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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 2 months ago
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 […]
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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 2 months ago
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, […]
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Thanks again for running the competition. With three Australian winners, you obviously timed the announcement to come out on on the morning of Australia Day (26 Jan). Very clever!
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It’s such an honor to win the Large Diorama category, and even more of an honor to win the Grand Prize (by a whisker, on a technicality). Congratulations to all the other entrants and winners. Many thanks to the organizers for providing me with the motivation to get my act together at least once a year, and thanks to my local LEGO train enthusiasts (including, but not limited to, some of the other winners) who collectively provide me with the motivation to keep improving. For a niche area (trains) of a niche hobby (LEGO), how lucky am I to live in a niche location (Melbourne) where there is so much talent?
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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 5 months ago
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! […]
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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 6 months ago
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 […]
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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 7 months ago
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 […]
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raised commented on the post, OcTRAINber 2020 – Dioramas, dioramas everywhere! 3 years, 7 months ago
Hi Micheal,
Thanks for the questions. Just to clarify things a bit: 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.
For your first question: We on purpose called it…[Read more]
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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 7 months ago
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 […]
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Hi,
it’s a nice theme this year, but I’m unsure of what is considered a “diorama”. I found the following definition:
(Model) “built in depth with plastic objects in front of a painted or photographed background.”
I have some questions about this:
Is it necessary to have a painted or built background?
Is it possible to build an urban or industrial diorama – or are nature and landscapes necessary for a diorama?
Could I incorporate movable or motorized elements – or is a diorama always a still life?A little more explanation of what counts as a diorama would help me.
Thanks.
MTM / Michael
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Hi Micheal,
Thanks for the questions. Just to clarify things a bit: 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.
For your first question: We on purpose called it ‘diorama’ and not ‘layout’. 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 😉 Your own models are a pretty good example of that, because they are in fact pretty good diorama’s!
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 scene part in this one is the most imporant, I’d say. So in that sense, yes, movement is allowed.
Now, to the questions:
Is it necessary to have a painted or built background?
–> this is nowhere specified (and is definatly part of the whole creativity thing), so knock yourself out!
Is it possible to build an urban or industrial diorama – or are nature and landscapes necessary for a diorama?
–> this is nowhere specified (and will not be), so do as you like!
Could I incorporate movable or motorized elements – or is a diorama always a still life?
–> interesting question. Seeing the whole “scene” thing that a diorama tends to have, I’d say some form of movement is for sure allowed. Just don’t make it a continious layout and you should be fine 😉Happy building!
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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 10 months ago
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 […]
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This is a great looking model, and I intend to get one if the $100 price holds true. This would be great opportunity for Lego to offer optional instructions to build the chassis to fit on O gauge model railroad track. This loco has already been noticed in O gauge forums. Lego could sell more of these as a cross over offering into the O gauge train market without worrying about that market providing competition to their traditional product line. Hey a guy can dream can’t he?!
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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 11 months ago
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 […]
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raised wrote a new post 3 years, 12 months ago
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 […]
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raised wrote a new post 4 years ago
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 […]
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great model, thanks for the write-up!
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raised wrote a new post 4 years, 1 month ago
Being a Model Railroader and AFOL in one, it’s always difficult to make sure a model looks like it’s prototype. As AFOL, you are always trying to use exactly that one piece of Lego that corresponds with a certain […]
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raised wrote a new post 4 years, 2 months ago
In the LegoWorld 2018 Report Raised promised that somewhere in March 2020 the 2019 article would be published. Since Enrico considered that to be a bit late, he volunteered to write the 2019 article, but in 2019. […]
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raised wrote a new post 4 years, 3 months ago
Last year we published the results on December 9th, this year we are doing so on January 6th. Not everything can be a tradition after three years, but it seems that slow judging is definitely one of them.
So, […]
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dear Glenn,
it is always a great pleasure to receive and to read your Posts.
Wishing every day of the New Year 2020 to be filled with
much success, happiness, prosperity and a good Health,
for you, Cale and all good fellows of BMR Team.
Best, Yours Claudius
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raised wrote a new post 4 years, 4 months ago
Just a very short update from our side regarding the wrapping up of OcTRAINber 2019. Just like last year it has proven to be a quite busy number of months here at BMR, specifically for me (Legoworld, our biggest […]
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I love OcTrainBer! However, I think you severely limited the people who could enter by only accepting Real Life Entries this year. I really wanted to enter, but I have no money I could spend to build my project, so I think you need to make sure that every OcTrainBer contest from here on out allows Digital Entries. I’d also recommend bringing the Disney Train back as a prize next year for those who couldn’t enter due to not allowing digital entries.
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raised commented on the post, OcTRAINber 2019: Service Announcement 4 years, 4 months ago
Working on it as we speak. I communicated the following a couple of hours ago at EB and at our Flickr Page:
Hi all,
Short update from our side. Just like last year it has proven to be a quite busy number of months for me, which means the judging has taken some delays again since coordinating the judging is my ‘task’. We will try to get it done…[Read more]
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raised wrote a new post 4 years, 5 months ago
Happy last days of OcTRAINber! We hope you are enjoying this month as much as we are. In the last couple of weeks we have seen a lot of great WIPs and even some amazing entries being posted in the Brick Model […]
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Thanks! I kinda forgot about my build, I’m going to kick it into high gear!
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Are we getting results any time soon?
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Working on it as we speak. I communicated the following a couple of hours ago at EB and at our Flickr Page:
Hi all,
Short update from our side. Just like last year it has proven to be a quite busy number of months for me, which means the judging has taken some delays again since coordinating the judging is my ‘task’. We will try to get it done in max 2 weeks, so still before the end of the year. We will keep you updated on this proces as much as possible.
In the same time, I’d also like to ask you guys for some feedback. OcTRAINber has been a succes for three years in a row for us over at BMR, but we are wondering how you actually think about OcTRAINber. What do you guys like about the contest? What are the reasons to participate, or not to participate? What do you guys think could be done better next year? We look forward hearing from you, to make OcTRAINber 2020 even better!
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raised wrote a new post 4 years, 6 months ago
As we announced a bit over a week ago, this year BMR will again run the OcTRAINber contest. OcTRAINber is a contest meant to get outside of your comfort zone and build something you haven’t thought of before. You […]
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Whooo!!! I’m hyped!!! I’ve already gotten started, but the real build will begin soon…
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raised wrote a new post 4 years, 7 months ago
“Everything that happens once can never happen twice. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.”
If there is one thing at BMR that this could apply for, definitely now that September […]
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Sweet! Can I start on my builds whenever?
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Officially, no. Also, no WIP stories may be posted.
Once OcTRAINber officially kicks off on October 1st, have at it!
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Will non Lego electronics be allowed to control movements such as sbricks and pfx bricks to dcc and arduinos?
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We’re still ironing out the final rules. You can expect us to cover this in the kickoff article next week.
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raised wrote a new post 4 years, 7 months ago
Some might say that engines that look like a big box have no soul. That they are just what they are, big boxes with no aesthetic value. I however tend to differ. Just like how American diesels have found […]
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What I’m looking forward to is someone coming up with a remote controlled system for signals, train crossings and switch rails, like we had with the 12 V system.
Do they make metal wheels to with this system or would this strictly be for existing lego train motors?