legoman666

I know copper and stainless steel foil tape has been tried with varying degrees of success. I myself have put SS tape on straights and curves. Straights are not too much of a problem, it's the curves I have issues with. The tape bunches up on the inner portion because of the radial differences between the inside and outside. It also eventually unsticks. The whole reason I want to do this is to electrify ME Models curves. So I've been looking at products like http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Silver-Conductive-Container/dp/B005T8XACI to try instead. Does anyone have any experience with this? It says it'll adhere to ABS, so it'll stick, but I'm worried about it flaking or scraping off. I'd do a few layers to get it nice and thick. MG Chemicals also makes an electrically conductive epoxy that could probably be applied to the top of the track instead of paint.

Coming up this weekend!

Because it uses a crappy linear voltage regular that dumps excess voltage as heat. At full speed, it's simply passing on the 9V from the input to the output. At the slowest speed, it's dumping about 200mA x 7V = 1.4W onto an internal heatsink. The motor itself doesn't experience this, but the circuitry inside the speed controller. Motors are not as simple as resistors. The voltage across them decreases as their speed increases. So say you're running it at full voltage and you stall it. You'll have 9V across the motor. But if you let motor spin while still supplying the 9V, suddenly you'll only have 4-5V across the motor. The other 4-5V will be back EMF. And if you had an "ideal" motor at 20C at sea level blah blah blah, it'd have no voltage across the motor, but would produce 9V back EMF. And then the current through the motor is related to the voltage across it divided by the resistance of the motor coils. Source: I'm an electrical engineer.

run it with a lamp timer, 30 minutes on 30 minutes off.

I sent a self designed PDF to fedex to print on clear vinyl sticker sheet. $25 for 8.5 x 11 ($25 minimum). I found fonts to match CSX, UP, BNSF, etc and used the Peeron color guide to select the correct colors. Waiting to get it back, so we'll see how it looks.

Neat, which model camera did you use? I've been interested in doing something similar for a while but every camera I look at has awful reviews.

Quite the first post. Excellent detail. Nicely done. Any plans to make the powered bogie more similar to the dummy one?

Was my first thought also. Nice work! Scenery was spectacular.

http://okilug.com https://m.facebook.com/events/1565196740426954

If you have 2 metal wheels connected by a metal pin, it'll be a short circuit. I'll try to get the updated regular wheel uploaded this week when I get home from out of town.

Sorry. I just received my beta of the updated steam wheel and hadn't had a chance to update the listing yet. My quick test shows that it should be OK to sell. As for the standard sized wheel, I need to make the flange smaller so it'll work better on ME Models track. May I ask the purpose of wanting the wheel without the technic axle hole? That seems to defeat the purpose in my mind. Lego sells the very same thing for much cheaper. The small flanged wheel is good to order, but be aware that it might derail in turnouts, especially if you're using them for the drive wheels in a brick built truck.

Different folks do different things. I build all of my diesels 7 wide. The one steam locomotive I did was 8 wide because of how the geometry worked out to get a large round boiler. I try to make all of my rolling stock 7 wide as well with varying degrees of success. Tank cars are impossible to do 7. They can be 6 or 8. I make mine 8. My box cars are 7 at the body with 8w roofs. Coal hoppers are 7 with trim that brings it to 8. None of it looks silly when paired together. However, if paired with official Lego 6w locomotives, my rolling stock dwarfs them. So I'd say aim for 7.

Someone must have snuck into my basement and stolen all of left 2x3 yellow wedge bricks and replaced them with the right hand version. I checked bricklink, the two pieces are both in exactly the same amount of sets in the exact same quantity, yet I have 4 more of the rights than I do lefts.

Thanks! I've posted all of my WIP shots of this particular model. Other models I didn't really take any more than are posted in their threads. Here are some more I took of it last night more or less finished: The decal set I need to finish it is out of stock everywhere :(

Top grill. Wedged in there. Looks okay, about a plate too tall though, but not sure if I can get it any shorter. Wish they made 1x3 tiles in dark blue.

Lookin good. Working around wires is always a pain. They somehow are always in the way and seem to be magnetically drawn to small loose pieces on the table and then fling then to the floor. Making my last 2 units without PF was very satisfying. FYI, 1x2 brown tiles are generally cheaper on the online pick a brick than bricklink in any decent quantity. Just wait for double VIP points to order. The 1x4 tiles have been on pick a brick walls in store, and so you can get several hundred in a cup for only $15.

Worked on the fuel tank and railings. Stole the trucks off of my other locomotive. Stairway will be yellow on final version.

Exactly so. The 1x2x2 slope probably isn't necessary, I'm not sure if my glass is even touching it anywhere other than the bottom, so you could probably replace it with something less conspicuous.

Thanks! An 8w grill would be difficult to center on the 7w body, which is why it ended up 9. I'll look in to it, but in order to implement it I would have to rebuild the rear. Be my guest! It'll be easier to finish with the 2x3 wedge plates that are available in most colors. I had to do weird things with jumpers and tile that are 'illegal', and I'm not entirely happy with it.

This locomotive has been planned for a long time, but I never started construction until a few days ago due to my lack of parts in dark blue. I had been slowly accumulating pieces for many months and I finally decided it was time to start. It is meant to be paired with my first CSX locomotive, as it is the same model, but it will not be identical. For reference, here is the original: I've been taking photos as I go along. I like to start with the hardest parts first. Those small brackets make this easier. Need to visit the LUG's HQ to grab some pieces. I'm out of yellow cheese. Also out of 1x1 dark blue tile. Had trouble with this part. I think I matched every angle and offset in the prototype (#61). I made a "purchase" from the LUG HQ. The currency accepted is straight 9V track. Looks better with the holes filled in. Need some damn 2x3 wedge plates in dark blue! Angled and sloped windshield, a first for me. Held in place by pressure. Top of the hood was more difficult without 2x3 wedge plates in dark blue (they don't exist), but I think I made it work. Some cheating going on to get this photo, need some pieces in dark blue that don't exist yet. Happy with the back so far, but stumped on the top grill. For reference, here is the prototype: That's all for now. Out of town for the week.

How about an electromagnet decoupler? No silly mechanical system needed.

? Lookin' good. As for the thread, you could just ask a mod to change to the title.

Forgot that I had added decals to this a few weeks ago:

It's 3600uF, rated for 25V. About 3 studs dia x 4 long. I have an ammeter on the track and I can see the current spike when the train hits a powered track segment :) Sure thing, I've built several of these: https://github.com/codefox421 http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=87340 they work very well. Thanks all!

Can't see the changes I've made.... Until you get in a little closer And remove the trim to reveal some new wheels! The wheels are steel O gauge NWSL wheels with the original bore drilled out to 8mm instead of 1/8". The plastic bushings are 3D printed pucks with a 8mm diameter and a technic axle hole in the middle. The pickups are phosphor bronze (piano wire, essentially). The front truck picks up from the left side, and the rear truck picks up from the right. Track voltage is 24VDC. A diode protects the battery pack and prevents the batteries from being used unless there is no track power. A DC-DC converter feeds the Bluetooth motor controller a constant 10.8V regardless of power source. The CSX in the video below has a gigantic capacitor to store a small amount of track power over spotty track. The BNSF doesn't have the cap installed yet, but it is planned. The idea is to prevent the batteries from being used as much as possible. Each single locomotive can pull all 12 pieces of heavy 7 and 8 wide rolling stock by itself :) Together they can go a little faster. I've been experimenting with different wheels and ways to power the loco and I feel like this is the best. The wheels are $1.45 each, the bushings are $1.18 each, the copper wire is cheap. the BT chip costs about $20 to make, the DC-DC converter is ~$3. Not too expensive. Only issue is that the flange on the wheels will need to be modified to give it more of an angle to work with regular Lego curves and turnouts. Spin the wheel in a drill and grind it down with a file. Without the modification the flange will catch on the track joints when going counter clockwise.