Ashi Valkoinen

Both shops highlighted on official ME-Models website have only plastic tracks, no 9V ones.

Same with me, I planned to order a loop of R72 and R88 to replace my curve-straight-curve build loops, but with this shipping cost (50% price of items) I simply won't do this. :(

More studs I prefer.

I'd like to add only one point of view to this. In Hungary (where I came from) avarage salaries in industrial jobs like working for TLC are around £350-500 a month. For a worker who is _not_ interested in collecting LEGO sets it is a better to sell and use the money he/she got for the set to pay bills (especially heating in a winter like this). Other thing I'm afraid that the prices you found on ebay are not set by those workers, but by those people, who buy these sets from the workers, often for ridiculously low prices.

This topic was started with my first, not proportional LEGO Stadler FLIRT EMU more than 7 years ago. 2016 December we had our Christmas event, where my now proportional red-white FLIRT and her younger blue-white colored sister ran for 6 days coupled together without any major problems. It was a two year long story since I finished the second Stadler FLIRT to achieve this. For first both trains worked with 9V train motors, but I experienced problems powering both units' current consumption on regular LEGO 9V-system. I decided to build internal power sources into the trains to avoid changing all my wiring made for 9V-system. Since the original LEGO IR receiver unit has low effiency, both in current limit and available remote distance of IR control I decided to use SBricks and SBrick application. SBrick helps to synchronize the two trains. 9V motors were gone and had been replaced by two PF train motors put on one output of SBrick units. I used other three output of SBricks for indoor lights, and train "A" and "B" end front/tail lights (polarity-sensitive power functions leds I use as front/tail lights). However two PF train motors were enough to move the individual train (each around 3.5 kgs), they slowed down too much on curves, and when I ran them coupled, the faster second train always derailed the first slowing down in curves. To avoid the big speed difference between train in curves and train on straights I built an additional PF train motor into the each motor unit. So the two trains have 6 PF train motors together. The coupling also needed one year of exhibitions to be fixed, but now the technic-based couplers mounted on first and last bogies work well. I plan to change old-style LEGO magnets to same size neodymium magnets for better traction parameters. A video showing the FLIRTs running, not only on simple loop, but on multiple points as well. Video also shows how much speed SBrick offers, however due to the size limitation of the exhibition area I couldn't use this high speed too much.

But there are many in this hobby (LEGO-trains) who desire better and more comfortable solutions than what IR train remote control can give. I'm sure Alican's train is not connected to the internet because he can do it, but it is a good platform (local network or global) to control your trains in a comfortable way. This system can be also expanded with webcams and another controls (points), and gives a new way to maintain a layout at events and running trains without getting up everytime to switch points or follow the train with the useless LEGO IR control. Also, I don't think that someone will break into his network just to make crash his trains at an event... You are right about that too many of our machines are equipped with internet and it is totaly unnecessary, but hey, we are talking about a hobby right now...

I introduced the motor car and driving car for the Hungarian BVmot train a while ago, last night I designed two middle wagons as well. However most of my waggons are really easy straightforward builds, one of them needed a special solution. The original trains (only 3 of them) were produced in 1994 by Ganz-Hunslet factory, and this train is the last railway vechile fully produced in Hungary (not counting 2 200 km/h IC wagons). Unfortunately they are often waiting for replacement parts, so it is rare to see them running in real life. Hope my MOC will run in a year or so. The entire train: The entire train 2: The train has to middle wagons between motor car and driving car, they have the same lenght, but different number of windows! 1st class wagon has 10 windows, 2nd class has 11! I built in LDD the 2nd class car first, using 11 of train windows on each side, but then I had to design something placing only 10 windows. Using 10 train windows and putting randomly 1×1 brick between them (four studs were needed to be filled) was not an option, so I tried some SNOT technique on the wall. Different window number, same length: Close-up: the 9 plates height of the standard train window is divided from bottom to up: 1 plate, 3 SNOT stud (=7.5 plate in height), half plate with bracket. Motor unit, inside: English .pdf from the manufacturer, from 1994: http://www.ganzdata.hu/download/Ganz_Hunslet_Intercity_EMU.pdf

Hi, I registered with my gmail account, but no activation e-mail arrived, resending it not working as well.

I'd like to recommend my own article about LEGO 9V tracks geometry, I think it serves the community well :) https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2pGVpZyXf5hU3NYRWNuRkVCbHM/view

Hello Jim, I plan to organise it on Eurobricks if possible, but according to the feedback I got here and in the Facebook group "LEGO Train Fan Club" I'm pretty sure I need to redesign some of the rules to get more people involved. Maybe in January I'll have the time to do so.

It is a beautiful train with tons of really nice solutions. My favourite is the white pattern around the door. Have you considered using 2×4 wedge brick on the front, right under the lights, placed on 2×4 gray wedge plates? the other thing bother my eyes a little bit is the height of the gray part above the windows - according to the photo of the real train (sideview on the bridge) it should be lower with one plates and replaced by a black plate line above the windows.

Since it is a popular train, quite many MOCers of this hobby created it. It is interesting to see how differently we interpret colors and shape of this train. For example, Helo used different dark grayes for lower part, while I decided that the lower gray is closer to black than bluish gray. Other hungarian young modeller (15 y.o.) D.Máté decided to use wedges on front - which allows you to keep thin red and gray line on the "B" end of the loco, but you also lose some shape on it. I wish we who own a set of LEGO railjet train could put them next to each other on some event. :) Helo sent me those "railjet" patterns in vectorised format, so I could adjust it to my model, really nice of him it was. ..or wait, the raijet is yours on the picture you posted? IF yes, I think we had met at Kidsfest, Vienna, 2013... I remember to see both locomotives in real!

Huh, I don't know if his nickname is "Helo", but the guy who sent me the file for the stickers is called Stefano Masetti. :)

Hello all, I finished last week my ÖBB railjet train. I designed it in LDD back in 2013, built locomotive and four wagons in the end of 2014, and now, two years after I built the half of the train, now I own the full set. The Siemens Taurus locomotive is followed by Bmpz/2, Bmpz/1, Bmpz/1, Bmpz/1, ARbmpz, Ampz, Afmpz cars, making this train MOC 4 metres long. The 8W train weights around 8 kgs, so I decided to use SBrick to power it. One SBrick is installed in the locomotive, other in the driving car (Afmpz), each runs 2 PF train motors and get powered from AA battery box with rechargeable batteries. The 12 AA batteries enables a full exhibition day run (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.), I put in the last 5 days around 10 km-s into the train. :) I made the train to take standard LEGO-geometry (including more points after each other or sharp turns made of only R40 curves), however the train needed real-time and careful driving through SBrick application when I run it on multiple points and S-curves. Then I put neodinium magnets between couplers and now it works fine with a constant speed set on the screen. Here are some photos and a video showing the train, video also shows how it runs on multiple curves.

Hello all Train MOC-ers, I'm planning to run a train-building contest in 2017. I was thinking of such a competition for one year by now, the last one I saw here was somewhere back in 2009 or something among that line. According to some of my interests in LEGO Trains, it would be a contest with quite strict rules you can read below: -MOC train should be a proportional model of a real locomotive, passenger car, freight wagon or motor unit -(I also plan to add that only a model of a real train produced in the last 15 years can be entered, as I'm interested in Epoch VI trains, but I can drop this one) -Body width should be at least 7 studs wide -Only new creation can be entered, trains already designed, train already designed but with different color scheme, train designed in LDD and published before are not allowed. On the other hand I need at least three master train builders, who could evaluate the entered creations taking into account: -Proportions and design - how close is the model to the real thing -technical solutions (interesting part usage, techniques presented) -Running (a video should be uploaded where the train runs on different geometries built from standard track pieces) If you are interested, please send me an e-mail [ ashivalkoinen at gmail . com ] with some photos of your works (references), and with the following data: -full name and best-known nickname -nationality Prices I'm living in Eastern Europe, with salaries you may estimate for an Eastern Europe country, but as a pledge I will put one set of Horizon Express and a bunch of track (either sets or in bulk). Since the contest is NOT ongoing, I gladly accept any ideas related to the contest.

Coaster, my opinion is that you should go for PF and 9V curves for first, then upgrade it to switches. I simply cannot agree on the statement 9V is dead. It is not, maybe it will be 15-20 years later without custom metal-wheeled motors (or simply metal wheels), but if new motors or metal wheels for PF motors are added, it can live longer.

Hello Günther, I don't plan to extend this article with PF/RC train tracks - using the 100% plastic system and having the flexible track piece there are much more options to create a layout and a station geometry I focused on, while the track geometry is very limited with metallic 9V tracks. I tried to give ideas to those who prefer 9V-system over PF/RC. Double crossover gives a lot of options (switching between tracks on mainline) in less space, but since it is really easy to use it (and you have only one option to use it between two parallel tracks with 16 studs offset), there is no need to mention it. The same goes for modified points - if some does the modification he/she will exactly know where this modded point will go, writing an article about these will interest much less people. Except the well-known and widely used modification of 9V point I tried to show geometries with standard tracks.

Updated version: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2pGVpZyXf5hU3NYRWNuRkVCbHM/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-HwAH24JRnsFAFtsowbF3cw I mispelled Bill Ward's name (it is Ward, not Wards) and forgot to put an URL to Brickpile. Now these are corrected. I leave older version online for a month to avoid that someone won't find it.

Hello Richard, thanks for these additional resources. I knew L-gauge.org, but it was new for me to see those new geoemtries using different radius curves (R56,R72,R88 and R104), they are fantastic. Also thanks for placing an URL to my .pdf and Brickshelf as well, it was very nice of you, just as those small and simple track designs you shared on your site. I think I always forget those who have less space for layouts and I always plan for 4-6 metres long stations (at least, but my dream is a proportional hungarian station with 15-16 metres tracks between points :) ) Also I feel a little worried about R56,R72,R88 and R104 geometries, ME-models seems out of stock for months by now, and Bricktracks got only 1/20 of needed founds on Kickstarter after 5 days (maybe people disappointed in ME-models won't risk again), so I don't really know when people can order such curves for their layouts again. :(

Hello Gareth, the document was written to share it with all who needs it, so feel free to post is anywhere. :)

Hello all, in the last month I was working on three articles written in Hungarian language to use it as a standard for our train fan community. Last week I decided to translate it to English as well, and here it is for all those who needs advice on simply layouts, ideas for train station geometries and possible usages of Holger Matthes' long radius curves built from straight tracks. The three main sections of article (from original Hungarian articles) are the following: 1. Basic geometry rules and simple tricks - mostly based on Bill Ward's article on Brickpile, but including some own ideas 2. Station geometries - ideas for small, simple stations, station with through lines, building connections between parallel lines, using flextrack in 9V-setting, widening distance between tracks for platforms 3. Long radius curves built from straight tracks: ideas to use these not only in full loops, but at station geometries as well. Article contains URL to .bbm file as well to download it (made in BlueBrick version 1.8.1.). Article is at my Google Drive, since Brickshelf didn't allow me to upload in .pdf format: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2pGVpZyXf5hU3NYRWNuRkVCbHM/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-HwAH24JRnsFAFtsowbF3cw

Hi Dan, the connectors are different, but the gauge is the same, so with custom ME-Models universal connector part (non-LEGO) or with LEGO-solution using jumper plates you can make those tracks to fit almost without a gap. Note that point geometry for old-style tracks (light gray rails on dark gray sleepers and two inner metal rails) is different from the point geometry of nowadays track - old track has 8 studs offset between two parallel tracks after the point, new track has 16 studs. If you want to design track geometries virtually, google and use BlueBrick 1.8.1. software to do so. :)

Hi coaster, I made my pledge in price of $40. Unfortunately there were no options for different radius 9V full loops to pledge for, and $750 is over my monthly salary. Hope this small contribution counts as well and I hope in a year I can order my long radius tracks from you! Good luck with the projekt!

Thank you. You can use the design of course, but if you use it, please refer to my root Brickshelf folder, which is here: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=AshiValkoinen Note that the parts you can use (cheese slopes, panels or 45° slopes depends on how long your suspended sections are and where you put the pivot point between cars. I got used to put this pivot point in one of the sections, a pivot point right in the middle between sections makes this technique not working. :) Can you tell me, do these tram have rotation-symmetry (I mean the strange arrangement of doors), or it has a symmetry to it's center line?

After next payment I'll add my own part. :)