Layout: plan fo new layout

[Capparezza]

Looking nice. Especially that diagonal view to that pond, that somehow "odd" (no offense ment) alignment of the water tiles gives it a special touch.

This is going to get really crowded, with all that stuff you're planning to add

[tmctiger]

1 hour ago, LegoMonorailFan said:

Hey @tmctiger! Looks good! Can't wait to see the waterfall in real bricks with the rest of the model. Thumbs up. 

Hi @LegoMonorailFan!

Thanks for your kind feedback!

1 hour ago, Capparezza said:

Looking nice. Especially that diagonal view to that pond, that somehow "odd" (no offense ment) alignment of the water tiles gives it a special touch.

This is going to get really crowded, with all that stuff you're planning to add

Hi @Capparezza,

thanks for your kind feedback to!

Yes the 45° angled pond looks different, but it is/was more unintentional the planned. The reason why the water is in 45° against the waterfall itself is, that the baseplates where the pond is built upon are also 45° aligned against the baseplates from where the waterfall originates. This comes from the 45° angled middle level. This is an image where you can see the 45° angle of the baseplates on the middle layer.

The real deal, why the baseplates are angled, can also be seen on this image: on these baseplates also the track ballast was built, and it was way easier to angle the baseplates and built the ballast straight then keep the baseplates straight and build the ballast in 45°.

And as you already said, this gives the thing a special touch.

Yes this will become very crowded, but i prefer dense environments prior to more "sterile" layouts.

BR,

Guenther

[ColletArrow]

This is going very well, I can't wait to see what it looks like IRL. The haunted house is also a good idea. I'm not sold on integrating the Old Fishing Store however, as to me it feels like it should be out on a remote beach somewhere rather than in a bustling town, but that's only my opinion.

[tmctiger]

33 minutes ago, ColletArrow said:

This is going very well, I can't wait to see what it looks like IRL. The haunted house is also a good idea. I'm not sold on integrating the Old Fishing Store however, as to me it feels like it should be out on a remote beach somewhere rather than in a bustling town, but that's only my opinion.

Hi @ColletArrow,

Thanks for your kind feedback!

Yes you're right @ locating the old fishing store, this is the reason that I try to create a remote like beach there. I know, the transition from the china town like Ninjago City, to the beach for the old fishing store might be quite "steep" but due to space constraints that's the only possible way. I have to test it in RL if it works at all.

BR, Guenther

Edited July 6, 2017 by tmctiger

[Trekkie99]

Glad to see brickshelf is working @tmctiger! 

[tmctiger]

5 hours ago, LegoMonorailFan said:

Glad to see brickshelf is working @tmctiger! 

Yes ... it seems they fixed the issue ...

[Vliebricker]

Hi, Tmctiger, I took the time to go through your complete thread and to see all the photo's of the building of your layout. What a job and what great result!! Applause. But I wonder, how do you get to the trains when something goes wrong at the back of your layout under the town-level? Can you access that?

[tmctiger]

Hy Guys,

there is a new small update from my side. This time it is not a landscape/building update (but stay tuned for the next, I am currently ordering the parts for the waterfall and rock area) but a rolling stock.

It is my version of a monorail modification of the tram of the set 60097. I bought this already with the intention to modify it towards the monorail track system. It took me some time to figure out how to do it.

So here is the outcome (don't mind the tan and white slopes they will be replaced with gray ones):

I have also done some pictures to enable you on recreating my version of the tram (since I didn't found a decent How To). You can find mine here:

http://www.bricksafe.com/pages/tmctiger/mods/lego-60097-tram---monorail-modification-how-to

The next task regarding the monorail is: find a solution on how the track should go through the town ... there I currently have no plan, but I promise you, the monorail will come to my town ...

As always please leave me a comment what you like or dislike or what I could improve.

Thanks and BR, Guenther

P.s.: Brickshelf finally forced me to use another site. Suddenly it isn't possible anymore to upload a bunch of files with a zip-upload ... --> I am now using Bricksafe...

 

[Trekkie99]

Hey @tmctiger, great mod! It looks great! Can't wait to see it running in the display. 

BTW, if you use 8886 extension cord with 88000 battery box (or 8878 battery box) and join it all together with the monorail motor, you'll bypass the need for the old 9V wires (which tend to get old and deteriorate). I've left a link for the cord (and its longer version).

https://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Power-Functions-Extension-Wire-8886

https://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Power-Functions-Extension-Wire-20-8871

Cheers!

[tmctiger]

4 hours ago, LegoMonorailFan said:

Hey @tmctiger, great mod! It looks great! Can't wait to see it running in the display. 

BTW, if you use 8886 extension cord with 88000 battery box (or 8878 battery box) and join it all together with the monorail motor, you'll bypass the need for the old 9V wires (which tend to get old and deteriorate). I've left a link for the cord (and its longer version).

https://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Power-Functions-Extension-Wire-8886

https://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Power-Functions-Extension-Wire-20-8871

Cheers!

Hi @LegoMonorailFan,

Thanks for your kind feedback!

Ah that is a great idea with the PF parts. But, I have a little concern: the PF cables tend to be quite stiff, and it may happen that they are to stiff and push the train out of the track in curves and on the ramp. Is this a real problem or not, I can't imagine. Did you already use such a configuration? If yes, did it work well?

I mentioned this, because I had (still have though)  such a problem with my Horizon Express and the cables running through it for powering the motors and the lights on both ends.

Cheers, Guenther

[Trekkie99]

9 hours ago, tmctiger said:

Hi @LegoMonorailFan,

Thanks for your kind feedback!

Ah that is a great idea with the PF parts. But, I have a little concern: the PF cables tend to be quite stiff, and it may happen that they are to stiff and push the train out of the track in curves and on the ramp. Is this a real problem or not, I can't imagine. Did you already use such a configuration? If yes, did it work well?

I mentioned this, because I had (still have though)  such a problem with my Horizon Express and the cables running through it for powering the motors and the lights on both ends.

Cheers, Guenther

Hey @tmctiger! In answer to your question; no, I've never done this configuration using a official Lego monorail system. But, I did fiddle around with some parts to replicate the monorail coupling design and then ran a PF wire through and connected it in a similar fashion as the monorail motor. My analysis? It may work. Unfortunately I can't be sure.  However for three or four dollars (depending on which you buy) it may be worth testing out. I also did some searching on the subject to find out if any one explored this topic. No luck, just this picture. 

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

 

[tmctiger]

Hi @LegoMonorailFan,

thanks for digging into this and uncovering the picture.

I'll give it a try. I just have to find out how to cover the 20cm long cable.

BR, Guenther

[Trekkie99]

1 hour ago, tmctiger said:

Hi @LegoMonorailFan,

thanks for digging into this and uncovering the picture.

I'll give it a try. I just have to find out how to cover the 20cm long cable.

BR, Guenther

Great! Hope it works.

BTW, what do you mean by "cover"?

[tmctiger]

Hi @LegoMonorailFan,

I meant that I currently have no idea on how to hide the cable inside the transparent tram. The short original cable is barely visible, but a 20cm (shortest version) long thick PF-cable would be seen from far away...

BR, Guenther

[Trekkie99]

4 hours ago, tmctiger said:

Hi @LegoMonorailFan,

I meant that I currently have no idea on how to hide the cable inside the transparent tram. The short original cable is barely visible, but a 20cm (shortest version) long thick PF-cable would be seen from far away...

BR, Guenther

I see. Hmm, well you would probably want a way to wrap the excess cord into coil and tuck it somewhere where it can't be seen. The white door frame may be a good option. 

But, what's the length of your current cord? Because if it's 8 cm or under then the short extension wire should work fine IMO.

[ColletArrow]

You could try and hold the cables to the floor or under the roof using some plates and brackets perhaps?

[kieran]

That tram looks well converted to the old monorail, good work 

[brickmasterben11]

I just found this thread, man I wish I had the time/money/space to do this! Maybe one day.... Keep up the good work!

[tmctiger]

18 hours ago, LegoMonorailFan said:

I see. Hmm, well you would probably want a way to wrap the excess cord into coil and tuck it somewhere where it can't be seen. The white door frame may be a good option. 

But, what's the length of your current cord? Because if it's 8 cm or under then the short extension wire should work fine IMO.

Hi @LegoMonorailFan,

the current (original) cord is around 8cm. But the shortest PF extension cord you can by from S&H (at least here in Europe) is 20cm. So I had to deal with 12 additional cm's of quite a thick cord.

I have now tried a little with the PF extension cord and I run into the foreseen problems. The cable is to stiff and would lead to derailment in certain situations. So for now I stick to the original cable.

17 hours ago, ColletArrow said:

You could try and hold the cables to the floor or under the roof using some plates and brackets perhaps?

Hi @ColletArrow,

yes this would be a solution, but see my answer above to @LegoMonorailFan: The cables are to stiff and won't work quite well in my case.

11 hours ago, kieran said:

That tram looks well converted to the old monorail, good work 

Hi @kieran,

thanks for your kind feedback.

5 hours ago, brickmasterben11 said:

I just found this thread, man I wish I had the time/money/space to do this! Maybe one day.... Keep up the good work!

Hi @brickmasterben11,

thank you too for your your kind feedback.

Time is not so the issue, since this is a hobby and has no need to be finished in a short term. For me, this is a project over years. As you can see, my first post about this topic was on April 11. 2016, so more then a year ago. Money is a slight bigger problem, but since the slow pace, I have enough time to save money up in between. Space though could be indeed a problem, Lego consumes quite allot of space ...

BR, Guenther

P.s.: Now I have all the Parts ordered (a little over 5000) for the waterfall part (+tunnel portal, pond and stone walls) below the  modified Tower Bridge. So I hope I could post an real life update soon... so stay tuned.

[spy1101001]

Just make your OWN cable!! (You might have to butcher a lego PF cable though..... :-)

But then you can use whatever gauge wire you see fit!

sPy from Oz

[tmctiger]

Hi Guys,

I am back with an update on my WIP-Layout.

I have now managed to build the previously shown digital LDD waterfall and added it to my layout. the layout currently looks like follows:

The landscape around the pond in detail:

You can see that I have fitted a slightly modified "5766 Log Cabin" and a "31048 Lakeside Lodge" beside the pond. The 31048 though was more unintentional, I though it fits well there.

Beside the pond I have removed the GB HG and replaced it with a way better fitting modified "4954 Model Town House". The GB HQ was anyway to tall to be placed in on a lower level and so close to the viewer. It would have obstructed to much of the scene on trhe third level when it stayed in this position.

I have also made some changes to the street-tunnel-portal: the gap between "10251 Brick Bank" and the tunnel on the right side is now closed, and I have also covered the plywood plate from the third level. I have also started closing the gap behind the town house, but ran out of bricks unfortunately ... so time for the next brick link order ...

I have also some impressions of the layout changes from the minifig view and also a video:

Please feel free to leave some comments on what you think about it so far.

BR, Guenther

 

[Brickviller V2]

Nice update, I like the waterfall, but the tunnel entrance is what really catches my eye. Minifigs must be happy to live in your town 

[M_slug357]

Wow, I wish I could get my home layout up to this level!!

Nice job!

[Man with a hat]

That waterfall is looking great. The whole layout is getting better an better. Hopefully in the near future I can start something similar. At least that's my wish...

[tmctiger]

6 hours ago, Brickviller V2 said:

Nice update, I like the waterfall, but the tunnel entrance is what really catches my eye. Minifigs must be happy to live in your town 

Hi @Brickviller V2,

thanks for your nice feedback! I hope the Minifigs are happy, I try my best that they are ...

5 hours ago, M_slug357 said:

Wow, I wish I could get my home layout up to this level!!

Nice job!

Hi @M_slug357,

thank you too for your nice feedback! I am now curious on your home layout. Do you like to share it (or did you have it shared already and I missed it?!). I always like watching others layouts, you can find new and interesting things every time on every layout.

3 hours ago, Man with a hat said:

That waterfall is looking great. The whole layout is getting better an better. Hopefully in the near future I can start something similar. At least that's my wish...

Hi @Man with a hat,

thank you too for your nice feedback!

The most important  thing to consider prior starting a layout is: do I have enough space. This question nearly killed my layout project, but fortunately with some furniture shifting around the house I found a place.

I hope you can start your layout soon and of course I am looking forward to see pictures of it ...

BR, Guenther