roamingstop

Well, living in Switzerland, I get to see many of your (Steinkopf's) models on the tracks (I travel by Train to work) - although slightly different colour scheme. The real classic Crocodiles are also on the to-do list. However the German / Austrian variants are a slightly smaller beast... For me creativity comes from making something look real, even if it is not 100% accurate. How to describe... it is the 'look'. For that reason I probably would never care about a fan type; or exhaust inlet / outlet difference, or slightly different wheel mouldings. In fact if I were to model properly the locomotive then I would use the more recent technic axle wheels and make my own chassis... but that was not the point. Rather to capture the look using older parts to be completely 12V compatible etc. I probably have enough parts to finish a second red locomotive; and if I sacrifice an old 7898 then a second green one. If doing technic axle wheels then I would use Dark Green througout - but that would be expensive.

Yes indeed - now i see the difference between #2 and #1 - but it is hard from first looks. #2 is definitely shorter. Time to do some more searches... I hate different naming conventions between countires as im not really a trainhead - and just know what looks good.

Thanks for the photo link - had not seen that one. There are some clear variations in the originals - especially if you look at #2 in the photo, the roof line and light placements are quite different. I also think I need to make the nose slightly higher - probably one plate... or tiles? Certainly dark green would look good. In the LXF file I started trying out some other ideas for the roof transformers to make them more realistic; especially the red power lines running along the outsides. I cant take credit for the pantographs - I saw them made similar elsewhere but im afraid I dont remember the link. The front pieces are the windows - in green from set 7898, and in red from either 4551 or 4653.

Back in the 9V heyday, Lego released the 9V 4551 Crocodile Locomotive in red and white livery. A bit of a search around shows this to be a rendition of the BR1020 locomotive in Austrian colours. However some things were wrong in the simplification to Lego standard. Recently I acquired some half built 4551 models, but missing many parts. So I decided to update them to the BR1020 standard. This included Longer base, with (nearly) correct panels Attempt to emulate the classic open beam base structure Nose Job The classic Red with White stripe now works with a 12V motor and includes working lights in both noses. Unfortunately no interior drive unit: Ive not found good representation yet. Since the locomotive often saw work in the Alps, it needs some wagons, and so will shortly be joined with a couple of red and white coaches (similar to 7740). Since this is a scenic route, it will also have a red / white version of the classic 7812 Observation car (finished, but no wheels). 4551 Red 12V lower profile by roamingstudio, on Flickr At the same time I decided to see if it was also possible to fit all the PF components inside. Since the chassis is now longer this is not a problem, but still the roof line for the IR receiver was a bit of a challenge. 4551 Green PF Side view by roamingstudio, on Flickr More pictures are in the Set on Flickr. If people have some specific questions I will link in the additional photos. Edit: LXF File is here. It includes different wheel base options for 12V / 9V / PF bases.

But who are Interlego in Baar, Switzerland?

For 10 euros - take it and enjoy! Sometimes these mistakes can be very helpful to make nice scenes for low €€€

The 12V and 9V 'mains powered' systems have long since stopped (fortunately / Unfortunately) and new items are only possible with the PF system. Hence batteries. The advantage of the PF motor blocks is they take technic axles, and hence the larger wheels of the ghost train. Actually since you have the model - how many large train wheels come 4+2 (where 2 dont have rims?). Anyhow I digress. If you can afford the rechargable battery solution from Lego S@H direct - then it will last easily 3 hours continuous pulling. Even a PP3 9V battery will supply modern PF motors with about 2 hours continuous charge. You could also use LiPO batteries in the normal case (from the 7938 set). However... just be warned - that once you start, you wont stop. If you need a source of the 9V solutions then Bricklink or Ebay are your best bet - but it will become expensive. Edit: The Toy Story train whilst it contains useful wheels, has no track or motorised elements.

Welcome to Eurobricks! The train carriages don't use normal train wheels and would need to be replaced. Then motor and then track. The cheapest option is probably the 7938 red white train which comes with many bits, but you will still need to modify the model somewhat. The trainheads are probably not going to buy it until later this year

Looks very similar to when I brought a tower bridge home from the USA. But guess it must be something harder and cheaper to find in Denmark. So perhaps some Grand Emporiums.

Have to agree - that 10 wide looks really good in this photo...

A great use of pieces; although for the scale I think the nose of the locomotive is slightly too short. Certainly the 8 wide looks good.

Spam? Where is the report button?

If it actually contained a mini-roller coaster it would be but probably more like wishful thinking.

I agree dark green (link) would have been *sweet* - but looking at the original photo, I cant help but feel the nose is slightly too wide. Is there a reason you went for such a wide head - apart from having to hide the battery box? I wonder if SNOT work similar to the Maersk locomotive would help with that?

It would be easier if you deep linked to original (small) images here. From first impressions it is missing architectural elements around Waldorf balcony. The large brick wall is too strong statement. You could add some brick built chickens into the arches, which do conjour up the right image. Custom parts for the minifigs will not be possible, but the colouring gives enough information. Are there any generic stage props which are missing? Having the same band set does not help, so perhaps include some of fozzy jokes / items. Don't forget you are proposing a series so large piece counts don't matter. Compare the model to the fun house with Fatman and Dobin. Where is the trap door? Where are the play features?

Great design - but more importantly - great video. Thanks for the heads up - and now time to be a founder. As to the MOC - im sure they could incorporate it into a future video - if only you let them know.

They said very clearly license was questionnable, and therefore they pre-researched the idea. Now that is an undertaking... Perhaps it stems from 'violence' and 'inappropriate morals'. Or perhaps they actually thought it could be a good series, perhaps even considered in the past... and therefore wont work. Or perhaps there is a license agreement with Lukas Arts about bring back an alternative space theme based on a movie franchise (Alien Conquest is space ships on planet Earth...) Still I hope this starts allowing Cuusoo projects to get reasonable with MOC creativity. And if you are good at any self marketing; then add your MOC's now; because it will get a lot of visability whilst people run back to the Cuusoo pages to see why their beloved models did not go any further.

As many people are discussing, the issue of fandom / licensed based sets getting high votes on Cuusoo (and other places) at the expense of excellent, creative (non-licensed) MOC's is jarring some nerves. If you delve through Cuusoo pages, towards the back (after page 28 onwards) are some great MOC's which are highly creative (I will list answers later) which dont get 'discovered'. On their official Blog, I asked why the Discover function does not dig backwards and highlight some excellent, but older projects. The effective reply was that TLG expected project owners to self promote their own projects. And who can blame them? (especially when looking at Winchester). However, I suspect many people are not able to generate the hype which a licensed set can manage, and excellent MOC's like the Western Modular Project get over-exposed as people try to drive up the requests via various blog posts etc. There are other suggestions like lowering the entry bar for Cuusoo - but im not sure this will happen... especially since once uploaded TLG get access to your creativity... and it may not be a Cuusoo project but it might spark their marketing department elsewhere... The biggest quality about Cuusoo is likely to be free marketing demographics which comes with it; spotting trends; who votes for which types of sets (licensed only? creative MOC only?) etc. However this does not help the average user get good exposure for their MOC; which they may consider excellent, but the Discover function will never find because it is picking only 'High Votes', 'High Comments'. So the idea for this thread and some questions... (and please, dont post I want my MOC to get votes here). First some questions: * How can you help maximise exposure to MOC's without bombing forums? (I for one generally dont read 'vote for my cool MOC'; and there are now forum rules for this... good). * How can you generate exposure for older MOC's without being partisan? Who judges the MOC quality? * Should <website X> have a widget to randomly pick a model of the day? Once again, who judges the MOC quality? * Outside of Lego-DOM - should MOC's get posted onto generic fan websites? E.g. The Vampire GT model getting exposure via Auto-trader? If so - how? * If a MOC from a community member should achieve 200 votes, does it get a higher level of exposure: E.g. EB Member X submitted this great MOC, and now we would like to help push it higher. Im sure I dont know all the answers; and welcome thoughts and comments.

To both of you - here is the Cuusoo link for the first project http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/929 And an updated link for the second carriage http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/13852 The first one was finished off with proper cheese slopes and some other elements; Ill try to take photos later. However they don't really change the overall look and feel. And finally: the project was added soon after Cuusoo was opened to mainstream public. If you can wade through the 30+ pages; you will find some excellent MOC's which never went anywhere because... at the time there were low numbers of voters on there; and they are then lost in the world of licensed fandom. The 'discover' function does NOT highlight old projects. Lego even wrote a BLOG post stating that old projects should be actively marketed rather than having the 'discover' function 'discover them'. Oh well.

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=170836296344&index=8&nav=WATCHING&nid=47575857587 Not sure about this one. 0 feedback, claims to be new, but knows how to write up about negative feedback etc

I actually really like the idea - it is old enough to allow AFOL's to remember their beloved childhood - and young enough to inspire the Sesame Street Generation(s). Perhaps a couple of ideas to help expand how the series could work (edit: You listed most of them) * Ralph and the Piano Split the Muppet Theater into mini-views (cheaper sets?) * The Balcony Scenes * The Muppet Theater Stage Many of these could also tie into the official Muppet Music Videos (links below). Ok just a shameless push to watch them again.

Thanks for the support guys - and I'm glad that it is appreciated. I agree with the problem that licensed sets, even buckets of minifigs get higher votes. The problem seems to be demographIcs - only Afols can vote, but they are not the parent buying public. Anyhow I digress Currently the models have not been updated much since last year - I even recently considered selling them but they still sit on shelf 90% finished. Perhaps the real test would be to make a suitable diarama out of them plus a burning building or similar. The KFOL nature would have to carry across. I had also considered more fantasy design of putting a turntable onto the wagons but this just looked silly. The problem with a building into the set is that part count will go up too high. But I will think about it - thanks for the heads up

Brown Track? Brown Track? Whose been an naughty Englighten person?... Looks good though!

Yeah I got the email about this and some other unhappy avians... They look good. Real good.

Thanks. Normally not my scene - but Summer Riding Camp has a nice set of general purpose parts...