Hi folks!

I've got two questions concerning the width of Lego trains.

8-wide - do these fit normally on curved tracks, by which I mean 4 curved tracks (90 degrees turn)? My South Pacific Inspired engine had some problems on curves but it's because the underbase doesn't allow the bogies to move completely. I'm rebuilding that now, hope all works well. I mean it's just hard for me to imagine an 8-wide doing a 6-wide curve, especially considering the fact that my 8-wide model is twice the size of a stock Lego engine. Bottom line - do they turn smoothly on normal curves or do I need some special layout?

7-wide - how do I get the bogie on the center stud? In a normal even-wide engine the bogie is between the studs, but in odd-wide engines you need to get it on the center stud. I've worked out a few ways of doing this but they all take a probably unnecessary amount of components (and they stick out a lot, something I want to avoid).

Thanks!

Can you post some photos and/or the LDD of the bogie area?

As long as the interface between the bogie and the loco is done right, the width shouldn't make any difference to the loco's ability to stay on sharp curves. As for 7 wide, there are as many ways are there grains of sand on he beach, but a good place to start is a couple of Technic plates and an awful lot of jumpers plates. You won't be able to use the standard train base in any useful way. This is, in all honesty, a good thing anyway as it's a lot easier to to get good cornering on long wheelbases when you haven't got the sides of the train base to clash on (this may be the problem on your loco).

Can you post some photos and/or the LDD of the bogie area?

As long as the interface between the bogie and the loco is done right, the width shouldn't make any difference to the loco's ability to stay on sharp curves. As for 7 wide, there are as many ways are there grains of sand on he beach, but a good place to start is a couple of Technic plates and an awful lot of jumpers plates. You won't be able to use the standard train base in any useful way. This is, in all honesty, a good thing anyway as it's a lot easier to to get good cornering on long wheelbases when you haven't got the sides of the train base to clash on (this may be the problem on your loco).

I'll post that in the topic for the Southern Pacific Inspired engine not to split the threads. Thanks for the ideas for the 7-wide, I'm building an actual Southern Pacific engine now after my own version so I'll put that to use.

So... ummm... this is kind of what I mean. Any tips?

Just use a 2x3 plate with hole. Centers it right up.

--Tony

I also use jumper plates, but that's because I mostly use PF train motors for building steam trains, neither of which is conducive to building 7-wide from the ground up.

Or use a 2x2 turn table and mount it off center inside the tubes on the bottom of the train.

Or, use a 2x3 plate /w pin hole that's offset.

Or, use an old technic 1x5 "liftarm" that has the pin holes on either end.

Or, use jumpers to offset a regular Technic 2x6 plate inside the locomotive.

Witaj mój Lego przyjaciel, snowvictim

Times incorporate these experiments Lego parts in your 7 wide Lok ground

Mit freundlichen Grüßen Udo

The 2x4 plate with holes doesn't center it.

Fixed it a sec ago. I'm still not content with the way it looks, and I think the part might fall off. I'll have to play around with it on the actual model.

The 2x4 plate with holes doesn't center it.

Fixed it a sec ago. I'm still not content with the way it looks, and I think the part might fall off. I'll have to play around with it on the actual model.

You need to reread the suggestions.

No need, used the 2x3 rounded plate you guys recommended. I just couldn't attach it in a way that I think is good because the baseplate is very weird.

Replace part 32124 (The 5-long piece on the right side) with 2711, or any of the 1-wide technic plates that have technic holes at the ends in here.

Replace part 32124 (The 5-long piece on the right side) with 2711, or any of the 1-wide technic plates that have technic holes at the ends in here.

Oh Gee, thanks for that. Wouldn't have figured that out. This works with my baseplate well as I made the 7-wide with a 2-3-2 arrangement.