MOC Street Rail

[Kivi]

One of my recent projects included a rail vehicle as a part of public transport system in the city center.

The vehicle is made of two units. Every unit has its own drive and can operate independently. However, more units can be coupled together during peak hours.

Side view

The doors open on both sides.

The roof is removed here to see what is inside, otherwise it is not detachable. The unit has driving controls on both sides of the car and seats for passengers, with some more room for standing passengers near the doors.

Each car is 31 studs long, 6 studs wide and 6 2/3 bricks tall while the pantograph reaches the height of 9 2/3 bricks in working position. The vehichle is not very playable though, not being particularly sturdy due to its low height. The roof is actually the strongest element that keeps everything connected.

[Sir E Fullner]

That is a very nice rail car. Will you try to make different cars in different colors?

[Locomotive Annie]

That's a really cool railcar MOC, - I particularly like the way the doors open.

[James_T_Menendez]

Sliding doors its what I need for a more realistic in public transport!!!

Good job!

[Hrw-Amen]

The doors are nice and the whole idea is a good one.

Where I live we have a railway track that runs around the side of our harbour down to the ferry terminal from the main station. When i was a kid it was used all the time and I remember watching the 'Boat Trains' snaking along the road with cars and other vehicles queuing up behind it. They used to have a man with a red flag walking in front and often they had to get the police in the move cars that had parked in such a way as to over hang the line.

Although the track is still there it is hardly used now (Since about 1984/85.) and only once in a while, say every couple of years for a special train. Every time they do there is a big fuss locally with many people saying that railways and traffic do not mix and that the rails should be torn up as they are dangerous to cyclists and motorcyclists.

Well, I have ridden a cycle and motorcycle many times down there (Sometimes being stuck behind the train in my youth.) and have never fallen off. I think that the problem is that they are used so infrequently now that many people just do not realise there are metal tracks embedded in the tarmac, as time goes on less and less people can recall the trains running.

Yet when I go to other towns especially in continental Europe many have trains or trams running as part of the infrastructure and i don't hear shouts from the locals the tear the lines up!

So yes, (Sorry for the pro-train rant.) your little rail cars are a nice reminder of the way things should be and what a missed opportunity my own local council have with allowing the tracks to fall into disrepair and pandering to those who do not know how to ride cycles and motorcycles safely.

More trams/trains in rural areas i say, Jolly good show there and the doors are wonderful!

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Great rail cars Kivi. Nice and simple design, I love seeing MOCs with sliding doors

[Hey Joe]

A really, really nice job. Thanks for sharing!

Joe

[Kivi]

Thanks for comments.

Will you try to make different cars in different colors?

I doubt that I would build more though it would be interesting to have cars with different liveries. But it wouldn't be difficult to do it as all the red and white parts are only bricks, plates and a few slopes.

[zephyr1934]

A nice build, I like the studs down doors with the panel across the bottom, very clean.

[Commander Wolf]

Cute model! Is it based off of anything? I think the word(s) you are looking for are "light rail" or maybe "tram"?

I like the studs-down doors such that you can use the panel at the bottom as a stopper. That's pretty clever.

I would consider using the conventional train magnets as connectors: a single DoF connection like the ball and socket typically doesn't play well in switches or S-bends.

[Kivi]

Cute model! Is it based off of anything? I think the word(s) you are looking for are "light rail" or maybe "tram"?

I like the studs-down doors such that you can use the panel at the bottom as a stopper. That's pretty clever.

I would consider using the conventional train magnets as connectors: a single DoF connection like the ball and socket typically doesn't play well in switches or S-bends.

It's pure imagination and not based on anything real. I deliberately avoided the term 'light rail' as this also covers some faster transport systems with greater capacity that mostly run on tracks which are physically separated from other traffic areas. However, 'tram' would also be suitable.

I agree that ball and socket joints are not the best solution. In this case, however, the train was meant to be a static display on a straight track and as it is not powered it worked just fine this way.

[LAKAbricks]

Really some nice trams, Kivi. I like the simple design, it really does the job. To me the designs reminds me of the 80s. The door design is briliant. I like, you turned the studs upside down Before the 8404 Public Transport Station came out, I planned to make a tram/light rail myself. I never got that far, but I planned using the same windshields as you have done. Now I can get an idea how it would have looked.

I really like that you made a tram, it's not too often it's seen in the streets of LEGO cities. By the way, you should public the pictures of the street scene in which the tram is running.

[Kivi]

By the way, you should public the pictures of the street scene in which the tram is running.

It's here:

You can also check this thread to see the rest of the display.

[galacticslave]

Hrw-Amen, is it the Weymouth Tramway that you live near?

[lightningtiger]

Excellent tram cars 'Kivi', it has a touch of classic town to them.....Brick On 'Kivi' !

[xboxtravis7992]

Wow I love seeing a street running Tramway in Lego. My hometown had a street running freight railroad which unfortunately closed years before I was born, I wonder every now and then if I could recapture the magic of a street runner in Lego. Seeing this MOC is making me think of the possibilities.

[ScotNick]

It's pure imagination and not based on anything real. I deliberately avoided the term 'light rail' as this also covers some faster transport systems with greater capacity that mostly run on tracks which are physically separated from other traffic areas. However, 'tram' would also be suitable.

I agree that ball and socket joints are not the best solution. In this case, however, the train was meant to be a static display on a straight track and as it is not powered it worked just fine this way.

You said it isn't based on anything real, but when I saw those street-cars they immediately reminded me of the tatra-trams, because of the windshields. So my question: re those street-cars based on the tatra-trams? They look pretty similar - the wheel-configuration, the windshields, the shape ....

By the way - nice job

Edited May 16, 2013 by ScotNick

[Kivi]

You said it isn't based on anything real, but when I saw those street-cars they immediately reminded me of the tatra-trams, because of the windshields. So my question: re those street-cars based on the tatra-trams? They look pretty similar - the wheel-configuration, the windshields, the shape ....

By the way - nice job

No, it's not based on tatra trams, though it looks very, very similar both in shape and in colour. I just built it with slightly retro look in mind and used the bricks that I had readily available. I remember seeing the pics of these trams on the internet before so they may have been lurking somewhere in subconscious during the build and fuelled the imagination, who knows.