German Luigi

Great proposal to use tiles inverted for the upper frame of the container. Unfortunately, this is not realiseable using LEGO only.

Hello, I built a 20-foot tank container based on this model: Source: https://teccontainersolutions.com/iso-tanks/ The container was to have the connecting dimensions of this container: Source: https://open-l-gauge.eu/20-container-white/ The model should contain the following details: - Connection piece with stopcock - Access ladder - Grating at the top - Loading openings with cover Here is the result: Of course, a suitable intermodal wagon is needed for transportation. Initially, I only slightly modified Dennis' Talbot T3 “Einheitstaschenwagen” Sdgms Source: https://open-l-gauge.eu/talbot-t3-einheitstaschenwagen-sdgms-4-color-versions (available under Creative Common License CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). But I was not satisfied with the result. So I rebuilt the frame, but took over many details from his wagon: I copied the lettering from a photo of an original intermodal wagon, only the length dimensions were converted into studs: This wagon needs a minimum radius of 104 studs and a maximum kink angle of 1°26', which corresponds to a plate on a rail length of 16 studs. If there is a larger kink in the track, the frame can rest on the rails. I used „n“ as length dimenson, as „Noppen“ is the German translation for stud. Now I think I should have used an abbreviation for stud as this would be international. The letter„s“ can´t be used as this is already an abbreviation for second. What about „st“? „st“ is an abbreviation for the weight unit stone, but this unit was removed from the list of units permitted for trade in the United Kingdom. The stone remains widely used in the United Kingdom and Ireland for human body weight. Should I use „st“? Or should I use the original dimension in meter although the wagon has not properties to scale? A single container on a 60 feet intermodal wagon? I decided to built two containers. I only needed to build the LEGO containers in duplicate, but I couldn't simply copy the stickers. Each container has an individual label consisting of 3 letters for the owner/operator, a fourth letter as a device identifier, a six-digit serial number and a check digit. For the second container, I increased the serial number by one and recalculated the check digit (there are websites for this). I then created the stickers for the second container on this basis. I hope, you enjoyed watching the pictures. Best regards, Ludger

In this video you can see the ramp in detail (from 1:27 on): [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPJubrEsCwI[/media] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPJubrEsCwI Please keep this aspects in mind: - Allign the car to the track (at 1:47 in the video I pushed the wheelset sideways to the track.) - Place the track on baseplates. So they are exactly straight. Already small curves have an impact on the result.

The best ball bearings I have meet German standard DIN 620 precision rating P0 which is equivalent to ABEC 1. My impression: ABEC 1 is a minimun standard that has to be met. I assume from this point on the used grease / oil is more important for ball bearings in LEGO train wheel sets. But as I don´t know the grease / oil that is used in my ball bearings I can´t prove this.

I bought some cheap ball bearings and checked them. The ones I got are not good: [media]

Yes, I use 2mm x 5mm x 2.5mm ball bearings, they are called MR52-2Z or MR52-ZZ. I bought 400 ball bearings at once at a local wholesaler. I use the original LEGO train wheel axle, this axle is usually a little bit thicker than the hole of the ball bearing, so I created my own techniques and tools to get the ball bearings assembled to the metal axle. I found some LEGO axles that can be assembled to MR52-2Z ball bearings without addtional tools, but after assembly the ball bearing still can move. If you are interested in these axles please let me know.

Hello Thomas, why did you add a string under the train axle? If @Legopold had invented his method earlier, maybe I would not have even started with looking for another solution. It took almost 6 months to get my solution finished. First I had to find an appropriate supplier for the ball bearings. The cheap ball bearings feel rolling roughly and I did not want to spend 2€ or more for a good ball bearing. My first attempt with suitable ball bearings was good for heavy cars, but light cars ran significantly better with the orignal LEGO train axle than with my ball bearing solution, and so I had to find a better solution. I compared my ball bearing train axles with the original LEGO train axles using cars that weight 685g. And, no suprise, the car with ball bearings wins: http://youtu.be/QPJubrEsCwI [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPJubrEsCwI[/media] Ludger

See my personal message.

Crocodile motorization: 88013 is the L motor (from LEGO Ambassador Network) Additional powered up will be available seperately: technic hub (88012) XL-motor (88014)

My next train will consist of 10 cars, each car weighting about 600g. In order not to overload the locomotive I decided last autumn to equip the train wheel set with ball bearings. At that time I found only the solution using modified train wheel holders from Legopold https://www.flickr.com/photos/162569845@N05/25210157997/ and the solution using technic bricks from legoman666 https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/140479-ball-bearings/. My cars are 7wide, the solution using technic bricks requires covering the wheels, but this will exceed 7wide. Using the first method results in a significantly different wheel holder height and I do not like that. So I decided to develop my own solution (if Legopold had invented his improved method https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/174266-improved-method-to-equip-lego-train-wheel-holders-with-ball-bearings-no-cutting-of-the-wheel-holder-required/ earlier I probably would not have looked for another solution). This is my result: I milled out the locations for the ball bearings: Except the ball bearings I used only original LEGO parts. For comparison: on the left side the original wheel set, on the right side the wheel set with ball bearings The ball bearings are steadily joined to the axle. Due to the ball bearings the cars now run more smoothly and I do not regret my efforts. Ludger

Crocodile ready for motorization: According to Promobricks this locomotive is ready for motorization. They write (translated by Google): But what is a locomotive if it cannot run? An upcoming update for the LEGO Powered Up App will retrofit the function. This requires a powered up hub (88009) and a new motor, which according to our information will bear the number 88013. These components are (unfortunately) not included in the set. Front- and backend of the crocodile are 5 wide, so the motor should be 3 wide, maybe a the powered up L-motor fits. This motor is not yet available as single item at shop.lego.com, maybe this becomes number 88013.

Now steam engine and tender have a red undercarriage in real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE0Ln3xGWIg Ludger

Thanks. To make it easy for LEGO to approve this set I designed this train similar to LEGO train sets. Freight train 60052 has an engine, two railway cars and two other vehicles. This set consists of 870 parts. My project has also an engine, two railway cars and, instead of other vehicles, a carriage. My set consists of 940 parts. If LEGO creates a new part slope brick curved 3x4 for replacing 4 slope brick 3x1 the number of parts would be reduced to 860, so my set would cost round about as much as set 60052.

Hello, I would like to present my latest train MOC: a German steam engine. Steam engines appeal different from country to country. In Germany most steam engines had a red wheel undercarriage, steam engines in some other European countries too. For those who like steam engines completely black: all parts for this engine are already available. For those who like a red undercarriage: please support this set on LEGO IDEAS (https://ideas.lego.com/projects/133465). The steam engine bases on the steam engine https://en.wikipedia...i/Prussian_G_12. This steam engine was a goods train locomotive, and as goods train locomotives have small wheels for high traction force I used small LEGO train wheels. I did not like the plain, high gloss surface of the tender, so I decided to take bricks with studs on sides. These studs symbolize oversized rivets. I watched LEGO sets like freight train 60052. This set does not contain only a freight train, it also contains a truck and a fork lift. So you can transport something with the truck to the station, load it on the freight car and take it to the next station. At 1925 there were only a few trucks and no fork lifts, so I decided to add a horse carriage. Now you can play as you can play with freight train 60052: you can transport something to the station, load it into the freight car and transport it to the next station. Ludger

Outdoor video: Hello, During last summer (in Germany it was 2013 ) at a blue shining sky I recorded an outdoor video of my demolition excavator. Outdoor with bright shining sun power functions remote control does not work any more, the sun in much stronger than the remote control. So I placed myself in a way that my shadow layed always on the IR-receiver. Once I leaned forward too much and so I got on the video. But thanks to video editing software I disappeared from the video. Recording the video took only one day. But when watching the result I got annoyed by too many insects crossing the video. So I decided to remove them. Removal of flies in corners of the video is quite simple: the camera was fixed on a tripod and so I had a static picture. I just had to freeze the picture detail without flies and placed this across the video. And the flies are gone. But flies close to the demolition excavator are hard to remove: I had to retouch them out of every picture at a frequency of 25 pictures per second. This takes really long. In total I removed insects from more than 1000 sequences. And so it took me 1.5 years to finish this video. I recorded in total more than one hour, but watching this would get borinig. So this video consists predominantly of 5times fast motion. You can watch this video on YouTube: Ludger

Hello Tim, when I look at your model I know you faced already a lot of these challenges. I assume as a result you decided to replace linear actuators by tooth bars made of gear racks 1x4. Ludger

Hello, I recorded the video at the beginning of the exhibition. At this time I had no experience at all in controlling my own excavator. So it took quite long to remove the first plates. In general the excavator had to be powerful and controlable precisely, this results in quite slow movements. Ludger

Hello, I downloaded the demolition excavator brochure from Caterpillar and I used the 345C as role model. I compared the dimensions with the 8043, so knew quite good how long and wide the undercarriage, the upper structure and so on should be. After finishing the upper structure I found the rear beeing to big, so I just renamed my excavator as 365C. I used the standard european excavator control and as I did not drive an excavator bevore it took some time to get used to the control unit. But it is really a lot of fun. Kind Regards Ludger

Hello, after years of only reading occasionally at Eurobricks it is time to present my latest MOC at Eurobricks: A caterpillar 365C ultra high demolition excavator. (If the youtube video disappeared: )It started with excavator 8043. But I did not like the bucket, because playing with this bucket is difficult. In most cases LEGO bricks will not get into the bucket but will just be pushed away. So I searched for alternatives and I came across demolition excavators. A LEGO demolition excavator would be great. And this demolition excavator should be able to demolish a LEGO house, this would be incredible. But is this possible? I realized quickly: this is not just a 8043 modification, this requires a complete new design. I started with the jaw. This has to be very small. If the jaw is too long, it will be impossible to breakaway Lego bricks. And the jaw must be turnable about 180° to demolish ceilings and walls at different heights. The clamping force should not depend on the angle position of the jaw, bricks should not drop from the jaw when the jaw is moved. After some trials I found a solution using a string (well visible in the video). I built a prototype with this string solution and made a trial: will the clamping force be high enough to enable the jaw disassembling a 1x8 brick? Yes! The clamping force is just enough. So I could answer the question of principle: it is possible to demolish a LEGO house with a LEGO excavator. As the next step I designed the bucket arm. This should contain two power function M-motors and friction clutches for closing the jaw and for moving the jaw. For both functions maximum power is required without overstressing the M-motors. The bucket arm should not be wider than 5 studs. I took some time, but the design of the bucket arm was not so difficult. Then I designed the undercarriage. I adopted the design principle of Jurgen Krooshoops 8043 modification and put the gear reduction into the undercarriage. In comparison with the undercarriage of the 8043 I designed a considerable longer undercarriage. Now the most difficult part: the upper structure. Main task: lifting the boom. As a first trial I used three linear actuators parallel. The upper structure was made mainly of liftarms. During the first trial I heard a lot of clicks, but the boom did not lift a little bit. I enforced the gear box, but all subsequent trials just ended up with ugly noises. The required force for lifting the boom was just too high. So I increased the distance between the lower linear actuator bearing point and the boom bearing point. So there is less force necessary for lifting the boom. But now the adjustment range of the linear actuators is not sufficient for lifting the boom vertically. So I added two additional linear actuators to archive the required adjustment range. In total I use now 4 linear actuators for lifting the boom. I designed the gearbox inside the upper structure following these principles: - use of technic bricks instead of liftarms wherever possible - bearing of gears on both sides of the gears, it must be impossible for gears to move apart Next trial: the XL-motor is moaning a little bit, but the boom is lifting. Hip, Hip, Hooray! Now I started with detailed design of the upper structure, finally 2 XL-motors, 4 M-motors, 4 IR receiver and 2 battery boxes have to be placed inside the upper structure. Two battery boxes? Yes, I need the weight of two battery boxes as counterweight and the electric power should last for at least one day during an exhibition. As I did not have all required parts in yellow I built the excavator with available parts. So right now the excavator design was finished, but the excavator was multicoloured. As next step I built the excavator in ML Cad. During this step some improvements were implemented. After finishing this I knew exactly which parts I needed and I bought them. And then I did something I really like: building a MOC following a building instruction I created on my own. Last I created stickers and then my demolition excavator was complete. This demolition excavator was designed for demolishing a LEGO house, so I needed a house for demolishing. Of course not a single family house, I needed a tower building. Based on pictures of real tower buildings and a reasonable floor plan I built a tower house in ML Cad. And then I bought the worst available parts, the house must not look like new, it should look like ready for demolishing. Building the tower building according to the ML Cad building instruction was not difficulty, it just took quite a lot of time as 11,000 parts had to be assembled. At the end tower building and excavator were ready just in time for the LEGO FanWelt Exhibition. Kind Regards Ludger PS: Demolishing the tower building with the excavator is fun for hours.