BillytheKid

The first thing I noticed were the discolored parts, exspecially the white. I would change that first for (new) white parts first. And what all ships missed were proper decks over the guns. Yes it is made for kids for easy access. It does look funny. Color change of a set with great value, it decreases it looks. I think replaced the discolored/damaged parts, replace the sails for new ones (some can make really good, maybe even better replica's than original). And add like a proper deck which can be removed, so than it is original. That's a great mod. Than you keep the looks, first reason why you liked the set at first place. And the sails were hanging out after time, I hated that. There are enough solutions for that at internet. Turnable guns is, I think, a great idea to save weight on a ship. Lucky there is bricklink to buy the parts you need to upgrade the ship how you want.

In the early 2000 I bought a book 'Getting started with lego trains' from Jacob H. McKee. I was inspired of the detailed building instructions and guess what, I build them all. After set 10133 BNSF train came out in 2004, in mine opnion the design of the set was not so good as from Jacob H. McKee. Even the stockcars of that book are way better than the set of lego 10170. He even challenge you to build the train in different colors. I build one in white and named it the DB7777. Why not try out locomotives from other countries to see how they works .Too bad white yellowed in time and needed to be repainted and red will be a better choice. But the DB7777 stays on the locomotive and white printed tiles 'GP-38'. There are 3 different locomotives with stronger engine in time. The red DB7777 has 2 12v motors for more pulling power (can be overheated when pulling too much and melt inner part) and frontroof - & taillight. The colors of set 10133 was still interesting, but still didn't like the design of lego. So why not build the design of Jacob H. McKee in those colors. Afterall, that was a very expensive choise ........ (even 2d hand 7750 is less value than mine GP-38 BNSF) Those colors of certain bricks. And it has a double 9v motors (for more pullingpower) and working front- and taillight, all connected to eachother with a lot of wires hidden inside the locomotive . And the stickers, lucky brickstickershop does make excellent repro's for retired legosets, even better than original . Enought talk and picture's please . I add a picture of 10133 too, so you can see the differance of the desgin of Jacob H. McKee and lego. I wonder what you think and share your thoughts .

I searched for this website around here, but couldn't find anything about it. It explains a lot only about the 12v trains form 1980 till 1990, with the grey 12v track, that explains the name of this website. Now I collect also these trains, but have them quite a time complete already and start to moc/build a little with trains running at 12v. This is not mine website, I came it along searching for people at facebook who has the same interest in this system. Some of them want only use those bricks at that area time available. Some people really make very goodlooking models with newer bricks after that area. What me interest most are his moc's including free instructions. I did what I never thought possible, I made all this moc's, with a little rebuild of mine own. I always wanted a real model where the 7740 was based on, the Baureihe 103. I build one in tan/darkred as showcase in mine livingroom and build one yellow/red for mine layout together with the 7740. I already build 2 extra wagons and 6 wagons are too heavy for 2x 12v motors, they can burn broken when pulling too much. Now every train has 3 wagons to pull and an awesome sight to see them running together. I also made a video of that: Baureihe 103 and 7740 together running. And the tan/darkred one in mine livingroom: The 2d train what got mine interest is a dutch train the icm or nickname koploper (headwalker, because you can walk thought the head). I studied his instruction and others at rebrickable and started to pick the best parts of all designs in what I think it will look right beside to the other 12v trains. This is what I came up with: How does it looks beside the 7740? What was also a nice cute train and afterwards not easy to build, the NS600. It was a better version of the NS500, what dutch railways got from England after WO2 and still used this day by several big compagny's. I modified it a little with modern parts to look it more realistic. And than set 727, which I always liked. Only there was no minifig inside what will look odd beside the 12v grey area trains. Why not build a minifig one? Here we go: And than the last, but not least. The Baureihe 41 or would I say the ultimate 7777 in mine opnion. A friend loved it right away and wanted one. After I build it, I used the wheel set-up for mine 7750. After the ultimate 7777 was parked at mine layout for a while I started to like that one and thought, what the heck. Build one for myself. Only the big red wheels was painfull in mine wallet. And also made a video of it. And the 7750 XL has improved a lot with the longer wheel setup: Too bad I never met the person who made this site, but I own him a lot that these awesome trains find a way in mine layout. Exspecially the Baureihe 41 or ultimate 7777 looks awesome. A true steam engine through it basic colors. Still looking better than the emerald night (or flying scottmann) and bigboy. The bigboy is ugly as ugly, but awesome through it's size.

Finally got some time to make a nice video of the red 10233 horizon express. Click here to see the video . And offcourse some nice pictures before movie started: And where the trains are now, after the video :

I bought the house with an attic like this, to build up a layout like this . This red buffer I mean, to look like a Flying Scottman :

This is the Thalys : This is the TGV-Patrick , where the set 10233 is based on (and the 7745 in the '80's and mine red 10233):

You can use Powered Up system, like people did with the Orient Express. You need to puzzle a little how to build it in nicely in the lookalike Flying Scottmann. You can change the front buffer for a red one ;-) . At rebrickable there are some interesting wagons you can build for the 10194. I don't know where I got the instructions to mine, but anyway this is what I made: I have chosen to use a double trainmotor and used a double tender. The Flying Scottmann has driven in USA where a double tender was needed for the fuel and water. And I changed the connecting rods into light grey, so it's more visible when it rides.

Some month ago I bought set 10233 Horizon Express and was impressed quality of the design. Why I 'missed' this set.....? Anyway, this set is clearly based at the french TGV-Patrick. To complete this set, you need 2 of them . That is too expensive these days. So I decided to build one in red. The set 7745 was also based at TGV-Patrick, but in the '90's there was no orange and the parts for a 'real' model yet. I kept the number of wagons at 4, it is already heavy enough for 2x 9v motors in the front engine. The front engine has also working frontlights. Both 9v motors are connected to eachother. The back 'engine' has also working taillights with special metal wheels (from bevinsbricks) instead a wire through whole train. The front engine with double 9v motor connected to eachother and working frontlights The 1ste wagon, just like set 10233. The 2d/middle wagon in 2 Jacobs-bougies. Also modified the undersection. And missing few parts . The 3th wagon just like set 10233. The tail 'engine' with working taillights from metal wheel from bevinsbricks. From right to left. The 7745 sold in '85-'90. Then 10233 horizon express sold in 2013 design form Jamie Benard. And then, lets call it a 30th year tribute for the 7745 . I still need some parts to complete the whole train. Most are ordered (hopefully). After the red horizon express is completed I will make a video where all 3 ride at same time.

I guess the main reason is that it ain't a ugly big black hump of steal. And that it could reach 100 mph/h was also a reason.

Mine idea is a 10194 Emerald Night, replace the buffer at front for a red one and the Flying Scotmann. Did you wonder why the Flying Scotmann is so famous? Because it is famous . Several rich people had bought the locomotive, but went broke on maintaince costs. Now the Britisch railway museum have bought it and restore it like new and still in use this day.

Lego can win this battle, but at the end they will loose the war.

Nice big train that is. Only at 12v it will cause some problems with switches and passing eachother in curves.

Just put some dark grey 2x2 like this :

The 12v traincollectors know the rare and expensive 7750, I guess : Well I do like this steam engine a lot, but I miss that 'greatness' look. A bit tiny when you compare it with the real German steam engines. A friend of mine liked the model of Baureihe 41 from Fouke Boss. After I build it, the steam engine is slim, but the wheel setting would be perfect for a 7750. And that's what I did, although I had to make the set a 4 studs longer. In this way the 7750 is a more impressive train to look at and not a dwarf between al those modern diesel and electric locomotives. Welll compared with a BigBoy, every train is a dwarf . How does it looks in the curves? Well the project 7750 XL is finished and placed back on the shelve where it used to be. Too expensive to drive around with it. To enjoy the wheel setting, I use the 7777 of mine friend pushed along through a NS1700 at PF .

thx, just ordered it.