[MOC] DSB Litra MZ I & III (8-wide locomotives)

[dtomsen]

I've been split in scale since I began building LEGO trains with all my shunters, freight wagons and latest passenger train being 7-wide or 1:54 and all my older locomotives and passenger wagons being 6-wide or 1:60.

With almost all of my buildings close to true minifig-scale, I've been contemplating to unify my scale for a few years now but I couldn't decide to go for either 7 or 8-wide...in addition to being pretty much satisfied with most of my 6-wide models as they are.

Well, no more 

Presenting my favourite Danish State Railways’ (DSB) locomotive redesigned to 8-wide and digitally rendered in two versions and liveries...


DSB Litra MZ

The powerful Litra MZ locomotives were built by Swedish Nydquist & Holm AB (Nohab) and Danish subcontractors on license from General Motors.

10 MZ (I) were built from 1967-1969.
20 MZ (III) were built from 1972-1974.
61 in total were built across all four variants (I-IV).

Quite a few are still used today by private railway companies either domestic or abroad, in Iran, Norway and Australia.


My model of DSB Litra MZ (I):

DSB maroon livery used in the 1960/70s with the highly recognizable crown and wing logo on the front.

Scale: 1:46
Length: 56 studs from buffer to buffer
Width: 8 bricks
Bricks: 1.264
Powered: 2 x L-motors, 2 x AAA battery boxes + 2 x SBricks, 1 x AAA battery box + 1 x SBrick/PFx Brick or 2 x BuWizz battery boxes
Control: PF with SBrick, PFx Brick or BuWizz
Designed: 2020

My older 6-wide version from 2016: https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/119474-moc-the-danish-state-railways-dsb-locomotive-litra-mz-i/

All renders are done on the very high setting in Stud.io with all of my own custom decals added in the PartDesigner tool.





Upgearing from 20 to 12 teeth with a ratio of 5:3....more speed, less power 

PF L-motor design with good advice from some of the Brick Train Depot guys.

Credit to Duq for coming up with the original idea of using the T-piece.

3-axled bogie:

The center wheel will utilize a black hockey puck as a blind driver or a 2 x 2 round tile with open stud and 1 x 1 round tile placed on top on it as the alternative.
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=47576#T=C





My model of DSB Litra MZ (III):

DSB "modern" red & black livery used in the 1980s.

Scale: 1:46
Length: 56 studs from buffer to buffer
Width: 8 bricks
Bricks: 1.331
Powered: 2 x L-motors, 2 x AAA battery boxes + 2 x SBricks, 1 x AAA battery box + 1 x SBrick/PFx Brick or 2 x BuWizz battery boxes
Control: PF with SBrick, PFx Brick or BuWizz
Designed: 2020

My older 6-wide version from 2011 and redesigned in 2015: https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/172599-moc-herningværket-vestkraft-is-complete-set-of-locomotives-and-wagons

Part of the fun and what set LEGO trains apart from pure model railroading is the inclusion of minifigs, so whenever and whatever I always try to make space for them and also keep on some play features and interiors.

The 8-wide body is quite roomy and has a fairly correct interior.

2 x PF L-motors with either 2 x AAA battery boxes + 2 x SBricks, 1 x AAA battery box + 1 x SBrick/PFx Brick or 2 x BuWizz battery boxes can be utilized:




Both locomotives with DSB Litra MZ (I) in front of the later version DSB Litra MZ (III) in the background:




Technical addendum:

For the first time ever I have used technical drawings overlayed with LEGO scaled grids to get the dimensions right or as close to right as possible.




The models haven't been built yet but some smaller builds have been used for testing during the design phase.
My slightly shorter test train didn’t really like driving through R40 curves, no surprise there 
Too much length overall and the wheel sets in both ends of the bogies are also pretty far from each other producing some drag. 
Going through isn't impossible though but rather uneven and a tiny bit struggling, especially with added wagons.
There are no problems driving on straight tracks and through larger radii curves.

To my surprise however was the finding that the total number of parts were the same or even slightly less than a similar 7-wide model 

So henceforth, 8-wide it is

Edited June 7, 2022 by dtomsen

[SteamSewnEmpire]

Wow, this is fantastic. 

I can only speak for myself, but I believe 8w to be the best compromise between part count and appearances.

Edited July 27, 2020 by SteamSewnEmpire

[Selander]

Yes, very nice builds. I like both versions. The high level render and decals make the models come to life, despite beeing "only digital".

Edited July 27, 2020 by Selander
Added info

[ColletArrow]

I love the colours of the older version, I think it fits and emphasises your work on the shaping (especially around the cab) far more than the newer scheme. Excellent work! 

[SteamSewnEmpire]

8 minutes ago, ColletArrow said:

I love the colours of the older version, I think it fits and emphasises your work on the shaping (especially around the cab) far more than the newer scheme. Excellent work! 

Very much agree.

---

What part did you use for the fans on the roof? Are those the base of 4x4 turntables? If so, what's in the middle?

[dtomsen]

34 minutes ago, SteamSewnEmpire said:

What part did you use for the fans on the roof? Are those the base of 4x4 turntables? If so, what's in the middle?

Technic Disks 3 x 3 with the Maersk Train sticker on top.
Technic 2 Axles connected to 2 x 2 Round Plates with Axle Hole hold them in place underneath the 4 x 4 Turntable Square Bases

46 minutes ago, ColletArrow said:

I love the colours of the older version, I think it fits and emphasises your work on the shaping (especially around the cab) far more than the newer scheme. Excellent work! 

Interesting point 

I prefer the red and black but that's probably nostalgia talking 

Edited July 27, 2020 by dtomsen

[Sérgio]

Great work! love the angle you make using hinges.

[zephyr1934]

These are a great build, the motorization is particularly fascinating, but getting that slant on the top of the sides looks like it was a real challenge.

 

5 hours ago, dtomsen said:

Technic Disks 3 x 3 with the Maersk Train sticker on top.
Technic 2 Axles connected to 2 x 2 Round Plates with Axle Hole hold them in place underneath the 4 x 4 Turntable Square Bases 

If you want to do away with the technic disk and just use the turntable base you could always do something like this

[bogieman]

You did an outstanding job capturing the look of these, well done.

I started working at GM-EMD when these locos were ending their production; as the noise engineer I recognized these for their quiet, isolated cabs which we didn't do at EMD until about 20 years later. The fact than Nohab could package a 20-645 engine on six axles with dual cabs at the total weight matching a North American 4-axle loco is impressive.

Regarding the cooling fans, I've thought that Big Ben should tool up to produce a part matching the EMD 48 inch fan since it was widely used and the sticker approach or the blind driver approach doesn't quite do it. Maybe Zephyr could produce a 3D printed fan to add to his offerings (I suggested it to Ben already and he didn't think there was a big enough market), I can provide a 2D drawing if anyone is interested.

Dave

[Feuer Zug]

Great looking locomotive. The jump to 8-wide allows for more details and you nailed it.

[BrickMusher]

Really amazing. I followed your work for a couple of years now, but this 8-Wide ads really some topping on the cake.

Although I am not convinced of 8-wide for my own models yet, I would possibly try to rebuild your dark-red variant just to see and compare to 6-wide and than rethink my preferences

 

Question: Why haven't you used dark Brick 1x2 with Grille 2877 for the older variant? I think that would look even better?

[dtomsen]

On 7/28/2020 at 6:43 AM, BrickMusher said:

Question: Why haven't you used dark Brick 1x2 with Grille 2877 for the older variant? I think that would look even better?

The horror 😱

That part finally produced in dark red and I hadn’t noticed, so thank you for making me aware of it 

Now I need to make some new renders

Edited December 9, 2021 by dtomsen

[Asper]

Wonderful engines!

[dtomsen]

On 7/27/2020 at 5:22 PM, zephyr1934 said:

These are a great build, the motorization is particularly fascinating, but getting that slant on the top of the sides looks like it was a real challenge.

Thanks 

The slant wasn't that big of a challenge as I had already tried numerous approaches during the evolution of my older 6-wide version 

The two main challenges for me were: 

1) The curvature along the side edges on the front. 
Hard edges were neither correct nor looked good (too boxy), curved slopes sideways were too flat and placed the curvature in the wrong places (either on the front itself or too far back on the sides) and curved bricks sideways alone gave the appearance of fat chubby cheeks with too much of a gap between them and the 6-wide train windscreen.
Cam (one of the Brick Train Depot guys) helped with different suggestions and everything quickly fell into place after that.

2) The bogies.
In particular the front proved rather difficult with the continuously lower front part and the slanted brick-built plow which both had to move together with the turning bogie necessary for navigation curves.
This took some time (and several failures) to figure out how to do reasonable solid and look both good and correct.

Edited November 27, 2020 by dtomsen

[Laura Beinbrech]

I really love this MOC, and I have to echo that 8-wide seems to be a really good scale for LEGO trains (at least for standard-gauge anyways, I use 6-wide for my narrow-gauge stuff).  I also have always been a fan of the DSB locomotives ever since seeing the MX & MY, and this one is no exception.  I'm hoping to make a trip to Denmark sometime in the next couple of years and plan on hitting up some of the Danish railroad museums/heritage railroads when I'm there.

[dtomsen]

On 7/29/2020 at 2:02 PM, Laura Beinbrech said:

I really love this MOC, and I have to echo that 8-wide seems to be a really good scale for LEGO trains (at least for standard-gauge anyways, I use 6-wide for my narrow-gauge stuff).  I also have always been a fan of the DSB locomotives ever since seeing the MX & MY, and this one is no exception.  I'm hoping to make a trip to Denmark sometime in the next couple of years and plan on hitting up some of the Danish railroad museums/heritage railroads when I'm there.

Thanks, Laura

If you do visit Denmark, please find time to visit The Danish Railway Museum in the city of Odense.
The museum is well worth a lengthy visit 

The former Odense Banegård is right next door to the roundhouse housing the museum 

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2021 by dtomsen

[Laura Beinbrech]

5 hours ago, dtomsen said:

Thanks, Laura ?

If you do visit Denmark, please find time to visit The Danish Railway Museum in the city of Odense.
The museum is well worth a lengthy visit ?

The former Odense Banegård is right next door to the roundhouse housing the museum ?

I'll definitely do that, especially since Odense is fairly close to a castle (Egeskov Slot) that's near the top of my list of points of interest to visit in Denmark.

[dtomsen]

All renders updated with the Dark Red 1 x 2 Brick with Grille which I would have used in the first place had I known the part had become available in that color

Edited February 14, 2021 by dtomsen

[dtomsen]

Testing...

2 x BuWizz battery boxes with 2 x PF L-motors at fast speed through switches on a straight oval track:

2 x BuWizz battery boxes with 2 x PF L-motors powering the locomotive only at ludicrous speed on a straight oval track 

 

Edited June 7, 2022 by dtomsen

[baard]

Great models. 8 wide certainly fits better with R104 or the like than R40....

[dtomsen]

---

Edited June 7, 2022 by dtomsen

[Paperinik77pk]

Spectacular locomotive! The older, brown version is awesome! Thumbs up!!!

[Duq]

I had already admired them on Flickr. Really nice model!

I recognise the black and red livery from various trips to Denmark but the classic one is more... classy? I'm not a fan of most modern railway liveries. I've never liked the DB 'verkehrsrot'. Pretty much every German loco looks better in whatever colour it was before that was introduced...

Haven't been to Odense for a while. Let's see if I can convince Mrs. Duq to visit the museum next time we're in Denmark.

[Roadmonkeytj]

Dennis - I've really enjoyed watching (and helping) these come together ... I still think the maroon Litra MZ is my favorite.  I can't wait to see it pulling those coaches you've been working on!

[dtomsen]

On 9/28/2020 at 3:19 PM, Roadmonkeytj said:

Dennis - I've really enjoyed watching (and helping) these come together ... I still think the maroon Litra MZ is my favorite.  I can't wait to see it pulling those coaches you've been working on!

Thanks and since you mentioned them...my DSB passenger wagons:

DSB Litra B

Litra B was the most common passenger wagon for several decades and built by Scandia in Denmark.
A total of 291 were built from 1964-1983.
Though modernized once, all were out of service by 1997.
A few became museums pieces, others were repurposed but most were sold to Iran in 1998.

My model:

DSB red & black livery used in the 1980s.

Scale: 1:48
Length: 62 studs from buffer to buffer
Width: 8 studs
Bricks: 1.169
Wheels: Ball bearing type
Designed: 2020
Updated: 2022

Technical drawing:



All renders are done on the very high setting in Stud.io with custom decals added in the PartDesigner tool.




The doors can be removed and repositioned as open:




The roof can be removed providing access to the interior:

Toilet 



Rear with rubber diaphragms:




DSB Litra A

Litra A was the first class version of the much more common Litra B and also built by Scandia in Denmark.

A total of 25 were built.
The first batch of 15 in 1966.
The second batch of 10 in 1974.

All were taken out of service in 1997-1998. 
One survived as a museum piece, a few were repurposed but most were sold to Iran in 1998.


My model:

DSB red & black with the yellow stribe (signaling first class) livery used in the 1980s.

Scale: 1:48
Length: 62 studs from buffer to buffer
Width: 8 studs
Bricks: 1.243
Wheels: Ball bearing type
Designed: 2020
Updated : 2022

Bogie:

Train wheels with ball bearings.:

DSB Litra Bc

A total of 7 sleeping wagons were rebuilt from the older and much more numerous DSB Litra B passenger wagons and re-entered service from 1993.
All were taken out of service in 2001. 
One survived as a museum piece. 
The rest were scraped in 2001.

My model:

Scale: 1:48
Length: 62 studs from buffer to buffer
Width: 8 studs
Bricks: 1.211
Wheels: Ball bearing type
Designed: 2020
Updated: 2022

 

DSB Litra Bk

The kiosk wagons were rebuilt from the older and much more numerous Litra B and BD passenger wagons.

A total of 35 wagons were rebuilt.
26 Litra Bs from 1972-1974.
9 Litra BDs in 1977.

Most were taken out of service in 1993 and the rest in 1998.One survived as a museum piece, a handful were scrapped, most were sold to Iran in 1993 and the rest in 1998.

My model:

DSB red & black livery used in the 1980s with the vertical white catering stripes added in 1983.

Scale: 1:48
Length: 62 studs from buffer to buffer
Width: 8 studs
Bricks: 1.164
Wheels: Ball bearing type
Designed: 2021
Updated: 2022

DSB Litra B (older livery)

DSB Litra B was the most common passenger wagon for several decades and built by Scandia in Denmark.
A total of 125 were built in the maroon livery from 1964-1966 and repainted red & black in 1967.
Though modernized once, all were out of service by 1997.
A few became museums pieces, others were repurposed but most were sold to Iran in 1998.

My model:

DSB maroon livery with the highly recognizable crown logo typical of the 1960/70s.

Scale: 1:48
Length: 62 studs from buffer to buffer
Width: 8 studs
Bricks: 1.218
Wheels: Ball bearing type
Designed: 2020
Updated: 2022


Complete set (with my old roof design):

Edited June 7, 2022 by dtomsen