Train of Thought Creations

R40? - Yes Weight? - I had slight wheel slip at one corner of the track, but that seems to be a problem with the carpet (it's about 1cm of fluff) at that side of the room for multiple trains, so I will test on hard flooring tonight. Bushing?- I placed the 1x4 plate to protect the cable from touching the moving axle, and preventing the axle from coming out. The bushing would simply add more surface area rubbing against the 1x4 and would thus add more friction. You could totally add it, but that's why I chose to leave it off - well, that and it makes the parts list more efficient. Axle supported? - You betcha! I can't even imagine the amount of friction that would generate when connected to the rods if that wasn't secured. If you look at the studio model you can see how it is attached to the body.

Yes and yes!

No way!? You're a VW owner too!? Sweet. I'm a Beetle (2015) owner myself. And yeah! That torso totally fits that vibe.

Thank you! That's a fantastic name for it too. The color scheme, if you can call it that, makes me think of the VW Harlequins.

Here is the Studio file for the model, as well as a render that shows the general inner workings of the model. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GdF8gnV8qMdnqXBwYLaGCPI9JJdKdmgE/view?usp=sharing Let me know if you have any questions! Additionally, the red bands that act as traction tires are to be used on all 4 flanged driving wheels.

Here is the test video, and a photo of the prototype used for the test. @ToledoRails, here you can get a good idea of the cable length if you were still concerned about that. Anyhoo, I want to spend a bit more time refining the studio model (dividing it into groups for parts that need to be added vs reused, nice colors, etc...), so that'll arrive whenever I am satisfied with it. It may well be tonight

Thanks! Fortunately, the cable is just the right length to reach the tender, with a bit of slack! I like sticking with all 12t gears because the model fits together really nicely with the positions those gears place all of the other components at - but if you want to modify the design for speed, and test its pulling power yourself, go to town my friend! I'll have the refined studio model up tonight for you and others to download and play around with.

Very true about it not being a race. It's a potentially collaborative effort that ought to put the quality of the design over the speed of production. I can't deny that there is a part of me that would love to debut the first, or be part of the first wave of working motor modifications, though. The frequency and speed of my posts here, however, comes down to wanting to keep everyone in the loop, so that folks can work off of my design if they want to see what everyone else is doing, or modify/upgrade an existing modification. And speaking of posting to keep everyone in the loop, the test worked! - and worked well! I'll update the studio model accordingly, and share both that and the footage sometime soon.

Just built the prototype and made a few changes, so I'll hold off on sharing it, and the details of the internals, until it's tested and working. Once I find the time, I hope to share the results with you all!

Here's my first go at motorizing it with an L Motor. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1werZ1g7CcPsRKQIlJy2SR7QuIKg8zw8d/view?usp=sharing There's a lot going on here, so if I find the time, I'll post a breakdown tomorrow. Next step is to build it with spare parts and see if it runs. I'll be testing it with the Blue Comet coaches, which should total to a similar weight. If all goes well, I hope to have a tutorial video out sometime at the end of release weekend.

No problem! Getting two pairs of eyes one something always makes for a more accurate replica. Thank YOU for modelling the entire rest of the train! and the parts! The reason why I was leaning Medium Blue is the 2x2 T bracket. However, I just fact-checked myself, and it now does come in Dark Azure as of 2023, so it really could go either way. The Medium Azure could also be Light Royal Blue, but I think it's Med Azure because a 2x2 brick does not currently come in LRB.

@EmeraldBrick That's quite pretty!

Here is the updated version. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yBRSrF7JldosuQLRIDjMZYQOM1JdH0EQ/view?usp=sharing Changes made: Connecting rods - color changed to flat silver, position of wheels changed to 90 degree offset as shown in instructions. Benches in cabin - tops are now 1x3 jumpers Handrails/pipes on boiler - aligned, and 4 that were missing were added in. All changes were made within the building steps that @R0Sch already set up (thanks! Keeps building easy) Changes considered but not implemented: I have a hunch that the internal parts that @R0Sch made dark azure are medium blue, due to current part availability, but it's anyone's guess as to what color it actually is, so I left it as dark azure. Seems like putting our two models together made for the definitive version! Also, for those like myself who couldn't find the minion head, it only comes up as a printed part, and I had printed parts turned off. Whoops!

Yep! They load in just fine!

@R0sch, cool! I've noticed some discrepancies between the two builds, so I'm going to re-look over the video and post the melded version of our two engines here.

@R0Sch Thanks for modelling those elements! Did you use the locomotive I provided as a base, or were we just working on yours at the same time?

I started working on the engine yesterday and have finished it. Two notes: the "Optimus Prime" faceplate was replaced with a regular 2x2x2/3 slope because I could not find it in studio. Same goes for the "Stuart" minion heads, being replaced with a simple assembly. This was just meant for internal use to figure out the motorization, so the connecting rod piece is a quick mockup rather than a proper custom part. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ERJmkX93N7GxXnPeSiWaHY2PABW-EK7C/view?usp=sharing