All posts by raised

FX Bricks introduces FX Track

It’s been a long wait since FX Bricks first teased their metal rails, but finally, the word is out: March 1st, 2021 will see the second coming of the 9V line! 15 years after the official introduction of Plastic Rails (and the demise of the good old 9V track) the one and only plug-and-play track system that TLC ever had is returning to the markets.

In fact, FX Bricks send us a pre-sale package of R72 and S32 rails last week so that we could already experience the look & feel of the product beforehand. In the seven days I had a blast playing with it, but also just staring at it, to be honest.

(p)review of FX Tracks

I’m not going to do a full in-depth review, because I think zephyr1943 over at Eurobricks did a very fine one already. I mean, if you read his piece, there is no need anymore to say anything else. Also, I mostly agree with the points he makes. And I also think that none of these points are big enough for me to actually make a fuzz about it. So, this review will be mostly an Unboxing Therapy. In fact, I’d say it’s more a Preview than a Review, but hopefully interesting to the community nonetheless!

Shiny new thingies
FX Track

First of all, the packaging. When I received it, I was immediately stunned with the high level of quality of it. In the past I did receive ME Models track (ziplock bag with a cardboard banner), Trixbricks (same) and Bricktracks (nice cardboard box, but with a sticker). This however is a totally different ballpark. The design is gorgeous, the packaging feels very high quality, and the rails are even held together individually with cardboard spacers.

R72 FX Track - first impressions

Which, in fact, have different sizes to accomodate the tracks best as possible. Overall, it’s amazing work, and I can see these taking center spot in those good old Brick and Mortar stores.

R72 FX Track - first impressions
R72 FX Track - first impressions

The track itselfs looks and feels pretty high quality. The plastic is just a liiiiiitle bit more translucent then Legos, but from a little distance it’s almost invisible. Thanks to the metal rails the whole rail also feels a lot heavier and thus more high quality then a regular plastic rail. Also, the rails are clamped beautifully around the track. You can really see Michael and his team put a lot of effort into making sure this is engineered to the highest levels of quality.

R72 FX Track - first impressions

A very nice addition is the embossing of the rail size on top of the rails. Both ME Models and Bricktracks also have this in their injection moulded rails, but they have it on the backside of the track. While this is already a great improvement of not having any identifiers, to me it’s pretty annoying to all the time turn around your track to see which radius it is. By embossing it on the top of the studs it really gives you the possiblity to see wich track you are holding with one short look. Which will definatly come in handy if they are really planning to expand to more diffent radii of curves. Also fun: the S32 straight track also has this embossing.

Regarding running 9V trains on FX track I didn’t see any difference at all (yeah the 9V motor is a bit old, have to admit that). I didn’t see any loss of power in this curve, the train just kept on running at regular speed all the time. It did lose a little bit of speed in the curves, but that’s normal due to the nature of curves to begin with. Mostly, I had way too much fun with the power controller, the haptic feedback of it (being an actuall thing instead of an app), and seeing an instant reaction of the train. Something that I haven’t experienced in ages, because of the annoying line-of-sight of the IR controller and the digital experience of a BT controller. In fact, not even the PUP controller (because of the push buttons) comes close to the good old speed regulator. Go 9V Go!

Pre-Conclusions & thoughts

I have to say that I’m pretty excited for this for several reasons. First of all, I was one of the people who invested (OK, fair enough, post-Kickstarter) in ME Models, hoping it would deliver on it’s promise to bring back 9V. It never happened unfortunately, and the products that they did manage to ship out, both plastic and metal rails, were sub-par to say the least. Thanks to Bricktracks this gap was finally plugged for plastic rails and wide radii were finally possible in a reliable and Lego-worthy manner.

And to be honest: I’m still very excited for the Bricktracks R104 switch, and I have two rounds of R104 and R120 laying around here. I think a lot of Trainheads who never grew up with the 12V or 9V system, and who have been using plastic track for all their Lego-lives, will be still very much interested in getting Bricktracks products.

However, for people like me, who grew up in the 9V-era (I’m not old enough that I had to go through that horrible period of 12V to 9V luckily), and who still have a decent amount of 9V motors, 9V track (mostly curves, obviously…) and about 10 power regulators laying around, the new FX Track really gives some interesting possibilities.

FX Bricks actually explains the three most important ones in the video, but for me one really, really sticks out and that is the plug-and-play part. To be fair again: I love the PF system, because I can decide on wheelbase length, motor power and everything else. However, the more shows I do, the more fed up I get of that annoying control and power system that both PUP and PF have. It’s so irritating to have a train going out of range, a dropping BT connection, a non-functioning IR remote, or even worse: Batteries dying on me. In fact, I’d say that 75% of the time I’m running trains at a show, I’m busy with the absolute horror of changing batteries, charging them, or trying to reconnect a BT controller, or even worse, trying to find out where I left my IR remote this time around. It just really destroys a lot of the fun of running trains. And yes, I know it’s cheaper. But it’s just not worth it anymore if you ask me.

So, long story short: Yes, I really look forward to this! And yes, I really want to thank FX Bricks for sending us this pre-sale package. I had a ton of fun and feel pretty special to have this product on my desk already a good 2-3 weeks before it actuall hits the shelves.

OcTRAINber 2020: The Results

In 2017 we published the results on November 17th, in 2018 on December 9th, and in 2019 on January 6th of 2020. This year it is January 24th. Partly this is due to ever more busy lifes of our editors and judges, but partly it is also due to the ever increasing level of the builds. Every year it seems to be more difficult then the last year to judge the entries, which is great to see!

Just as the previous years we really enjoyed all the WIP stories of this year, and the entries as a whole. Making OcTRAINber a two-month edition really worked this year, both for the quality of the builds, the ammount of entries, and the higher quality WIP stories. This means we are pretty sure that a two-month OcTRAINber will again be a thing in the coming installment.

Prizes & Judging

In total, there are five prizes to be won in this years OcTRAINber. One Grand Prize (meaning the winner of winners) and four category prizes: Small, Medium and Large Real Life Entries, and one Digital Entry. The Grand Prize this is the Lego Crocodile 10277, this year sponsored by BMR. The other four prizes are a PFx Brick + XL Speaker (two times) and a set of R104 switches by BrickTracks (two times). Also, all winners will get one set of BMR Knuckle Couplers. Lastly, and this is new this year, all winners will receive a BMR OcTRAINber printed brick.

For judging, we have set up a couple of rules to give every creation the best chances of winning.  We decided on 3 categories on which we would assign points:

  • Credibility of the prototype. This means we will be looking at how much the build represents the real life prototype. Both the diorama itself, but definatly also the train that is on it. If you are sending in a fantasy model, we will look at how credible the build is; would it fit in, does the backstory make sense?
  • WIP story. This refers to both showing off your building process, but also to how and why you decided to model a certain prototype. The better the story and the more updates you give and the more elaborate your building story is, the better.
  • Diorama Factor. This is all about how you build your diorama. is it extra funky, does it have strange connections, is everything build on it’s side, is everything off grid… The more creative, the better, but as always with OcTRAINber, it’s about quality first, and quantity second.

Every of the three categories were assigned points between 0 and 10 by our 4 judges, independent from each other.

Due to unforseen circumstances, Glenn Holland had to decide to not take up his Jury duties this year. We were very sad to hear so, but in the person of Erwin Jacobs (Ervvin) we found a very fine replacement.

Prizes will be handed out on basis of total points given by all four judges. This means that the Grand Prize Winner will be the entry with the most points aggregated. When there is a tie with a Digital Build, the Real Life Entry will always have priority, because of the mission statement of BMR. The other four prizes will be on bases of choise by the winners, with the builder with the most points having priortiy, then the one with the second most points, etc.

So now that we have established the prizes and the judging, let’s go on to the awards!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Hod Carrier: „Home Signal“100,5 points

OcTRAINber 23

Robwd12: „Point of Rocks Station“102 points

OcTrainber 2020: Point of Rocks Station (1)

Popider: „Mini Ludmilla“99 points

Monorail Turntable

FlipUS: „Hogwarts Express on Viaduct“98,5 points

OcTRAINber 2020 Final

MTM_Leipzig”: „Marten Brewery“95 points

Marten-Brewery

Thomas Reincke: „DB Trolley Klv12“93 points

ocTRAINber 2020: Klv12 geht auf große Fahrt

Denis Garnier: „Gantry“92 points

20201107_171050

WINNER: SMALL DIORAMAS

Britishbricks: „The Quarry“
104,5 points

LEGO OcTRAINber 2020 - The Quarry
ErwinFalkGerbrandCale
The diorama has a really organic feel to it, and feels like something one could see at a modeltrain show!+ Very detailed
+ very realistic/natural
+ interesting building techniques
+ technically well done
+ Motors in engine and dispenser
+ lighting
+ good WIP story
+ Nice presentation, inkl. Video
This builder shows an amazing WIP story, where you can see that even his terrain kept on evolving. The use of mock-ups is pretty inspiring as well. The quarry itself really looks like one of those model railroad diorama’s, and I can see myself play with it the whole day. The only thing it lacks is a little bit of backstory, but hey, beggards can’t be choosers.There are several neat details to this diorama. The track has that barely maintained, sparsely used, industrial track in the middle of nowhere look. There is animation and lighting, The structures are as ramshackle and rundown as the track serving it, and the little engine servicing the quarry is quite charming.

WINNER:MEDIUM DIORAMAS

Narrow_Gauge: „Woolshed Flat“
111,5 points

Woolshed Flat
ErwinFalkGerbrandCale
Narrow_gauge: The round shape and rotating base make it a real display piece. I keep on finding new details to explore.+ interesting building techniques
+ very good WIP story
+ very Nice presentation
+ Train model designed specifically for diorama
+ Train motorized despite small size/gauge
+ Landscape itself rotating
Amazing WIP story, that does everything a WIP story should do: Show the lowest lows and the highest highs of a build. The builder really showed how he came to his design. For a pizzadesign this is very credible, and its definatly a diorma. Impressive stuff. No wonder the builder tends to end in the top 3 of OcTRAINber every year he enters.Alexander is no stranger to OcTRAINber, he has won previously, and for good reason. His models are always stellar. His Woodshed Flat diorama is no exception. It’s an amazing little fully operating layout. His back story and documentation is second to none, and there is just so much great detail picked into the small space.

WINNER: LARGE DIORAMAS

Scruffulous: „The 17th Hole“
116 points

OcTRAINber 2020: The 17th Hole - "Sky"
ErwinFalkGerbrandCale
WOW, what else can I really say, I love everything of this!“+ funny idea for a diorama
+ nicely composed landscape
+ very detailed, fun stuff
+ great train model, built especially for the diorama
+ Wip story
+ good presentation
⁃ trees
This builder shows that you can achieve the full 30 points in OcTRAINber. Thanks to the backstory with pictures, the layout is very credible, even though normally a train running through a golf course should make no sense. The WIP story really shows the hurdles the builder had to take, and also the corners he had to cut due to time constraints. As a diorama it also sticks out, it really is a stand-alone piece with a story. I’d like to ace that hole, or whatever you should call it.Just epic! I’ve never been to Australia, but this is what I imagine Aussie railroads to be like. The scene just goes on forever, the landscape has that perfect Australian character, and the back story is as good as the model.  The diorama is huge, but all the detail is there in perfect ratio. Amazing!

WINNER: DIGITAL DIORAMAS

2007_boy: „Newcastle Castle, Black Gate and Railway Viaduct“
116 points

Newcastle-Upon-LEGOLAND
ErwinFalkGerbrandCale
Excellent use of colours, the fact the base isn’t round too really adds! I keep on returning to see what I’ve missed.+ wonderful buildings
+ incredibly creative story
+ incredibly realistic build, „off the grid“
+ very thoughtful use of different techniques
+ nice vehicles
+ great presentation & storytelling
+ Wip process
This model defines a league of its own in terms of both creativity, presentation, designing and building skills!
Stunning WIP story, stunning diorama with a lot going on, and pretty credible as well, seeing how the prototype looks like. Also, with a lot of interesting building techniques and also a lot of off-grid building, AND incorporating 7 wide building plus the Legoland / Miniland athmosphere (without making it feel unbelievable) this one really tops the charts for me.A digital model that does not look like a digital model. The rendering quality is top shelf. The structures are huge but so well detailed, the train is full of character, the landscaping works perfectly with the scene, and there are some great hidden Easter Eggs scattered around. Everything is so well presented, and well thought out. I would love to see this as a real model.

WINNER: GRAND PRIZE OVERALL

Scruffulous: „The 17th Hole“
116 points

OcTRAINber 2020: The 17th Hole - "Hole overview"

Both 2007_boy and Scruffulous had exactly 116 points, proving that big diorams, real life builds and digital builds are all succes factors. Knowing the layouts that our community builds, shouldn’t be a big surprise to anyone! Since there was a tie between both, as per the rules we have decided that Scruffulous, who build an amazing IRL diorama, will be the winner of this years OcTRAINber!

Excel File

Different from previous years, we also have compiled an Excel file with all of the aggregated scores, and remarks from all judges. This to inspire all contestants and to give them feedback, so that hopefull next year they will be on top of the boards as well. You can download the file here.

Final words

We cannot say this enough, but we would really like to thank all contestants. We as BMR had a blast seeing all those entries, and we as judges were actually happy that with many of the entries and categories it was such a close call.

We are very gratefull for our two sponsors, BrickTracks and FX Bricks. Without them this would have been a contest without prizes, and what’s a contest without prizes?!

Last of all, we would like to congratulate all the winners of OcTRAINber. Also, we will contact you on short notice on picking your prize and shipping it to you.

https://i2.wp.com/i.imgflip.com/4hsbrg.jpg?w=474&ssl=1

OcTRAINber 2020: The Grace period

Over the last two months we have seen an amazing amount of WIP stories and entries for this years installment of OcTRAINber. We are really very happy to see so many Builders having fun with this years contest!

As we had communicated in our previous posts, there was a possibility of a Grace Period, if it was deemed necessary. In the last two days we have received several such requests, and thus we have decided to indeed do so.

Seeing how far most of the non-finished entries are, we think one extra week should be enough for everyone to finish their buids. This means we will extend the deadline to Saturday November 7th, 23:59 PST.

Everyone currently contesting can make use of this extension, meaning that if you in the next days decide on any changes in your already submitted build, you are allowed to do so. Just re-upload your entry in the respective threads (edit your post, or just enter your entry again with a note that we should judge this version of the build, not the previous one).

Good luck with the last days to all!

OcTRAINber 2020: Entries are open + Prizes

It’s already October 7th, and that means OcTRAINber is in full swing! We have seen some pretty amazing WIPs in the last month that show us extending OcTRAINber to also include SepTRAINber seems to have been a good idea, which we are very glad of!

Entry Threads @ BMR Flickr

As of several days ago, the entry threads have officially been opened up over at the BMR Flickr. Because most probably not everybody had been aware of this, due to a lack of proper update functions on Flickr, the threads will be shown underneath:

Real Life Entries – Small

Real Life Entries – Large

Real Life Entries – Huge

Digital Entries

The WIPs

As you can see, we have seperated the Real Life Entries in the three respective categories. We have chosen not do so for Digital Entries, becuase in the end BMR always tries to stimulate IRL builds. So if you enter a Real Life build, you have three times more chance of winning!

Also, we have opened up the “The WIPs” thread. Here you can post all of your WIP pictures, so that everybody has a good overview of all the WIP stories that are being posted!

Prizes!

Now, what would OcTRAINber be without prizes? It would just be OcTRAINber, but without prizes. And thats no fun. So, just like the previous three years, we have reached out to some of our favourite third-party L-Gauge related suppliers. We are glad to say the again reacted very positive, which means this year we can again give away a lot of amazing prizes!

PFx Brick + XL Speaker Package (x2!)

This prize was donated (twice!) by Fx Bricks, and includes the following:

Bricktracks R104 Switch Pack (x2!)

BrickTracks has decided to donated their amazing new R104 switches this year, also twice!

BMR Knuckle Couplers (x4!)

All winners in their respective categories will get a pair of BMR Knuckle Couplers of their choice. Winners can choose one of the respective four versions:

Lego Crocodile Locomotive

And, like every year, we also have the current Lego Train Set as a prize. This year that means obviously the 10277 Crocodile Locomotive! And this year, this set will be sponsored Brick Model Railroader!

Krokodil Locomotief 10277 | Creator Expert | Officiële LEGO® winkel NL

Extra prize: OcTRAINber Printed Bricks!

We don’t have a sample yet, but all winners of OcTRAINber 2020 will win a printed brick, commemorating their win in OcTRAINber 2020. This will be a one-off product, which will finally give the winners some visual bragging rights. We are very excited by this extra prize, and hope to show the design of the Winners Brick as soon as possible!

Wrap up

So, that’s it from us at the moment. Good luck with building, and happy OcTRAINber!

OcTRAINber 2020: Podcast, Judge & Clarifying the Rules

Since announcing OcTRAINber 2020: Dioramas, dioramas everywhere, we have seen a lot of enthousiast reactions, which we are very glad about. This post is the first follow-up post, and several more will most probably follow in the coming weeks, to keep the well-known Hype Train going.

Podcast

As part of this years Challenge we will host a BMR Podcast this Sunday over at Youtube, be sure to check it out!

The Fourth Judge

As has become tradition, OcTRAINber is judged by a panel of three BMR Judges, combined with one Guest Judge. Just like last year the BMR Judges will be Cale Leiphart, Glenn Holland and yours truely.

Our Guest Judge this year will be Falk, who is better known as Bricknerd over at Flickr. Falk is very skilled in building little dioramas that – if his train designs weren’t so awesome – would surely stand out in any build!

Clarifying the Rules

We also however received some requests for clarification on the rules, which we would like to give.

First of all, let us say one thing: For the last three years OcTRAINber has been a building challenge that both challenges and brings out the creativity. For this reason we on purpose stay vague on the rules, because we like to see exactly that creativity.

1. Diorama?

The first question was about what a diorama actually is. It’s always a bit shady difference between the two, but with layout it at least implies that some form of operations is possible, whereas a diorama can be totally static. However, as is the case with most layouts; if you just take a part of it, it becomes a diorama quite fast.

Google has the following definition: “a model representing a scene with three-dimensional figures, either in miniature or as a large-scale museum exhibit.”

The emphasis here lays on the scene part. Other than a layout, a diorama is a scene that tells some form of story. That story can something big like a train robbery, but can also just be a field of green with cows. Just as long it’s a scene, it’s fine.

2. Train & track?

In the rules it is stipulated that every diorama needs to have some form of train and track. This being a Brick Model Railroader hosted Building Challenge this is kind of a must-have. However, different than the last three installments of OcTRAINber, the train & track don’t have to take center stage this time around.

That means that for the first time in the history of OcTRAINber, you are allowed to enter a Lego train set, a MOD or any other Instructions-based third party design. However, the choice to do so has to be an integral part of the diorama. This means that instead of judging the trains for their build, taking a look at them and how/if they fit or enhance the scene will be how they are viewed.

Just for an example, take this motorized diorama by bogieman that has a minifig loading crates into a boxcar designed by Jeffrey Fonda over at BTD. That’s a build where one would say having the train there is essential to the story of the scene, and that level of integration will be scored higher for tying it all together.

3. Movement?

Last year OcTRAINber had the “Technic Challenge” theme, where it was all about movement. Even though this year is about dioramas, the whole ‘scene’ thing that is part of a diorama does mean that if some movement is ‘necessary’ for the scene, it is for sure allowed.

4. Procedural Building?

As we found out in last years survey, a lot of builders were not able send in their Entries because for the first time we lacked a Digital Builds-category. Here at BMR we are very much in favour of IRL builds, because that’s in the end the best way to grow our hobby: To show those trains and let them run! However, we understand that not everybody is able to have huge piles of Legos laying around, let alone have the space for a full Diorama. Therefore, we have decided to allow Digital Builds this year again.

We know there are some things happening in the Digital World with Procedural Builds, which means you could technically build amazing pieces of nature with just one click. However, because a diorama is so much more than some pieces of rock, we don’t see a bit problem in this. We will however keep an eye out on this, so that it won’t take over the creativity (and fun) of this building challenge.

5. Size?

Some clarifications on size, which we also kind of discussed in the OcTRAINber BMR Podcast and on the BMR Flickr:

1) Builders are not restricted to 32×32 baseplates but can create any form of base that they like in any size or shape using any LEGO parts they see fit.

2) Size will be determined by the number of studs and how it equates to a 32×32 baseplate.

3) The minimum size for a diorama is 1024 studs, equivalent to a single 32×32 baseplate.

4) The cut-off point for each category is 1 stud less than the start of the next category. So, for example, Small is 1024 to 3071 studs (the equivalent of three 32×32 baseplates minus 1 stud), Large is 3072 to 6141 studs and Huge is 6142 studs and over.

(kudos to HodCarrier for the great summary)

(if more questions will come in, we will add them to this post)

OcTRAINber 2020 – Dioramas, dioramas everywhere!

Due to COVID-19 a lot is different this year. However, we didn’t want the community to miss this years OcTRAINber due to that. So, we decided that for the fourth year in a row, OcTRAINber will go on!

This years theme will be “Dioramas, Dioramas Everywhere”. Like the previous installments of OcTRAINber, the idea of this building challenge is to actually challenge builders. To get us out of our comfort zones. We Trainheads build a lot of trains, but we tend to put less emphasis on the stuff that goes next to a train, the stuff that really makes or breaks a picture. And, we must admit, most of us at BMR do exactly the same. In fact, almost all of my pictures are just trains with a white background… So, we decided that building train themed dioramas should be the ideal theme for this years OcTRAINber.

After last years OcTRAINber (The Technic Challenge) we did a little evaluation to find out what things we could improve upon. Two really stood out: The re-introduction of a Digital Builds category, and an extended timeframe to plan and build. And since you, the community, make OcTRAINber, we decided to go with both.

So yes, that means OcTRAINber officially starts today!

The idea is simple, from today onwards you as a community have one month of pre-building in which you can already do your planning, post your WIP stories or just start hyping yourself up. Everything is allowed to do already as if it would be last years OcTRAINber, with one small difference: The Entries page will only go live on October 1st.

Rules

Just so you have some guidelines on what to build, we have made a set of rules that should be enough to get you building. The first two rules are a bit different from previous years, where we had some really though rules about what qualified as an Entry. This gives builders more flexibility, hopefully you will also be able to apply this!

  • We will keep the idea of what a “diorama” is on purpose as vague as possible. Just go all-out with your creativity.
  • Every diorama must have some form of track, and some form of a train. It’s an Bulding Challenge hosted by Brick Model Railroader after all. Just go all-out with your creativity here as well.
  • Entries must be original models. No stealing. This also means no MODs (thus also no sets), only MOCs.
  • Third party parts are allowed, clone bricks aren’t. We know this can be a thin line, just walk it wisely.
  • We are making no rules for the scale you choose to model in. We are welcoming models of 6, 7, and 8 studs, and anything in between or beyond! However, we appreciate detail and accuracy. Reasonably sized models are usually better for that, but we don’t knock anything or anyone with serious skill.
  • NEW BUILDS ONLY. We are willing to accept anything unpublished or anything that was not published before August 1st 2020 as new. We want to inspire and promote a challenging build, entering an old model doesn’t quite work in that regard.
  • Entries MUST be made on our Flickr group in the appropriate thread. This is the ONLY place we will be looking for entries, nowhere else. Sending photos to us on social media or showing us in person do not count as entries! These threads will open on October 1st.
  • We will be accepting entries from Midnight on October 1st to Midnight on November 1st (meaning October 31st, at 23:59 PDT). There is possibility of a grace period to ensure those that need that one final Bricklink order have a fair chance.
    NOTE: If this is the case, please let us know at least one week (ie. 7 days) before October 31st, so that everybody has a fair chance to use this extension.

Categories

This year there will be three categories you can enter in, depending on the size of your diorama: Small, Large and Huge.

Depending on the number of Entries we will decided wheter we will do three seperate categories for digital builds, or just one (in the first two years of OcTRAINber there were significanty less Digital Builds compared to Real Life Builds).

Entries

Keep in mind that OcTRAINber is a ‘quality over quantity’-building event. This means that we rather encourage you to build one amazing build than several sub-par ones. That’s why, just like last year, we will restrict the number of entries to only one per person.

Just like last year, we want to encourage you to show off your WIPs this year as well, to make OcTRAINber really a month that is all about trains within the Lego community. Therefore, extra credit will be given to the best WIP stories and/or pictures during the event.

However, other than last years, the WIPs can be posted from September 1st onwards, so that we in fact have an extended WIP pictures period of two months.

Points

Points will be awarded in three categories: Credibility, WIP Story and Diorama Factor

First of all, credibility of the prototype. This means we will be looking at how much the build represents the real life prototype. Both the diorama itself, but definatly also the train that is on it. If you are sending in a fantasy model, we will look at how credible the build is; would it fit in, does the backstory make sense?

Second of all, the WIP story. This refers to both showing off your building process, but also to how and why you decided to model a certain prototype. The better the story and the more updates you give and the more elaborate your building story is, the better.

Third and last, the Diorama Factor. This is all about how you build your diorama. is it extra funky, does it have strange connections, is everything build on it’s side, is everything off grid… The more creative, the better, but as always with OcTRAINber, it’s about quality first, and quantity second.

Prizes & Winners

We haven’t finalized on prizes yet, but since this is a building challenge, we will for sure have some, just like in previous years.

We will pick the winners after we have announced the official close of the competition and have stopped accepting new entries, which will be some time after November 1. Once the judges (who, just like last year, will be announced in an upcoming article) have come to a sound conclusion regarding the winners, we will post one final article announcing them, and then we will be in contact with those winners regarding their prizes.

Final Words

So, that’s it for now. OcTRAINber has officially started, even though it’s just September. Now the only thing you have to do is start building, and show those diorama’s everywhere! Happy OcTRAINber!

https://i0.wp.com/i.imgflip.com/4hsbrg.jpg?w=474&ssl=1

LEGO Announces 10277 Crocodile Locomotive

After several weeks of (intended?) leaks and gossip all over the internet, Lego finally does what we all expected it to do a week before Fathers Day: It released the much anticipated Crocodile! As expected, it’s based on the Swiss Railways Class Ce 6/8 II. The model will be 7 wide, which is a first for TLC, and is meant both as a display model and combined with the Powered Up! Hub (88009) and a L-motor (88013), controlled by the Powered Up! app.

Here’s what Lego has to say about it:

Remember those happy childhood hours spent playing with toy train sets? Now you can escape your responsibilities and head back to those joyful days with this LEGO® Crocodile Locomotive Building Kit – but this time, it’s strictly for adults! Take your time with the build, then immerse yourself in the sublime engineering as you explore the features and functions packed into this impressive model. 

Build and display a railway icon. Unwind with this rewarding building challenge as you create an authentic, displayable, LEGO® model version of the iconic Crocodile Locomotive.

Clear your mind and escape the daily grind with this fulfilling building project. If your passion for toy train sets has never really left you, you’ll love recreating the amazing details of the Crocodile Locomotive, a vintage classic from the golden age of rail travel.  Impressive attention to detail Inspired by the Class Ce 6/8 II locomotive, first built for the Swiss Federal Railways between 1919 and 1927, this beautiful LEGO® model is packed with realistic details. With side rods that move as the wheels turn and posable pantographs that move up and down, there’s lots to explore. Lift the roof to access the crew compartment and use the 2 minifigures to bring the story of this iconic train to life. Add the Powered Up components (sold separately) to motorize your locomotive.  Spark your passion for building The Crocodile Locomotive (10277) is part of a collection of LEGO® model building kits for adults who love beautiful design. This model also makes a great gift for anyone who loves model trains.

• This LEGO® Crocodile Locomotive (10277) model kit is perfect for adults looking to build a vintage locomotive model or for anyone who loves trains and is looking for their next hobby project.

• Enjoy a rewarding challenge as you bring this buildable model train to life. Then explore the features and functions packed into this set, which celebrates the classic Crocodile Locomotive train.
• Discover amazing details with authentic features true to the original Crocodile Locomotive. The 2 LEGO® minifigures with tools, display track and plaque provide lots to explore after building the classic train.
• Ideal for model train fans, railway enthusiasts and LEGO® lovers, this building kit for adults makes a creative gift or birthday present to transport building fans to a world of total relaxation.
• This train model measures over 6” (16cm) high, 20.5” (52cm) long and 3.5” (8cm) wide, making it a beautiful display piece to show off with pride.
• You can jump right into this immersive building project since no batteries are required. To motorize your locomotive, add 1 x 88009 and 1 x 88013 Powered Up components (sold separately).
• This building set for adults comes with coffee-table-style building instructions with design details to encourage and inspire you.
• Part of a series of inspiring LEGO® building model sets for adults, designed for LEGO building fans, and hobbyists who love elegant design, beautiful architecture and models packed with detail.
• LEGO® building bricks meet the highest industry standards, which ensures they are consistent, compatible and connect and pull apart easily every time – it’s been that way since 1958.
• LEGO® bricks and pieces are rigorously tested to ensure that every building set meets the highest safety and quality standards, so you can be sure that this set is designed to last.

If you want to read more about the design process of the Crocodile, we recommend you to have a look over at The Brothers Brick, where they have an interesting interview with Jamie Berard about the design!

Now, let’s just dive into the pictures, shall we?

The box art, with the new classy “Adults Only” design:

Lego also made some great photorealistic renders of the Croc:

This being a product meant for adults, TLC was so kind to also send some pictures of an actual adult playing with Lego trains.I can almost see myself pictured in it, hooray for that!

The model can be motorized with the Powered Up! Hub and a motor

And yes, it’s Lego, so you can break it apart!

I’m for one pretty sure I will get one of these, but what do you think? Is this a set that all of you want in your collections? And is the “adults only” label a good thing for the L-gauge community, or not? We look forward hearing from you!

Track Detailing – UK Outline: By Hod Carrier, Part Two

Every now and then there are some articles online on one of the well-known fora that you just HAVE to share to a broader audience. A while ago my eye fell on an article by Hod Carrier over at the Train Tech forums of Eurobricks. Hod Carrier is no stranger here at BMR, having contested twice on OcTRAINber, and one time almost. Today we present his second part about Trackside Structures, one of my favorite parts of any realistic Lego Train Model Railroad:

Thanks so much for the fabulous feedback that I’ve received so far. It’s really amazing to have prompted such a response.

I’ve been busy adding a few more details which I hope you won’t mind me sharing. Don’t worry, though. I’m not intending on reproducing every single piece of UK rail infrastructure. 

49751007802_0a74e88caf_z.jpg

In order to reduce noise and wear to rails and wheelsets, flange lubricators (sometimes referred to as grease pots) are provided because, lets face it, no-one likes a dry flange. *Ahem*. These automatically apply a small amount of grease to the train wheels as they pass to help reduce friction. These are often found in areas where the route follows tight curves or at junctions.

49750679361_0d3d0f8588_z.jpg

When clean these are generally yellow to make them visible, but over time, and through careless refilling, these eventually become black.

49751007827_36e2a0245b_z.jpg

Very simply, this is a drain. At some locations the ground or environmental conditions means that the ballast and formation of the track is insufficient to provide adequate drainage. In this instance additional drains are provided, either at the sides or between the tracks. I won’t insult anyone’s intelligence by showing the design in isolation, as I’m sure it should be clear.

49750139293_1e7400f964_z.jpg

This is a Hot Axle Box Detector (HABD) together with it’s associated small portable-type lineside equipment building. These detectors are dotted around the network and are used to detect an overheating axle box. These automatic installations sound an alarm at the signalbox and tell the signaller which axle and on which side of the train the defect is occurring so that the train can be stopped and examined.

The central detector between the rails is offset to be nearer one rail or the other to help the system determine which side of the train the defective axle is.

49751007902_e03a064a0e_z.jpg

There are many different designs of point/switch motors in use across the UK, and this is just one of them. It is an older design that has since been superceded but which remains in operation in large numbers across the network. 

49750679446_d535dda05c_z.jpg

The design does not affect the operation of the switch and should not interfere with passing trains either. I would have liked to have had a go at one of the successor designs, but the studless nature of the standard LEGO points/switch preclude this, although third party offerings may be different.

49750679291_7e7ec3ca7b_z.jpg

All of my designs so far have been made to be compatible with the PennLUG ballasting standard. While it’s great for LEGO modellers by being compact and not too demanding in terms of parts, I don’t think many operational railways would tolerate such a shallow bed of ballast. Certainly in the UK the trackbed is much wider and ballast shoulders are built up at each side.

49750679296_42d728fbec_z.jpg

I suppose you could call them shoulder pads in that they bulk out the track ballasting to more realistic proportions. There are side sections and centre sections.

Used together for a twin track arrangement (as in the previous picture) the total width comes out at 34 studs, two more than a standard 32×32 baseplate. Consequently I have shown the design split across two baseplates with the centreline as the join. To make this compatible with the MILS modules, the centre section is built in two halves to facilitate splitting of modules into individual 32×32 sections.

Want to see more of Hod Carriers? Just pop over to his Flickr stream to see even more awesome builds!

Track Detailing – UK Outline: By Hod Carrier, Part One

Every now and then there are some articles online on one of the well-known fora that you just HAVE to share to a broader audience. A while ago my eye fell on an article by Hod Carrier over at the Train Tech forums of Eurobricks. Hod Carrier is no stranger here at BMR, having contested twice on OcTRAINber, and one time almost. Today, his piece is about Trackside Structures, one of my favorite parts of any realistic Lego Train Model Railroad:

As we’re all grounded at the moment, I thought I’d use some of the time to have a little look at ways to make subtle improvements to the track. It’s always great to debut a new loco or item of rolling stock, but apart from ballasting the track on which these trains run often gets overlooked. As a train driver here in the UK I thought I’d see how to add the sort of details seen along the lineside in order to add realism, often with only a few parts.

Continue reading Track Detailing – UK Outline: By Hod Carrier, Part One

Komatsu PW160 Road/Rail Digger by John O’Shea

Most of the time, pictures say more than a thousand words. Today’s model proves this point, even though they are renders. Anyways, John O’Shea, known for his amazing US and EU style trucks, build a small Komatsu Road/Rail Digger for an upcoming bigger build. Don’t try to build this beast at home without at least painting several parts, but hey, that’s one of the premiums of Digital Builds.

Picking up a piece of Concrete

According to John, these renders are done with Blender, a piece of open source render software and the Mecabricks plugin. I know both and I have definitely never used them before, but if you guys want to give it a try, you now know what kind of amazing photo-realistic pictures you can make with it!

Yup, a very concrete build!