Subject:
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Re: James Mathis goes US-proto: 8-wide Sante Fe study
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Sat, 26 May 2001 06:12:37 GMT
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Viewed:
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691 times
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In lugnet.trains, Bram Lambrecht writes:
> James Mathis writes:
> > Here it is:
> > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=4633
> > I welcome your comments and criticism,
>
> Hey look, something worth reading/looking at was posted on LUGNET today!
> The amount of SNOT you put into your models is incredible, James. I was
> wondering how structurally sound your designs are, however. Do some parts
> tend to fall off if handled the wrong way?
In this Sante Fe loco, the windows are really loosely installed . I've
forced a "V" wedge onto the windows, and it's quite fragile about the the
side windows, as well. The side windows could be reinforced quite easily
if I took more time to do it. The side mirrors (1x2 plate with horizontal
handle) certainly fall off if you just look at them silly!
As this was a simple initial design study-only, I took some shortcuts with
addressing structural integrity, but not too many. The rest of the Sante Fe
8-wide is quite robust, in my opinion: stairs, nose, and particularly the
dual sloped top-slope of the nose just below the front windscreen.
Addressing the more general question of just how structurally sound my
designs are:
Best bet is for us to ask for some input from folks in the PNLTC who have
graciously hosted some of my train sets at events in the past couple or
three years. PNLTC has hosted:
1) BOB
2) Amtrak Cascades
3) Amtrak Acela
4) Orange TGV
I believe most arrived to the PNLTC host (usually Dan Parker- thank you very
much Dan!!) in partial de-construction. Kudos for Dan for rebuilding them
and being willing to take the time out for my sake! I know this happened
pretty badly to BOB. I'm not too sure about the other 3 sets. So, I guess
they can't take USPS handling very well. However, since receiving BOB back,
I've redesigned several critical structural areas.
It's all quite an iterative process. One that I take further with some
models than with others- depends on use, function, and my intentions for
what the end-model should be.
Off the top of my head, I will try to state MOC's that are "fragile":
1) 8-wide brown box car with large dual-Ninja brown sliding doors- it's
fairly hollow.
2) lower pistons on the side of my 8-wide Palantine tend to fall off- only
attached in one location; they poke out to the side, and that encourages
bumping. But, normal, unobstructed running on the track doesn't budge them
a bit.
3) James' loco from Thomas: this loco has SNOT for both the boiler and the
cab roof. Although not fragile in an adults' hand, a todler would surely
bring it to pieces...fitting for "James in a Mess", as the story book is
titled from which I modeled this grumpy little steamer.
I did take a fair amount of models to the LEGO Direct LEGO Train Summit this
past February. Would any of the summit attendees who frequent this
newsgroup care to chime in regarding the structural integrity of my LEGO
train creations? That is, if you had a chance or interest to examine any of
them, for our minds were set on the much more interesting diologue with the
LEGO company employees.
> In my constructions, I always
> try to attach parts in at least two places. If a part isn't supposed to
> move (say, an angled decorative element), I try as hard as I can to anchor
> it so it won't move. That way, the model always looks like it's supposed to
> look. How many people take similar approaches?
> --Bram
That's a great design philosophy. I've seen how functional your models are,
as well. You do very well to build in such fine detail, function, and
structural soundness into some rather small spaces.
Thanks for the reply and query, Bram.
later,
James Mathis
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Message has 1 Reply:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | RE: James Mathis goes US-proto: 8-wide Sante Fe study
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| (...) Hey look, something worth reading/looking at was posted on LUGNET today! The amount of SNOT you put into your models is incredible, James. I was wondering how structurally sound your designs are, however. Do some parts tend to fall off if (...) (23 years ago, 26-May-01, to lugnet.trains)
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