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Subject: 
Re: The Future of Trains
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.lego
Date: 
Sun, 7 Oct 2007 15:19:26 GMT
Viewed: 
22021 times
  
Again I may be missing something, and perhaps the future of LEGO’s solution, as yet unknown looms as a possible roadblock--but why for example could not the various train clubs come up with a standard piece--get together--gurantee a certain number of sales for the ties, and get them produced. If the track specification was an existing one that the rest of the hobby supported, you are pretty much guranteed that you will be safe for the forseeable future.

One could prototype the suggested part pretty easily. Heck even my little engraving machine would be capable of stripping the studs and cleaning up the bottom, if that is what I understand that needs to be done at a reasonable price. Removing stuff from existing part is pretty darn easy. I strip studs all the time from plates to make “smooth tiles” so I can veneer over them. Now inserting those clips would be a different matter and would require a lot of labor--unless of course there is a simple machine that could be modified to do it automatically.

Of course an injection molded part would be the best solution--maybe--if the numbers are there. But if one could use existing LEGO parts and simply machine off some excess--that could be easily done, and would not necessitate the mold process and the high dollar injection machine (or renting of one). And understand, I am not trying to get into that business, as I have about all I can do at the present, and have some pretty big plans that I am working on with my brickengraving stuff, but I do know model railroaders who are machinists that create all kinds of things for their hobby. And that is out of brass.

One solution would be to simply create the requisite file and send it to http://www.emachineshop.com/ push the button and get a quote for injection molding or 3d machining. That would at least give on a starting reference point for figuring how much they would cost.Although Ben could probably do that also.

I will not ever believe that there is not a solution for something as simple as this appears to be. Especially since metal track is already being produced. And if anyone wants my help in say perhaps stripping some studs off some plates or grooving some part--let me know and will try and help out. Creating a single little plastic part cannot be that difficult--it might be at a price point--maybe.

Tommy ARmstrong



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: The Future of Trains
 
(...) Hi Ben, I do not see so much need for a full system: the biggest need is for straight track and possibly new curve radius. The aftermarket will offer used 9V switches for the next 20 years. Some people will switch to the new battery trains. (...) (17 years ago, 7-Oct-07, to lugnet.lego, FTX)

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