Beginnings of my modular city

[Diz100]

Hi all

Its been a long time coming but we finally had half a room to spare for lego (and a desk), so I’ve been busy building and fitting and the area is pretty much complete now. Thought I’d share the new area with you and update as I get time to start putting stuff back together. Still have a second light fitting to get in to illuminate it correctly. It’s 3m long one way and 2m the other ?

My lego has been in storage for about two years and was under utilised before that, although we amassed quite a collection. Have been unloading the boxes and already filled all the drawers and cupboard with pieces, and sets in boxes. The plan is to make a long modular building/town area with some greenery and I’d really like to get a train going. 

We have the grand emporium, cinema, town hall and assembly square already which will go straight in. Also have tower of orthanc, simpsons house, and many creator houses which I plan to either sell or use to make further MOC buildings. I also spent the last 5 years collecting random bits from PAB, B&Ps and eBay which will be used, must be well over 20000 pieces plus another 20000 in sets I don’t mind breaking down ?

Question for the more experienced; the desk is only 600mm deep on the straight section making it difficult to create a continuos train track. I hoped to run it down the back of the buildings sobit could Lee going round. Any experience with the R24 track that can be bought so I can turn it round at the narrow end? Alternatively can I easily automate it to go forwards and back when it reaches the ends? I have the last gen passenger train with PF.

Will be back with more in coming weeks!

Dave

 

 

[Diz100]

Spent the last few days organising and stripping down an old park MOC, still got 6 houses, millennium falcon, simpsons house and orthanc to strip down, think I’ll sell the orthanc and keep the rest in parts. Have to constantly keep resizing my organisers as I find more and more ? found a second millennium falcon (old mid sized one) and the old Arkham asylum to mod and go on shelves out the way too. Think I’m going to need to find some alternate colour sets to breakdown to help with the new MOCs.

(lighting is still terrible!!)

any help identifying set number on the yellow house with black roof please? 

 

[Koptokaff]

The yellow house is nr. 4996, Beach House from the Creator series

[Diz100]

5 hours ago, Koptokaff said:

The yellow house is nr. 4996, Beach House from the Creator series

Thanks!

[MAB]

I think I would have gone with a lighter wall colour. Where you have the modulars looks quite dark. A good colour (if you want colour and not white) for behind modulars is light blue, so it looks like sky.

It is possible to have trains running backwards and forwards if you don't mind doing a little bit of programming and using a small control board like an arduino or similar. Once the train breaks an IR beam or crosses a sensor you can get it to switch direction. But before you do this, I warn you it is boring to watch, more so than a train doing a circuit.

Is there room to pull the desk away from the wall? You could always have an insert level with and behind the desk to make it deeper. If you don't like the look of that, you could create a false wall at the back of the desk with a shelf top on it for display, and have a tunnel entrance and exit at each end of the desk. That way the train's return is hidden from view on the desk extension and you don't see it due to the false wall and shelf on top. 

Alternatively, get the train up high on shelves that go round the whole room above door height. That can look really good.

[Littleworlds]

Looks good. The desk is nice and deep and the corner gives good opportunities to create a plaza maybe. 

[LegoDW]

On 9/2/2019 at 1:01 PM, MAB said:

 

Is there room to pull the desk away from the wall?

That is the first thing I thought of too.  Your railroad track is going to eat up a lot space.  Modulars plus road and trains need a lot of room.  Could you move your desk to the right away from the wall.  Basically making the desk section on the left a little deeper.  Another 6" to 10" would really go a long way to adding a railroad and 

[Gomek]

When the modular scale started it caused me a little bit of issue as I had a large set up in 80's scale. I never thought they messed well and ultimately now have two setups.

[tmctiger]

Hi Dave,

nice to see one starting with his own Lego City / Lego Layout. I am curious how your city will turn out at the end.

However, to make a complete train-track turn (with standard LEGO curves, R40) you need at least 88 Studs from one side to the other, this is more than 70cm, and it did not account to the additinoal space you need to prevent trains hitting the wall when running through the curve - so to be save you need to add an additional 4cm on each side. So your table is to small with just only 60cm in depth.

I think R24 is a too harsh turn, and I think not all trains can handle such a turn - so I would not consider R24 a way to go. But it would of course fit you space constraints.

I recommend to drop the idea with the train and instead focus on a row of modulars with a street in front of them.

BR, Guenther

Edited September 18, 2019 by tmctiger

[Man with a hat]

Oh, that looks really well organised. I should follow your example. My space is a bit of a mess. 

 

[Diz100]

Hi all

Been a lot longer than I intended! There’s a few photos in the link showing the updates. We sold and broke down a bunch of stuff, and added the rollercoaster, sanctum sanctorum, green grocer and a few random buildings. The new lights are in and the random figs are out the way in frames I made up.

I’ve scrapped the train idea for now! The rollercoaster is in its place but the buildings are not finalised yet, feels like it needs the corner garage too ? I just ordered all new matching road baseplates from Lego and then will start to place everything and use all the tiles And street decoration I’ve been buying. Lighting kits and extra floors for some of the builds are also being planned, as well as something large for the corner ? 

Will be back soon with more...
 

Album

[jus1973]

Thanks for sharing this.  it’s starting to take shape well. The train is going to be a bit tight but perhaps you can create a loop at each end somehow.  I’m only just starting to dabble in trains so I can’t help much with that.  
I’m planning something similar for my modulars and fairground, and looking at the space you’ve got to work with, I’m now worried that my space is too small.  I also have the Ferris wheel, carousel and GBHQ plus 8 modulars and some MOC modulars too which I was planning to fit into a similar sized desk space. Oops.