Barduck

I've said it before (on Flick though in a comment on Shuppiluliumas newest marvel) and I'll say it again, I really envy you Americans. The size of the layouts is just so great, no noticable wobbly sections in the railroads aswell (something that is holding my trains back overhere as they just stand there spinning like mad without moving an inch) and the fact that you guys really make the trains the most important part of the show with the scenery being what it's supposed to be, filling the gaps. I hope one day to be able to come to a show in the States and show my own trains

SP= Southern Pacific, so the States

I'd say she looks pretty sweet, haven't been able to actually test her yet though. a little tape at the bottom of the slopes on the nose does wonders Southern Pacific 4-8-8-2 AC-7 Cab Forward by Barduck12, on Flickr

When I googled her that was the picture I got that stood out. The differences are luckely minor so no problem there. As for the gray part, I intend to put a black sticker on the bottom part, I knew it was a bit to big but a half curve slope simply doesn't excist . And yes the tender is a tiny bit to high, compromise for the PF recievers and 2 battery packs that need to go in there (powering her with 4 L motors) Thank you but personaly I don't think so. We've used different solutions for some problems, I'd say we have decent competitors

a lot of the inspiration for this train came from Cooper's wonderfull model https://www.flickr.c...@N07/4500879959 though I changed a whole lot of things to his design (basicly, I was looking at an O-scale model on Brasstrains, started from there and then compared my solutions to the ones Cooper did) The real train:

With some diesels done I really wanted to return to steamers so I chose the AC7 Cab Forward. Basic design has been done in LDD (as you can see in the render), and the build itself is allready 95% done (just wating on the PF motors to power her) cab forward by Barduck12, on Flickr

Obviously, not. My guess is that DmChylde put those in red in LDD for design purposes, to have a better view on what could work and what not (something I do too when designing)

When I started designing her I've based a lot of the build on DmChylde's 6-wide version. I saw his early designing steps for the trucks: DDA40X by DmChylde, on Flickr and that got me thinking. It would be much easier to build her with train bases as trucks, there are allready the connection points for the motors in place so that would save me a lot of plates etc to make the trucks frames. Only question was, seeing that DmChylde was using the standard LEGO motors sides, would she be able to run with a detailed side? So I took an RC base plate, put 2 motors on it and build a quick and dirty brickwall around it to test it. And it worked. Now I had the space to put the detailed sides on the trucks without having to worry about the motors being in the way. Only thing I did do was to cut the 6 long technic axles by half a stud so that those too wouldn't be touching the sides

As requested the pictures of the undersides of the trucks: DDA40X by Barduck12, on Flickr

I'll try to post some extra pictures of the underside of the trucks in the weekend. For the moment I'll just say this, there's nothing "difficult" about them, I just hope the explanation will make any sence. The trucks are mounted on a 6x24 train base in the holes closed to the center, the wires of each engine goes thru the opposide hole in the frame. As for the frame, yes that was my biggest concern, specially with the opening in the train in the centre. Most of the stress is taken by the tank and the middle roof part, specially the tank may be a bit over-enginered. It was however not very easy attaching the tank to the train, and should one or the other (tank/middle roof) be removed she'd still bend under her weight. They both do their job together and so far they're doing it right

After LEGO Train 12V's 7 wide version it's time to finally post the pictures of my 8 wide version (wel, actually 10 wide on most of the roof). She's become a real beast featuring just over 2900 parts, 109 studs in length, 4 PF train motors, 2 PF recievers and 2 PF batterypacks. Recieved my lettering yesterday morning and spend the better part of the afternoon putting everything in place, hence the delay in posting the pictures of the finished MOC. So here she is: The lucky driver posing with his engine: DDA40X by Barduck12, on Flickr Building instructions of this beast have also been added to my Bricklink: http://www.bricklink...e.asp?p=Barduck For the WIP topic (and there's a vid of her running too): http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=102228

If there was ever one loco I'd buy the instructions for it was this one, really hope you get the fire burning in the box again once the other project you're involved with is finished, it's been on my "I want this" list from the beginning you showed the first pictures and renders

Sorry to bump this but it's been very quite on this beautifull project, so how far are you with it now?

beautifull design, I think it's the best one yet I've seen

What I don't (and never will) understand is why LEGO never thinked of joining forces with a modelrailway compagny to make their rails, curves and switches. Quality would have been so much better, not to say that the curves and switches would have been more authentic to the real world (as in modelrailways). Maybe the LEGO ambassadors can make the hint towards LEGO

They are indeed on the same channel (blue 3 to be precise). Putting them on different channels/colors would be to much trouble to set them both to same speed. Haven't noticed any trouble to control her yet, but offcourse the room she was in is small, I'll just have to wait and see how she'll behave on expo's, first one is end off februari. I do have to say that I'm quite happy that she drives this nicely.

I wasn't going to post any more WIP pictures and so but one thing I just can't wait to share, the vid of her "maiden" voyage. Still missing some things and the decals but at least she runs. Haven't tested her to take switches but I think she can, with the condition that the switch doesn't come right after a turn or her belly will hit the part where the stick for the switch goes. The video: https://www.flickr.com/photos/91060327@N07/16046693231/

I've been doing the math with these numbers and I come to the conclusion that my version is in scale 1/36 based on length, though to be perfectly to that scale she should be half a brick wider and 1 plate higher. Oh well, close enough

Those decals are from microscale decals I think, the actual UNION PACIFIC text that's going to go on the sides will be done in what they call cut letters, so basicly a sheet of colored vinyl where the letters are cut out (I'm going to have them make them a few times for when applying them turns out to be harder then anticipated)

This would make a nice addition to my layout once finished, since most of my stock is UP anyway. Hope you don't mind that I'll borrow this little beauty? edit: borrow as in: make my own

well, rolling stock won't be a problem, allready have 6 coaches done. And since the only one still in operation gets used to pull similar coaches it won't look out of place

Bit more work done, but again, waiting on parts to arrive (I've even noticed I forgot to order 2 parts). Do notice that the tank is in the wrong position, I've noticed when taking the pictures, she needs to be reversed and that's now been done too. The updates: WIP DDA40X by Barduck12, on Flickr These will be the last WIP pictures, next ones will come when the model is finished and driving

Nice one, there's even a few details that I completely missed on mine. Will still be a week or 2 (I think) before mine is finished, still a lot off parts that are on their way. Shame we live so far from eachother (though the Americans would offcourse think this distance trivial), else we could have set them next to eachother and compare the scale difference. The windscreen is my favourite part I think, though there's plenty of things to see and drool on

A bit more progress, but still a lot of pieces missing so I can't continue until those arrive: WIP DDA40X by Barduck12, on Flickr Comments, tip, all welcome

lol, zephyr1934. Yeah, about 2200 pieces he's forgetting