Paperinik77pk

Very nice render and prototype(s) - the "diorama" fits perfectly!

Nice progress, Katy is becoming alive!

Don't worry - aesthetically the locomotive is finished - the modification is something on Circuit Cubes side. There's no risk of overlapping - yours is electric! (HINT)

Time for some updates! Blue body is finally ready, and the two older relatives are giving to the new "Critter" a warm welcome! But project is not finished yet - I had an idea to enrich this toy locomotive, but it needs to be investigated, and eventually developed. In the meantime, works is progressing on the little Fiat rail vehicle : Thanks to @XG BC suggestions, I investigated a bit some Li-Po batteries and charging solutions. I found a very small 200Mah 3,7v battery (fitting in 4 studs) and a very small power manager, which acts also as charger/discharger. Some soldering and it is now working properly (I also added a small on/off switch - look at the open door. The battery charger is an USB to serial RX/TX adapter I had around. It's only used for 5V and GND, and it can be attached to an old PC-Speaker cable . Traction wheels have been wrapped with some thermo-restricting rubber envelope, used in electronics, so now there's a sufficient traction to move it around! I finally chose the "phone mudguards" solution, and I ordered some other parts , which should arrive next week. That's all for the moment! Ciao, Davide

It looks great!

I was just writing it! @Hod Carrier you just created a special track for your Octrainber MOC, that works also on curves (and it's not banal at all, working with standard parts!). This awakened again my idea to inspect better other gauges and scales. Yes, it's true, no real modeler or model maker will use a Lego parts-built H0-like track. It's only Lego on Lego, but this could open a lot of opportunities (even for static models only). I'm curious to see the Trevithick working on that fantastic track of yours!

Correct Sven! I'll start a specific discussion not to use this one - It's an interesting topic and the track made by Hod Carrier was just...inspirational

Just for research purposes - It works!!! 2 studs = 16mm = H0 gauge. So being your track (ok, it is inverted for the Trevithick) 4 studs wide (32mm) I'd say your platform can work also as an O gauge track, just moving the brackets outwards. Sir, you just created the conversion kit from L-gauge to two of the most common real rail-modeling gauges! Now H0, 0, SM32 and SE32 scales are open for business!

Great review, Holger!!!

Interesting - it could be finally the chance to control different features and (directly on the PI) - emulating sounds. Only drawback - it's big and using a Raspberry Pi Zero would relatively help. But on a bigger scale train (8or 10-wide for L-Gauge and 12/14-wide for G-Gauge) it could be really a nice improvement. Battery choice will be a nice challenge, then

Not so cheap parts/lenght ratio , but wonderful! I wonder if a real H0 model (16mm gauge) could run on it too - but with wheel flanges on the inner side (it should !) Great ideas and work, as usual!

It's a classic Idea Book that will complete your collection, it is still affordable, so it is a good investment!

Very nice custom track - the Trevithick locomotive will be happy to run on it!!!

You are right - I've NEVER paid attention to that locomotive!!! Seems pretty simple-looking, maybe to resemble a tipical workhorse. Pictures are really dark, but something could be sorted out. Needs some love for sure!

Unfortunately no, currently I have no sausages parts handy - maybe there's something in my daughter's old "Friends" set. I saw them in photo and seemed to me a bit "dark" (I'm color blind so not so good with color gradations) - but I've got a lot of yellow tube and probably it can be shaped even more (with some heat). Phone receiver part has the good point to be more "attached" to the body, leaving the clip part only at the center, while both sausages and tubes are leaving some space. Parts for the 500 arrived just as I am writing, so I can now try without too much CADding!!! Thanks also for the color hint!

@Ts__ @Tenderlok After your kind suggestion, maybe I found something to represent the mudguards. Sausages gave a really nice shape, so Sven was absolutely right (again thanks )...but they are a bit too orange. The phone receiver is a ready to buy part (also in yellow) , and seems fitting enough. Mudguards could be done also with flexible tubes, which came to my mind immediately after trying the sausages, but I sincerely am not able to draw them in Stud.io - I'll try both solutions

Very nice and interesting subject!!! It's not a common thing!

Great great great (and big) station!

Indeed!!! It will probably need a brand new transmission/motor - but first, let's see how the "yellow one" works with the new drivetrain!

Thanks Sven!!! It's an idea that passed in my head too - let's see - with bigger scale there's more possibilities to better render some details! I passed all the evening to find a suitable solution, but modern mudguards are too big and sometimes not available in yellow. Curved bricks are too thick, and there's no room to play with brackets. Beleieve me, it is the first time I rage quitted the Stud.io, with a not a very polite (and purely Italian) salute. I did not think about sausages, I will give them a try (THANKS)!!!.Otherwise there's always the assassin way - modding (by cutting in half) two of my old round mudguards. But sincerely I'd prefer a clean solution. The belt is working properly (there's not too much weight to move after all, but wheels are really slippery and the draisine will need some weight on its back (or front ) to increase traction. I've a drifting 500 on rails! P.s. About Moroder - I really thank him any time (together with Alan Parsons Project and Tangerine Dream)!!! The repetitive sounds were somehow relaxing. After all, also trains make quite a repetitive sou....RRRRROOOONF!

I was looking at some "coke" locomotives right now - there are many models around - it's a really interesting prototype you've chosen to replicate in bricks, and I'm really waiting to see the full model !!!

Wohooooo!! It seems fast!!! Maybe too much caffeine in the "coke"??? ...i'm an idiot, I know!

I'll try with two 2025 (just bought them) in series, but also bigger "button batteries" are fitting inside - they won't last long but at least it will move! The new "standard" nose on the E69 seems better! Ciao (and thanks for the "cute mow" compliment - Giovanni Giorgio is happy!) Davide

Thanks for the suggestion on LiPo! I do not know them too much. I saw some offers , but all are shipped in three weeks. So I had to consider other choices, like the 3V CR123A or a pair of CR2430, reaching 6V (and overvolting a bit the little motor) to give a bit more "sprint" to the 500. I thought also to use the 9V Mini Motor with a small 12v battery but in the end it required more space than the Circuit Cubes one! How's the E69 going? Thanks Thomas! You're right, these fenders are not good looking as the original ones. The Lego standard parts are invading the internal or are just too big! The only good part that could fit is the old 70s "rounded" mud guard, in yellow and sawed in half! Not an option Id' follow ... ...but I considered it

Great use of those hydraulic rings!!! I used some bigger ones for my trains running on 45mm track, and these work really fine! The (un)coupling device is very nice,and the little "Critter" you're preparing is really an original choice. Ciao! Davide