NEW MEMBERS TRAIN TECH Registry

[graafderk]

Hi All!

this has been long overdue, but I think it is still a good time to introduce myself here...

Like so many of you, I started LEGO very young and got my first sets when I was 3 years old. After a short change to Duplo I was back to LEGO and have been hooked to trains since I got the 4564 and 4551 for my 7th birthday. I own a lot of (train)sets, but 9V trains are still my favorite.

When I started university, LEGO was not put very high on my agenda, but I fell in love with Café Corner and bought all Modulars since. As budget is limited for a student like me, I have to make choices on which sets to buy, but recent series like the Modular buildings, Winter Village and of course the Creator trains make me spend more on LEGO each year.

As I am currently abroad, I have no bricks to fiddle around with and the cost for a set here in Asia is incredibly high (about 2.5 times the European price, where LEGO already isn't the cheapest). The lack of bricks inspired me, an electrical engineering student, to finally start working on a custom digital control LEGO train system I've been thinking about for a long time. As a purist, I dare not to open a LEGO train motor to add DCC decoders and the like, so it will be a block based system with modules for each block costing around € 15,- for the current circuit (including train detection system, signalling, 9V voltage control, hopefully PF IR commands so both PF and 9V can run on the same track and CANbus communication to a computer). A friend in software development (and also huge LEGO train fan) will work on the PC part of the system, possibly integrating our system with Rocrail (http://wiki.rocrail.net/doku.php). When I am back home at the start of next year, I can start testing the hardware design and see which design choices give the best results (can blocks make decisions autonomously or should everything go through the central computer, etc.). Hopefully we can show you some results next year!

Although I have read on this and other forums about LEGO train systems using DCC decoders, I have not found examples of systems using digitally controlled analog blocks. Is there anyone around here who has tried such systems (for instance the Dutch DINAMO (http://dinamo.vanperlo.net/)system)?

Edited November 17, 2012 by graafderk

[alainneke]

Hello everybody,

I have been reading these forums for quite some time, but never introduced myself

I've been a huge fan of LEGO and LEGO trains for all my life. It all started with the push-along 7715, and currently I own about 20 train sets: 12 V, 9V and PF. As opposed to 'graafderk', I'm not afraid to perform some surgery on the train motors, so I've converted most of the trains to run on DCC. Aside from the trains, this also makes it possible to remotely control the points, signals and railroad crossing booms. Just tap your finger on the controller screen and watch the lights on 7866 start to blink... It's just like the good old 12 V days

As for the inspiration: there is an impressive amount of ideas and information on the Eurobricks and Train Tech forums, and I would like to thank all the contributors and admins for that!

Regards from Belgium,

Alain

[WesternOutlaw]

Hi All!

Hi G. Welcome to the Train Tech forum. I can completely understand your purchasing strategy. Over the years I've acquired a lot of LEGO that takes a lot of space. I'm at a point now that I too am much more selective in terms of what I buy. The Modulars are some of the best sets designed by LEGO so I've been buying these as well. The Haunted House was my last big set.

Make sure you check out the Horizon Express review. It looks pretty sweet as well.

Hello everybody,

Hi Alain - I always admire those that can do "engine work". I'm not one for modifying my bricks and parts, so more power to you.

I hope you continue to enjoy the forum.

[oddjob]

Hi folks, from New Zealand.

Same situation as most people here, grew up with LEGO. Favorite sets as a kid were the Freight Rail Runner and the Monorail, both of which are still at my parents, be it with parts missing.

Now getting back into collecting. So far have picked up VW Camper, Fire Brigade, and the Grand Emporium; with the Maersk Train currently in the mail from the States.

Will shortly be picking up the Unexpected Gathering and the Horizons Express when they are available. Would also love to get a hold of the Emerald Night too, but it's very hard to find in NZ :(

[WesternOutlaw]

Hi folks, from New Zealand.

Hi Oddjob. Welcome to EB's Train Tech forum. Sounds like you've got a nice collection of some fine sets. Good luck finding an Emerald - it's a great train!

[Electricsteam]

I am Electricsteam and my story starts after finding lego starter trainset 111 in a thrift store it has some peceas to the set but not all of them so then I got one with all the parts. After a few years of only building freight trains they came out with the emerald night and I got hooked on steam trains. I rember turning the emerald night into a silly looking 2- 4 - 2 steam and after that I started making smaller steam locomotives say 2-4-0 and so on my 2 Favorite small steam locomotives I have seen on the fourms where 2 0-2-2 ocilating steam engines , one by Kyphur I belive and the other by The_Rip.

I based my name off of the post that Locomotive Annie made about the electric steam locomotive .

Well thats my story, whats yours

[WesternOutlaw]

Well thats my story, whats yours

Hi Electricsteam:

Welcome to EB's Train Tech forum. I'm the forum moderator around these parts and also a big fan of steam locomotives. Feel free to share a picture of any of your 2-4-0 locomotives or future creations. Hope you enjoy the forum. -TB

[Lazarus]

Hi I am Matthew (Lazarus)

I have had a lego train since i was about six, i enjoyed it but it was never what i really wanted a real model train. I never got a model train untill i was into my 20s and my lego had been packed away for some 20years at mums place. So i have sent a good part of 8 years into models trains, in bettween that i had my first son who i built up my lego train for him just to have in his room on his shelf. It was there till he was about 3y/o, in that time with me being into model trains so much i had already built him a full 8x4foot HO thomas train set upto the same standerd i make mine. And one day he was like i want to play with my lego dad, we got it down and had a bit of a play with it. Finding out my old 9v motor would over heat after about 15mins, and then he some how forgot about the big train set in his bed room and it become lego lego lego. The oposit of me when i was a lad, i just though it would be a fad then back onto his thomas. I found brick link and bought a new 9v motor to keep him going and Brought him some of the elighten trans as i did not want to put to much into this yet as it maybe a fad. Then i found myself hooked again on lego, i think it was due to now i had no space in my house for my trains what ended up being packed away at my mums, two boys and in 3 Bedroom house the wife wanted the boys to have there own space. So i was with out a train set and have a void to fill, there is only so much thomas i can take. I found bricklink and some manuals for my old stuff i had from a boy like all kids over the years parts have gone and i was unable to build my yellow train stashion and train crossing and complete all my trucks for my 9v red cargo train. I bought up the parts and completed my sets, then i got hooked very baddy on bricklink i found my self buying stuff i liked. I bought the new red cargo train and the yellow cargo train and the red passenger train. I turn around and i have spent like $1000 on lego, hay i dont mind me and my boy are having so much fun. From that point it been lego lego lego for both of us, i like the building he likes the destroying. We now have a good amount of classic 9v building sets around, and i have converted all the RC new stuff to 9v. We are saving for the horzion express as i want that alot. I could list what i have but soon after xmas when i get some time off i want to put our set together and take some pics of all our trains and building and post them up. Also i have been working on my own MOCs that some of you might of seen already.

Thanks for reading

Sets i have, 4536 Blue Hopper Car, 4539 Manual Level Crossing, 4546 Road and Rail Maintenance, 4554 Metro Station, 4555 Cargo Station, 4563 Load and Haul Railroad, 10027 Train Engine Shed, 3677 Red Cargo Train, 7938 Passenger Train, 7937 Train Station, 7938 Passenger Train, 7939 Cargo Train, Working on > Custom MOW train Rake and Switching Tower.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Lazarus

[WesternOutlaw]

Hi Matthew. I'm glad you took a few minutes to share more about yourself. It's interesting that you had a LEGO train before your model train and quite a span of years between. For me, model trains came first and I always wanted a LEGO Train to add to my big town. They just weren't available here in the US. It's nice to hear that you and your son are enjoying the hobby together (don't worry about the price as these years can never come back). I've got my eye on the Horizon as well but others like Bionicle and Ninjago if you know what I mean.

Glad to have you a part of Train Tech. Hope you continue to enjoy it and feel free to share a few pics of you and your son's collection. Have fun!

EDIT: and you've got a blue hopper - cool!

[Lazarus]

cost a bit those blue hoppers these day i had this one since i was a lad :-) was going to get more but the price owch.

[T-Bricky]

I had lego as a kid but it was the Fire Brigade 10197 that brought me out of my dark age. Have been keeping up with the rest of the modulars as they've appeared, just need to find the time to build them! It was seeing the Emerald Knight that highlighted the potential of Lego trains. I'd describe myself as a train fan and have always had Hornby 'OO' trains but somehow ignored Lego ones, what was I doing! A switch has been flicked. My first set is 7938, using it to find my feet before creating something new.

[WesternOutlaw]

Welcome T-Bricky. The Fire Brigade is one of my favorites of the Modular sets. I really enjoyed the build and the finished set. You've got to love the vintage fire truck as well. 7938 is one of the trains I don't own as I find the cargo trains more enjoyable (except for maybe the Emerald). Hope you enjoy the forum and good luck with your future LEGO Train collection.

[Hey Joe]

Hey sorry, I've been hanging out on EB for awhile but just realized that I was supposed to introduce myself here. I thought 'registry' was someplace to brag about your collection or something!

Anyway, my name's Joe and I've been living in Beijing, China for awhile but am originally from the Midwest in the US. We're hoping to go back home to the States fairly soon. I like it here a lot but have a young son now so need to go back for his education. I have a lot of trepidations about returning so hanging out here on EB allows me to relax a little and not worry about what sort of job I'll be able to find in the US (if I'm able to find one at all!). I've been here too long.

I got into Lego just this past year because I was shopping for some Duplo for our son. I never got into Lego much when I was a boy as they were just simple blocks mainly. Primarily my interests were comic books and HO trains. So Lego trains are very interesting to me although I've not actually bought any yet as they are very expensive here. I have been stocking up on Enlighten cars here though and am hoping to get a nice Lego engine and get a layout up and running ASAP when we finally get Stateside.

I'm hoping that Lego can be a great hobby that the whole family can enjoy and it's great to have a site like EB to get opinions, ideas and assistance from others. Thanks!

Edited November 22, 2012 by bjtpro

[WesternOutlaw]

Hi Joe. I'm glad you took some time to introduce yourself here. I started my train collecting/modeling with HO scale trains as well, many years before LEGO Trains in fact. LEGO is much different in that it lets you build anything. While I'm not up to the highly detailed trains as some of our expert builders here in the forum, I still enjoy building a few MOCs from time to time. What's nice is that you can share the hobby with your son, something that I'm sure he enjoys.

I'll check out your family collection and I hope that you continue to enjoy the forum.

[Wabbajack]

Hello, I suppose it is my time to introduce. I am 21 years old (22 in under a month). I had a layout at home with my brother (he is 12 years younger) Here are some photos, I took them last month when visiting home.

The first time we saw the Deluxe Train, me and my brother fell in love with it. In 2010 I went to university in Prague (500 km away).

I left the layout to my brother, but a time later I started looking at Train Tech. I wanted to buy the 10194 EN, but I didnť have the spare money.

After I got a part time job, I decided to buy one. They were already sold out or overpriced. So I bought the 10219 MT. The longer I have it,

the more I love it. I still have it MISB, but I will open it eventually. (Sorry for the mess, I do live in a dorm, so I believe it is acceptable )

To motorise it, I bought 7938 and a decal truck. So now my dormitory table looks like this:

I will build the MT after I get the 24 straight tracks I ordered. May post pictures. I am looking forward to working with EB Train forum.

PS: Oh! I forgot to mention the other 100 Kg of Lego left at home, which I have been collecting since 1995.

Edited December 1, 2012 by Wabbajack

[WesternOutlaw]

Hello,

Hi Wabbajack. Glad you took a little time to introduce yourself here. Looks like you've got a nice train collection started. I have the green cargo train and really enjoyed it in my layout.

[tra8cer]

Good evening, I am new at posting here however I have been using these pages as reference for about a year now.

My name is Stephen and I am a 34 yo male located in South Florida. I work full time and have limited funds for the hobby, however I have built up my collection over the past couple years and am ready to take the hobby to the "next level". I recently have been searching online for a "standard" modular bench-work design, and the best that I have found so far has been baylug's design. At work today I stumbled across a table design with a dimension of 30" x 45" and I liked this size because it would fit easy into my small SUV but I have since lost the article. If any one has and links to a "standard" design, or multiple pictures of what a club may do to combine layouts in order to display together, please send me a link.

With that being said, I am also really interested in joining a Lego train club. The closest to me currently is GFLUG, however it is still at least a 4 hour drive if not more to some of the meeting locations. I am not sure if this is the right choice for me or I should entertain ideas of starting a local club in the greater Miami area. If forum any members are located in South Florida and would also be interested in a local club, please get a hold of me!

Edited December 5, 2012 by tra8cer

[zephyr1934]

With that being said, I am also really interested in joining a Lego train club. The closest to me currently is GFLUG, however it is still at least a 4 hour drive if not more to some of the meeting locations. I am not sure if this is the right choice for me or I should entertain ideas of starting a local club in the greater Miami area. If forum any members are located in South Florida and would also be interested in a local club, please get a hold of me!

Welcome aboard tra8cer. See my related comments here, to summarize, I'd suggest joining GFLUG to test the waters and perhaps find a few like-minded folks there that might live closer to you. Even if you only participate in one show a year and are active on the discussion board you'll get a good idea of what is involved. There are also some great folks in GFLUG.

[WesternOutlaw]

Good evening,

Welcome Stephen. Glad to have you join Train Tech. Thank you for sharing a bit about yourself and some pictures. I enjoy seeing a train around the Christmas tree this time of year. Love that Haunted House as well! I don't know much about train clubs in your area, but sounds like Z gave you some useful info above.

Enjoy the forum and Merry Christmas.

[Lego1975]

Hello all, my name is Steve and I hail from the desolated space known as Brandenburg, Ky. I have always dabbled in and with Lego. Now that I have completed my Joe collection I have directed my energies toward Lego trains....I hope to be able to post some of my collection as well as some of my own MOCs soon.

[WesternOutlaw]

Hello

Hi Steve. Welcome to EB and to the Train Tech forum. Strangely, I've been working on the old Joe collection (or variation of I suppose) - still like LEGO trains though.

Hope you enjoy the forum.

[Captain K.]

Hello all,

my name is Sven (Captain K) and I live in Germany.

I'm a big fan of Lego trains for many years. My first Lego train set was 4559.

For several years, I build all my Lego trains in 8wide and on 9V System.

One of my favorites are track maintenance equipment.

Sven (Captain K)

[WesternOutlaw]

Hello all,

Welcome Swen. Some of my earliest experiences with HO scale trains were black & red German steam locomotives by Marklin. Always loved the wonderful variety of DB trains - you've got some great inspiration for building in LEGO. Hope you enjoy the forum. Frohe Weihnachten!

[English Electric]

Hello all,

my name is Sven (Captain K) and I live in Germany.

One of my favorites are track maintenance equipment.

Sven (Captain K)

Hello all, I made an introduction in the general section, but thought I would say hello here as I just found this pinned topic.

Sven, I have just had a look at some of your track maintenance machines (known as on track machines or OTM's here in he UK), they ae truly excellent models. I actually work as a fleet engineer here in the UK on a fleet of OTMs, and would love to try and model some of them in LEGO, but I wouldn't know where to start...

I went to Plasser & Theurer's works in Linz earlier in the year and to Robel in Frielassing, a great experience to see the real things being built!

[WesternOutlaw]

Hello all,

Hi EE - welcome as well and Happy New Year.