| |
So the Vancouver Lego Club built a western themed layout for our shows this last
year and I decided to build my first locomotive for them. What loco is more
western themed than a 4-4-0? We wanted 8 wide for that authentic scale feel to
it and this is what I came up with.
Gallery post mod http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=166839
The drive wheels are driven by a Rube Goldberg-esque contraption of gears and
universal joints that connect to a technic motor in the tender of all places. I
had originally put it in the boiler but it was just too heavy because if you
look closely, you can see that the drive wheels don’t touch the track. There is
nothing between the front wheels and the tender.
I also made an attempt at a fully operational 8 wide Shay locomotive. I have to
admit that it never functioned quite properly. It works in theory, but it has a
lot of trouble going through points and around s-bends. It can handle a smooth
curve though which I thought was pretty cool. The trucks, as you can see in the
picture, are completely floating. The only thing attaching the body of the
train to the wheels are the two u-joints on either side of the pistons. My hope
is that someone can take this concept and improve upon it to work out the bugs.
At this point in the design, it would have to be pushed by a motor or more
likely two motors because of the weight.
Gallery post mod http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=166840
Thanks for looking, and comments are appreciated. Nathan Proudlove
|
|
| |
In lugnet.announce.moc, Nathan Proudlove wrote:
| |
So the Vancouver Lego Club built a western themed layout for our shows this
last year and I decided to build my first locomotive for them. What loco is
more western themed than a 4-4-0? We wanted 8 wide for that authentic scale
feel to it and this is what I came up with.
Gallery post mod http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=166839
The drive wheels are driven by a Rube Goldberg-esque contraption of gears and
universal joints that connect to a technic motor in the tender of all places.
I had originally put it in the boiler but it was just too heavy because if
you look closely, you can see that the drive wheels don’t touch the track.
There is nothing between the front wheels and the tender.
I also made an attempt at a fully operational 8 wide Shay locomotive. I have
to admit that it never functioned quite properly. It works in theory, but it
has a lot of trouble going through points and around s-bends. It can handle
a smooth curve though which I thought was pretty cool. The trucks, as you
can see in the picture, are completely floating. The only thing attaching
the body of the train to the wheels are the two u-joints on either side of
the pistons. My hope is that someone can take this concept and improve upon
it to work out the bugs. At this point in the design, it would have to be
pushed by a motor or more likely two motors because of the weight.
Gallery post mod http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=166840
Thanks for looking, and comments are appreciated. Nathan Proudlove
|
I love the radar dishes on the first one and the black wheels on top of the
second one. Space parts as part of Old West trains is just classic. I like the
trains as a whole too. I’ve always wanted my LUG to have a Wild West portion on
one of our train layouts. Hopefully we’ll be able to build some trains as nice
as your’s one of these days.
David
|
|
| |
In lugnet.announce.moc, Nathan Proudlove wrote:
<snip>
| |
Thanks for looking, and comments are appreciated.
|
Welcome to Trains, welcome to 8wide, Nathan! You have some very nice entry MOCs
here, and have quickly ascertained the dilemma facing train builders-- form to
follow function, or function to follow form. Of course it is a game of
compromises, and you have navigated well. Some other considerations are
building for static display only, or running on straights only, or running on
straight-curve-straight-curve-etc only (no points or S’s). These limitations
can free up some design problems.
Looking forward to more!
JOHN
|
|
| |
In lugnet.trains, John Neal wrote:
| |
In lugnet.announce.moc, Nathan Proudlove wrote:
<snip>
| |
Thanks for looking, and comments are appreciated.
|
Welcome to Trains, welcome to 8wide, Nathan! You have some very nice entry
MOCs here, and have quickly ascertained the dilemma facing train builders--
form to follow function, or function to follow form. Of course it is a game
of compromises, and you have navigated well. Some other considerations are
building for static display only, or running on straights only, or running on
straight-curve-straight-curve-etc only (no points or S’s). These limitations
can free up some design problems.
Looking forward to more!
JOHN
|
I will echo John’s sentiments... except for the eight-wide bit. It is an evil
scale and far too large ;) Go to six or seven and feel the love.
Tim
PS. I especially liked the Shay but they’re both really good first trains.
|
|
| |
| |
I will echo John’s sentiments... except for the eight-wide bit. It is an evil
scale and far too large ;) Go to six or seven and feel the love.
|
I have heard the 8 wide vs. 6 and 7 wide debate before. Truth be told, I will
probably go with 6 wide for shows from now on. 8 wide trains are he-he-heavy and
brutal on motors when run for long periods of time. I do prefer the actual look
of the 8 wide scale though.
Nathan
|
|
| |
In lugnet.trains, Nathan Proudlove wrote:
| |
| |
I will echo John’s sentiments... except for the eight-wide bit. It is an
evil scale and far too large ;) Go to six or seven and feel the love.
|
I have heard the 8 wide vs. 6 and 7 wide debate before.
|
:-)
| |
Truth be told, I
will probably go with 6 wide for shows from now on.
|
:-(
| |
8 wide trains are
he-he-heavy and brutal on motors when run for long periods of time. I do
prefer the actual look of the 8 wide scale though.
|
:-)
JOHN
|
|
|
