jburgt

You are right. But there are possibilities to lower that. Collective contracts. Suppose there’s a very good MOC model and a lot of Lego train hobbyists want to make it, you can make probably a profitable deal with Lego. As customer collective strategy. This is in my country a strategy for several issues.

I ask it earlier, is Lego a maker of kits or of DIY building bricks? For train enthousiasts is it i.m.o. more important to have all the bricks in the different colors to assembly your own train models, and/or providers for instructions or complete train building kits. There are enough other ways to get nice Lego trains. You miss only the official card case of Lego. Is that a great problem?

As OO gauge modeltrain enthousiast I think it’s more and more normal that new models were announced to build in the future, so you can pre-order them. When you think I wait for the real product, you are too late. The production quota are very, very limited. Perhaps Lego trains are no longer a product for children, and as special AFOL niche meets other trade laws.

I changed the link. Now you can read the PDF file.

Here’s a guideline to use the cubes in the LEGO crocodile. But this is the non Bluetooth version. The used motor is different. see: https://plaatjesvoorforum.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/crocodile_locomotive_10277_motorized_with_circuit_cubes-1.pdf

Who has worked already with “circuit cubes” to motorize your locomotives? I understand there’s a Bluetooth version. In this movie you see two types of motor cubes. What is the difference? See:

It seemed the rule is just one loc. I will go for this:

I changed my design a little bit. Now I used the driving rods of Trained Bricks. I downloaded them from their website, converted it in Parts Designer and imported it in Stud.io which of the two shall shall I upload to octraintober?

You are right, the Croc is 7-wide. But my point was actually that for (most) MOCers a new Lego train kit is less important than for collectors and kit-build riders. The MOCer needs adequate building bricks, whether he/she prefer to build in 6-, 7- or 8-wide. And indeed the most of them prefer 8-wide.

Yeah, like Märklin… Just another decal. And a higher price of 10% Yeah, like Märklin… Just another decal. And a higher price of 10%

In the model train world you see three types of modellers: Collector, rider and builder. I think it’s the same in the Lego train scene. For the first a model is merely an exclusive object to show on a display. And of course an original Lego model. And where Lego make trains in limited editions, it’s fast an (expensive) collector’s item. To buy or sell for rather much money. The rider likes to run his stock. Trains, rails, remote control and motor must be simple work, even when Lego provide only a R40 curved track. The most of them build from an instruction and a standard Lego kit. Although some are satisfied with non Lego kits e.g. from Bluebrixx. While Lego makes their trains standard in 6 studs wide, for both, collectors and riders, it’s also their standard. New Lego kits are essential and highly wished. And better not in 7- or 8- studs wide. For the model builder at the other hand, Lego is merely a building material. They develop their own model, at best in a certain scale e.g. 1:45 or L-gauge. A standard Lego kit isn’t so important for them. Depending on the chosen scale they build in 6-, 7- and/or 8- studs wide. For them a ready to build Lego kit isn’t so important. They like to build their own MOC’s. Much more important is the possibility to can buy all the needed bricks in wished colors. And when Lego doesn’t provide it, they buy their stuff at small specialized firms.

Well both are more or less prototypical. On details I can change some issues. I used my Hornby and Roco locos as a reference. But here are the real ones: BR Class 08 NS 600

Thx! How? Where can I find the right URL?

As said I am totally new. My reference is not any earlier model ever made, but the limited restrictions of the Lego bricks itself. Bricklink Studio gives me a great arsenal of possibilities like TinkerCad in the usual CAD world. As CAD designer the possibilities in my parametric design programs are much, much greater than in Bricklink Studio.

No, I started with Lego a few weeks ago. I am still a rookie.

Two little brothers. British Class 08 (left) and the Dutch NS 600 right design with Bricklink Studio. Only the rods have to be replaced by a version of Bricks-on-Rails, but I have no digital parts of it yet.

To couple this track to standard track, e.g. a point, only a small conversion part is needed. But as you say, it’s only for private.

When you print it in PLA plastic it would be warping on a hot summer day. Not such a good idea. Inside the circumstances are better. Or I could print it in ABS.

For my grandson a ballast plate isn’t necessary. I made some plywood modules with these tracks on it. Easy to connect and to store. And yeah of course a switch is more difficult to develop. But we will see.

To get curved tracks with a greater radius, it was of course possible to buy some tracks from other firms, but for me it is easy to make my own stuff.

For my grandson, I developed a simple brick track. I want to print it with my 3D printer. Although the measurements are familiar, it’s not compatible with the common L-gauge tracks. The width is 8 studs, the room between the rails is 37,6mm and the free wheelbase is 3mm. The sleepers are 1 stud broad with an empty room of also one stud. While the joints differ at each side, the sleepers don't make a 2x8 stud form. The main difference with normal L-gauge track is the underside. It's a solid. To connect them to a plywood board, I will use some nails or screws. My printer is of course a one color printer, so the track is in grey.

@MarloweBricks, I designed already a straight track. See my other message. And go further with curves and points. Collaborating? Send me a private message.

Well, you can TLG see as a producer of building sets e.g. trains or as producer of bricks. For me it’s merely the last. When they provide a new model with new formed bricks, the arsenal of building material has increased. That’s in advantage for the MOC builder. You can wait for a train, never comes. Or train yourself to make it. Perhaps the latter gives you more satisfaction.

As newby in the Lego train world I read these 11 pages about Lego (and non Lego) train stuff. Curious… My question is what to do: making a good looking (almost real liking) trainmodel of bricks, or assembling a less real, official marked Lego train set? As trainmodeller I go for the last. Bricks are build material for me, and a program as Bricklink Studio helps me to create my ideas. So I developed this Southern Railway Push-Pull car. And than the troubles started, some parts are not available… The most strange reaction on these 11 pages was, the suggestion to change a MOC to available parts, to stay loyal to Lego. But I am at first loyal to the trainhobby, and will use Lego parts as long as possible. But will search for alternatives, when not. For instance, the great dark green doors aren’t available. (Also not as non Lego parts). Well, my paintbrush can spray them dark green. 😀 As mentioned over and over here, the radi of the curves at much too small. A long vehicle cannot even tame a R40. My choice is more radical… I print my own track. Even not in the Lego like way. After all I need only the rails and sleepers, and have the freedom to make them on scale. OK, I am an experienced CAD designer. So it’s easier than the most of us. A last question, when Lego-based trainhobbyists are not allowed to discuss non Lego items, to complete their wishes here on this or other Lego fora, where are they welcome? After all, they are still potential customers of Lego bricks.

As said I corrected the driver side of the car. And to show the way I used the bricks, I do the same as the pre-grouping railway companies in the UK. A Photo livery in Black and gray tones. The chassis is 6 studs wide. The body at the drivers side is 7 studs, and the part with the bowed side is 8 studs wide at the roof. For the lamps I will use small LEDs. For now the design has almost 800 parts.