Frank's LEGO® Train Creations
This engine is a creation using parts from two 4559 Cargo Railway sets and two 5542 Black Thunder sets and some miscelaneous bits. It is not built on a train plate, but instead uses a construction of plates. A Technic plate is used to provide a hole to fit the bogie pin into. Note that in this use, a single plate should be used, and space needs to be left above the plate for the pin.
The engine is lighted at both ends (and uses close to a full pack of electric plates to route power to the lights). Those neat octagon bricks are used for fuel tanks. Notice also that two power trucks are used. I have found that with a large layout, especially if slopes are involved, that two power trucks results in a more consistent speed, so I will be designing all my locomotives which have two trucks to use two power trucks. The other advantage is uniformity of appearance (plus it uses up all those power trucks you get if you buy duplicates of the train sets, soon I'll have to figure out what to do with all the extra controllers, I'm real glad that Freight & Crane Railway and Classic Train don't come with controllers.
Now that I have a lot more parts, I probably should replace that row of black plates at the bottom with yellow.
Overal view:
Detail View:
This car was created when I received my first batch of barn doors from eBay (of course I actually already had some from Wild West sets). I had also at the same time just purchased two 6977 Arachnoid Star Base sets. When looking at the parts in there, I realized that the door tracks might just work to allow the barn doors to slide. A quick proof of concept was constructed, and then a train set was raided for the necessary train parts.
Since I had opening doors, it seemed like interior detail was necessary. Of course what better thing than a hoboe helping himself to a free ride.
I need to add some grab iron and ladder detail, as well as some printing to label the car. I will also be building box cars in several other colors since I have a lot more doors.
After I received my stack of $25 8250 Search Sub sets, I saw all these nice round pieces (which are normally used as propeller housings), and decided to see if I could build a tank car. It wasn't easy, though the result looks kind of nice. The two center rings are arranged with the knob pointing up, the rest with the knob pointing down. Technic #3 axles with end studs hold the 4x4 plate.
3 (or 4 can't quite remember - need to take underside detail pictures) of the rings are connected with Technic bits on the underside, unfortuanately, this sits way to low to continue over the trucks, so to hold the end rings on, each ring has a #3 axle w/stud pushed through a technic beam on the inside w/bushings to hold it all together. Getting this all to hold tightly is a chore. The running board plates which are plugged into all those axle studs actually do a lot of the work of holding the whole thing together.
The tank is connected to the frame near the center with Technic bits connecting to the underside tank structure. A black 1x8 beam forms the splice. Technic plates provide the body bolster for the bogie plate to connect to.
Here is a picture of the underside:
Coming soon! (as soon as I build it).
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Page last updated November 2, 1999