dr_spock

Running the Crocodile locomotive with 20 Batmans hanging off it at an event would be funny. I wonder how many guests will figure out that one of the Batman villians is Croc.

Very nice and big bundle of wires too. This was the kind of layout I thought of in university late at night.

LEGO seems to be pricing to encourage you to buy the sets with PU instead of individual components. I bought a couple Batmobile sets on sale to get the PU hubs. It wasn't that much more than buying a hub and 2 motors that came with the set. On the plus side I have more Batman minifigs for my Bat Train.

I think the other theme that has muliple model builds is the Creator 3-in-1 sets. They are still around as far as I know.

The price of PU motors do seem in line with Mindstorm motors that have similiar functionalitiy. I've been reusing my less expensive PF motors with PU when I only need to use on/off or speed control programmability.

45303 does work with the hub. How it works depend on which device you use to control it. If you use your smart phone or tablet, you can have on/off full speed or variable speed control depending on the program you use or code in the Powered UP App. If you use the PU remote, it can only go full on or full off. You can create a program in the PU App to read the PU remote buttons and send the appropriate motor speed command to the hub. Alternatively, you can make an adapter to fool it thinking it is a PU train motor attached.

You can get the Powered UP hub individually off LEGO S@H, Bricklink, etc. : https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/hub-88009 You can control it with your smartdevice and the Powered UP app and/or use the PU remote.

Neat. Are you using PU hubs in the pre-PU era locomotives?

Cool. Would you know if its UART is compatible with the PU devices? Can the EV3 micropython iodevices module be used? https://pybricks.github.io/ev3-micropython/iodevices.html#

It could probably be like Emerald Night, just add the motor components and the way we go. Don't know if parts have to be taken out to make room like EN. We shall see... The PU XL and L have encoder circuitry in them that communicate its position to the PU hub. You can command those motors to move a certain number of rotations or to a particular angle. It could useful for controlling switches and level crossing arms. The PU 45303 simple medium linear motor which is dumb with no encoder still costs more than the equivalent PF M-motor. I have a Lenovo TAB3 tablet. With PU App 3.1, it would connect to the hub and a few seconds later the connection drops. It wouldn't stay connected longer than a few seconds no matter how much I tried. PU App 3.2 works great. Crazy...

I think it could be possible. Pins 1-4 appears similar in both system. Not sure about pins 5 & 6 functions. You may need hardware to translate between EV3 I2C and PU serial data if you want to read the encoders in those PU motors. Also you'll need to code the EV3 to work with the PU motors.

With a bit of creative cabling, one can fake a PU train motor to the PU hub and get speed control on the PU remote without having to use the PU app + smartdevice as a go-in-between. It'll work with attaching PF motors to the PU hub too. Ideally, the PU firmware would allow you to set the desired control mode from the PU remote. I prefer not messing with apps. The PU app hasn't been kind to me. Version 3.0 works with my tablet. Version 3.1 doesn't. Version 3.2 works again with my tablet. Must remember to never update the app when I have a LUG event coming up.

Is Task 11 cheaper than Task 21?

I think the ends of straight rails look neater than RC straight track for display. You don't have the straight track connection notches sticking out.

Looks greats. Thank you, gentlemen.

LEGO can sue you under contract laws. Basically you are breaking the terms that you have agreed to when you submitted an idea to them. Likewise, you can sue LEGO if they didn't pay you your 1%. The delay to sell your work sounds similar to non-compete clauses in your employment contracts. I think best to consult your lawyer.

I believe some are articulated in real life.

The 18+ rating can also help those adults self-conscious about buying toys or "not toys". Marketing psychology? I think the older you get, you spend your hard earned money as you see fit and don't really give a rat megablocks what others think about that. Correction: ...a rat megablocks what others whom you're not married to think...

Just like with buffers and train wheels, one can't never have enough motors for LUG event displays. A smaller motor than the current offerings would be useful for space constrainted builds. A dumb on/off battery box would be useful too. Too bad LEGO doesn't provide a roadmap of what's coming (or going) like microprocessor manufacturers.

Do you get 11.85V AC on pins of the power connector soldered on the circuit board? From the circuit diagram, it looks like the LED should light up if there is power to the circuit board.

I look at railpictures.net for real world. https://www.railpictures.net/

I miss those alt builds on the set boxes. It was fun trying to build them from the picture. When momma LEGO doesn't provide, commissioning someone to build the cars and/or create instructions can also be an option. It can go from costly to free if you can find the right person(s)

Maybe in keeping 10183 Hobby Train single loco precedence and allowing more folks to ride the nostalgia train at the chosen price point?

It depends on what era you want to model. Now it is mainly used for railfan trips. Goes to show that LEGO will never be able to please everyone whatever they do.

On the other hand, they seem to be standardizing on the 6 pin connector with their recent stuff.