MOD: Improved Passenger Train 7938

[cimddwc]

The 7938 set is quite a nice train, but it lacks one thing in particular (if you're into realism): doors. Now I could have just replaced one window in the middle carriage with swinging doors, and that's it - but I wanted more, and this is the result:

Edit: If you can't see any images here, it means that MOCpages is down once again – that's why I now uploaded them to Flickr, too.

The overall shape of 7938 reminds a lot of the Bombardier Talent (see Wikipedia), so I took this train as a model for my mod - I guess the Lego designer might have, too...

In the end, I made these changes to 7938:

- Carriage length increased by 8 (middle) or 9 (front/back carriage);

- One set of sliding doors per carriage;

- Jacobs bogies (shared bogies);

- Varying floor level;

- Continuous black stripe around the windows;

- Folded connection between carriages;

- And minor things.

- And headlights.

» More photos and descriptions on MOCpages.

Hope you like it...

Edited August 7, 2011 by cimddwc

[Toastie]

The 7938 set is quite a nice train, but it lacks one thing in particular (if you're into realism): doors. Now I could have just replaced one window in the middle carriage with swinging doors, and that's it - but I wanted more ...

Wow,

that is a great solution to all my problems with 7938! Just perfect. I love the shared bogies and the doors most . The increased length is also very well matching with the overall appearance of the real thing. Guess I am going to copy quite a lot here. Love it!

Did you buy two 7938 sets to make this (would it make sense?) or did you have the extra stuff at hand or got that separately?

Very nice train!

Regards,

Thorsten

[Fistach]

it looks much more better now (the set is terrible.

Maybe you can post a video?:)

[-zenn]

I love the technique you used for the sliding doors. But I think you have to raise the windows of the carriages, line it up with the front and the back.

[Fistach]

I love the technique you used for the sliding doors. But I think you have to raise the windows of the carriages, line it up with the front and the back.

Correct! But little modifier plates would be enough to open the door from outside. The train is only 6 studs wide.

[cimddwc]

Thanks. :)

Did you buy two 7938 sets to make this (would it make sense?) or did you have the extra stuff at hand or got that separately?

I got the special parts I didn't have, mostly roofs, windows, and wheels, via BrickLink. A full second set would have too much unneeded parts...

But I think you have to raise the windows of the carriages, line it up with the front and the back.

The real Talent has higher windows and floors in the front and back (it's got its engines underneath) than in between, and that's what I copied here too. (That's what I called "varying floor level" in the list above.) Maybe not that easily recognizable on the Wikipedia images; Google has more. In the end, I guess it's a matter of taste if you like it better this way or lined up.

But little modifier plates would be enough to open the door from outside. The train is only 6 studs wide.

Yes, but I think it looks better with a completely flat side. (As long as I don't forget to push them in properly...)

[AussieJimbo]

Very nice job, cimddwc.

You've picked up the details on the real-life train really well.

:classic:

[CCOOK]

Really excellent, especially the doors; the only thing I hate (that is not your fault) is the roof bricks on the front ends of the cars - LEGO should have designed one smooth slope to run parrallel with the front windows.

-CCOOK

[Snapshot]

The 7938 set is quite a nice train, but it lacks one thing in particular (if you're into realism): doors. Now I could have just replaced one window in the middle carriage with swinging doors, and that's it - but I wanted more, and this is the result:

The overall shape of 7938 reminds a lot of the Bombardier Talent (see Wikipedia), so I took this train as a model for my mod - I guess the Lego designer might have, too...

In the end, I made these changes to 7938:

- Carriage length increased by 8 (middle) or 9 (front/back carriage);

- One set of sliding doors per carriage;

- Jacobs bogies (shared bogies);

- Varying floor level;

- Continuous black stripe around the windows;

- Folded connection between carriages;

- And minor things.

- And headlights.

» More photos and descriptions on MOCpages.

Hope you like it...

That's very good indeed and I suspect you've identified the original that the 7938 was modelled from.

[Toastie]

The 7938 set is quite a nice train, but it lacks one thing in particular (if you're into realism): doors. Now I could have just replaced one window in the middle carriage with swinging doors, and that's it - but I wanted more ...

Hi there, me again,

did not notice before (damn ...) but: Brand new 7938 on the track, ok modified, but all the brand new parts present, bley, slopes "never" seen before (at least not in red) and and and - and then 4.5V track! Or is it 12V without power rail? Who cares? THAT is what TLC is about. THAT is why I am believing in the most enjoyable toy in the world, regardless of what TLC is doing to us: It is all compatible. The 4.5V/12V area is AGES ago, but 7938 runs smoothly on the point. Thanks for sharing this "cimddwc", you made my day.

Best regards,

Thorsten

Edited January 15, 2011 by Toastie

[prateek]

Amazing MOD cimddwc! The lights look fantastic, and I love the doors too. I see you've used Ralph_S's sliding door technique. Very nice

[cimddwc]

Thanks!

Brand new 7938 on the track, ok modified, but all the brand new parts present, bley, slopes "never" seen before (at least not in red) and and and - and then 4.5V track! Or is it 12V without power rail?

It's 12V without the power rail (isn't that the only difference to 4.5V?). Anyway, I have only those new rails that came with the 7938 set and they aren't enough for a full straight track, so I had to use the old rails.

However, compatibility ends somewhat when you try to connect old and new rails due to the half-stud-long connectors of the new rails... then again, the wheels can run across that gap quite fine.

I see you've used Ralph_S's sliding door technique. Very nice

Oh, have I? Wasn't aware of that.

Found his design now. Well, there are a few differences – whatever better suits the needs of one's design, I guess...

[charlieboy]

it looks much more better now (the set is terrible.

Thats a bit harsh i think. I built the original set today with my son, it was by far the most fun ive had building for quite some time, even more so when my boy got bored and left me to it! It is my first Lego train however so i cant say how good the others are.

I'm really liking the mods to the set,the lights are especially good and defo something i'd like to add to ours.

[lightningtiger]

What fantastic modications 'cimddwc' - best feature the sliding doors and headlights....I'll say it.....AWESOME !

Brick On 'cimddwc' !

[retrotecchie]

Really excellent, especially the doors; the only thing I hate (that is not your fault) is the roof bricks on the front ends of the cars - LEGO should have designed one smooth slope to run parrallel with the front windows.

-CCOOK

But the downside of that is that it would be one more 'set specific' element which would be hard to find on Ebay or LEGO Shop@Home! As it is, the cockpit windows look pretty specialised!

Another issue I have with 'set specifics' as they relate to trains is the integration of Power Functions into the newer trains. I have a home-made 7740 InterCity loco I built from plans downloaded from Peeron.com. Not quite original but pretty close. As I built it from scratch bricks, I don't have the original 12v motor or any track but I can adapt using stuff off the shelf from LEGO. I can buy a 9v train motor, PF adapter cable and IR receiver from the LEGO shop to make this compatible with my Cargo Train, but I cannot buy the 6xAAA battery box from LEGO. They are happy to sell me the Lithium Ion Rechargeable pack and charger for £39 but won't sell the standard box as a PF item. If I could buy the battery box as supplied in 7938 and 7939 as a separate item I would happily buy a couple of packets of cheap NiMH AAA rechargeable batteries and use those. According to LEGO's own data, PF trains run quite happily on 7.2v and have the advantage that they don't come flying off the curves as they tend to with 9v on the fastest speed!

All my old 4.5v stuff has been modified to run from rechargebles. The early 1960's and 1970's battery boxes for trains took 3 C size 1.5v batteries to make the 4.5v necessary power source. If you use C sized NiCd or NiMH batteries, the output voltage drops to 3.6v (1.2v per cell) and as the old Buehler motors are quite inneficient, the trains do not run so well. If you hack out the plastic inside the battery box (and this works for the old 182 style tender too), it is possible to fit 4x AA NiMH batteries and an external charging socket as well. That way, you have a 4.8v battery pack that you never need to worry about leaking electrolyte or having to keep buying expensive disposeable alkaline cells for. Yes, I know LiPo batteries are very hi-tec and expensive and shiny, but for the number of trains I have (over 40 at the last count!), a far cheaper NiCd or NiMH solution seems better to me.

So LEGO......sell the battery box from 7938 and 7939 Train Sets as a separate item. Sell a 9v PF train motor for the same price as the 'non-standard' 9v train motor plus adapter cable. That way we only need to buy one complete train set and can adapt older rolling stock to work with the great 8 channel 7 speed IR remote! In fact...sell a PF Train Kit...Battery box to take the AAA batteries (we can use alkaline or rechargeables then), IR reciever and complete motor assembly. That would retrofit older 9v or 12v trains with new PF gear. I'm still working on a conversion from PF to the older 4.5v motor!

[Dan-147]

I was going to skip this set because I wasn't too thrilled by the way LEGO had rendered it. It seemed short and squat to me, plus it had no doors... your modifications have transformed it into what it should have been from the start. This set has now gone to Must-have for me (with most of your modifications).

An additional modification that I might suggest, especially to LEGO purists that might object to paper bellows between the cars, are Jason Allemann's Close Coupling Technique for Shared Bogies http://railbricks.com/media/iltco-docs/CloseCoupling.pdf A few years ago, he made a model of Ottawa's O-Train, which is a standard Bombardier Talent. It is even in the German Railway's colors because it was pulled right off the production line for a pilot project.

[cimddwc]

So LEGO......sell the battery box from 7938 and 7939 Train Sets as a separate item. Sell a 9v PF train motor for the same price as the 'non-standard' 9v train motor plus adapter cable. That way we only need to buy one complete train set and can adapt older rolling stock to work with the great 8 channel 7 speed IR remote! In fact...sell a PF Train Kit...Battery box to take the AAA batteries (we can use alkaline or rechargeables then), IR reciever and complete motor assembly.

Agreed, that's what Lego should offer – even though there's always BrickLink...

I was going to skip this set because I wasn't too thrilled by the way LEGO had rendered it. It seemed short and squat to me, plus it had no doors... your modifications have transformed it into what it should have been from the start. This set has now gone to Must-have for me (with most of your modifications).

Maaybe I should ask Lego for a commission payment, then?

An additional modification that I might suggest, especially to LEGO purists that might object to paper bellows between the cars, are Jason Allemann's Close Coupling Technique for Shared Bogies http://railbricks.com/media/iltco-docs/CloseCoupling.pdf A few years ago, he made a model of Ottawa's O-Train, which is a standard Bombardier Talent. It is even in the German Railway's colors because it was pulled right off the production line for a pilot project.

That's quite an interesting technique, thanks! Though I guess I'll stick with my design for now, maybe just making new, better folded bellows.

[Rustie86]

That is a very nice looking modification to the set, cimddwc. I think its awesome.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Awesome job on the mod Snapshot looks like you have successfully changed 7938 into a subway train, with the mod on the doors. Keep up the good work!

[broomhandle]

perfect mod. excellent job on the detail, even in the front side windows and doors. I wish legos version was more like this. because it goes with the lego theme and realistic.

[Naylus]

Lack of doors in modern Lego trains is a big shame to tell at least. I know, there are... reasons why the wouldn't be any doors at all. But yet again - there's no excuse. :)

Cimddwc made a superb improvement to this train - there's no doubt. I'm on a way of improving 7897 and its notorious nose, and I also dreamed of adding some doors, though I never thought this aspect so thoroughly. The doors You made for this train are a work of art. Impressive, really impressive!

[cimddwc]

Thanks everyone!

Naylus, I'm curiously looking forward to your improvements of the 7897 ICE. I never liked its nose... so this certainly was no set to bring me out of my "dark ages". :)