Modeltrainman

I would love to see a touch friendly interface for this as sometimes my mouse hand slips, causing mistakes, derailing the train.

@dr_spock, thank you! How much speed do you have to give it to get moving? Mine needs 30(%?)(I know this should be in train tech, but it's more a motor thing.)

I have a few questions about the PU train motor, and pulling cars, and hoping somebody could help me. I built a small 2-4-0 locomotive, and stuck the train motor under the locomotive, using the big driving wheels, I'm trying to pull 4 6x12 cars with 4 wheelsets each, and I've set up valve gear on the motor, going to the rest of the frame so the motor can't rotate through curves.(Like the Emerald Night.) (Well, not smooth like on a diesel. ) Running it backwards so my Hub can sit in the tender. Am I harming anything by doing this?

Thank you for all the advice! I didn't know any of this! I'm no photographer!

So, this is probably a silly question, but how does when get a perfectly white background for photos. I tried to use a white sheet for my LEGO Ideas project, but people complained that it loked too wrinkled and gray. How can I get a good photo without specialized stuff?

I'd love to see a LEGO Disney Herbie set! Like from the Love Bug, and its sequels.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Akmnn7PtxrDah9RIluHS9GQ_Oy9K9w?e=d1s66l(Updated link, so nothing bad results.)

Wow! This is interesting! It's practically a flipped arrangement from my latest project!

@RowdyRob I created instructions for a flatcar, if you want. https://1drv.ms/u/s!Akmnn7PtxrDah9RIcyraI1LjhN8jNg?e=bXhMbi

LDD now runs on Windows 10 for me!

So, I figured out the binding issue, now I just need to try with absolutely fresh batteries. Train started unloaded at 10%, one car at 10%, and the rest at about 20-30% Getting there, at least.

How exactly do I quarter them correctly? The internet is light on detail for LEGO steam locos.. Also, with rods off there's no issue. Let me see if I can get a really good picture of what I have, and see if maybe I'm missing something. With only the 1x7's on I can start at about 20%, if that makes a difference.

Very good questions! I'm not sure. I think I'll have to try again with side rods off, fresher batteries, and siderods on with fresher batteries. Hadn't even considered siderods being an issue since this is only my 3rd steam loco.(7597 and 10194 being my only other two I've taken seriously..)

No wheelspin or anything, I just have to throttle up to 40% and give a little nudge before things start. The only thing is I hear the side rods creak when he hits a corner. So, I figure safer than sorry. LEGO told me that blinking orange is low battery, blinking white is pairing, purple is paired, (though one software shows green(the one from cosmik42) another uses solid white(power up your bricks https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9N0NFVLZHN02)) red means to contact LEGO but the PU Hub doesn't report the motor's status, So, yeah. Better safe than sorry. I have no prior experience for this, because my heaviest train, is, like you mentioned the Emerald Night, on what I remember is the XL. (Whatever they asked for in the directions is what I bought), and my other trains only ever needed one train motor, whether the BNSF and Super Chief,(9V,) Emerald Night, (PF,) Western Train Chase(PF Train Motor) On the Maersk, never gotten around to building it, so I don't know what that would need now. On topic though, my black 1x7s came, so now I only need to deal with the motor, final check, then video, submission.

Thanks, @ALCO I'll keep seeing if I can refine still! I talked to LEGO, they suggested I put another Hub and motor onboard to assist. I guess there's no L or XL motors in the PU system, currently.

I like this! I kind of want instructions, please!

I got the side rods to work! Only thing making me nervous now is that you have to set the motor to 40% before Casey Jr. gets moving. But then, I was showing my grandparents what I was trying to accomplish yesterday, and testing before that, so the batteries aren't fresh. (and the battery box is heavy. Am I over stressing the motor?

I did some measuring stuff today, learned that the LEGO PU train motor is 10 studs end to end, while the smallest space to cram the drivers into is 8 studs,(ironically, the train motor is 8 studs long wheel to wheel, so in relation to that, my cylinders/pistons(?) need to be 14 studs out, and turns out, to be offset by a 1x2 with 1 stud, topped by a 1x3 plate to attach them, so, in theory, the binding issue should be solved. I think. Haven't ran the frame yet.

I've been trying, but I haven't arrived at one that actually allows the functions. Going to keep working on it. I have my prototype in my OneDrive folder I shared. I need to get an updated picture, though.

Thank you! looking into this once the 22961s come in the mail! Also, I'm going to ponder the motor in the tender/motorless frame so everything I can do is accounted for. Will keep updating! Thanks! I really hope a train can get through Ideas, someday. Kind of tired of so much space stuff, but that's another thread..

I did build this virtually first, yes.The reason I'm trying so hard at fitting all this in, even though it would probably come unpowered as a set is twofold: as an IDEA, I figure showing off it running, using the latest platform might be a great idea, like "A Disney classic character, now animated, using the latest LEGO platform, magic!" And, secondly, and most importantly, if nothing happens, I want to stick him in service around my Disney Castle, with my other trains. So, yeah. That's my planning, reasoning, and thought process in a nutshell. Looked at motors last night, the only PU motors LEGO sells are the train one, BOOST Motion Hub, Medium Linear Motor, and Medium Simple Linear Motor and I didn't know the difference. But yeah. Not staking anything on IDEAS, just figured since the character I'm modelling means so much to me, may as well share it with the world. And yes, I derailed my own thread a while ago. 2x https://brickset.com/parts/4652261/brick-1x3x2-w-ins-and-outs-bow to mount the cylinders, 2x https://brickset.com/parts/6079020/round-brick-2x2x2 for the cylinders, and two https://brickset.com/sets/containing-part-4211483 to attach those cylinders to the mounts. Moving the train causes them to pop off with 1x6 thin linkages as the rods coming from the cylinders. Otherwise, I'm following that WV Holiday Train side rod guide to a T...I think that's why I get derailments, but how to mount them is where I'm failing in my research. And also quartering, apparently.

So, um, question, because you brought it up, are there pros and cons to the motor in the tender? I personally like the idea of the locomotive doing the running, and the Powered Up train motor is all I have for Powered Up, which I want to get comfortable, since that's the newest platform LEGO is offering...Could I get away with driving rods and all with the motor in the loco? My problem is, I ALMOST (emphasis) got it o work, but the side rods pulled the cylinders off the frame. Bought some(more) of the frictionless pins @zephyr1934 mentioned in the Holiday Train rod thread you linked, and LEGO shipped my black 1x7s, so should be ready soon. Also, @zephyr1934, I'd like to know, how'd you balance the pilot truck on the Constitution? On Casey, it either wants to tilt ever slightly forward or back, despite my efforts, and when it does, it derails. Oh, and not That it matters, but this is my first train in years, so I probably read,(and forgot) some fundamentals...

@RoadmonkeytjI was trying that. My wheelbase just proved too small to stuff that into. That's OK though. I realized I don't want to stress the motor too much.

@zephyr1934 Thank you for all the help! I think after I make one more attempt at this, I might have to call it quits, and do just the back linkages. My problem being that I'm going from a cartoon prototype, and he doesn't have anything resembling the two bar system. (I'm not sure how he doesn't rip himself apart, after trying to build him, but maybe that's my problem. Trying to build a model of a cartoon character who can shrug with his cylinders, and real world physics can't match. Regardless, this thread will come in handy as there are many Disney trains(DLRR, WDW) that I want to build, so these ideas aren't wasted. Sorry if any of you feel you wasted your time, wasn't my intention.

Wow, Glenn! That is awesome!