Tag Archives: Train

LEGO trains have been for sale since the 1960s, and LEGO fans have been creating their own custom layouts with LEGO bricks ever since. Whether you enjoy 4.5-volt, 12-volt, 9-volt, RC, or Power Functions LEGO trains, and whether or not you have an opinion about 8-wide, 9-wide, or some other scale, you’ll find lots of gorgeous engines and rail cars right here on The Brothers Brick.

Train truckers haul heavy metal

It is quite normal to see a truck (or lorry, if your persuasion is British) on top of a train. A train on top of a truck, however, is unusual, but that makes it an interesting Lego build.

Carrying trains is one of the specialities of British operator Allelys Heavy Haulage. The tractor is a German-built MAN TGX, specifically intended for heavy-duty use. The locomotive is a so-called Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0, built in 1952-53 in the UK. This particular example still serves with a heritage railway in the Scottish Highlands.

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Pieter Post’s Prussian prisoner on the lam again

Back in 2021, historical LEGO train builder Pieter Post introduced Werner the Wegelagerer, the notorious highwayman who no prison train car could hold. Werner’s back for his next big break, this time escaping above a scenic canal where an unsuspecting boater is about to get a new passenger. Pieter made a few adjustments to the prison car for the latest build, adding new barred windows, swapping some stacked plates for SNOT tiles, and reworking the top. The bridge and barge are lovely, as are the brick-built swan and stork.

The Prussian police will no doubt capture Werner as they did before. Pieter captured that moment back in 2021 and it’s packed with fun sub-builds. Here, we see Pieter’s Grüne Minna paddy wagon pulled by a pair of horses, with some wonderfully intricate tack inspired by this design from the sorely missed karwik.

Tags and trains: Capturing the gritty side of the tracks in LEGO with Sérgio Batista [Interview]

We’ve been admirers of the LEGO trains from Sérgio Batista for some time now. Builing at 1:45 scale, Sérgio recreates the trains of his native Portugal in incredible detail, earning prizes and the attention of local media. In his latest project, it wasn’t the trains themselves but the setting that caught our attention – specifically the minifig-scale graffiti on the ruined buildings, walls, and train cars along the tracks. Some might call painting on bricks in this way vandalism, but we were taken by how immersive the effect is. It’s a side of life by the train tracks that you don’t often see in LEGO or models in general. We reached out to Sérgio to learn more about his love for LEGO trains and how he came to playing with graffiti in his latest work.

TBB: First off, how did you become interested in LEGO train modeling?

Sérgio Batista: Since childhood, I have been fascinated by trains. I was born in the ’80s and grew up in the ’90s, often riding suburban trains with my parents. As for LEGO, I had catalogs featuring the Metroliner, which had a design/shape similar to the Portuguese trains I used to ride (the CP 2300 series from the Sintra Line). However, it was an expensive set that my parents couldn’t afford, so it remained just a memory.

Years later, as an adult, I emerged from my dark age and bought the Metroliner on eBay around 2005/2006. That’s when I thought, what if I built Portuguese trains in LEGO? I searched online and discovered the work of builders like James Mathis and Raised on Brickshelf, and I figured I might be able to do the same. I came across BrickLink and began my journey to replicate Portuguese trains in LEGO.

Next stop, more on Sérgio’s LEGO train journey

Tiny train stations hold a big place in my heart!

BetaNotus has been working hard to put together a lovely series of microscale LEGO train stations from along the Philadelphia main line. While the real life train moves through space, Notus’ builds bounce backwards and forwards through time to show off Philly’s architecture through the ages. Our first image spans almost 150 years of railroading history. Wynnewood and Bryn Mawr date back to the 1870s, while Merion and Haverford are dated to the 2000s (although Merion was actually built in 1918). Due to the micro-scale nature of these models, Notus has built with admirable delicacy. All the roofs of these stations are only a plate or two thick. The grand staircases up to Bryn and Wynnewood are built of half-plate-offsets

See some more micro-goodness here!

All aboard the Autobot Express!

Alex “Orion Pax” Jones is a legend in the LEGO community thanks to his spot-on replicas of ’80s toys in LEGO form, especially the Transformers. A year after debuting his high-flying Aerialbots, the undisputed champ of transforming toy tributes is back to ring out the Transformers’ 40th anniversary year with his latest masterpiece: the Trainbots! It’s hard to imagine transforming locomotives picking up much steam with kids today, but if there’s anyone in the middle of the Venn diagram overlap of LEGO, Transformers, and trains, it’s our TBB readers!

Each of the six Trainbots is fully transformable and can couple together to run on LEGO tracks, with the red diesel engine equipped with a power unit to pull the others. The combined form, Raiden, towers at 65cm tall and stands atop a track base with cherry blossoms and a torii gate. Ever the master of presentation, Alex unveils the transforming trains on rails with all the pomp of a proper ’80s toy commercial.

There’s more to these bots than meets the eye. Click to read on!

A bull that only sees red

What kind of bull has 8 wheels, and can travel over 220 mph? The Eurosprinter Taurus, modeled in LEGO by Ties van Asseldonk (the designer of BDP Series 2’s Logging Railway)! I love LEGO locomotives and I gotta say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that looked this smooth before. With the sloping and curves around the cabins and the fine details by the logo, you – like me – may be wondering how on Earth Ties pulled this off. Luckily for all of us, Ties has graciously posted the instructions and digital model on the Open L-Gauge website; a great little space for sharing LEGO train designs. Ties has put on a masterclass, here, and given away his secrets for free. And that’s no bull!

A streetcar named...

Renfe got a lot of things right with the 446, but they got one incredibly important thing wrong and people gave it a nickname. So folks, allow me to present – made in LEGO by the expert Julián – the Renfe 446, nicknamed the dodotis, or “nappy”, for its lack of toilet facilities. Put that aside, though, and there’s plenty of great parts and techniques in this build. The ridge along the top of the train is covered in hinged train gates. With its magic wand windshield wipers, this motor car can survive any storm, but the conductor should still be careful; that meat cleaver mirror sure looks like a safety hazard!

Sci-fi LEGO train sets a course for Creations for Charity

Some people imagine a future where everyone has their own flying car. I’d much rather live in a world where everyone has access to reliable and affordable flying public transportation! Like a train pulled by LEGO builder Daniel Barwegen‘s Space Train engine. I love how Daniel blends sci-fi repulsors with the look of a modern electric commuter train. The color blocking is sharp, using triangular tiles to create diagonal stripes. A piston rod amongst the thrusters is a fun nod to tradition.

While Daniel’s train deserves celebrating for craft alone, it’s also on its way to the Creations for Charity shop. From October 15 through November 30th, donated models can be purchased with all proceeds going towards providing LEGO bricks to hospitals, shelters, and schools in underserved areas. It’s a great way for fans and collectors to give back and inspire a new generation of builders and creators.

Fly as fast as a... duck?

Yes, you read that title right: there is an outright world speed record held by a mallard, and one that’s unlikely to ever be beaten. Now that’s not quite what LEGO train master Joe Bloomfield has built here – but it’s very close. This is an A4 Pacific class steam engine, built by the London and North Eastern Railway in the 1930s (and now Joe in the 2020s). It’s a fine model, albeit not one for the purists! The vast majority is of course made from our favourite plastic bricks, but a handful of third-party elements add some crucial details. So too do the custom decals, which identify this engine as 60009 Union of South Africa. Coming back to that speed record, the A4s were – and are – the fastest steam locomotives ever built. And the holder of that 126mph record? Not Union of South Africa, but its class-mate, 4468 Mallard!

Midnight sweet train brings holiday cheer in LEGO

It’s not even Halloween, but some folk are already pining for a winter wonderland. Christmas comes early in LEGO courtesy of Eann McCurdy (Miscellanabuilds) whose delightful midnight train scene is both cozy and clever in design. As his eighth and final entry in the latest Iron Builder competition against Geneva D, Eann incorporates the required red cauldron in the engine’s boiler. The pileup of snow in front of the train is a perfect mix of parts, including ice cream, hoods, and a frog. I especially love the forced perspective created by snow-capped trees at two scales. A tiny red byplane appears in the background, referencing Geneva’s prior Red Baron entry.

As if the brilliant train weren’t a grand enough finale, Eann prints the scene as a postcard for a bonus build that amps up the holiday spirit. Candles, Chrismas lights, and candies show off an abundance of red cauldrons. Dr. Strange capes make a sweet appearance as candy wrappers. Decorated gingerbread is the icing on the ~~cake~~ cookies.

The Dutch Railways Class 1500 rides again

In this house, we love trains and that means we love this LEGO train model by Malik Geldermans. Malik has done a fantastic job capturing the details of a Dutch Railways NS Class 1500 in brick form. And let me tell you, there is not a brick out of place on this model: the circle – circle – square pattern on the bogies; the 1×2 round tile ribs under the sides; and the 1×1 curved slopes beside the doors are all perfect details! Malik has also proven his handiness with all minifig grippers on the pantographs and on the greebles along the chassis. Great building Malik, we can’t wait to see more!

BrickLink Designer Program Series 2 – Logging Railway: A trial of timber! [Review]

LEGO is releasing a second series of sets from its BrickLink Designer Program, including a fungal cottage, a pirate fortress, a modular train station, and a coastal villa. LEGO sent us an advance copy of Logging Railway by fan designer and LEGO train enthusiast Ties van Asseldonk. With pre-orders for BDP Series 2 coming up on June 6th (for $209.99 USD), read on to find out what we thought of this inventive take on LEGO locomotion.

LEGO sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Read on for our full review below

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