out, so when one set is playing the other could be re-'programmed', to provide variety. It reminded me of this machine, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUU8joBb1Q, except yours is an (almost) all-LEGO version, and more impressive for that. Are you going to play any other music on it?

That's a shame, it would look pretty good. And about LDD, yep, that's true... Many times the software has just crashed and closed itself if I try to hinge something the wrong way by mistake. Ah well.

... The child in me is very, very, jealous... wait, what am I saying, the current me is too ! My layout was only ever 3 by 2.5 baseplates, barely enough for a straight length of track. And that was when it was big... this is a dream. The slightly-blurry photo of Layout 5 makes it look even more enticing for some reason, especially as the airport shuttle (definitely the highlight) is the only thing properly in focus. The scene looks so bright, colourful and full of life, exactly like an advert. I can't stop looking at it. And those shelves of endless, perfect boxes... are you sure that's your home, not The Vault in Billund?

Neat parts usage! I never thought I'd see those canopy parts used anywhere other than aircraft, so very well done! I love the SNOT work done to achieve the stripes along the side of the locomotive at the same height as on the nose, it all looks very tidy. Good work!

Nice! Are you planning on building this in real bricks? If so, I think the driving-rod linkages will need to be revised, I suspect the bar-with-clip and bar-with-bar-hole pieces (sorry, I can't remember their proper names and my computer is refusing to load Bricklink) will have too much friction, and it doesn't look like they can travel far forward enough. The coaches and the colour scheme look superb though; I love the suggestion of suspension around the axles, and the high level of detail throughout. Well done!

So they are! Bizarre. What happens when you link to one here? Click on one of the 'number'x'number' icons in the bottom-left corner of an image, and copy-and-paste the URL into here (bearing in mind that the maximum image size is 1024x768 with less than 800x600 preferred). If they're still upside down, check that they're the right way up on your computer before uploading them again. If that doesn't work, I would email BrickSafe.

Very nice! I can't wait to see how it looks with headlights ablaze. Yep - host the pictures somewhere else, such as Bricksafe or Flickr! (This is actually the intended method for pictures here). Then paste the links to them here - they should automatically embed as images. I use Bricksafe, and find it very simple; it will handle the resizing for you easily.

@icemorons @Capparezza Well, that makes 3 of us! It was bought intentionally, but 7936 was my first (and only!) official train set. I loved it! Even though I only had the 4 track sections, it fitted into my street scene as a railway under construction. Nothing like it has been offered since, and the number of train-related-but-not-actually-train sets seems to be decreasing - we don't even get a station this year, potentially due to the Winter Village one. It seems like a shame, but TLG will know what they're doing. I suppose it didn't sell all that well; perhaps people who wanted level crossings for their cities bought didn't buy copies of it, as they would end up with too many excavators?

I don't think there is. When I decided to start train MOCing (having only had 7936), I first looked to pick-a-brick, and found nothing. I then looked to ebay, and then somehow found Bricklink. I wasn't quite sure how to use it, so my first order was (deliberately) just 4 lengths of straight rail! I eventually bought wheels, couplers and all the other parts necessary, but it took a long time. I would have loved, and still would love, a smaller train set; perhaps without PF, just to get people going. However, it seems unlikely TLG will ever release such a set, so I'm happy watching for the new big sets every year, knowing I'm never going to buy myself one.

This is definitely an interesting project, although you might benefit from having more light when taking the pictures . For the outriggers, how about the design from 8067 Mini mobile crane? I've used it well a couple of times, and it could be enlarged to suit the model. It should be able to support the weight, if the liftarms can be made to 'lock' into place when down. You could then have several pairs down the length of the ship, which would all deploy at exactly the same time.