Building Emerald Night. Is correct what I did?

[robt]

Hi guys,

I have a question about a building step in Emerald Night instructions.

At page 6, it's clearly shown to put a tan brick 1x1 with hole with a pearl round 1x1 attached below in the "gear box", blocked by the black axle.

This is what I did, as you can see in the following image.

At page 50, when you need to put the engine upside down to build the bogies, that brick with attached round is not shown.

Is correct what I did?

Why is the brick free to move on the axle?

My guess is that the brick is used to block the gears in their place, but if so, what's the benefit of that round attached below the brick?

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Spitfire2865]

Hi guys,

I have a question about a building step in Emerald Night instructions.

At page 6, it's clearly shown to put a tan brick 1x1 with hole with a pearl round 1x1 attached below in the "gear box", blocked by the black axle.

Is correct what I did?

Why is the brick free to move on the axle?

My guess is that the brick is used to block the gears in their place, but if so, what's the benefit of that round attached below the brick?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Odd, You must have a newer printing as My page 6 doesnt show it in the axle. Though it does show it built. I cant help you if its necessary or not because my EN was scrapped sometime last year. I really wouldnt bother with it as the axle gear should hold the other one in place.

My EN worked fine without it I believe

Edited January 19, 2013 by Spitfire2865

[robt]

I've just checked the two reviews indexed in this forum.

If you check the review by Captain Zuloo, when he shows the gear box, that brick is not there.

While in the review by Brickdoctor at step 52 the brick has been put as I did.

That's strange.

In addition, I got one Light Bluish Gray Technic Plate 2 x 4 with 3 Holes in my spare parts, while in the latter review that piece is not there.

Did I miss something?

Edited January 19, 2013 by robt

[Spitfire2865]

Im not sure. Tis very odd. Maybe you missed something small. It should work though.

[AndyC]

The original model didn't have the 1x1 with a hole in it, which occasionally lead to problems with the gearing coming apart. Later models were revised with the fix in place, but I guess they only ever updated the actual page where you put it in and not all the following pages.

[Pugsly]

no you did not do it right, the 1x1 round tile needs to be rotated 90 degrees to the right so it is next to the gray technic piece.

[robt]

I don't understand, Pugsly.

What do you mean?

It seems to be exactly as instructions say.

[robt]

In addition, I got one Light Bluish Gray Technic Plate 2 x 4 with 3 Holes in my spare parts, while in the latter review that piece is not there.

Did I miss something?

Found the missing step, I didn't put the plate in front of the engine, just behind the front round plate.

[Hrw-Amen]

I have that little tan brick in mine and yes I have made it so that the round 1X1 plate is against the technic beam on mine. It simply holds the gears in place. They still jam occasionally but no-where near as much as if it is not there at all.

[Phoxtane]

I think what Pugsly is try to say is that you're supposed to rotate the 1x1 Technic piece on the axle so the stud on the top is pointing at the gears and the pearl-gold piece is butted up against the light grey Technic frame piece. Never mind - it won't fit that way!

I'm surprised that they just didn't throw in a full and half bushing to fill that space. That's how I would have done it, at least.

Edited January 20, 2013 by Phoxtane

[AndyC]

I'm surprised that they just didn't throw in a full and half bushing to fill that space. That's how I would have done it, at least.

IIRC the parts used were spares after you motorise the engine, which is the only time it really mattered. So the "fix" could be retroactively applied to older EN models without needing to obtain any new parts and then extra pieces were added in the revised design so that you didn't need to decide prior to building whether you were planning to motorize it.

[robt]

I think what Pugsly is try to say is that you're supposed to rotate the 1x1 Technic piece on the axle so the stud on the top is pointing at the gears and the pearl-gold piece is butted up against the light grey Technic frame piece. Never mind - it won't fit that way! I'm surprised that they just didn't throw in a full and half bushing to fill that space. That's how I would have done it, at least.

Yes, if rotated it doesn't fit because of the stud on top.

IIRC the parts used were spares after you motorise the engine, which is the only time it really mattered.

That part is not modified when you motorize the engine. You'll get spare parts from the box in the middle of the boiler.

What I still don't understand is why the pearl round below the brick... It can't be a decoration.

Anyway if you use a 2x4 plate, that round can be used to block the brick in the middle position.

Edited January 20, 2013 by robt

[Daedalus304]

The gold plate is used to help make it easier to thread it onto the axle. If you have the engine sitting flat on the table (as the instructions assume you do when they have you build the two temporary supports), then that round plate positions the technic brick at just the right height that you don't need to prop it or support it when you're putting. :P )the axle in.

I've actually found this design to work quite well in keeping the gear on the axle, and wondered myself why they didn't put on a half bushing as weell until I tried to add one - its actually rather tricky to put in there and it doesn't end up adding much of any extra robustity (that's a MOW - my own word :P ) to the gear set.

[robt]

The gold plate is used to help make it easier to thread it onto the axle.

Oh yes, it could be!

Another proof of how much TLG pays attention to details.

[English Electric]

I'm glad you raised this topic robt as I checked my EN and it didn't have this fitted, so I've made the mod now. Are there any other known official changes or corrections?

[robt]

Are there any other known official changes or corrections?

PDF instructions in LEGO website are the same I have, so the latest version, I guess.

You could spot the differences with yours.

http://cache.lego.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/4611661.pdf

http://cache.lego.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/4581168.pdf

[alainneke]

I'm glad you raised this topic robt as I checked my EN and it didn't have this fitted, so I've made the mod now. Are there any other known official changes or corrections?

Not official, but RailBricks 7 describes some more improvements to the Emerald Night...

[robt]

Not official, but RailBricks 7 describes some more improvements to the Emerald Night...

Ah ah, it seems that TLG came to a much simpler and elegant solution :-)

[AndyC]

That part is not modified when you motorize the engine. You'll get spare parts from the box in the middle of the boiler.

Yes, I know. I think you're missing the chronology of events, which is important.

1. The original Emerald Night model is released. It doesn't have the 1x1 brick in place.

2. Fans who run it motorized for long periods complain about gear slippage problems.

3. TLG issues a "fix" (essentially what you see on Page 6) that prevents the problem. To save money on sending out new parts, this is cunningly done using only pieces that are spare after you've removed from the boiler section when you motorise the set. This way you can either build the engine without the 1x1 un-motorized, or build it taking into account the fix and motorize it (you kind of have to decide early as it's a massive pain to change it later!).

4. Later production runs of the Emerald Night model include extra pieces so that you can include the fix regardless of whether you choose to motorize it (thus not requiring you to decide in advance). The instruction booklet is also updated to include the fixed Page 6, but apparently the other pages are left as-is, which is why you get the discrepancy you originally noted.

[robt]

Thanks for your clarification, AndyC

[Pugsly]

I don't understand, Pugsly.

What do you mean?

It seems to be exactly as instructions say.

oops my fault, i just looked at mine now and saw i was wrong, the figure above with the 2x4 plate is what i have on mine also.