Spook'n Up Train Tech

[WesternOutlaw]

Vote for your favorite HERE.

For those that know me on Eurobricks also know that I'm a big fan of "spooky things" and really enjoy this time of year (Fall, October, Halloween ). While we don't have a Fall/Halloween banner here on Train Tech, that's not to say we can't enjoy some Fall festivities.

With the recent Train Tech Building Contest coming to an end, some of you might be asking; well, what's next?

I present to you a building challenge in the spirit of the Fall Season and Halloween quickly approaching. Break out those cobwebs, Studio monsters, ghosts, and goblins, for we are about to embark on a train ride aboard a ghoulishly delightful Train Tech event.

The challenge... simply, to Build a Ghost Train.

No rules to get in the way, this is just a frightfully fun little building challenge for those of you who have pondered about building a Ghost Train.

But please, post your Ghost Train as a separate post, I will take care of the rest... Bah...ha...ha...ha...ha!

EDIT: You may add a "GTE" (for Ghost Train Entry) as part of the title of your post. If not, I will do it for you. Example: GTE: My Own Ghost Train. Have fun!

The Haunting Entries

My Own Ghost Train: TheBrickster

Ghost Train Carnival Ride: pe668

Death Train: Eskallon

Bricktober Transport: TheBrickster

Dead Man's Mine: Deanc

Morsmordre Express: Robuko

Werewolf Wagon: TheBrickster

Jack 'O Lantern Locomotive: Bricknave

[SavaTheAggie]

Fun contest, not sure if I'll be able to enter (what with everything else I'm building) but who knows. :)

I built a haunted train of sorts a while back, even got the ghost on film...

--Tony

[gcarstensen]

this should be a fun contest!

i'll definitely enter

[BMW]

A speeding, sprectral locomotive would be fun !

[Diamondback]

A speeding, sprectral locomotive would be fun !

I've actually been considering something like this--once I have the diagrams I need to finish designing a 1920's heavyweight 20th Century Limited, if I can ever get the parts needed to build it, I figured a total overcoat of glow-in-the-dark paint aside from the windows and shooting under low-light conditions would do very nicely for creating a "supernatural" effect. Al Staufer wrote a short-fiction about a similar spectral train appearing at a grade-crossing in Thoroughbreds, his superlative book on the NYC Hudsons. (Tony, if you don't have a copy, I'd suggest you pick one up.)

[WesternOutlaw]

I built a haunted train of sorts a while back, even got the ghost on film...

Excellent! - love the ghost (and the train). I hope to see another spooky steam train from you Tony.

i'll definitely enter

Good to hear. It's just for fun, and we'll call it a building challenge rather than a contest.

A speeding, sprectral locomotive would be fun !

Definately.

I figured a total overcoat of glow-in-the-dark paint aside from the windows and shooting under low-light conditions would do very nicely for creating a "supernatural" effect.

This sounds very interesting. I would really look forward to seeing a spectral paint job.

It sounds like some of you are interested -can't wait to see your Ghost trains!

[Captain Zuloo]

Great idea TheBrickster!

I don't know if I will get a chance to enter, I'd like to build a steam loco, but I'll need parts for that and I can't pay for them. But if I can bring myself to take parts off my 10194, I might enter. When does this challenge run to?

And will we be expecting another fantastic creation from you?

[Diamondback]

Brickster, I wouldn't expect it to happen anytime soon--LEGO doesn't even make some of the parts I need anymore, and some were never made in black (locomotive) or dark-green (cars). Besides, any parts so treated would be ruined for future reuse. And then there's the cost factor: each single lightweight car (I only work in 10-wide, easier to work from prototype blueprints that way: 1 stud=1') takes as many pieces as the UCS Imperial Star Destroyer or more, and Old School heavyweight Pullmans would take even more--which means a complete 11-car heavyweight train, even if LEGO were willing to do a custom-run of all the required parts as a "special batch", would be insanely expensive. And then there's the matter of storage, as each car's an easy 80 studs long...

[WesternOutlaw]

And will we be expecting another fantastic creation from you?

I started building this evening.

Brickster, I wouldn't expect it to happen anytime soon

What ever happened to building with what you have? - perhaps I'm just "old school".

[Captain Zuloo]

And when does the challenge end?

[WesternOutlaw]

And when does the challenge end?

End of the month.

[gcarstensen]

Brickster, I wouldn't expect it to happen anytime soon--LEGO doesn't even make some of the parts I need anymore, and some were never made in black (locomotive) or dark-green (cars). Besides, any parts so treated would be ruined for future reuse. And then there's the cost factor: each single lightweight car (I only work in 10-wide, easier to work from prototype blueprints that way: 1 stud=1') takes as many pieces as the UCS Imperial Star Destroyer or more, and Old School heavyweight Pullmans would take even more--which means a complete 11-car heavyweight train, even if LEGO were willing to do a custom-run of all the required parts as a "special batch", would be insanely expensive. And then there's the matter of storage, as each car's an easy 80 studs long...

dude, thats some serious building

i can just imagine what one of those pullmans would cost

you could always build a "microscale" locomotive (but that would be about the same scale i build in i guess)

[WesternOutlaw]

I think we have our first Build a Ghost Train Building Contest entry.

Now how about some more frightfully fun creations?

EDIT: Oh, I almost forgot to mention, this building challenge is for staff as well.

[Eskallon]

Im gonna make my first train I think. Though a warning, if it is bad then don't complain and I have never owned a train set so I will be using brick built track.

Anyway this should be fun.

[WesternOutlaw]

Im gonna make my first train I think. Though a warning, if it is bad then don't complain and I have never owned a train set so I will be using brick built track.

That's the spirit Eskallon! We're all beginners from time-to-time. I look forward to seeing your entry.

[robuko]

I never built a train before, but I will have a go for this. When is the close?

[WesternOutlaw]

The poll will be created October 31, so you have until Friday the 30th.

[robuko]

GTE - The Morsmordre Express

Apologies to everyone if i am doing this wrong, this is my first attempt to link. Also my first attempt at a train

Here is my entry

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41980291@N06/...in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41980291@N06/...in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41980291@N06/...in/photostream/

It is Halloween. Voldemort, Malfoy, Nott and Fenrir are hunting for the boy wizard Harry Potter. Brooms are too slow, it must be tonight! Only Nagini, transfigured into the Morsdmordre Express, can give them the speed they require. But maybe, in his blind desire, Voldemort has overreached. Is the train itself a horcrux?

Edited October 27, 2009 by robuko

[WesternOutlaw]

Hi Robuko:

I've created a new post for your entry.

[Diamondback]

Question: do entries have to be physical, or could I create an LDraw model if this contest repeats next year? (I'm still working on finding blueprints, so there ain't no way I'm gonna be ready in two days--heck, I've had most of my train projects in design since 2001 and none are finished yet!)

----------------

Now playing: Steve Jablonsky - Scorponok

via FoxyTunes

[robuko]

Hi Robuko:

I've created a new post for your entry.

Thanks Brickster. Sorry I didn't work out how to do it. Thankyou very much for embedding the image too

[WesternOutlaw]

Question: do entries have to be physical, or could I create an LDraw model if this contest repeats next year? (I'm still working on finding blueprints, so there ain't no way I'm gonna be ready in two days--heck, I've had most of my train projects in design since 2001 and none are finished yet!)

Brick and mortar (well, not the mortar part, but definately the brick ). This challenge is for actual built MOCs.

Thanks Brickster. Sorry I didn't work out how to do it. Thankyou very much for embedding the image too

No problem at all. I can't change my name as the person who posted the creation though (but I think by the title and post, they'll know it's not from me). Love that snake!