WesternOutlaw

Wow! This is so impressive Cale. I must say that I really love your building style. Your MOCs always look so non-LEGO. The design of the boiler is just so smooth and fantastic. Now I've got to check out some of the additional details, like those that you put into the beautiful Pullmans.

Thanks. I just found it a little bit ago. Looks like a similar reg edit fix. It worked. Now I'm back to where I should be (also after attempting a few system restores before finding the fix). What a pain! In regard to these instructions, I was looking for them the other day and since LEGO changed their site, it looks like they took them off. I'll check your Brickshelf folder tomorrow. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks. I accidentally changed my zip opener to another program and can't find the right VISTA file to open it with. Working on it now.

I'm not sure what to do. I've downloaded as the zip file, but then I can't finish extracting. No option for a password. Edit: why don't you just make them public or share them on Brickshelf. It may be easier for everyone.

This is great, but the link doesn't seem to work. I've also moved this topic into our Train Tech forum.

We need more spooky MOCs this month for October/Fall/Halloween.

Train Tech Building Contest Category 1 Winners Announced! The winners of Category 1, Complete Trains, have been announced! Make sure you take a moment to congratulate them at Train Tech.

Interesting thought. I had not thought of this. I'll have to check out that Creator house. I did; however, build this farm house. What do you mean; I still watch it now. Thanks- but I think it was pre-academy. Some of us "old-timers" on the board did a lot of reviews over the years (although I realize this wasn't too far back).

I believe this tip is referring to the alternate models, as most LEGO builders know that set instructions are generally available through LSAH (as least newer sets). I have edited to make this a little more clear though. As you're a new member of Eurobricks Dluders with this being your first post, why don't you introduce yourself first so we know a little bit about you. There's the Train Tech registry here as well as the main EB introduction page.

Thanks KD. I know your not into trains that much, so I appreciate your review and comments of this Ghost Train. funny - I was thinking of how you call these "cheese hands" when I pictured the ghost on the wagon. I leave these on in Classic Castle tradition. These words are only "photo-edited" into the picture. I'm still debating on what I'm going to do in terms of the sides and decals for this MOC. I'd like to add an actual brick-built yellow stripe. However, I can't tell you how many times I tried changing the font for the wording, not happy with anything I chose; finally settling for what you see. You make a good point here, but I had never planned to use doors (although I wish I had a few in black). The engine was modelled after the MOT Steam Train which only uses decals on the sides. The back is open for entry. American steam trains rarely had side doors, and even locomotives like the Emerald Night don't have side doors. I actualy like the use of the larger train windows which show the inside nicely and I think add to the playbility. I may reconstruct the sides to add a stripe of yellow. It looks a bit plain with just black (I think, although actual decals would add a lot as I look at it now). No, this was really intended to be a more "Haunted Village" style Ghost Train with use of the purple, and I am planning to add a few more wagons (one that I have been planning but need a few more bricks. ). I also saw a very interesting inspiration train image that I'd like to try building in LEGO (but I'll need to reconstruct the passenger wagon to do so, if I try it). In any case, thank you again for the constructive review of this MOC. As a fellow Wild West fan (as well as Classic Town). I enjoy reading your thoughts. EDIT: KD, I'd love to see you build a train MOC. I know that you own 3225 Classic Train. Perhaps you can use this as a base to spook things up a bit and create a Wild West Ghost Train.

ALL: Wow! These tips are fantastic. Thank you so much for taking a little time to gather your thoughts for the benefit of new train fans. I'm sure that this will be an excellent resource. Adam: thank you for that very generous comment, but I think that there are many better builders than myself here at train Tech (in fact thank you for puting me in the same category of Sava/Tony. Our Train Tech Building Contest was a good sample of the quality of many of our train fans' MOCs. Not at all - these were all good, as have been all the feedback so far. Oh, and I've updated that link. Thanks. Great job everyone! I must say that I'm very impressed with all of you contributing to this. As I mentioned previously, I'll expand the categories as we have more, esp. to break up the "General" tips.

Very nice KD. This is a very interesting creation. First, I really like the tall windmill. To me, it looks like some sort of machine for oil drilling, rather than a traditional windmill. I would almost recommend removing the windmill section, but it looks good, esp. in brown. Secondly, the building is a nice farm house, although I'm not too sure about the tall roof design (definately a European-influenced roof). I think a lower/boxier type roof would be a little more western. The colors look great though, and I really like the chimney section. The additional details like the bed are "top notch". I always like your interior additions KD, something that I don't spend a lot of time on myself. The little stall works well, and I like the use of tan and black, reminding me a bit of LEGO's Farm set. Lastly, the additional details like the corn stalks look fantastic. Great design (although I'd love to see a scarecrow in the spirit of the Fall season). Oh, and I like the small water pump (which I just noticed). Nice! You're very good at these LDD models KD, and your ability has improved greatly from when you first shared some of your early design. Great job!

What's got the Train Tech community NOT busy building LEGO trains? Project Train Start What's Project Train Start you ask? Project Train Start is a new Train Tech initiative in which the best LEGO train builders, members of our very own EB Train Tech community, are developing a list of "Train Tips" for beginners and those new to the LEGO Train hobby. This work in process will be a community effort that will serve as a valuable resource for new train builders. Train Tech receives a lot of questions from aspiring train fans that "just can't seem to get started" with LEGO trains. From inspiration to building tips, Project Train Start will certainly help them out. If you have a few tips for new LEGO Train fans, you can certainly contribute your thoughts to Project Train Start.

Thanks BSR. All of the purple comes from one set, Harry Potter's Knights Bus. It's a great set for purple and train windows. A little bit about purple: I had never used the color before in any creation and always wanted to do so. I broke out this set from the garage for just a few pieces to build the Haunted Mansion MOC (pictured in my signature). I think its a very "haunting" color that lends itself well to create spooky MOCs (similar to sand green). It won't be this one. The Last Stand at Tierra De Los Muertos (Grave Stone MOC pictured below) is based somewhat on the prison of Tierra del Fuego. Some of the information about this actual place involves a "train to the end of the world". This may be a hint as to a future Grave Stone creation, as I was never very happy with my Grave Stone Ghost Train engine. This particular train was meant to be a little more "light-hearted" similar to one of those Halloween Village trains. Thanks Chris. You mean the old ghosts don't glow in the dark? I did enhance this one a bit, but it does glow in the dark. The trans yellow round 1x1s are from the My Own Train Steam Engine. I didn't give these much thought, but rather used them because I had them handy. In regard to the photo-editing, I did spend quite a bit of time on this one because I wanted a nice spooky Halloween background. My first background was a haunted house, but it was just too busy. This 2nd, more solid-looking backdrop worked well, and I'm happy with how the steam came out. What's next, in case any of you are wondering? This train is not done, as I have a few additional cars to add, and they won't all be passenger cars. I'd like to "spook things up a notch" with some additional accessories (similar to the Grave Stone Ghost Train). Thanks for the feedback - didn't get too many from the train fans so I'm thinking it must be a bit basic for most of them.

I think we have our first Build a Ghost Train Building Contest entry. Now how about some more frightfully fun creations? EDIT: Oh, I almost forgot to mention, this building challenge is for staff as well.

Tony: this is an excellent little article on Big Ben Bricks. For those of us interested in these wheels, this will serve as an excellent resource re. the quality and use. Thank you for taking the time to share on Train Tech. I'd like to see more of our "train experts" share information like this, as the content is great for both new and old fans of LEGO trains. I for one didn't know much about these wheels other than hearing about them. Thanks!

These are fantastic tips guys! Thank you for sharing. I've started listing and categorizing. I'll change categories as we progress and have more tips. I think this will serve as a great resource for beginners.

Captain Z contacted me before this interview to give me an opportunity to develop some questions for Jamie, on behalf of the EB Train Tech community, so a big thank you for that Z! While he wasn't able to ask all the questions; due to the duration of the interview, he did get the majority of the important ones in there (and they were multiple part questions, so TheBrickster is happy). I also snuck one in relating to 9V (we should never stop trying). I found Jamie's responses very thorough in addition to him being very down to Earth, for such a great designer. This is a fantastic interview, and I enjoyed listening Z. Great job on this!

Nice job Cap'n S. I love to see the use of these movie monsters, esp. Dracula. I esp. like how you designed the mountain set into the elegant black base/wall component. The use of orang really makes it Halloween'ish. It's great to see some spooky Halloween MOCs, and this one is fantastic! EDIT: oh, and I like the step design as well - very clever.

I'd like to start a fun little project here on Train Tech for beginners and new fans of LEGO trains. What I'd like to do is call upon our "master train builders" to provide some tips for those just starting to create train MOCs. How will it work? What I'm envisioning is list of useful tips and resources to help aspiring train builders in a single Train Tech topic like this one. Those of you interested in contributing share your tip(s) here (in bullet format), and I will compile the list. In addition, I don't think we need to limit these "tips" to just building tips. They can be links to resources like where to find train wheels/parts, pictures of inspiration models, generic train designs that one can easily change, and many others certainly not limited to what I've included here. These would be; however, geared to beginners vs. the highly technical engineers of the board. As we build the list, I will add the person who provided the tip, and this document will become a project that everyone here at Train Tech has contributed to, rather than just one person writing a single article. So many times I read comments like, "I love trains, but never tried creating my own", "I just don't have the train parts needed", or "LEGO trains are difficult to build". I'm sure most of you would agree that these challenges can be easily overcome with some guidance and/or education. With the large number of outstanding contest entries from our recent contest, I know that many of you possess a lot of train knowledge that beginners can benefit from. Let's share some of this knowledge with aspiring train fans so that they can enjoy this great theme! Project Train Start ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tips from EB's Great Train Builders ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- General ------------------------------------------------- 1) There is NO shame in starting small. Build a set with instructions or something simple and easy so you can get a handle on the whole genre. There are a lot of techniques to learn in order to build a complex train and it's better to learn the ins and outs of those techniques one at a time. -SavaTheAggie 2) Have a look at official LEGO set instructions. Alternate models for 10183 Hobby Train instructions are great if you can find them because of the diversity in building techniques. Problem is that they were only ever released as LDD files. I've converted James Mathis' eLoc to mpd, maybe there are others? -Duq 3) The FIRST rule in anything to do with trains is that a railroader's first layout is always his best! Its his enthusiasm; he built it himself AND its his. -Ward Kimball 4) Stay native just for the first few locos, as that gives you a better idea of what you want to build as you can see it in the metal. -Crabboy329 5) Try a diesel train as they are very square and makes building more esay. -Crabboy329 6) Build what you feel, as making a real train can be quite challanging for a beginner. -Crabboy329 7) Build what you like. This may sound obvious, but I regularly meet people excited about building Lego trains but just can't pick a prototype or keep delaying trying to find something really impressive or original. Don't start building just to impress others, don't worry that its been done before, or that you don't have all the perfect parts or colors. Just find a prototype that you like and start there with the parts you have. You can rebuild it later. If you like streamliners, maybe start with a car. But pick a subject/prototype that you love and build from your passion because that will give you the best motivation and opportunity to share with others. -BMW 8) Join a local Lego train club / user group if available. Don't be embarrased that you don't have a lot to share at first or aren't sure about your availability. While online building communities are wonderful, there is something more which live clubs bring. The point is that having regular face-to-face meetings and/or shows will force you to build with deadlines and eliminate procrastination. You can still participate in TrainTech nuggets to the club too. -BMW 9) Addititional Benefits of making joining a LEGO Train Club (LTC) a priority. -Eilif 9a. More experienced members can help you avoid common pitfalls in collecting, MOCing building and layout construction. 9b. Cooperative layouts will often give you the impetus to build structures or vehicles that you wouldn't otherwise build. 9c. Seeing other's creations in person is even more inspiring and educational than seeing them online. 9d. LTC public displays are a great way to take your hobby out of your room and introduce it to the world. 10) Make sure you check out these 10 Terrific Train Links. -TheBrickster 11) Get a small loop of track and a motor, you'll feel great when you see your first train running and it'll encourage you to keep going. -Peterab 12) Don't be afraid to compromise on your first build. Just make something, seeing it complete will encourage ideas for improvement, without being able to see it, its easy to be overwhelmed. Many of the best builders re-visit their models many times gradually improving them over years. After all Lego is never really finished, it can be always be rebuilt. -Peterab 13) Use the hard won experience of the experts. Many train builder offer Ldraw files or photos of the critical functions of their models. Build a copy to gain experience and learn new techniques. -Peterab 14) Don't be afraid to steal techniques, if you steal an original technique give credit. -Gcarstensen 15) Don't try to impress people, build a prototype that is pleasing to you and you feel comfortable building. -Gcarstensen 16) Build as many of the official LEGO sets as you can. It helps get a feel for the size, weight, and power of the various locomotives and cars. -TaltosVT 17) Don't ignore other scales. Scale modelers have been doing this for a lot longer than LEGO modelers have. Look to them for inspiration. Look through old copies of model railroad magazines. Join online forums for scale modelers. Talk to other modelers at shows. The forums and shows are generally also attended by people who work with the real thing. Get to know them. They can be a wealth of information. -TaltosVT 18) Don't worry about the opinion of other modelers. Some people just don't understand LEGO modeling. Just do your thing, and let them do theirs. -TaltosVT 19) Always have fun with it. -TaltosVT 20) Your first train doesn't have to be a perfect train with heaps of new techniques and clever color combinations. Don't try to begin with something original; start with sets and instructions, then try modeling after some famous builders (e.g. SavaTheAggie, TheBrickster). -Adam 21) Some background info is always nice. In addition to signing up for various LEGO Train sites, like this one, there are books you can look at to give you a hand. For instance, Getting Started With LEGO Trains, by Jacob McKee, is a favorite of mine. -Adam 22) If you're gonna try to design something that actually exists, get at least one diagram of it, preferably more. Then break it down into "key pieces", the things that make that item different from similar equipment. For example: GP-series diesels with numbers above GP35 in the US almost all look alike, aside from the GP40X's huge expanded radiators; so emphasizing, perhaps exaggerating, those rear "flared" radiators if you're building a '40X will make it more recognizable. Being accurate is good, but you're essentially building an accurate caricature, much as the Minifig is a caricature of a human being. -Diamondback 23) Start with a original lego model and rebuild it. -Freebee 24) Use programs such as MLCad and Lego Digital Designer to plan out models, get part lists, and even make instructions. -Yoshi648 ------------------------------------------------- Steam Trains ------------------------------------------------- 1) Big Ben Bricks for train wheels: http://www.bigbenbricks.com I can't recommend that enough. -Sava TheAggie 2) When building a steam always start with the wheels and running gear. Working running gears adds so much toy your engine. -Gcarstensen 3) Don't start by building a steam because they are very complex and extremely time consuming. -Gcarstensen ------------------------------------------------- Obtaining Parts ------------------------------------------------- 1) Get your hands on a train set to get some wheels and couplings. The 10183 Hobby Train is great but probably hard to find. Right now I'd get an Emerald Night (get two, chances are you'll want to keep one on the mantel piece. -Duq ------------------------------------------------- Inspiration ------------------------------------------------- 1) For inspiration have a look at Railfan Europe for European trains. -Duq 2) Read Railbricks (www.railbricks.com). Great inspiration, pictures, and online instructions to get started building and learn from. Copy the techniques in the instructions and build on from there. - BMW 3) Take a look at the classics through Lugnet or Brickset. Instructions can also be obtained through Peeron. A new train builder should start simple and there's no better way than to base your train on a classic 12V or 9V set. You might try changing the colors, or substituting pieces. You'd be surprised with the results and pick up a few building tips. -TheBrickster 4) If you are going to build a model of a prototype: research, research, research! Find as many photos of the real thing as you can. Try to find photos of both sides of the locomotive or car that you are building. Look online for statics about its size and weight. Compare it to other cars to get a feel for its size. -TaltosVT 5) Look for pictures on the Internet if you want to clone a real train. -Freebee 6) Look around at other builders to get ideas from them. -Freebee 7) Visit train museums. The best way to get a sense of scale is to stand in the shadow of a Big Boy. We tend to seem them as toys, but some of these locomotives are massive. Many of the museums that I've been to have also been manned by retired railroad workers. These are the guys that can really tell you stories that will inspire you. Don't be afraid of that 90 year-old man behind the counter. He's likely seen and done things that you can only imagine, and if he's still working around trains, it's because he's passionate about them. -TaltosVT ------------------------------------------------- Layout ------------------------------------------------- 1) If you want to build a LEGO layout, plan out where you want to put it. On a shelf? On a table? In the garage? Hanging from the ceiling? Its your choice. Also, make room to expand and for your other LEGO buildings and models. -Brickstarrunner 2) If combining your train layout with a town, keep your layout simple. Too many switches/points can take away valuable City/Town space, especially with smaller layouts. -TheBrickster. 3) It's great if you have a varied collection (even if small), but try to stick with one type of track and train. Having half of your layout 4.5V and the other half PF doesn't look good and doesn't play well, so if you want to make your layout primarily RC but you have a few 12Vs, for instance, just switch out the motors and wheels. -Adam 4) Savvy builders might have tons of slopes and inclines in their layout, but making those can be difficult, especially without RC track. My track is pretty flat, and there's no shame in that. There are some systems you can use to make the perfect incline but unless you have all the right parts: keep it flat. -Adam ------------------------------------------------- Power System ------------------------------------------------- 1) What will you be using? 12v? 9v? RC? Or Power Functions? Heres my tip: 12v for great accessories (ex: lights that come in sets), 9v for more power in your engines, RC if kids will play; you don't like electric track; electric track too exspensive; or want to run RC trains on your non RC layout, or Power Functions if you want more control over your trains. -Brickstarrunner 2) For 12v and 9v, if you put 2 trains on the same track and turn on the power, they both go in the same direction and sometimes at the same speed. For RC and Power Functions, you have unlimited control over your train. I like to classify these two groups; 12v & 9v = Runners; RC & PowerF. = Shunters. Runners are multiple trains that can only go in one direction at the same time (with a few minor acceptions). Shunters are multiple trains that can run in anydirection on the same track (with a few minor acceptions). -Brickstarrunner

Baj: It all starts w/ the classics. I suggest you take a look at some of the old 12V and 9V sets and try replicating with your limited piece collection. You would be surprised at how you can locate pieces needed to build a modest classic-style train. While my train creations certainly aren't as spectacular as those in this contest, I have been s l o w l y improving my train building skills. Try tinckering a bit and see where it leads you - and be sure to share your creations. I'm sure some of our more advanced train builders would be glad to offer some tips. Good luck! And to all the participants in this Category, a big round of applause. I think that the many outstanding entries even surprised a number of us who have been long-time members of EB. I'm sure our good friends at RailBricks were impressed with the quality as well.

Okay, I know the building contest is just about over, but what's going on here at Train Tech? I'm seeing lots of viewers in this forum; many people reading the topics, but few are responding. So I say... if you read a post and admire a creation, take a minute to respond. People appreciate feedback - I know I do. Let your voices be heard.

Ghost Train Entry Tonight by the full moon, I present to you my latest entry for the Build a Ghost Train Building Challenge, My Own Ghost Train: Additional images and details coming soon.

Macoco: Rather than create another topic relating to the TRU poll, I merged your topic with the one you referenced above, adding the poll.

Train Tech Building Contest Category 2 Winners Announced! Results are in for Category 2 voting for the best Single Engine & Wagon: Check out the final results and congratulate the winners here.