Lego 10277 - Crocodile Locomotive

[Duq]

Thorsten, 'protoype' does not just mean 'concept' or 'test' model, it's also used for 'real word example' when making scale models.

I don't know if it's still the case but for a long time the molds for the Lego factory in Billund were produced in Switzerland for exactly the reason you mention: unrivalled precision.

I agree with you about the conspiracy theory. Here in Ireland we'd call that a load of bollocks ;-)  If Lego didn't mind producing sets that don't sell as well then there wouldn't be a problem producing train sets in the first place. To be honest, considering the profits they make I would say they can afford to produce one or two train sets per year, even if that means one or two fewer Star Wars or superhero sets. They won't lose money on train sets, they'll just make a little less profit.

I don't agree with you on the Eisenschwein though. I quite like the look of the E94. If the Croc set had been dark green I would have bought one or two more for parts to make an E94 and maybe an E44.

[JopieK]

2 hours ago, Toastie said:

Oh yes - but these do not come even close to the look and elegance of a real Swiss crocodile. So the "Eisenschwein" fits really well ... 

Best
Thorsten

Haha you are right of course. Maybe that is just the difference between the Swiss and German engineering ;) (just kidding of course). 

[Andy Glascott]

2 hours ago, Duq said:

I agree with you about the conspiracy theory. Here in Ireland we'd call that a load of bollocks ;-) 

I miss Irish, and particularly Dublin, English  American English just doesn’t have the same vivid expressiveness. 

[Shiva]

Locomotive Be 6/8II Nr. 13254, has it ever been brown? If yes, then maybe mod 10277 to it? And if not, then maybe instead mod to Ce 6/8II Nr. 14253 ? The latter would have the correct numbers tho :)

[Phoxtane]

My Crocodile locomotive showed up today, I'm so excited to have it built and on display!

Spoiler

Har har har. It's still on backorder for me.

I took advantage of a seller briefly dropping the price on a copy of 60198 to dip my toes into the water of Powered Up. I'm planning on stocking up on Power Functions equipment because I'm not convinced that PU is a full replacement for PF yet (and the prices just get more ridiculous...), but I've got some interesting ideas about what I can do with custom circuit boards and Bluetooth. I figure I stand a better chance at making something usable than the last time I looked at custom electronics and Lego three years ago.

The Crocodile locomotive was designed with PU in mind, so it'll be a good testbed for playing with PU.

Edited July 13, 2020 by Phoxtane

[jonty14]

On 7/2/2020 at 9:56 AM, ps1flyer said:

Wow, that was fast. Ordered yesterday at midnight and now the parcel is here, was just delivered to my house. 

But I guess I have to be fair and wait for the kids to arrive back from school (and get my work finished) before starting the assembly.

I got mine fast as well. Quicker than Amazon Prime sends stuff.

[THERIZE]

Oh well, here is another modded set. 

I removed the stairs on all the pony trucks and the box on the right hand sides. I smoothed out one of the sides and changed the whole motor cover area from brown to grey. I am not so sure about if I like the last change however. I feel like it is a bit too much but I guess it's acceptable. 

Edited July 14, 2020 by THERIZE

[nesquik]

Could anyone provide some information regarding the (typical) rolling stock for this train? I'd like to build some but I'm actually unsure what the croc' would normally run with. Thanks!

[THERIZE]

You'd get a realistic train coupling it to just any 20's to 70's generic goods train. I'd suggest looking around on Flickr or Railpictures for inspiration. Here I have a direct page to some images of the locomotive, link. Model railway trainpacks are also great: Example. If you'd prefer a more modern excursion train there is a lot of content to get inspiration from. 

[nesquik]

Thanks 

[Merlict]

6 hours ago, THERIZE said:

I removed the stairs on all the pony trucks and the box on the right hand sides. I smoothed out one of the sides and changed the whole motor cover area from brown to grey. I am not so sure about if I like the last change however. I feel like it is a bit too much but I guess it's acceptable.

Tbh this just looks worse lol, detail removed with nothing to replace it.

[mezba]

Why does everyone want to close that gap? Just curious. It looks good as it is!

[Wimmer]

6 hours ago, nesquik said:

Thanks 

@THERIZE is right. Originally these loco’s were used to haul heavy freight trains in the Swiss mountains. They were articulated built because of the tight hairpin turns to climb the mountains. 
I’m using a whole set of hopper cars behind the Crocodile. I liked the hopper cars in one of LEGO’s last good trains; and made myself some copies in a different color. 

[Amoreternum]

1 hour ago, mezba said:

Why does everyone want to close that gap? Just curious. It looks good as it is!

Because that gap does not exist in the prototype - and some of us just want to get sth running on their layout that looks as realistic as possible. It's just a matter of taste, perspective and finally depends of what you want to do or achieve with your layout.

[Duq]

4 hours ago, mezba said:

Why does everyone want to close that gap? Just curious. It looks good as it is!

Beg to differ. I think it looks hideous.

[Sérgio]

4 hours ago, mezba said:

Why does everyone want to close that gap? Just curious. It looks good as it is!

Because it looks like the hoods are not even part of the locomotive with that gap

[Laura Beinbrech]

I think Lego severely underestimated the demand for this thing... It's only been out for like a week or two & it's been listed as "out of stock" on the US webpage for a week... I just hope they at least make it available for backorder soon.

[Merlict]

5 hours ago, Laura Beinbrech said:

I think Lego severely underestimated the demand for this thing

Eh I'd say it's just the rona disruptions, a lot of Ideas / Expert sets are sold out

[JaBaCaDaBra]

16 hours ago, mezba said:

It looks good as it is!

it looks like MEGABRICKS

 

6 hours ago, Laura Beinbrech said:

I just hope they at least make it available for backorder soon.

You bet they're firing up the molds
After all they want to make money and this set is gold.

[Toastie]

13 minutes ago, JaBaCaDaBra said:

it looks like MEGABRICKS

vs.

16 hours ago, mezba said:

It looks good as it is!

Final score: 1:1.

Well, this roughly spans the Diameter of the Playground for The Skilled. Or the Width of The Taste. Or the Depth of the Deep Thoughts.

The best part is: Everybody is happy!!! The ones who like it as it is - the ones who don't like it at all and go nuts on it to become their beauty - and others, like me, who change or add or remove a part here and there (that they have mostly seen here or elsewhere anyways) and believe that the result was an unbelievable improvement to a very nice model in the first place.

As a result, we all have the most beautiful Crocodile, planet LEGO has ever seen.

This is what LEGO is all about!

Play well and have fun!
Thorsten 

 

Wait: @JaBaCaDaBra: Did the forum blitzdings thingy (FBT) change some of your wording into MEGABRICKS or did you write that? Whenever I use Merde in various different incarnations it usually changes that to MEGABLOCKS. Just curious. As I am trying to fool that FBT whenever I can - just for fun ...

Edited July 15, 2020 by Toastie

[JaBaCaDaBra]

1 hour ago, Toastie said:

the forum blitzdings thingy

HAHA
No I did it myself, I wanted to be faster than the FBT

But anyway, you're right about the set, it's great as it is and just as every set we make it better.
hmmm actually i've not jet seen a discussion about a set where nobody wants to mod it cause Lego made it perfect

1 hour ago, Toastie said:

Merde

et fIls de put ?

Edit
Yes this one escaped :-)))

Edited July 15, 2020 by JaBaCaDaBra

[henning47]

On 7/11/2020 at 10:25 AM, SteamSewnEmpire said:

It's such an odd prototype for them to select for this treatment.

While I understand that the crocodile has its fans - even some here in North America - I would not label it as a locomotive with broad appeal.

 

This probably depends on where you live - here in Germany (and I guess to some extend in the rest of Europe as well), the "Crocodile" is very popular among model railroaders, and one of the most famous high-end models by Märklin. So it has a large built-in fanbase over here, and I also guess it's easier to do (i.e., within a nicer price range) than a steam locomotive. Anyway, still very happy with this one, looks great and drives very nicely!

[Shiva]

Lekekassen / Toyspace still seems to have them in stock? Norwegian / Swedish.

[Toastie]

2 hours ago, JaBaCaDaBra said:

Yes this one escaped

So French it is!!!

Best
Thorsten

[Wimmer]

On 7/15/2020 at 2:17 PM, henning47 said:

This probably depends on where you live - here in Germany (and I guess to some extend in the rest of Europe as well), the "Crocodile" is very popular among model railroaders, and one of the most famous high-end models by Märklin. So it has a large built-in fanbase over here, and I also guess it's easier to do (i.e., within a nicer price range) than a steam locomotive. Anyway, still very happy with this one, looks great and drives very nicely!

Agreed !  I'm from The Netherlands and this IS still one of my favorite locomotives ever built.  I remember as a little boy that my dad used to drop me off at the railway station in Switzerland, while he went shopping with my mom, so that I could walk around in the railyard and watch the crocodiles move along...

Used to do the same in the Austrian mountains as well...   Ah,.. those are good memories to have and to think back on while I'm currently living in the California westcoast "desert" and be locked up because of "Coronavirus mishandling",... Yes, Trump, that was towards you !!!