ivanlan9

Well, OK, the forum doesn't want me putting text at the beginning or the end after I've added images, so pretend this text is before the first image. Sigh. Anyway, here are some pictures and a couple of links of EBT M5A & B, because I was intrigued by @Laura Beinbrech's teaser. While searching, I also ran across a diesel shay, which would be intriguing to build (if only my chops were good enough). Metta, Ivan https://www.pinterest.com/pin/335870084709066795/?nic_v1=1aWeF2UgV0RAL0uavZeroLzphXHoQEMR%2B2ku4%2FkMNu%2BxpFeCBz6vSLpkgbxttEqbFg https://oldeastie.com/Loco/m5.html

@Ludo you're right, I misunderstood you. Sadly, you are wrong, wrong, wrong. Only 9-volt track deserves to live. I don't care about PF trax, and neither should you. Metta, Ivan

@Ludo, you might not be excited, but I am. I've got dozens of 9-volt motors and a ton of track--but no good turnouts. I'm planning to buy at least 6 of these, along with the short straights needed to make them work. Happy days! Metta, Ivan

I think the EN was close to the worst of both worlds. People who wanted only the engine or only the car wouldn't buy the set. It was certainly a lousy way to get cars, which is why I only bought one (but I bought one, despite not being fond of steamers ). At the same time, the writing was on the wall, TLG couldn't really justify splitting it into two kits. Only the train nuts would buy significant numbers, and there simply aren't enough of us. All that aside, I'm excited (maybe delirious. ...) to see the Croc (which reminds me strongly of Holger's). I've got two of the earliest baby Crocs (one red, one green), as well as buying the multi-kit. I put together the Croc from it, including a 9v motor, but wasn't really satisfied: it was asymmetrical, unlike the real one, and wasn't proportioned very well. So I took that one apart long ago. This new one, however, looks like an outstanding deal--look at all those big wheels! Once we get them in brown, we can see if it's possible to recolor it in either green or dark green (I'd take either one). I'm so excited I'm planning to buy at least two, maybe more. I won't keep them to sell, either. I'm also hoping very much that they'll be adaptable to 9v motors. I've got a few I could drop in. ... Fingers crossed. Metta, Ivan PS: @Murdoch17 the Swiss designation was class Ce 6/8 and Be 6/8. Austrian classes ÖBB 1089 and ÖBB 1189. Germany didn't really have any, but a smaller loco that was somewhat similar was class E93/E94 (later 193/194). There's quite a bit of info on the wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocodile_(locomotive)

That engine looks very Japanese. Add a middle truck and extend the hoods, you'd have a DD51: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNR_Class_DD51 Metta, Ivan

@Murdoch17 Sure, that's possible, as well as doable. Come up with some rough drafts and post links to them. Then we can all criticize them to death without offering any better ideas. Seriously, that sounds like a fun banner, and if you can post some sketches or drafts, that would give us a starting point. Meantime, the Emerald Night's as good as any, better'n some, as they say. Go for it, @Duq Metta, Ivan

Terrific idea. What fun! I never had Lionel trains, but I had American Flyer (which my dad built a drop-down train table for in his den), and I always wanted, but never got, all the action accessories. In fact, I never got any. Metta, Ivan

@Toastie said, 'They have a banner - where I do not see any "repetitions", just one nice - well banner.' Not exactly so. The banner is about 200px tall, with a width of approximately 1700px. I can easily see it, since my browser is always full-screen, and full-screen for me is 2560px. I'd suggest that many, or even most, people have screens of 1920px, so anyone using full-width browsers would notice the repetition. But it is true that the Pirate Forum looks pretty good. Left to me, I'd leave the defaults in the Train Forum as they are with the exception of that sucky banner. Honestly, even replacing it with a panel of solid light blue would be an improvement aesthetically. (Please don't shoot me! ) Asking the Pirates for a how2 is an excellent idea. Metta, Ivan

Not enough cat.

Very cool indeed, but I would rather see you substitute regular Langstroth hives instead of the illegal-in-many-countries skeps. The trouble with skeps, and shame on Lego for providing them instead of what most beekeepers use, is that the entire colony must be destroyed in order to harvest the honey. Otherwise, what a fabulous and creative building. I love it.

The Detective's Office modular building had a barber shop on the first floor (the blue part; the stone part had a pool hall).

Killer building. If you had instructions I'd be happy to buy them. And please go ahead and make more posts about quality buildings like this!

Seriously?

Argh. I also missed the tube, too! In the 60s, we didn't have CRTs. Instead, the console was a modified IBM Selectric typewriter. Ours all used folded duplicate paper so that a permanent paper log could be kept of the operator's responses. ... CRTs weren't used until sometime in the 70s.

Most of this is pretty spot on, but the printer isn't. Check out the wiki article on the 1403 line printer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_1403 It printed using a chain that ran at a constant speed (high) with 132 characters across; behind each position was a little solenoid-operated hammer that, when the proper character zoomed by, shot out to hit it. Imagine 132 little tiny guns firing all at once; the noise was tremendous. Boxes of paper were parked underneath in front; the paper was threaded through the chain, then up and over to fall onto a wire tray behind. These things could print 600 lines a minute at first, 1200+ later on in the System 360 days. It would take ten minutes or so to go through an entire box of paper, which was typically three copies plus carbon. In the early days (IBM 1400 series), the lids of the printers were manually operated, so operators like me got used to putting the next box on top of the printer until it was time to open up and change the paper. Later, in the later 360 days, the lids became power operated. Which meant that until the operators got used to the new system, the computer would say "it's time to change the paper" and open the lid to result in a huge mess. Argh. Line printer technology stayed about the same from the late 60s until the early 80s; the only real advancement was in speed. I started working as an operator in the mid-60s on IBM 1400 2K and 4K machines; I was drafted in 1969, by which time I was working on System 360 machines which had 256K and 512K memory. I came back to computers in 1980 and worked on System 370 machines, later 4300 series. The last mainframe I worked on had a megabyte of RAM, by which time the IBM PC had come out. But the print-chain printers, which didn't look much different than they had in the 60s, were still the fastest on the planet. And the noisiest. Fun times.

Very funny!

I am so afraid of dentists and dentristry that I had all my teeth pulled so that now, when I go to the dentist, I can hand over my teeth and say, "Have at them!" Despite all that, I, too, supported it.

Bluebrixx might not be Lego if you buy their own kits, but if you register with them, you can download their own brand instructions for free. I grabbed several, and, disregarding color availability, it appeared that there were no special non-Lego pieces used in their construction. You'd have to provide your own Lego bricks, rather than getting them in a kit, but that appears to be doable. Seems to meet the OP and other's criteria admirably, if you ask me, especially those asking for 6-wide (raises hand). I find the BB German V-100 cute as hell, myself. Metta, Ivan

While US railroads never ordered the GP40-2 with high short hood, a Mexican road did. According to Wikipedia's page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_GP40-2 ), Ferrocarril Sonora–Baja California had 8 of them, with steam generators in the short hood for passenger service; they were the only ones built. This might be a picture of one: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2354392 The short Mexican road was later absorbed by NdeM; I don't know if it was the same as "Ferromex" or not. Regardless, your interpretation of a high-nose GP40-2 looks very good, and my only real quibble is a matter of taste: the standard Lego red seems much too bright and shiny to me, I'd rather see it in a darker, more subdued color scheme.

While 301 is certainly an F7, No 27 might have been built as an F3, but its side panels are bog-standard F7. The F3 (which indeed came in phases) is perhaps best exemplified by GM&O 800B: Personally, I rather prefer the industrial look of the F3s, even though the F7s and 9s in warbonnet are seemingly more popular, possibly because of the more streamlined appearance. I'll take what I can get, of course.

That is one fabulous kitchen! I am jealous! (Even in 1 to 1 scale this would be an enviable kitchen!)

I do think the lime green is a bit weird for a farm vehicle, but the truck (=lorry) itself is a real gem, and would be quite at home as part of a US farm scene, especially a farm of moderate size. Another use for this size truck is often seen in use by landscaping companies, holding mowers and rakes and other tools for taking care of yards. Sometimes they'll even be observed hauling a flimsy metal trailer. Lime green or no, I'd buy two or three of them, and of course I'm supporting it. Good luck! Metta, Ivan

Darth Sérgio it is.

@zephyr1934 said, "I designed it with the intent to eventually make instructions for it and sell the stickers (a keen eye will note the fan stickers in the turn table base... I will have those listed in my store soon)." To which I reply, "Yes, please!"

Once again, Sergio shows that he is a Jedi master.