It’s rare I get to use the ‘Technic’ category but when good technical design appears on a train even Technic-challenged me can appreciate it. Esben Kolind gives his commuter train a whole lot more fun with working doors and, as though that wasn’t impressive enough, a sliding step. And he does all this on a well detailed six-wide train. Incredible only begins to describe my feelings.
Thanks to Tim David for the link.
I know I tend to blog the same few train builders most of the time but there seems to be a contest on flickr to see who can make the most sophisticated models. Mike Pianta (scruffulous) ups the ante with this utterly amazing grain hopper. What’s more the bogies (the things that hold the wheels) have working suspension.
-Cooper- takes a new approach to LEGO train displays with this little museum diorama to pose his Cab Forward and its passenger car. I think it’s a great idea for train fans to show off their models when they have minimal space.
It’s quite hard to tell that this Hogwarts Express train (the “Olton Hall” to be precise) by Carl Greatrix (Bricktrix) is actually LEGO. But it is aside from some custom stickers and a very small number of altered parts. The backdrop and track, however, is not.
And yes it would have been lovely if TLG had made the new Hogwarts Express train similar to this.
…Pax Brooklynstyle. This scene by Alex Schranz (Orion Pax) doesn’t need much description (and I’m not even sure what I’d give it). Probably the best forced perspective I’ve seen.
As though that wasn’t enough he also posted some sneakers. As I have a theory that the Beastie Boys are secretly nerds I reckon they’d love these.
If you look on eBay at any time you may see people selling custom instructions or custom LEGO sets. While it’s generally not for me I can understand that some people might want to make some money out of their hobby and this is one way to do so.
What you may not realise is that some of these people sell custom instructions or sets of models that are not theirs to sell. I’ve discovered two cases of people selling my work and am aware of others becoming victims of the same unscupulous actions. This is really bad behaviour. Everytime someone does this it makes people less inclined to give their instructions away for free knowing that someone else may profit from their generosity.
This morning Tim David alerted me to this sales announcement (do
My first thought was to write eBay an email to complain but knowing how this sort of thing works I figured that would be a lot of hassle for little reward. Besides which the victim isn’t really me as I’ve already given away instructions for free. The victim is the buyer. So I figured I’d alert any buyers who read TBB to this dishonest practise and make sure they don’t get ripped off.
It also presents me with an opportunity to make people aware that this is not a rare practise and that they should always search Flickr, RAILBRICKS and Brickshelf for free copies of instructions before making any purchase on eBay. Also ask the seller if all models are original creations by them. If they lie and you find out then you have a case for dishonest sales practise.
Also, if you spot anyone else doing this please alert me so I can name and shame. If we don’t buy from these parasites then they may stop their bad behaviour.
See comments for other sellers to avoid
EDIT: As there hasn’t been a comment for a while where the author had read the post I’m locking comments to avoid more misinformation and keep my blood pressure low. If you’d like to report any other sellers who I should name and shame please let me know via email.
Also the sales have been pulled by eBay. Thanks to William Noetling for encouraging me to use the eBay VeRO system
Mike Pianta (scruffulous) has fast become one of the most creative LEGO train modellers (and a good photographer to boot) and his louvre van shows us why. Throw some hinges on some half plate offset tiles and you get louvres. And the rest of us say “why didn’t I think of that?”
Not only does Carl Greatrix (bricktrix) make fantastic train models he’s also a very clever LEGO engineer. His model TPO rail wagon (travelling post office) actually collects mail parcels on the run with a hatch that pops out and snaps shut again. As an added bonus it also features working wheel suspension. Truly a mechanical masterpiece and pretty to boot.
I like all the pedestrian details in and around this elevated train and station by NaNeto. Especially the disabled ramp, bench, elevator and parkland. Definitely check out the whole Quimboyu set to see the other angles and how all the elements fit together.
Scenes like this would make a great addition to the Big in Japan display at BrickCon 2010.
We’re excited to have LEGO icon Keith Goldman conducting several interviews for us with fellow LEGO fans. Take it away, Keith!
This week’s builder is Tony “SavaTheAggie” Sava, who broke onto the scene the same time as I did, which automatically makes him interesting because he had a front row seat for my meteoric rise in the LEGO hobby.
One of the first models by Tony that captured my imagination was Stonebarrow Keep (right).
Now, before you snort and say “I can build better than that” or “I see castles every week better than that”, realize that this was created seven years ago and was considered an amazing build. Tony is currently working on a model of the Cathedral of St. Francis:
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I sat down with Tony at his ranch outside of El Lago, Texas, where we enjoyed ribs, Lone-Star beer and firing his collection of antique shotguns. We also talked about LEGO.
Keith Goldman: You primarily build castle and train models, do you find one more challenging than the other, and do you use fundamentally different approaches when building each?
Tony Sava: I find different challenges in each (oh come on, you gotta give me that cop out). Castles, typically, are primarily studs up creations, but they’re very organic, so finding that balance between what is “made by man” and “made by nature” can be tricky. SNOT is typically reserved for detail work, such as windows or flooring. Trains, on the other hand, can be studs up, or no studs up at all, and have the engineering aspect of being animated and navigating track. Steam engines, especially, I view as a prime mix between artistry and engineering, and it’s a challenge I enjoy quite a bit. It takes quite a bit of time to not only get the shapes correct, but to get all the wheels to navigate the track while the pistons fly around them.
More of Keith’s interview with Tony after the jump: Continue reading
It seems to be a slow day for blogworthy LEGO creations, so I went back through my bookmark archive and ran across something we really should have blogged the second we got the link — Chris Meyer‘s how-to guide on making plastic LEGO train tracks backwards compatible with legacy 9-volt and 12-volt systems.
The problem (and benefit, depending on who you ask) with current Power Functions and RC systems is that they’re battery-powered. For LEGO convention attendees and train show participants who may run their trains for hours at a time, this means stopping everything in the middle of their layouts to replace the batteries, over and over again.
But since LEGO no longer produces externally powered trains, the tracks are exorbitant on the secondary market. Chris solves this problem by applying conductive foil tape to easily purchased plastic tracks. It’s a cheap solution, and looks much less time-consuming than sifting through eBay.
Read the step-by-step guide on ChrisMeyer.org.
Keith Goldman is up to his usual large diorama goodness with the Bogata Railhead, a scene of freight transportation in the distant future. There’s lots of action going on, so be sure to check out the gallery either on MOCpages or Flickr.
You gotta love the squidmen workers in their blue hats!