Duq

Congratulations on a well-deserved win!

Things changed after you changed the batteries. That makes me wonder: Were all the batteries the same? Same brand, same capacity? Did something else change when you swapped batteries? Did you accidentally push the wheels tight against the motor body? Did one of the connectors get unplugged and not properly plugged back in? I definitely wouldn't open the motor before talking to customer service.

I don't think this quite counts as cultural appropriation. Otherwise Lego would have a problem selling the Creator Mustang in Europe and the Fiat 500 outside Italy. I build trains from the Netherlands where I grew up, Germany because my dad had German model train and Ireland because I live here now. I've once built an American diesel and if some day I fance a train from anywhere else in the world I'd have no problem modelling it.

It prevents the gears from skipping (or the powerful XL motors from pulling the whole thing apart ;- )

4 XL motors will also need multiple battery packs... If you do decide to go with XL motors I would suggest bracing the gears with this piece for example: (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=87408#T=C&C=11)

All very true.

As Ts_ said, even seeing them side by side you wouldn't guess that one is a modification of the other. I've followed your posts through the development/ build and it's just spectaculair. The techniques for getting the body shape and the close-coupling, the fact you managed to get an interior in one and working scissor lift in the other... Each of these is a great model and together with the story behind makes it a very impressive project.

Lego does have contact with the AfoL community through the Ambassador Network. Also, a lot of set designers are or were AfoLs and read posts on various forums. On top of that they spend a lot of time and money on market research. The release hundreds of sets every year and yes, sometimes they get it wrong, but most of the time they know what they're doing. I've said it on this forum before. LEGO Train builders are a niche hobby within a niche hobby. There really aren't that many train enthousiasts. If LEGO thought they'd sell more level crossings than X-wings or cops & robbers sets they'd make them. To make matters worse, trains are way more regional than cars. The Crocodile was a very European set. Unless you're into trains as an American, you wouldn't have seen one. Similar with the BNSF and Santa Fe, very American trains that wouldn't be popular in Europe. A Harley Davidson, Ferrari or Mustang has a much wider appeal. Model trains outside of Lego are losing ground. Look at who visits your local model train show: mostly men over 50 if not over 70. So, sad as it is, I don't see Lego selling more train sets any time soon (but I'd happily be proven wrong).

Realistically they have two options: 1. The Hogwarts approach. Make it wider than L-Gauge and make it a display piece. Pretty sure that's how the project was intended. 2. Make it L-Gauge and heavily modify it to run Lego track; that means changes to front and rear bogie, cylinders etc to create clearance, and probably shortening the carriage. They can't do both. They can't release an L-Gauge display set that won't get through R40. My money is on option 1.

Ah, had a few great ideas but life had other plans. The way things are going I'd be lucky to get one of them built by christmas...

Great, another Köf II ! You're in good company - I've added you to my gallery of Lego Köfs on Flickr. One small thing: the top/ middle light at the back must be white. Trains (in Germany anyway) have an 'A' front but only 2 tail lights.

https://www.lego.com/en-ie/product/color-distance-sensor-88007

Someone also suggested adding a PU colour sensor and putting coloured tile between the rails so the tram can go back and forth on a single line.

It probably depends on the train. A crocodile with mixed freight will look fine if you're mixing 7 and 8 wide, while an electric loco with passenger cars will look odd if one is wider than the other. And at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is whether it bothers you ;-)

What's the judges view on 3D printing and modifying parts? In the FAQs it reads "... permit LEGO® elements which have been cut or modified". Is there a limit to how much modifying you can do? The reason I'm asking is that I've noticed an entry that appears to contain more than its fair share of customised elements. Before finalising my own entry, I'd like to be clear on what will be allowed.

Not quite.... It's long enough that the battery box fits in the closed section, and the open sideways bench is still available for passengers: They suggest a train motor: As RacingBrick pointed out, with the track pack they show you can't make a loop... He reckons you're better off buying the City passenger train as a motorisation pack for this set.

That's great engineering for you. It makes things look easy, effortless. I love this solution!

That's incredible Holger, really great. Love the detail of the spinning 2x2 plate with the turntable, looking like the guy is turning it by hand.

No, no, I didn't mean I'm going to build that. I saw the pictures of the Henschel on Flickr. I've two very different ideas.

I remember that Henschel with the face of a BR103. I think I might enter OcTrainber this year. Will be the first time I think... I have two ideas, let's see which one I can get done in time (I was never a fast builder...)

Ah, good memories of that engineering challenge... PF points motor by Duq, on Flickr This also reminded me of this crossover project that's still on top of a shelf somewhere, waiting for a proper version (rather than just a prototype): Crossover prototype by Duq, on Flickr

I see prizes are sponsored/ donated by TrainedBricks and TrixBrix but can you give us an idea of what those prizes are likely to be?

All the focus seems to be on the track. The last update for the Android app was 4 years ago and I've given up hope on it ever getting beyond prototype stage. The iPhone app looks better but I'm not buying a iPhone just to control PFx bricks. The PFx brick looked promising for my trains but as it looks right now I won't be buying any more of them.

It's probably a bit too late to change the design, move the slider closer to the hinge point of the switch blades to make the blades move the same range with only a half-stud move of the slider. I haven't really thought about designs for controlling the points but a half stud movement feels easier to achieve than a 5/8 stud movement.