Subject:
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Re: Future of LEGO Trains ? was Re: Model Railroad Scenery
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Thu, 24 Feb 2000 01:24:48 GMT
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Christopher Masi <cmasi@cmasi.chem.tulane.edu> wrote in message
news:38B46A14.581C6693@cmasi.chem.tulane.edu...
> snip lots of valid points
>
> >
> > have a lot of old stock, well, you might have a harder time upgrading, • but
> > the problem really lies within.
> >
> > Mike
>
> I agree totally. The problem really lies within me. I like the 8 wide • stuff I
> have seen. John's Hiawatha (?) is beautiful! Barbra's (?) mototrain is
> gorgeous, and it is simply not possible to put the the stuff she had in • her 8
> wide mototrain into a 6 wide. Windshields, two 4-wide windows is a no • brainer
> solution instead one moderately hard to come by 6-wide window.
See comment below
> Lots of great stuff about 8-wide, and I keep considering going to 8-wide, • but
> the momentum in my collection is on the six wide side. An eight wide • SD40-2
> would have a nicer windows, and I could raise the nose to make the windows • look
> shorter than the door windows (because they should be). I have even • thought
> that an eight wide SD40-2 would have an eight wide cab, a 5-wide hood • which
> could fit 4 macaroni (I'm Italian and I had to look up macaroni, just • thought
> you would be amused) bricks which would make for a very nice vent. (5-wide • hood
> because I like the 1.5 wide pseudo-doors on the sides of the cab, and a 1 • wide
> walk way would seem to small on an 8-wide eingine. I would, however, try 5 • and
> 6 just to check).
>
> I think my personal resistance to 8-wide is based on several factors.
> 1) more bricks = increased cost
The extra bricks required are often cheap bricks that replace more expensive
bricks, which shaves _some_ of the increased cost.
> 2) more motors = increased cost
Not so. A single Lego motor can pull a lot. The biggest problem that they
have is no traction and the wheels start slipping. That problem dissappears
with a larger engine. One big loco with 2 motors will pull all you need if
you don't run with a grade. (With a grade, add a powered rear end unit. It
is easier to hide a motor in a longer car and shouldn't be too difficult to
disguise.)
> 3) concern about models looking silly as they go around curves. My SD40-2 • is 46
> (from memory) studs long, and it is border line strange looking in the • curves.
> I wonder if I could get away with a 46 long 8 wide SD40-2, and I like the
> height so I wonder if I could keep that.
I can't help you with them looking silly right now, but if Lego doesn't
produce a solution, I suggest we come together to invent a flex track
conversion for Lego trains. Then we can have whatever curve radius we want.
> 4) 1 Metro Liner and 1 Club car...grrrr...longer...oh my...$5 a
> window...cough...choke...sputter...wider not a problem for two out of the • four,
> but the other two...grrr.
Gray windows are indeed expensive. Red, white, blue and black ones will be
VERY easy to get soon via the soccer busses. And the Metroliner is the best
train Lego has ever made, so people don't want to pass on it, but face
reality: Next to John Neal's Hiawatha or a well done TGV (easy to get parts
for now and for a while) it will look like a joke. We all love the
Metroliner because it puts the 4559 and 4561 to shame. Well, so does JN's
Hiawatha. So will your 8 wide creations. And in the future, when gray
windows pop up in a small set, we will swarm over them and upgrade the
Metroliners. Who would have thought a year ago that 4 moderately prices
sets ($22 MSRP) would appear, each including 7 train windows in 4 different
colors? The white doors were somewhat easy to get from the discounted 5561s
around. The black doors were very abundant in the 5442. There will be more
train doors in the future. Make good trains with those and you will see the
love of the 4558 diminish. It is loved because it is the best we have.
Let's make better.
> 5) Switcher from 4563. I like that little engine, and the one piece window
> would be a probelm. The other cars...easy to change/who cares.
You are holding back for one color (gray) and one window? Please! Use a
little imagination and make a window that is similar to it. Just capture
the "essence" of the window, since that seems to be the best we can do with
6 wide.
>
> The more I think and write about 8-wides the closer I coming to just doing
it.
Now you sound like a Nike commercial.
> Maybe I am looking for people to shoot down my excuses, which you have • done
> expertly.
>
> Chris
I say that people who are against 8 wide have, for the most part, not spent
any time making them. Try to make a few cars. Start by expanding an
existing car. Then add more detail in the extra space. After you have made
4-6 cars, then decide if you want to go back to 6 wide. John Neal and I
have built a lot of 6 wide trains. He has built a lot of 8s and I have
built a few. We have seen both sides and I feel that is the best way to
look at an issue. Build a few 8 wides. Sure, they are bigger and take more
bricks. But Model Team sets have those same properties and from what I can
tell, people love them. Given the choice, would you rather have a lot of
models that look like this?
http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=6425
Or a few models that look like this?
http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=5542
I would opt for something that would impress people. If you are planning to
go to a train show, people love detail. Show them trains that look like
Model Team. Whenever I see a person get compliments on a train, it is most
often about how well detailed it is. How would one best be able to do that?
Mike Poindexter
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Message has 1 Reply:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Future of LEGO Trains ? was Re: Model Railroad Scenery
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| snip lots of valid points (...) I agree totally. The problem really lies within me. I like the 8 wide stuff I have seen. John's Hiawatha (?) is beautiful! Barbra's (?) mototrain is gorgeous, and it is simply not possible to put the the stuff she had (...) (25 years ago, 23-Feb-00, to lugnet.trains)
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