3D LEGO

The Mugbearer "I've got yer Zerg right here!" Instantly recognizable innuendo to that famous clip. Though the only critique I have is that for said scene, the marines have red or yellow suits. Regardless impressive none the less. You can never have enough marines. Okay, you can never have enough medics to patch up your marines. 3D LEGO

xboxtravis7992, You know, if you looked into ULUG, you might learn more about this MOC and its creator as he is a member. (He goes by the forum handle name "LegoTrooper" there.) (I am not trying to gilt trip you into joining.) Truth be known, he joined after I had left Utah. Perhaps when I do make it back I will have something to pit against it. All that aside, it is great to see credit given for all the work put forth, even if the chosen medium is LEGO bricks. Perhaps it is a sign of the times and the changing demographics of the hobby. 3D LEGO

Pizzareno, Great looking MOC so far. Regarding the bogie|truck detailing, I would go with the taller spring design provided it does not hamper movement. (On Bo'Bo'Bo' locomotives such as this, KiwiRail EF class and the Eurotunnel Class 9000, the springs mount to the chassis|frame but unless you are planning to recreate that functionality it is a mute point. Though you could put a tile on the top of the "springs" for added stability and aesthetics but that may not work.) Regarding your design for the bogies|trucks, linking the central one to an end unit will work. If performance with the linkage is less than desired, consider a design more aligned with the Bo'Bo'Bo' (B+B+B) configuration. In the aforementioned locomotives, the central central bogie|track is designed to not only pivot but also have lateral movement. (rotates and moves side to side.) Other than that it is looking great. I look forward to the finished MOC. 3D LEGO

I had dismissed the embeded video problem as a result of my in-the-sticks internet connection being overloaded. Thank you for letting everyone know. I can verify the problem from both Linux + Chrome and Android + Chrome (Both combos are uptodate.) Thank you tech support! 3D LEGO

What a lovely little holiday train. Its quaint that is for sure. I am a bit puzzled by the choice of dark blue but at the same time it is nice to see some departure from a set color scheme. The style reminds me of most holiday trains with the over accentuation of the accents. The designers seek out the most obscure ideas to give them a sense of fantasy. While many tend to be outlandish the truth is this still passes for a real train. Yes, they did build locomotives like that back in the day. (Think early old west, like back when the transcontinental railroads were built.) It might benefit from the red version of the cattle guard/cow catcher on the front. I wonder if the set includes the other 4 large drivers from the mold? If so, I may be tempted to pick up a few copies. 3D LEGO

SavaTheAggie, Thank you for the rundown and the pictures. It looks like it was an excellent collaboration. One thing that struck me while looking at your picture of the big cut: either it is a branchline or someone has been deferring preventive maintenance. All the pictures I have seen show a nice clear swath a few tracks wide giving a buffer zone devoid of foliage along the line. Then again, maybe that was more prevalent out west. Just a thought. Also concerning your grand curves, have you considered building one using ME Rails half straights for a smoother curve? Someone's 765 looks lost... took a wrong turn and found the branchline? I see some entrepreneuring fellow was out hauling rakes of coal. Good old drag bulk freight. I loved the side-by-side comparison of the Hudson to the triplex. By the way, if you ever decided you want a tunnel, this one from the Western Maryland line through Allegheny region would fit the bill perfectly. (It was a complete fluke find. Make sure you search for pictures of the tunnel portal itself.) Cale, Everyone knows a steamer needs some good old fashioned TLC after a hard days work. Nothing like a good scrubbing to remove evidence of its ferocious appetite. Your evening atmospherics shots are amazing, especially the last light wide angle shot of the slumbering giant. I love how you captured all the minute details Whose caboose was that? You know, the really obvious one. And what railroad? I see Kevin is becoming a running gag. Or is it all part of his plan? 3D LEGO

Holy twintails! Its a dual drill! Sadistic roller Harley inbound. That Joker-hopper-mobile is anything but serious: Royal purple, lime green ragtop, gold accents, plating, side pipes and rims and chicken! Run flats, zebra stripe upholstery, bicycle horn, it has it all. This reminds me of the boss limo from the Space Police III theme. Completely random yet total awesome non the less. I will definitely be getting one. The Joker looks to have white printed cuffs on a yellow shirt. Hes always been one fashionable fellow. The Batmobile fits Bruce's ego to a T. "The Speedwagon." It screams hotrod while being adorned with luxury styling. Classic roadster powerhouse meets Baja off-roader trimmed in luxury coupe. I am not sure what I feel about Robin yet. I will need to see a trailer of him. (He gives me geeky teenager vibes) I wonder what else they have in store? **Awaits movie with eager anticipation.** 3D LEGO

Lego Dino 500, I have been following your progress and I thought I would offer a few additional suggestions that incorporate and or build upon what you already have. Utilizing the pictures that you have posted, pictures of the original set, pictures of the real locomotive and suggestions offered, I created the following model. Please note that the shorter body was an attempt at getting around the expensive Train Base 6 x 28 in red. (I failed, as motorizing this design would be a pain. At least you are not considering a yellow one. One neat feature of the design is that the locomotive would be noticeably shorter than the wagons for better aesthetics.) Below is a breakdown of the design ideas. Feel free to use any you would like. Note, that while I have as of yet to sort out all the connections, it is all doable. EMD F7A Santa Fe - Warbonent on Train Base 6 x 24 (Image too large to embed.) Though used, the Panel 1 x 2 x 2 with Porthole Pattern was a price misunderstanding on my part. Ignore them. As suggested, I designed it without the Train Buffer Beam part. This reduces the cost while improving the aesthetics and curve handling. The varied fan size is accurate and a nice cost saving feature. The simplification of the fuel tank is accurate as well. I have not solved how to attach the numberboards as positioned but I think I am onto a great idea aesthetically. (Lighting may be an option) Dual headlights. It is achievable and at the same time looks better than the original. Gangway is of a better size though it could be 1 stud wider. Also the random bracket up top is to represent the hookup point for multiple unit control. Stairs uses accurate flip plates instead of cavities like original. Window is similar to your design but altered. The signature grill: I was not satisfied by the original and the pictures of the real thing led me to design a slightly bigger version. The v of the Warbonent on top of the cab will be a pain. I need to think on it more. Questions or comments? I applaud your for your design goals. Not only is it achievable but the end result will be a much better model. 3D LEGO

bnesty It is very lovely! Bold but yet not over bearing. The color scheme works quite well. While not modern per say it reminds me of color schemes that I have seen from places like India and other neighboring countries. I give you kudos for incorporating the different printed elements into the color scheme. While it can be a challenge to do so, the end result is always worth the effort. (I say this from personal experience.) I would love to see a whole train of these. Perhaps you can also design a driving wagon version as well. 3D LEGO

Abukuma Nagara, My apologies if my post confused you. I was responding to your lament about the lack of small tank engines here in the United States but may have gotten a bit side tracked in doing so. The example I gave was a common area where tank engines were employed. I fully realize that there is quite a lot of room for discretion when it comes to logging railroads and their equipment. For one, they came in all shapes and sizes and more often than not ran on track that failed to meet the criteria of a branch line. The locomotive I mentioned, the Satsop R.R. #1, shares some similarities with your GWR 1400 class, such as smaller size, same axle configuration, tanks (in this case a single saddle type instead of twin side tanks), standard gauge and branch line service but I realize its weight is only a quarter of your locomotive. (The other example I gave, while 2 1/2 times heavier than yours, was designed for branch line service by means of a shorter wheelbase.) Here is a picture of the Satsop R.R. #1 http://pre15.deviant...ion-d6i1ytt.jpg (Image is too large to embed.) Returning to your actual MOC, while rebuilding in a larger scale is a great idea, I had not intended for that with my suggestion. Rather I was offering a small change you could implement on your model to improve the aesthetics while narrowing the width of the locomotive. Perhaps this will help clarify what I was intending: If you replace the 2 black Technic, Liftarm 1x7 Thick which you currently use as a connecting rods and the 4 Technic, Pin without Friction Lengthwise that you attach them to with a black 2 Technic, Liftarm 1x7 Thin and 4 Technic, Pin 3/4, the result will be narrower connecting rods and locomotive width. If limited parts was the reason you opted for the wider liftarms, then I completely understand. It is only a suggestion for you to consider. Feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions. 3D LEGO

Abukuma Nagara, We do, its just that they are, how should I put this... much bigger. I know of a few in my neck of the woods. Mount Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum (Formerly Mount Rainier Scenic Railway) out of Elbe, WA owns two saddle tank steam locomotives; an operational ALCO 2-8-2 T [ 1'D1' t ] and the more recently acquired H.K. Porter 0-4-2 T [ B1' t ]. The former fits the large category but with a shorter than common wheelbase. The later, which shares the same axle configuration as your model, is probably more along the lines of what you are thinking of as it is much smaller than the ALCO. It, the Satsop R.R. #1 used to reside on the property of the Supermall in Auburn, WA before being transferred to the railroad. Typically tank locomotives were more seldom in the United States, mostly working remote areas for timber industries. They were frequently operated bidirectionally as turntables were a costly investment and tenders become a hazard when empty on things like switchbacks or switches. Some larger companies even operated 2-6-6-2 T [ (1'C)C1' vt ]. The lower side tanks like those common in Europe were next to non-existent though a few narrow gauge lines utilized them on compound designs. One noteworthy feature shared by many of all these locomotives is blind drivers to help with tighter track geometry. The MRR&LM owns and operates an additional Baldwin 2-8-2 [ 1'D1' ] that features 2 center blind drivers. (Their ALCO does not.) But back to that lovely little tank locomotive you built. In typical British fashion, it is simple, and yet ornate. Paneling and a lovely paint job do much to make things presentable unlike our more utilitarian methods here. I like how you paid a lot of attention to the simple details. The flared smokestack, the roof line, tank caps. By the way, I noticed the gears you spoke of. Are they to help with the running characteristics or do they have some other purpose? One thing you could consider is using a 7 stud half beam instead of the 7 stud beam and swapping out the 2 stud Technic pegs for 1-1/2 stud versions instead. I guess the one disadvantage of the quaint British tank engines is that the inside cylinders were/are a maintenance pain. 3D LEGO

zephyr1934, Ah yes, shimming the loaners. But standing on banquet tables definitely does not sound like a good idea. ULUG, which I was an active member of until about a year ago, built a bunch of "standard" tables back in the day to get around the loaner issue. They were a real pain to work with and very heavy. The second set was a whole bunch of approximately 6 x 18 32x32 baseplate sized tables that are much lighter and have attached collapsible legs. Last I checked it they had something like 27 or 28 of them. Definitely worth it. And a mondo box of shims. (They are joined with c-clamps underneath and spring clips hold on the plexiglass panels - table skirts attach to the panels or are tacked on.) Oh and that picture that you linked. I am at a loss for words. pirzyk, Your efforts did not go unnoticed. I have been in that situation myself and I know it all too well. What I would give for some carbon fiber tables... The gears of creativity have begun to turn. xboxtravis7992, Last I checked, there is no OCS. in Utah compatible with my railroad. I guess that I will have to sit this one out. CrispyBassist, Despite its speed it did look stable while doing so. If I recall correctly, you use the PF train motor. That gives you the benefit of a lower center of gravity and results in better handling. 3D LEGO

CrispyBassist, Thank you for the inside scope on your model. I really like the end result as it has a very lovely vintage feel to. All of your MOCs are splendid. Okay, I might be slightly partial towards electrics. (GE Box cabs, GE "Little Joes", PRR E44, EMD GF6C, EMD GM10B <- This one is ugly as sin but wickedly cool at the same time, Siemens Eurosprinter ES 64 U "Taurus". Mostly historic brutes but the last one is a sight to behold.) Great videos. Your New Haven EP-3 was hauling down those tracks and around those curves. (By the way, that is how Milwaukee Road broke their EP-3s. - Compare them to the NH EP-2.) Then again the larger ME curves make it a lot easier to do. legoman666, Your locomotive looks a lot worse than a lot of pictures of much newer GE Evolution series that I have seen rolled over and that have been tagged for the scrap heap. I know well the horrors of appendaged monsters blundering their way through the micropolis. I would assume it is safe to say that it got the good old fashioned logging railroad treatment: pound out the dents, patch the holes and place it back on the trucks and out the shop to get back to work. (Please do not say Amtrak treatment as that would mean stuck in legal limbo.) zephyr1934, Nice casualty shot. 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah sounds like a good goal. Maybe I can stir things up in ULUG and get them involved. I dare not ask but curiosity gets the best of me: How can your LUG's tables be worse than the provided ones? Are they falling apart? Are they broken? Are they three-legged? 3D LEGO

zephyr1934, That was quite the photo gallery you took there. But it was worth perusing from beginning to end. How was the attendance of the event? It was great to see all these different but equally amazing MOCs altogether in one place that I have read about and seen pictures of individually. I love how this shot shows just how bad the midwest lines actually are: Midwest Lines How was the lantern lit in this photo: New Haven R.R. Cabose Very lovely perspective shot here: Northern Pacific R.R. Any disruptions of service to report on? Wrecks, derailments, collisions, out of control trains, failed brakes? Lastly, that interlocking. I would love to be a part of one of these collaborations in the future. For now, I will have to pick up the building pace. 3D LEGO

Lego Dino 500, The 2x2 curved bricks in trans white are available for pennies - as long as you buy the standard notched version. (What you used in your models.) The non-notched version on the other hand is pricey. There is a reinforced newer version that may not be as aesthetically pleasing to you but from a price stand point there is no difference between those and the previous version. I would go for the brick built doors as that more closely resembles the doors of the real train. Also I second the grey train axle holders and couplers suggestion. Sets 4511 High Speed Train (9v), 10157 High Speed Train Locomotive (9v), 10158 High Speed Train Car (9v) and 7897 Passenger Train (RC) all featured them. (The RC train is medium stone grey but I cannot say for the other ones.) As far as potential expensive parts the window piece is one such. Perhaps if you could design an ample substitution then you could avoid it entirely. Beyond that good work on your redesign/modernization project. Already it is looking very good. One thing to think about going forward is what locomotive that you want to model. Your options include: ALCO DL109 and PA, EMD E (streamlined) and F (More blunt) series, to name a few. While the F series is the most iconic, the PAs would be much easier to model. Other problems with earlier units is the triple axle trucks they used. 3D LEGO

Modulex Guy, Shrink wrap, I would not have thought of that but clever idea none the less. I was about to ask what Nendoroid but then I remembered that there are a lot of them, so yeah, nevermind. From your reply, it sounds like you gave it some serious thought. I agree, cost tends to be the deciding factor more often than not. And yeah, we all have at least one of those parts just waiting to be made useful. One thing that did cross my mind while composing my reply, there is at least one design that I know of that would benefit from a hairpiece design like the one used and that is the one for Sweet Devil. (The pink trimmed black outfit that features a shorter pony tail version of Miku.) The... 2013? Magical Mirai featured that and the 3D model they used had hair that reminds me of how the piece you used is styled. Lots of hair strands for more coverage in comparison to the more typical blocky approach. (The MikuExpo that I attended only featured the more common designs.) By the way, congratulations on making it onto the Brother's Brick blog! 3D LEGO

Murdoch17, They may be small modifications but they add a lot to your MOC. The more liberal entrance to the platform that you incorporated gives it a better vintage vibe. I am not very familiar with vintage Victorian era architecture but would some roof peak wrought iron details be fitting? 3D LEGO

storms26, This diagram was recently reposted in another thread and contains the radius of the various track geometries. Note that ME Models classifies their curves by radius in studs. http://www.brickdime...aticLibrary.png If you can provide some rough dimensions, then we may be able to make some suggestions though ultimately the choice is yours to make. 3D LEGO

Modulex Guy, My apologies in advance but no sooner had I opened this, then all I could do was stare. I think it is the stock friends face that is causing that problem for me. On to a proper critique: As a rare custom, I commend you for a fairly decent rendition of one physics greatest defying characters, I mean the world's greatest DIVA! For the most part, everything works. For one, you have bragging rights to having a minidoll Miku. An added bonus is the painted eyebrows. How did you do the sleeve parts? Another custom carved part or is it something else? I feel like the issue I am having with the face is exaggerated by the base hairpiece used. If not for it, the face may very well work. The one you used, though it has ample bangs is a side part. Also the high detail of the hairpiece clashes with the minimalistic pony tails. To improve the overall aesthetics, a center part hairpiece would be a better choice. A perfect example would be the female pig tails hair piece 20596pb01: used on the zombie cheerleader and Harley Quinn (Red and Blue). Using that piece would give you a result similar to what I depicted here in this minifigure drawing - Note: This drawing predates that hairpiece by a few years: http://www.deviantar...eet-G-446964696 You could then straighten the tips and extend them downward like you have done. (It might be very easy to re-purpose your existing extensions for this.) Also adding a center bang clump with this piece would help fill in the broad gap. Utilizing the existing tie points on said hairpiece as locators for the red and black iconic box ribbon ties? would give you the same result as what you currently have. (I have no idea what you would call those.) I would also recommend hand sanding with a ultra fine grit sand paper to smooth out the carving if at all possible. (Think smooth surfaces meets faces.) Instead of the layered skirt with legs, use one of the pleated skit with legs part instead. When painting on the stocking/boots, bring the top much closer to the bottom of the skirt. My critique aside, you have a Miku that you can be proud of. I, as of yet, do not even have one . The bold colors of the Vocaloids make them inherently hard to recreate in LEGO. Looking over the hairpiece compilation does not help much either. But we try anyway. 3D LEGO

Beck, Superb results in brick form. Okay, maybe a bit on the fresh from the factory side but still good none the less. Lovely paneling on the side of the AC3 TRAXX locomotive. While the smooth-sided version would be easier, I commend you for tackling the more common ribbed version. *Grabs the Möwenpick Feinjoghurt* - This one is definitely a keeper! Disregarding former thought... According to my calculations: Disregarding my calculations as they check out... Returning to my first thought, I echo M_slug357 on checking to make sure everything is firmly pressed together. Beyond that may be an issue with having stumbled upon some of the bricks from the transition period when tolerances were being dialed in. Otherwise it is entering the realm of manufacturing effects but those should not become an issue until much larger. It is possible that the sides are being affected by the frame bowing due to the issue of stacked bricks curving because of injection mold draft (taper). Or actually another picture makes me think it is going the other way with the sides curving down towards the frame. Regardless, push everything together nice and snug, especially if you have plates bigger than 3x3 stacked together. If they problem still persists, then it is most likely brick geometry from injection molding. 3D LEGO

I see this is the answer to my question I posed back in the Disney Collectible Minifigures thread, regarding the pink dress version of Mini Mouse. If you want the more traditional red dress version, be prepared to shell out so serious cash. I see an awful lot of either stickered or printed panels. 3D LEGO

xboxtravis7992, The idea is nothing new when you consider that almost any train fan longs for the chance to play with trains: be it to operate a model railroad or the grandiose of aspirations, operate a real locomotive. Starting small is most likely a safe bet when considering the limitations imposed by LEGO track geometry. (Which is less of an issue now when you take ME Model rails into consideration.) For such approaches I would recommend industrial shunting railroads that typically deal with tight curvature. Those that serve industries, older port facilities, steel mills, etc. Another option is electric trams that also operate limited freight services like those found in Europe. That would give a lot of play value in a small area. The other thing to remember is that coupling in LEGO can prove troublesome for this. The older 12v system had automatic decoupler devices though I do not know how well they actually worked at separating the magnets. This means you are back to having to reach over and decouple cars. Of course if money and space are not an issue then I suppose you could go for broke and invest in something on the order of magnitude like that seen in Germany and at LEGO World with the massive grand curves or the similar French LUG speedway. In short, it is by all means doable. The Power Functions system introduced a form of rudimentary remote control which can be further augmented by means of third party devices. (S-Brick) The main question is more along the lines of practicality as space becomes a premium. If it is only available temporarily, consider a modular approach - say brick-building the track sections for quick assembly. But do not let any of that hinder you from seeing your dreams through. 3D LEGO

dr_spock, My apologies. You are correct, the Viewliner| Viewliner II series just cover sleepers, dinners, baggage-dorms and baggage cars. The plan was to do the full spread but a few holdups, budget cuts and bankruptcies have so far delayed that goal. I was surprised to see a Bombardier-Alstom HHP-8 in the video. I thought they put all those units out to pasture. 3D LEGO

dr_spock, Lovely tribute to the end of an era. I was reading about that just the other day. Having seen at least one rumbling about Union Station, Washington D.C., I can at least say that I have seen and heard one. Nice and quite other than the occasional clicking. But all locomotives make those sounds... except for hydraulics or direct-drives. While it is great that they pushed the electrified network to Boston, CT, they really need to replace everything on the sound end to make it uniform and get rid of all the ancient, rusting and otherwise derelict ex PRR stuff. (Nothing against PRR heritage rather it is at the end of its life and is becoming a hazard if not costly to maintain.) The 25 Hz off-grid frequency sections must be a real pain to maintain. Oh and the Siemens ACS-64 sticks out way past the trucks on the end, giving a weird feel to it. It reminds me more of the Siemens Eurosprinter locomotives for heavy freight than the passenger versions. But it might just be me. Wait... Is that a Viewliner II coach I spy there?! CrispyBassist, That picture goes to show how not every approach is the best approach. The brute E60s from GE are good for lugging slow bulk freight but not so for fast freight or passenger. (I wonder what would have happened in Milwaukee Road's case... They liked fast freight just like PRR did.) xboxtravis7992, They use Bombardier built ALP-46, ALP-46A (Newer, higher power model.) and ALP-45DP which are dual-mode electrics with diesel prime movers for off-grid sections. (Agence métropolitaine de transport in Montreal uses these as well.) The ALP-46 and ALP-45 are based on the TRAXX locomotives found all over Europe. They are built in Kassel, DE and shipped to New Jersey by boat. NJT used to operate a fleet of ABB ALP-44 locomotives, very similar to the AEM-7s built by EMD with components from ABB. NJT retired theirs with the introduction of the ALP-46/46As. Only SEPTA still operates its lone ALP-44 but that should change in the not too distant future. MARC in Maryland operated a small fleet of AEM-7s and the failure Bombardier-Alstom HHP-8 but since Amtrak is scrapping their AEM-7s and HHP-8s, they are losing their contracted service provider and have opted to replace the fleet with Siemens Charger diesel electric locomotives. 3D LEGO

LucByard, Thanks for the clarification. Nice little touch denoting approach vectors as you have indicated. 3D LEGO