7740 inspired MOC - 6w

[LL1982]

Hi,

After lurking and responding a bit I'll give you my creation. I am a fan of the 7740, though I never owned one, i love its colours and just the basic simple playability of it as it represents your typical intercity train. I am a 80s kid so what can I say. We have a PU R40 based track so I have this one build 6 wide. I collected the doors and windows through the last year in several buys and that inspired this build. The locomotive is still based on the old design, but I have plans to make it more like a BR103, but still doubting about 6 or 4 axles. Have not figured out how to use the middle hole on the train motor for a blind yet. I was thinking on adding a 2x2 round with hole there, but I think I may need to use some external structure for it. Adding a pivoting third wheel behind the train motor will result in a very long locomotive which will look odd with the carriages in my opinion. 

I did make the carriages longer than the original. They are 32 studs base and then 2 studs extensions on either side for the connections. I kept the similar arrangement of passenger and diner carriage but rearranged a bit and used different techniques for the roof and ends. Inside the passenger car I also gave first class a different type of seating. I am experimenting with a stripe on the diner car but I may remove that. As the holiday season is coming I also installed some light so that the munchkin and I can have fun running the train in the dark. 

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 12:50 PM by LL1982
Image links

[idlemarvel]

Very nice. The 7740 is an iconic set.

Ref 2 or 3 axles for the loco,.it's quite hard to use the middle hole in the PUp train motor as it is only 1/2 stud deep. If it was 1 stud deep you could use a Technic frictionless pin with cross axle but it isn't. It would probably be easier to build a custom 3 axle bogie and power it from a motor inside the loco.

[LL1982]

Thanks! Yeah I figured as much @idlemarvel. Means I need to buy a motor, I have train motor spare on a city set that is not running anyways. I had a look on those lego L motors and a few off brand options (thats ok to mention here right?), those red type PF style motors those come with rechargable battery blocks. A custom 3 axle with 1 stud between wheel sets would make it feasible on a 30 stud locomotive for instance. The lego L motor does not respond to a remote right? You need the app? Or did I misunderstand that? Rather not give my kid a phone, point of lego is to play with the bricks and the remote.

Edited Thursday at 07:50 PM by LL1982

[idlemarvel]

8 hours ago, LL1982 said:

Thanks! Yeah I figured as much @idlemarvel. Means I need to buy a motor, I have train motor spare on a city set that is not running anyways. I had a look on those lego L motors and a few off brand options (thats ok to mention here right?), those red type PF style motors those come with rechargable battery blocks. A custom 3 axle with 1 stud between wheel sets would make it feasible on a 30 stud locomotive for instance. The lego L motor does not respond to a remote right? You need the app? Or did I misunderstand that? Rather not give my kid a phone, point of lego is to play with the bricks and the remote.

You are correct, the L motor does not respond to the remote, or rather it does but only on/off and you have to hold the button down on the remote.

You can use the train motor on its side inside the loco body. Its only 3 studs wide (plus some allowance for the pin on top of the motor) and less than 4 bricks high (lower than the hub) so its doable in a diesel or  electric loco. Then you can use the remote as normal. 

If you need more help a have a few pictures I can upload later today.

[Selander]

In the format you build, (~length and width) I'd advice you to stay with 1-2 standard 2-axle PuP train motors. That will look better with that "toy-ish" original  Lego building style, and the playability is so much better.

A "real" 3-axle technic Lego based bogie with a separate PuP large motor in the loco cabin will need much more length/space/volume than you currently have. Your coaches would also need a rebuild to look appropriate as a consequence. Also bare in mind a 3-axle bogie demands more tweeking and maintenance. 

[LL1982]

Thank you both for your input this is helping me out. 

@idlemarvel i am completely interested in seeing the train motor on its side. I've never considered that. So yeah if you could share please do. 

@Selander I do feel you are right. I will start with this. I bought instructions for a 7wide loc with M motor and I see the issues with getting the drive train proper. I'll enjoy the build for a 6wide locomotive first and get it running and then I can tackle more challenges later on. Let me get a good body first. Indeed I do not want a too big locomotive or else the proportion will be off.  

[idlemarvel]

1 hour ago, LL1982 said:

Thank you both for your input this is helping me out. 

@idlemarvel i am completely interested in seeing the train motor on its side. I've never considered that. So yeah if you could share please do...

Here are some pictures to give you some clues. This shows a 2 axle bogie but the idea is easily extended to a 3-axle. Picture 1 is below and picture 2 above. Picture 3 shows the motor inside a loco, the recent Spiderman Subway car. Use a 7L axle through the motor into the bogie, with a 1/2L bush to hold it in place (yellow in the picture). Hope this helps.

 

 

 

 

 

[JopieK]

Wow @LL1982 thanks for sharing. I might do that to my 7750 some day! Have had it since I was a child. Lighting of the cars also worked out very well.

[LL1982]

Thanks @idlemarvel I get the idea. 

Thanks @JopieK, also for the featured. The 7750 or a steamer in general is on my future wishlist. But before I try getting all those wheels correct I decided to build some Electric or diesel locomotives first. But the 7750 is pretty cool, give it a go. 

Edited yesterday at 10:01 PM by LL1982

[Shiva]

Nice train set :)