zephyr1934

I'm looking forward to having time to play with this... which might be a few months. Watching some of the videos with the PU controller a thought struck me. Could you use a sequence of button presses on the PU controller to give different programmable commands, similar to how double and triple clicks on a mouse, as well as click and hold differ from a single click? Or is that functionality already built in? I could see it getting really complicated if it could be an arbitrary sequence of presses, e.g., +-++ triggering one event, +-+- triggering a different event

That looks fantastic! Great work, very impressive.

If lego is not going to provide an AFOL train set, redoing the train accessories bags would be an excellent thing to do. Though it would almost certainly eat in to the normal train sales since it would reduce the resale value of parting out. I suspect the magents would be the most expensive bit for lego rather than the train baseplate.

I don't think it is for ease of construction, there are several dark colors that are still hard to tell apart in the instruction books (e.g., dark blay and dark tan). I think it is to make customer support a lot easier. Non FOL will not know to call something an nxm, so it is a lot easier to just say "the red thing".

That is a great update to your MOC and I like how well you integrated the electronics

Looking good

I am waiting with baited breath my friend

You could get quick rough estimate. Figure out the perimeter wall of your build, count the studs (2*L+2*W) multiply by the height in bricks, divide by 2 to get the number of 1x2 bricks and subtract off some for doors and windows.

Phew, when I saw your fantastic steel mill I was afraid you were done building trains. Keeping up with the high quality designs. And yes, it is amazing how much difference a few simple stickers can make (still the builds them selves are fantastic). Are the yellow windshields on the Dutch version stickered trans clear windshields? Can't wait to see what you have in mind for this loco.

The instructions look great. I was checking to see what sort of rods this might take. One small suggestion would be to add the technic pin axles from steps 160 and 163 on an earlier step to make it clear which holes they go in, perhaps as early as step 6, or as new steps right before current 160 and 163. Oh, looking further, some of the parts might be expensive or unavailable. The green 1x1 plate with vertical clip in steps 125 and 126 are very rare. You could easily replace those with 1x2 plates in dark green and then down below hold them in place with 4081b on the backside or tiles on the outside connected to a 1x1 brick with studs on 2 opposite sides. Oh, wait, I was thinking the model was dark green (ca. BR years) is the model in green and those 1x1 plates are bright green? (which is available) If so, the above tricks might still allow you to keep it all one color.

Ah, okay, yes, that sucks, but maybe a month or two after the VR train comes out the parts would be available.

Yes, I'd rather have more AFOL train sets, and next to that, an honest full array of lego train cars available as single cars. But on the other hand, Lego could stop making trains altogether. So the fact that they are producing the basic parts (wheels and track) the rest can be worked around. So in short, I like the train better than the bus because it has the train parts, but I'm not in love with either of them. Keep in mind that even if few part out the sets, the individual bricks can also be bought from lego customer service for less than the aftermarket on tan windows. That is an excellent point, I can pull out my old lego sets from when I was a kid and they still work the same way. A little yellowed and scratched, but still completely functional. In 5-6 years the app will no longer be supported and no contemporary phone will run it. Sadly though, often my kids would prefer to build virtual stuff in minecraft rather than physical stuff out of lego. So lego is exploring ways of trying to capture the virtual headed kids out there.

Hey, at least it has the prototypical wings and opening mouth in the "nose" that was typical of late generation Alco's (grin). Seriously though, this is a set that happens to have train parts, lego is tossing the train community a bone. This is a good thing and we should be glad that they are keeping the parts we need in production. The straight track is a fantastic addition. If the other bits are attractive enough to get many to part the set out, the price of straight track will come down on Bricklink et al. Likewise, an extra source of train wheels is always nice. It does have the old style train windows in the door... well, a new style of the old style train windows. It looks to be an interesting theme, definitely not aimed at AFOL's directly, but there is potential for a lot of great parts. I'd be more worried that Lego has not been the greatest with the software ventures. The youtube videos show a bit off a "shoot'em up" game with various bosses to defeat. I suspect there is a narrow range of ages that will be into that type of game before hungering for something more shooty or what have you. I would think that the most successful games are ones that are games first rather than being an add on to a lego set. Which is fine. I hope it has an explore function so that you can see the ghosts without having to go shooting or gaming. I'd certainly play with that for an hour or so after the kids went to bed. As for the AR, it looks as if the loco and the track both have bright light orange 1x1 rounds as markers.

An amazing build! You are taking advantage of the greater space (and no PF) to build in an unbelievable density of detail. I love your "casual" shots that capture the general setting, e.g., the chain hanging down in front of the new control room retrofitted in to the old factory, Then there is going down to the basics, like the rolls of coiled steel... macaroni bricks, so simple and so perfect. Excellent!

That is a very nice looking loco and consist, great work! That looks like an updated version of the Shay from 2003 that SteveB discussed in RailBricks #3,

Great idea and thanks for sharing!

That looks like a high end System set (or City), good job!

Brilliant!

3 wide trains? Who says you can't break the laws of physics? (you just might have to change your avatar though, grin) Very impressive work.

I like the F3 style grills on the black widow, I'm not sure I've seen someone attempt those in lego before.

That's brilliant and beautiful! Even before anything moves the layout looks great. Then knowing all that is going on behind the curtain... you are insane and I am in awe. A little spooky to see the cars following along behind the engine without a coupler in sight.

Looking really nice! D&RGW and CSX, no?

Great job capturing the spirit of the 9V era!

Creative part usage all around! Looking good except to my eye the rear of the boiler. Could you move the cab forward 1-2 studs or extend the boiler so that the taper at the rear of the boiler is hidden inside the cab?

Indeed, that is a very comprehensive locomotive you've built there. Looks like something out of Star Wars or ??? I was wondering the same thing. I assumed that some nice train would come out of the selection process. While the monorail they chose looks nice, I was hoping for a bi-rail. Oh well, maybe we'll have another opportunity for a train next year.