Lego Engineer

That explains it. It's a shame because two would have been useful for modifications without having to buy a second set or worry about Bricklinking it.

I'm curious about the single blind driver that is not attached to anything. Why would they include only one of them?

That looks quite sleek as you've captured the prototype's shape very well. I must say 9 studs wide is very ambitious but it works well here.

That's something that crossed my mind after creating the composite images so I'm in the process of raising it by 1 plate. That would be quite difficult as the dark grey section supports the upside down plates and tiles at the very bottom of the cab.

It handles pretty well even at speed while going around corners. The bogie pivot points are only 25 studs apart but the overhanging cabins make the length a little deceptive.

After a few years off from MOC building I can finally present another creation. This is one complete set of the new 4000 class commuter trains used in Adelaide, South Australia. The A unit is powered by one power functions train motor. LEGO A-City 4000 Class EMU MOC by Lego Engineer, on Flickr The 4000 class are the latest addition to Adelaide's commuter rail system. They are also the first electric trains on the network. Introduced in 2014, each one is comprised of three-car semi-permanently coupled sets. A-City 4000 Class EMU by Lego Engineer, on Flickr A-City 4000 Class EMU by Lego Engineer, on Flickr

The problem with trains on Lego Ideas is that there is no unifying design that appeals to everyone. Each part of the world has it's own little niche of locomotives, rollingstock and scenery. As a result a lot of builders just can't identify with a very region specific design and hence don't vote. Even the modular designs have obvious regional influences. I would rather TLG focus on supplying the train basics (starter city sets, straight track on its own, wheels, etc) and let your imagination do the rest. I'm kind of glad there is no new train as it makes it easier for me to spend money on train MOCs that interest me.

I can't confirm but I'll have a guess at why this doesn't/wouldn't happen. When 3rd parties sell a set they will take a certain percentage of the cost to cover their expenses and make the sale profitable. When you buy direct from Lego the retail price will be the same but you do not have to recover the costs of a third party seller. Hence the VIP discounts allows Lego to reward repeat customers and still have a similar profit margin compared to a set sold in a third party store.

Anyone else getting 1x points from bricks and pieces even though you're not supposed to get any? I put through a combination order of sets at 2x points and a bricks and pieces selection to get free shipping and the points have appeared for the B&P as well.

I'm not overly fond of the utility shuttle but it definitely does resemble the real Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser which competed for NASA's Commercial Crew contract last year.

In Australia all of the online PAB prices went up 10%. This is most likely due to inflation as most bricks have had the same price for as long as I can remember using the service(5+ years). However I haven't seen any noticeable rise in the Australian Bricks and Pieces prices.

This is the way I look at it. A lot of sets that contain a bigger selection of above average sized pieces are great value by weight but not by PPP. I've found that in Australia the perfect number for a good value new set is AU$100/kg or around US$35/lb. Anything less is a bonus.

Ideally the center of gravity will be as low as possible which can be achieved two ways. Adding weight as low as you can and lightening any components above the centre of gravity. Considering this train is pretty lean already the first option would be easier but will probably slow the train anyway.

This has mixed results. Depending on the train length, center or gravity and weight it may or may not remain on the track. However often the problem is the jerk that occurs at the beginning of the curve and using the alternating geometry method introduces more opportunities for this to occur.

The expensiveness of MISB sheds could be due to the 9V straight rails included in the set. You might be able to Bricklink the parts and use RC track to help lower the price.