Real Water in Train Layouts

[Brickstarrunner]

Hi. This is a little off topic, but this is my first topic I have started besides my "Hello, I'm New" topic

Back on topic, I have read and replied to TheBrickster's Topic "Real Water in Your City"

Real Water in Your LEGO City

I responded, and I am quoting

Since my second hobby is model railroading, I have seen G-Scale (Garden Scale) model railroaders put railroads in their house with running water. If it can be done in G-Scale, it can be done in Lego Scale

Please Note

These videos contain NO LEGOs what-so-ever, but I am showing them to you the possibilities of using water on your layout.

After searching high and low for an indoor railroad, I have stumbled upon a G scale video with a nice rustic town with running water, but what I am trying to say is that if they can build an indoor railroad with running water, I'm sure we can too.

Indoor Model Railroad w/h Running water

I have experimented with this a bit. I have found out that if you are using waterfalls, either place the track far away from the "Splash Zone" or use RC Track because I lost some good 9v tracks due to water splashing on the tracks.

Ponds and lakes offer great oppertunities, such as this neat video I found. Its GRAND quality and is part of the world's largest model railroad: Miniatur Wunderland located in Germany. It has floating boats (we could use the LEGO floating boats using Power Functions, but going back on topic) and glass to see underwater.

(I reccomend using the HD and full screen to your advantage)

I hope these little videos I found help inspire you to put real, running water in your LEGO City, Train layout, or just about any other topic that can use a good splash of H20!

Night everybody

[WesternOutlaw]

I'm loving the videos you've shared. That last one in Hamburg - excellent!

So this topic deals with real water in train displays but NOT limited to LEGO - interesting.

Moved to Train Tech.

[TaltosVT]

After searching high and low for an indoor railroad, I have stumbled upon a G scale video with a nice rustic town with running water, but what I am trying to say is that if they can build an indoor railroad with running water, I'm sure we can too.

The minifig-scale Millyard layout at the SEE Science Center in Manchester, NH has water running through it. The base of the layout if made from plywood, with channels cut for the water.

An example from one of the during-construction photos: http://www.nelug.org/mediagallery/media.ph...060625222124924.

NELUG is having their 10th anniversary party there tomorrow. I'll try to get some current photos.

-Elroy

[Topsy Cret]

I'm loving the videos you've shared. That last one in Hamburg - excellent!

I'm in a bragging kind of mood so here I go: you should you see it in the flesh! I've been and watched the whole thing twice (I only went to Hamburg the first time cause I knew they had a LEGO Brand store there ). The thing is MASSIVE. The place has installations depicting famous cities, countries or just plain famous things. I'd definitely recommend trying to go see it (a word of caution though, you must be there just as they open, seeing as how the place gets crowded in half an hour).

Onto the actual topic, real water in any LEGO layout is impressive. Though to really give that wow factor-I'd have a stream or waterfall. A slow-moving river or lake just wouldn't cut it for me-you may as well just use transparent plastic.

For a waterfall, pumping is definitely not a problem (just get a hold of the Technic pneumatics, tanks and other related things that were released in the mid-90s sets). Leakage is. I would probably make three (magic number! ) one-stud layers of wall, then have some sort container around the outside of the wall. This container would have various "suckers" to pump back any water that got away. Obviously, this would have to remain invisible to the public eye, but meh.

Although moving on to something else - how about water IN trains, or a working water tower? The list goes on.

[Brickstarrunner]

I'm in a bragging kind of mood so here I go: you should you see it in the flesh! I've been and watched the whole thing twice (I only went to Hamburg the first time cause I knew they had a LEGO Brand store there ). The thing is MASSIVE. The place has installations depicting famous cities, countries or just plain famous things. I'd definitely recommend trying to go see it (a word of caution though, you must be there just as they open, seeing as how the place gets crowded in half an hour).

Off Topic:

Man, its been a while since I posted here

On Topic:

You got any photos to share? Because I never went there before, but I would like to see it from a "Human" view, not a "Mini Person's" view.