We’re back with the final installment of our look at the cars from the Secret Santa Rail Car Exchange I participated with in 2020. If you are just joining us, take a look at part one, two, and three of this series to catch up on the what, how, who, and why and see the cars you missed. We have some time.
It’s been a long time coming, but the day is finally here. Today we are releasing our Premium Instructions for the EMD SD40-2 Diesel Locomotive. Available now in the Brick Model Railroader Store. And we have a few special surprises in store for you too. But first, let’s take a look at the model.
EMD SD40-2 Premium Instructions
Norfolk Southern model in the “Horse Head” paint scheme with optional parts shown.
The EMD SD40-2 is a 3,000-horsepower (2,200 kW) C-C road switcher diesel-electric locomotive built by EMD from 1972 to 1989.
The SD40-2 was introduced in January 1972 as part of EMD’s Dash 2 series, competing against the GE U30C and the ALCO Century 630. Although higher-horsepower locomotives were available, including EMD’s own SD45-2, the reliability and versatility of the 3,000-horsepower (2,200 kW) SD40-2 made it one of the best-selling models in EMD’s history, edged only by the GP9, and the standard of the industry for several decades after its introduction. The SD40-2 was an improvement over the SD40, with modular electronic control systems similar to those of the experimental DDA40X.
Burlington Northern model in the “White Face” paint scheme, without the stripe.
Peak production of the SD40-2 was in the mid-1970s. Sales of the SD40-2 began to diminish after 1981 due to the oil crisis, increased competition from GE’s Dash-7 series and the introduction of the EMD SD50, which was available concurrently to late SD40-2 production. The last SD40-2 delivered to a United States railroad was built in July 1984, with production continuing for railroads in Canada until 1988, Mexico until February 1986, and Brazil until October 1989. As of 2013, nearly all built still remain in service.
CONRAIL SD40-2 wearing the “CONRAIL Quality” paint scheme.
Our model of this famous locomotive has been designed by BMR Team Member, Chris Stone. Chris has done a wonderful job capturing the iconic look of the SD40-2.
For this, our first Locomotive Premium Instructions, we are trying something new. For past freight and passenger car models we’ve covered multiple variations in a single instruction book. But the SD40-2 is a larger model and more complex than previous Premium Instructions and covering all variations and paint schemes in a single book would be impractical. So we are breaking the SD40-2 up into a series based on the railroad paint schemes we plan to offer.
BNSF in the “Heritage 2” Paint Scheme.
The advantage of this is that we can offer a better build- ing experience with parts list specific to each paint scheme. Each instruction book will be tailored to a specific railroad with details explicit to that road high- lighted on each model.
Our instructions include options to build each railroad’s SD40-2 locomotives in several paint schemes. Also included are instructions for various optional upgrades to the model including No. 6 Wheels, Custom Fan Shrouds, and Knuckle Couplers. More on those optional parts later.
SD40-2 Instruction Books
Our SD40-2 Premium Instructions Kits contain the following:
1 professionally printed 96-124 (page count depending on railroad) page instruction book with full color instructions, part list for each of the build variations, prototype information, and building tips. The books are spiral bound for easy use while building.
1 set of black roller bearing tiles (12 tiles per kit)
2 black Brickarms Monopods used for detailing
4 black Brickarms U-Clips used for detailing.
8 Upgraded Traction Bands
All you need to provide is the LEGO bricks from your own collection. You can purchase decals to build the locomotive in one of a number of authentic paint schemes.
The first four railroads we are offering are:
Norfolk Southern
Conrail
BNSF
Burlington Northern
In the future we hope to release more railroads. If you have a particular road you would like to see, please let us know.
We also have a range of decals available for each road name.
Decals sets available for the SD40-2.
Produced for BMR by OKBrickWorks with art work by Cale Leiphart, these decals feature authentically replicated graphics for each of the road names offered.
Decals are printed on clear vinyl. They are durable, water resistant, and easy to apply. Each decal set will complete one locomotive, and comes with extra numbers so you can change the road number to your desire.
And now about those options. We have more than just decals to add to your SD40-2 model. We have a few other items that can really bring your model to the next level.
Custom No. 6 Wheels
The real SD40-2 locomotive uses wheels that are 40 inches in diameter. In our 1:48th Scale model this scales to within 1 inch of a No. 6 (MS) size wheel. The standard LEGO train wheel ( No. 5 or S ) scales to 33 inches.
Common LEGO wheel sizes.
Our model includes instructions for using either the standard LEGO wheel, or the upgraded No. 6 wheel. For those wanting a more prototypical appearance, the No. 6 wheels give the model a great look.
No. 6 Wheel Pack for the SD40-2.No. 6 Wheels Installed on the SD40-2 Truck.
These are custom 3D Printed No. 6 (MS) Wheels designed by Cameron Miller and produced by OKBrickworks for Brick Model Railroader.
Includes: 8 3D Printed No. 6 Flange Wheels and 4 3D Printed No. 6 Blind Wheels
Custom Fan Shrouds
If you are looking to add a special detail to the appearance of your SD40-2 model, we are offering this Custom Fan Shroud Pack.
Fan Shroud Kit
This fan shroud upgrade kit replaces the stock LEGO parts used to represent the dynamic brake and radiator fan shrouds on the top of the model. Also included are fan decals that go under the fan shrouds for that extra detailed look.
Custom Fan Shroud kit installed on the Norfolk Southern SD40-2.
These are a 3d Printed Product designed by Cameron Miller and produced by OKBrickworks for Brick Model Railroader.
Includes: 3 Black 26mm X 6.4mm 3D Printed Fan Shrouds and 2 Black 3D Printed 26mm X 4.8mm Fan Shrouds, and 6 Fan Decals (used under shrouds).
Wheel and Fan Shroud Combo Pack
Planning to buy both the No. 6 wheels and the custom fan shrouds? We are offering a combo pack just for you.
Wheel and Fan Shroud Combo Pack
Includes: 3 Black 26mm X 6.4mm 3D Printed Fan Shrouds and 2 Black 3D Printed 26mm X 4.8mm Fan Shrouds, and 6 Fan Decals (used under shrouds)
8 Black 3D Printed No. 6 Flange Wheels and 4 Black 3D Printed No. 6 Blind Wheels
Extra Bearing Cap Tiles
Each Premium Instruction kit comes with 12 printed 1×1 round tile Roller Bearing Caps for the trucks on the SD40-2. Printed by Brick Print Studios. These tiles recreate the look of roller bearings on the trucks the locomotive. For those wanting to build additional models, we have these bearing caps available separately in packs of 12.
Bearing Cap
Replacement O-Ring Traction Bands
For this model, we recommend the replacement of the stock traction band on the RC Train Wheel with SAE AS568A0.16 Metric 1.5×42 (#35) size Rubber O-Rings for better traction and increased clearance between the track and fuel tank. These will also fit the No. 6 Train Wheel.
Eight O-rings are already supplied in each Premium Instruction Kit, but if you are building a second model, or just want to have some spares on hand, we will be selling a set of eight individually.
O-Ring Replacement Traction Bands
Knuckle Couplers
And last but not least, the SD40-2 can be outfitted with our knuckle couplers. Instructions are included with each model for using either standard LEGO magnetic couplers, or our new knuckle couplers.
Knuckle couplers shown.
The 747S coupler is used with the standard LEGO (No. 5) Train Wheels and the 743S is used with the optional No. 6 Train Wheels.
You can find all these optional parts in the store link bellow.
It’s finally time to reveal the winners of the 2021 Brick Train Awards. Today we’ll be taking a look at the Americas winners, but before that, to see all the winners from around the globe, head over to the BTA website.
For the Americas Region this year, we had three Judges. I returned as judge this year and was joined by BMR contributor Chris Stone, and Cameron Miller from Brick Train Depot. We had over 200 entries across 11 categories for just the Americas region, and the overall quality of the models entered was truly excellent. The work being showcased from the LEGO train community for this year’s awards is a testament to the skill and passion of the hobby’s fans. Of course, this made our task of picking winners all the more difficult, but it we also loved going through each and every model and discovering all the great build techniques and design ideas used, and also just looking at the beautiful, finished models. The Americas Region was definitely on their A game this year as five of the winners also took home the Global Award in their category!
Now it’s time to take a look at the Americas Region winners and share some thoughts on why we chose them.
Best Steam Locomotive
Glenn Holland, United States New York Central L-2a 4-8-2 Mohawk no. 2791
Glenn’s locomotive is modeled after the New York Central’s beautiful L-2a class of 4-8-2 steam locomotives, also known as “Mohawks”. The original prototype L-2a was built in 1925, with ninety-nine more production models being delivered in 1926 from the American Locomotive Company, bringing the class to a total of one hundred locomotives operating on the New York Central System. Producing 72,700 pounds of tractive effort and 3,320 horsepower, the L-2A was equally at home leading long coal drags or speeding down the mainline with a fast freight consist.
Mohawk No. 2716 pauses at Wesleyville, Pennsylvania (just east of Erie) in 1946.
Cale’s Thoughts; The 4-8-2 has never been a favorite wheel arrangement of mine, but wow, Glenn has built a 4-8-2 I have really fallen in love with. He has absolutely nailed the look of the L-2a. From the shaping of the boiler, to every little detail (the detail inside the cab on the backhead is crazy!), this locomotive does it right. There was some really stiff competition, but Glenn’s Mohawk does everything so well, and it’s hard to imagine a detail he missed here.
Cameron’s Thoughts; I have been a lifelong fan of the New York Central. When this locomotive was first shown in late 2020, I was immediately in need of it. I have looked at doing my own version many times so to see one so well executed was very nostalgic. There was a lot of debate on this category, but this locomotive really stood out from the pack. There were some great honorable mentions that also stood out exceptionally for me. In no particular order, C&O #2716 Berkshire from Jeffery Fonda, Maine Central #501 Consolidation from Dawson Santoro, and Chicago & Alton #656 Light Pacific from Aaron Burnett.
Chris’s Thoughts; Including “all the bells and whistles” is the usual standard for Glenn’s models, but even with that this engine has gone to levels of detail that stand out. I had to get almost outrageously nit-picky with the top entries to suss out which one was best, and this NYC L-2a had everything I could think to look for and then some.
Best Diesel Locomotive
Aaron Burnett, United States Chessie System GM EMD GP38 Locomotive #4806
The EMD (Electro Motive Division) GP38-2 is a 2,000hp four-axle diesel locomotive which was built from 1972 to 1986. It is an upgrade of the original GP38, with EMD’s 645E 16-cylinder engine, and new modular electronics cabinets. There were 2213 GP38-2s built, and many still exist and are still currently in service. Aaron’s model is based on the GP38-2s owned by the Chessie System.
Cale’s Thoughts; It has lights, it has sound, and it has that awesome Chessie livery. It’s a combo that’s hard to beat. Add in Aarons meticulous attention to detail and this model takes it to 11.
Cameron’s Thoughts; Thoughts: I have worked with Aaron on and off over the years and this GP38 model is one I have always loved. I have a copy of an older version from our time at Iron Horse Brick Co The updates made since then really set this locomotive up for success. The details and the shaping do a lot to capture the look of the prototype.
Chris’s Thoughts; Thoughts; The shapes and textures in the brickwork on this engine alone put it as a top contender easily, but the extra work with the lights, sounds, and even running board safety tread decals bring it to a level of polish not many models see.
Best Electric Locomotive
Michael Ruzzi, United States Acela Power Car
The Acela, originally the Acela Express until September 2019, is Amtrak’s flagship high speed service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and Boston via 16 intermediate stops. The route contains segments of high-speed rail where the Acela trains attain operating speeds up to 150 mph (240 km/h). Michael’s model recreates the power car. Each Acela train is made up of two power cars, one at each end, with six passenger cars in between.
Acela Express train #2155 to Washington, D.C. passes CP 217 in New Rochelle at 10:14 a.m. on August 25th, 2004. Photo by David Sommer.
Cale’s Thoughts; America has high speed rail? Yes we do. And Michael’s Acela is a nearly perfect tribute. The nose modeling is inspiring, and the color scheme and decaling are caried out so well.
Cameron’s Thoughts; When I first saw the renders of this locomotive, I thought there was no way that the front could be attached by anything more than hopes and dreams. Then It was entered and show rolling around the track. It was a pleasant surprise to see. The detail and the shape are very well executed.
Chris’s Thoughts; The brickwork in the nose of the engine is phenomenal, but the rest of the engine behind it really hits it out of the park as well. It’s a lot of fun to watch the video of this engine running.
Best Other Locomotive for the Americas, and Best Global Winner for Other Locomotive
Rob Hendrix, United States 1:48 scale Narrow Gauge Shay
The Shay steam locomotive was the most well-known and widely used of the geared designs to operate in the country with nearly 3,000 constructed from 1880 through nearly the mid-20 century. Designed by Ephraim Shay, an inventor, among his many, many job titles he held over the years, and built by Lima Locomotive Works, the Shay geared locomotive proved to be an invaluable tool in the logging industry through the first half of the 20th century as it could operate on almost any type of track. Rob’s model is based on a 15 Ton class A Shay.
Cale’s Thoughts; It’s a working narrow gauge Shay in 1:48th scale. What more needs said? Rob just dropped the mic with this one.
Cameron’s Thoughts; Thoughts; A tiny shay that RUNS! The model alone is amazing to get all the gear drive detail but Rob took it a step further and powered it with his Tiny Train Motor. The flat car to move it to its final railroad was a great touch of realism. The entire entry really captured the life of a Shay locomotive.
Chris’s Thoughts; I loved the detail on this model at first sight. Getting a small locomotive build like this to look this good is no easy task, but then I found out it was powered? Yeah, I needed a moment to process that. Amazing Shay build.
Best Freight Wagon for the Americas. and Best Global Winner for Freight Wagon
Ryan Harris, Canada Gunderson 40′ Intermodal Well Cars
This 3 unit Gunderson 40′ Intermodal Well Car set is a multi-unit well car designed to carry two stacked intermodal shipping containers. While its base well is 40′, it can accept larger containers such as 45′, 48′ and even 53′ in the top position, making the car a versatile addition to a railroad’s intermodal services.
Cale’s Thoughts; Intermodal is my modern railroad guilty pleasure. I love a good well car set, and Ryan has certainly provided. The scale is perfect, all the right details are there, and the containers complete the look.
Cameron’s Thoughts; Well cars got me into trains when I came out of my dark ages in 2015. I remember trying to design a set of these and failing hard. Seeing Ryan’s execution of these cars has inspired me to pick up my project again. The details and shape accuracy of this model was a favorite feature. There was quite the debate over this car, Aaron’s Waffle Boxcar and Glenn’s Turtleback Boxcar. All 3 were well executed and were deserving of winning.
Chris’s Thoughts; Very nicely detailed and proportioned well cars, and I especially love the way the bottoms of the wells have been detailed. Great work.
Best Passenger Wagon
Benn Coifman, United States Amfleet II Car
Built at Budd’s Red Lion plant in Philadelphia between 1975-1983, the Budd Amfleet family of passenger cars were a fleet of 642 intended to upgrade Amttrak’s elderly fleet of cars, some in service since the late 1940s, Amtrak took delivery of its first all-new Amfleet I cars in 1975 for inter-city service in the close clearances of the eastern US. Based on the Budd-built Metroliner, nearly 500 coach and food service cars were delivered by 1978. Starting in 1981, new Amfleet II coaches and lounges were introduced especially for long-distance trains. Both types are still in service today!
Cale’s Thoughts; One of the best examples of an Amfleet car I’ve seen, and it’s in 6 wide. Benn hit the subtle egg shaping of the body with a bullseye, and in 6 wide. The widows are nicely proportioned and spaced as well. It’s an unmistakable “AmCan”. Did I mention it’s 6 wide? Bigger is not always better it seems.
Cameron’s Thoughts; These cars are an inspiration to car builders all throughout the LEGO world. The attention to detail on the shape and the execution of it made these an instant favorite. I don’t build any passenger equipment but these have me considering some AmCans for my layout.
Chris’s Thoughts; Benn’s managed to make a 6-wide passenger car set that raises the bar for even larger-scale models. The great, nearly seamless shaping on the sides is perfectly executed and the thought to put in the bricks behind the windows to give an illusion of an interior was a really nice touch.
Best Special Wagon
Nick Dombi, United States Nickel Plate Road Bay Window Caboose 423
Nick’s model is based on the International Car Bay Window Cabooses owned by the Nickel Plate Road. This is the Phase 3 variant based on the family of steel bay window cabooses developed by International Car Company beginning in the early 1950s. Over the years the design of the bay windows evolved and each phase features a number of bay window style and other detail variations.
Cale’s Thoughts; Nickle Plate had one of the nicest caboose paint schemes, and Nick nailed it on this one. Great details on the outside, and a detailed interior inside. Love this caboose!
Cameron’s Thoughts; What Cale said haha! This is a great caboose and was very well executed. It was a tough call between this and JT Batheldoer’s RPO cars.
Chris’s Thoughts; Very nicely shaped and detailed model, and an interior is always a great addition. Very fine caboose in a very memorable paint scheme!
Best Structure for the Americas. and Best Global Winner for Structure
Eric Swanson, United States Germantown Maryland Train Station
The Germantown Station, in Germantown Maryland, is a passenger rail station on the MARC Brunswick Line between Washington, D.C. and Martinsburg, West Virginia, with a branch to Frederick, MD. It is one of the busiest stations on the Brunswick Line along with Silver Spring and Rockville stations. All Brunswick Line trains stop at this station. The original Germantown station, which was built by Ephraim Francis Baldwin for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was destroyed by arson in 1978, and was reconstructed for MARC.
Cale’s Thoughts; The great thing about this model is how it pulls together all the separate elements so well. The station is lovely, the little waiting shelters are great, and the landscape and platform details tie it all up in a perfect package.
Cameron’s Thoughts; The entire scene on this set it above the rest. There were so many details, I found new things every time I looked over the pictures. It’s a really great diorama of the station.
Chris’s Thoughts; The attention to detail on this station and all the other surrounding builds is fantastic. Looking at the photos of it, I could almost imagine actually being at the real station – stand out build!
Best TFOL Locomotive for the Americas. and Best Global Winner for Best TFOL Locomotive
Jonathan Artz, United States Strasburg Rail Road No 90
Strasburg no. 90 is a 2-10-0 Decapod type locomotive that was originally built in 1924 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA for the Great Western Railroad. No. 90 was purchased by The Strasburg Rail Road in 1967, and is now one of the last operating Decapod type locomotives in the United States. John’s model of no. 90 is wearing the 1960s era paint scheme from its early days on the Strasburg.
A full side view of Strasburg 90 shows off its “heritage” look, replete with gold striping, white drivers and the iconic “egg” herald, which hasn’t been used since 1983. The former Great Western decapod is Strasburg’s largest and most powerful locomotive. Christopher Pollock photo
Cale’s Thoughts; I have seen this model in person, and it is as faithful a model of Strasburg no. 90 as one could reasonably get. John is a member of the Strasburg Model Railroad club and knows this engine well. He’s even gone as far as to use real recordings of 90’s bell and whistle and programed them into the Pfx brick powering the model. He is one heck of a builder for his age.
Cameron’s Thoughts; This category was full of great entries but the detail and features of this model made it a worthy winner.
Chris’s Thoughts; I knew there were some very talented TFOL builders out there, but I was truly surprised by how many there were – and how good, too. This model has all the right details in all the right places, and I really appreciated the effort that went into hand-making the decals as well as getting the proper sounds for the model. Amazing work.
Best TFOL Wagon for the Americas. and Best Global Winner for Best TFOL Wagon
Owen Meschter, United States NER/LNER 15-ton Brake Van
The Brake Van or Guard’s Van are terms used mainly in the UK, Australia and India for a railway vehicle equipped with a hand brake which can be applied by the guard. The equivalent North American term is caboose, but a British brake van and a caboose are very different in appearance, because the former usually has only four wheels, while the latter usually has bogies. German railways employed Brakeman’s cabins combined into other cars. Owens model is based on a 15-ton Brake van used by the NER/LNER.
Cale’s Thoughts; Big models are easy to pack a lot of detail into. You have all the room to do the crazy SNOT and subtle offsets. Small models are a different story where you run out of room really quick. Owen’s brake van is definitely on the small side, but is big on detail. It’s also got some great character too.
Cameron’s Thoughts; This was a toss up between the Owen’s two entries. His plank wagon and brake van are both very well executed. I looked into the prototype of this because UK rolling stock is not my normal location or era. I was impressed to see just how well the detail and feel of the real thing was captured. The rigging detail under the frame really impressed all of us. The animal horn used as a spring detail was a new part usage for me.
Chris’s Thoughts; Owen’s Brake Van, as well as the rest of his entries for that matter, showcase an incredible ability to do a lot of amazing work in a very small space. The shape and textures of this brake van are all great, but have you seen that undercarriage work? I just can’t get enough of that.
Best TFOL Structure/Layout
Calvin Bramble, Canada Canadian National Layout
Cale’s Thoughts; Though it may be small, this little layout doesn’t feel cramped. Everything has just the right amount of space to stand out. The landscaping is well thought out, and there are enough little details to add life to the sceme without becoming too busy in such a small space.
Cameron’s Thoughts; This layout is TINY but packed with details. Some of my favorite details were the use of structures and the containers that are not “on grid” but sitting at an angle. The feel of the layout was definitely of a busy rural freight house and surrounding area. The honorable mention in this category is Owen’s signal tower. There was much debate over who should win this category. I even lobbied for adding a category just to accommodate both winners haha!
Chris’s Thoughts; Thoughts; Great attention to detail, with a very good balance in the amount of detail as well. The layout is filled with things that tell a story and bring life to the scene, and to me it strikes very well the essence of what a model railroad should try to be.
Final Thoughts
Once again, it was a great experience to judge and be a part of the Brick Train Awards. And it was a pleasure to work with Cameron and Chris on the judging for the Americas. Thank you to both of them for their work. The models summited this year were amazing, and the TFOL categories were the most impressive. Many TTFOL submissions could have been very strong contenders in the adult categories. To see such skill and talent in the younger community is such a thrill, and if it is any indication of what is to come, then our LEGO train hobby has a very bright future. I’m very much looking forward to next year’s Brick Train Awards.
This was a tough competition this year, and many models came within fraction of winning. While they may not all have won, every entry was awesome.
Cameron’s’s Final Thoughts:
Cam here, building on what Cale said, I was honored to be invited to judge the entries this year and it was a lot of work but also very fun to talk about all the entries with Cale and Chris. I was very impressed with the entries across the board. There were plenty of builders I had not seen before so seeing their work was inspiring. Pretty soon all the the TFOL builders are going to have to give me a couple “Old Guy” categories to even stand a chance.
Chris’s Final Thoughts:
It was awesome to be able to participate in Brick Train Awards as a judge this year, I loved going through the entries. It was a lot of fun, but also very difficult – there were so many good entries that it really wasn’t easy to choose, and we had to really dive into the fine details of a lot of these models to have any hope of figuring out a winner. At the end of the day, though, that’s one of my favorite things about the hobby: Seeing and studying all the ways people approach their models. The skill level and standards have been going up, fast, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next. For now, I just want to congratulate the entrants, even the ones that didn’t win – you guys have amazed and inspired me.
Brick Model Railroader is proud to bring you our latest product. Our Brick Train Compatible Knuckle Coupler. BMR, in partnership with BrickForge, has been work- ing on a replacement for the old LEGO® 9v era magnetic train couplers. These new couplers are now available for sale in our BMR online store.
So you’ve decided to step beyond just laying LEGO track on baseplates, so you have added ballast and reddish brown or black ties to really make your track come to life. You might even say it is starting to less like a toy train track, and a little more like realistic model railroad track. But even the nicest looking high speed mainline track needs good maintenance to keep it in tip top shape so trains can run quickly and safely, without risking catastrophic derailments. We will take a look at how track is maintained to keep it looking realistic and to keep trains running safely and reliably.
In the past, we have seen great and highly informative articles from Hod Carrier and Matt Csenge on simple but good-looking details anyone can build to add detail to their track. Today, I’d like to do the same, but for a relatively unexplored genre of L-gauge modeling: Light Rail!
Light rail is a very important mode of public transportation in a lot of major cities throughout the world. Although I will be covering details that aim to replicate things found in America, hopefully this article is helpful to anyone looking to model a rapid transit railway.
Before we get into the larger details, lets look at some simple details that don’t take many parts, but can add a lot of detail that is sure to catch any spectators eye.
Tie Choices
I 100% agree with the things Matt said in his 2nd article about USA Track Detailing. Ties are everything. Concrete ties are quite common on light rail systems, so here are a few ways to do them:
Concrete ties left to right:
Dual block ties with no fasteners
Dual block ties with 1×1 plates for fasteners
Full concrete ties with no fasteners
Full concrete ties with fasteners on both sides
Full concrete ties with fasteners on outside only
Its also recommended that you put ballast in between a double track mainline as well.
Trackside Signs
Whistle Board. Used at grade crossings, it alerts the driver to use the horn in order to warn motorists of the incoming train.
Absolute speed board. Tells the driver the current or absolute speed limit of the track.
Upcoming speed board. The slant of the board indicates that the speed listed on it will be in effect when the next board arrives.
End of Track Bumper
There are many different types and designs of end of track bumpers out there, but this one is modeled after the one used on the DART system, which is the closest light rail system to me. Rest assured, this detail will look great on any layout, and looks general enough to match other designs seen all over America. The end of track bumper is obviously used to stop a train from going too far off the rails when its going too fast. Sometimes it works better than others, as seen in an incident in a Chicago Metro station a few years ago. The bumper is attached to the rails, which is modeled by the 1×4 plates in between the ties, and the 1×2 jumpers hanging over the rails. Also modeled are the rubber pads, which are meant to soften the impact, but don’t really help much if the train is going fast enough to hit the bumper in the first place. I used 1×2 grills for these. Since these bumpers are so common on light rail / rapid transit lines, this detail will bring a lot to any layout, and is sure to catch the eye of any spectator.
Next, we have a simple line side signal that can be found pretty much anywhere on a light rail system. Signals are necessary not only to light rail lines but any type of mainline anywhere in the world. Their job is fairly simple and works much like a traffic light on a road. It tells drivers weather or not it is safe to proceed, and if anything is occupying the right of way in front of them. The most common aspects seen on such signals is as follows: Green or clear = proceed at line speed, flashing yellow or approach medium = proceed with caution and be prepared to stop in the next 2 signals, yellow or approach = proceed at a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour, and be prepared to stop at the next signal. There are many more aspects, meaning lots of different things, but that should give you a basic understanding on how they work. Light rail signals appear more box-like than signals found elsewhere. It is important to make sure the signal looks like it is set in concrete, hence the LBG bricks at the bottom. This also goes for crossing gates and catenary poles. Some signals have two ‘heads’ on them, which means they display two aspects at one time. The second head can easily be built under the first one if you need it.
Don’t worry, this detail is compatible with the PennLUG style of track ballasting found on L-gauge.org. Light rail lines often have to weave through small spaces to get where they need to go, so on especially tight corners an inner 3rd rail is used to make absolutely sure the train stays on the track. It’s not like the 3rd rails some of you may have heard of; it doesn’t provide power on the outside of the track, it provides stability o the inside of the track. These can be seen in maintenance bases, yards, and on the mainline, as well as be attached to either the inside or outside edge of the rail.
That was my last detail for this article, and although it was a short one, I hope it gave you some inspiration and jumping off points if you ever take on a project involving light rail. If you’re wondering why I didn’t talk about a catenary pole, its because the height usually changes depending on the scale of the train, and I didn’t want to create a size limitation for people who don’t build the same scale as me.
To all who read this far, thank you. I hope you enjoyed this brief look into the world of light rail.
Last year, Lego gave us one of my favorite battery powered train sets, 71044 Disney Train and Station. This set, while expensive (but worth it) and at times a challenging build, is still marketed with younger audiences in mind. It’s a proven formula: some kids like trains, but MOST kids love Disney. Put those two things together and you end up with a very desirable product.
I shared some thoughts on that set in an article linked above, and now I have the task of writing about Lego’s newest train again: 10277 Crocodile Locomotive. This new set is the polar opposite of the Disney train; it literally says 18+ on the front of the box, but I’ll touch more on that later. I should also say that once again Brick Model Railroader was not offered a set to review. Again, I went to my local LEGO store (with a mask and practicing proper social distancing, mind you) and purchased the locomotive, Powered Up motor, and Powered Up hub to review.
A sweet box.
10277 Crocodile Locomotive sold out very quickly online and is now backordered for a couple months. However, if you’re lucky and able to, you may still find a few on store shelves.
Today is the big day. Brick Model Railroader is launching our new and improved online store. And we have three band new Premium Instructions for sale along with an array of new decals for each.
Our old store served us well, but we we starting to out grow it. As we added new products, it was increasingly hard to navigate and find what you were looking for. Also the look was growing stale, and our products were not being show off to their fullest potential. So one the last few weeks we’ve been moving our store over to a new platform, one full of shiny new widgets, and hopefully a much better buying experience for you.
The Brick Train Awards are a community-led event for the LEGO train fan community, by the LEGO train community. The awards were created by LNUR, a LEGO train club in the UK, and Brick Model Railroader based in the USA.
Our friends across the hobby have been working hard to deliver new parts for the rest of us. Here is a small update on a couple of them, and a small announcement on BMR’s next show appearance.
New Products from Big Ben Bricks
Any steam locomotive builder is familiar with Big Ben at this point. Ben Fleskes was one of the first people to pioneer realistic steam locomotive driving wheels made specifically for LEGO models, even going back before the Emerald Night. The hobby certainly wouldn’t be where we are now without Ben’s efforts.
Ben has been working to add some new products to his lineup, and they are now ready and available for purchase on his website:
XXL Size Wheels, Flanged and Blind
XXL wheels are available in black, dark grey, light grey, red and dark red.
M Wheels with Grooves and Traction Bands, Flanged and Blind
These wheels are available in red and black and include traction bands of the same color.
New Color: Dark Red
Ben has also added a dark red color option to all wheels on his site.
This is exciting to see, I personally would love to try out some injection molded XXL wheels. So far, I’ve only had experience with Nate Brill’s wheels from Shapeways for XXL wheels. This is a great solution due to the higher level of customization and cost (it costs a lot to create molds), but injection molding always has a better quality, especially for moving parts.
Now I just need to find a suitable locomotive to use M size wheels and give those a shot too…
BrickTracks Progress on R104 Turnouts
BrickTracks is another known name in the community. Scott Hoffemeyer has been working to bring new track geometries in high quality molded parts to the LEGO train third party market. Recently, Scott has shared with us a video showing some testing of his molded R104 turnouts.
Scott tells me that there is still some work yet to go with the molds, a few minor fixes here and there, but very good overall.
Test parts, November 2019. Photo by Scott Hoffemeyer.
R104 Left Hand Turnout. Render by Scott Hoffemeyer.
I’m sure I’m not alone in eagerly waiting for these turnouts to become available.
This year’s convention is at the Wyndham Lancaster Resort & Convention Center on Route 30 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We have the honor of having a booth right next to the American Steam Railroad, with whom we have been working with to produce our model of a Reading T-1 4-8-4.
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