henryhotspurs

While all Lego sets are fun, there are Lego sets that are "must haves". The Emerald Night ranks right up there with Black Seas Barracuda, Galaxy Explorer, Yellow Castle and the Metroliner. Trust me, you will regret not owning at least one iconic Emerald Night.

Hey this new version looks pretty cool.

What a great townhouse mod! Makes a nice station with a rural feel to it. Keep up the good work!

Absolutely amazing. Thanks for sharing!

Great idea for a MOC. I will be looking forward to the end result.

Received mine today and completed the loco build. Absolutely exceptional! The multiple SNOT techniques made the instructions a real page turner. I am stretching the entire build out over a couple of days so that I may "savor" the experience... Fun, Fun, Fun and well worth the wait and price.

I ordered mine Friday and it's still not here. The wait is killing me! I have cleared my train yard in anticipation of it's arrival!

Please add me to the "H's". (henryhotspurs) I love Lego trains. It's obvious that everyone else here does too. Most of the stories about coming out of the their individual "LEGO dark ages" mirrors mine. Living in the U.S. desert southwest,has added lots of lore and history to my fascination with trains. Especially, if you are, like me, a Native-American (White Mountain Apache). Not all of the history was good, but it left an indelible mark on my childhood. Hearing stories from the "Old Ones" about Geronimo's trip to the railhead in Holbrook, Arizona, and the incoming troop trains always fascinated me. The Old rail station and "Bucket of Blood Saloon" in Holbrook are ripe for MOCing. I have MOCed a couple of BNSF, GP-38's in the Warbonnet livery for my own railway, and will MOC the Warbonnet livery into a Maersk copy! Eventually, I'll MOC that old saloon and maybe even the Flagstaff, Az. passenger station. Additionally, I married into a "railroading family". I have a brother-in-law and nephew working for the Santa Fe Railroad, an Engineer and Train-master respectively. Naturally, old time locomotives and western era rolling stock are my favorites, but they are followed closely by the BNSF and Super Chief kits. I love this site and try to get here once a day at least. Thanks for reading my missive! Michael

I like it!

Unbelievable! I can't wait for the finished project!

Brillaint MOC. Congrats!

I really like the longer cars. Your earlier version of the caboose especially. In regards to articulated bogies, did you try using 2x2 turntables instead of the pinned bogie plates? When building a challenging rolling stock design, where color matters, it is easier for me to use regular baseplates and a turntable than to try to use the trainbase and limited color pallet lego provides. Just a thought...

Great corrugated roof! I might have to steal that...

My Lego minifigs have alot to do. There are lots of containers and shippable goods. The shipping containers were starting to pile up. Another train is just what they needed to get back on schedule. Now I have to figure out what to do with all the forklifts and container hoists...

A really nice station! Great windows and architectural features. It looks like it could accommodate many lines and passengers.

Very nice!

"...BNSF has no passenger operations..." Very interesting to note. I'm glad I came here today.

I initially powered my Emerald with 9v. I rebuilt the tender and wasn't happy with the look. I then substituted trucks on the carriage and was not impressed with the way the loco ran. The loco seemed to labor even with all the gears stripped out, AND it required that I always used the same carriage to power the loco. Hardly realistic. I splurged on the PF XL motor, IR reciever, IR controller and the rechargable battery and actually found this to be the best compromise. I covered the exposed, gray battery in the tender with black tiles and it gave it a streamlined look and did not show above the side of the tender. The old, old battery with the "don't shoot me orange" switch always looked terrible to me,and showed horribly above the tender sides. The new, more compact battery compartments look fine and the train drives better as designed (aside from the technical mods you MUST make to drive it for any length of time) I think if you try the power functions kit you'll really come to like it. If you don't like it in the Emerald you may be able to put it in your Maersk Train (you have to get this one) or use the components to make an IR switch point. It's that versatile...

I purchased just the "regular" Super Chief. I wanted it since I was young but could not afford it. I have been totally enamored with it since it arrived. I got the original box, minifigs and building instructions with my purchase. It was spendy but well worth the "used" price. As far as Lego trains go, it is my absolute favorite. The colors are so vivid and complimentary. It is much bulkier and heavier than I thought. It absolutely commands attention when it is on my layout. Even standing still it draws 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from onlookers. I thought the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe was awesome but this smokes it... My brother-in-law is a 30 year employee (Engineer) of the Santa Fe Railroad. His son is also employed by Santa Fe as a Train Master. They both loved Lego's rendition of the Super Chief, and I don't even have one of the passenger cars to show them yet... Not even the new Maersk train will replace this kit in my heart...

This is HUGE! Hopefully the bottom will drop out on the "9v track speculators" on Bricklink. That stuff was going for a premium. I saw a single track segment (part # 2865) going for $2.00 US but if you wanted at least 5 pieces they were $4.95 each. Clearly the new ME stuff is cheaper at $3.33 per section and more versatile with two tie colors and solid metal rails. Hopefully ME will be in business long enough to top off everyone's rail yards. I can imagine the "work gang/track laying MOCS" that will soon abound. The only drawback to 9v? Inability to do reversing loops. Hopefully, with the new and plentiful track, we won't have to scrimp on the long straight runs...

RATS! Missed mine today! I went to the Lego Store at Arrowhead Mall in Arizona today. Sold out by 2:30 p.m. I had to order mine and now must have it delivered. Now I must wait another week...

The large, modulars are what brought me out of my Lego Dark Ages. When I saw my first modular, I went "Wow, I have to have that..." I saw them in a catalog I got with Brickbeard's Bounty. I got the pirate set as a Christmas gift but nothing has moved me to create more than the modular sets. I was fortunate enough to get them all at regular retail prices but did manage to miss Market Street somehow. (Oh yeah, I skipped market streel and bought an extra Cafe Corner...) I kick myself for not picking up every last one, and think you will too if you don't get them all. My favorite? Emporium! Wait, no the Cafe Corner...No, it's gotta be the Fire Brigade... See what I mean? Green Grocer it is!

I have a two tier stacked layout. It is approximately 8' x 16'. Multiple trains run along the long side of my layout and then under the town which is on the elevated portion. Additionally, I have a storage area, under the town, comprised of various sidings to store unused trains. I constructed tables from 2x4s and 3/4" composite board (plywood would work). I measured the width of a 32x32 baseplate (roughly 10 inches)to get the proper table area then elevated the town portion approximately 8 inches to accomodate the height of most trains. Any roads to the area come from what appears to be a tunnel from the raised area and all trains come from a continuous loop i.e., enter a tunnel at one end then emerge from a tunnel at the other. (The Lego townspeople enter the top portion of the train station, walk down a flight of stairs, and are on the loading platform) The only drawbacks that this setup has, is if I need to service the tracks under the town, I need to dismantle a portion of the town to access these tracks. Also my RC and powerfunctions trains Line-of-sight is blocked and cannot be controlled until they emerge from the tunnel. I made a mess when I derailed a train under there once... The response from human visitors to my town has been positive...

Wow, that is bada$$! I am going to steal your technique and make a few gondolas of my own. It is probaly the best looking gondola I have seen.

All great suggestions. Aside from the livery I think the TRAXX Famile F140 AC1 (Deutsche Bahn AG Class 185) looks like the closest loco to the kit. The grab handles, bevelled roof and venting looks pretty close from what I can see.