Elroy Davis interviews Martin Lanser about his experience with the LEGO train hobby and his desktop sized industrial switching layout.
Overview of the layout from the buldings.
[BMR] Tell us a little bit about yourself and your layout.
[ML] I grew up with LEGO in the 70s. One reason why my mother bought LEGO was that she got tired of me taking apart all my other toys and other things in the house. At some point I was sent to boarding school, which pretty much ended the first phase of my fascination with LEGO. While I didn’t have access to LEGO, I did have access to erector sets like Meccano, Matador, and Fisher Technic (which was awesome!). Then came the 80s and my first computers. Then the 90s, my first daughter and I bought some LEGO again – for her, of course! Then another daughter in early 2000s. A bit more LEGO. Even some early Mindstorms stuff. But it seems I wasn’t able to transfer the “bug” to them.
Then lots of LEGO Friends for my younger daughter and now some serious LEGO Technic kits for me. More Mindstorms. More LEGO buildings for her. Once we got this house, I got a small office upstairs. The goal is to eventually finish the basement and build a proper office and LEGO room. Now, I should also mention that I’ve always been fascinated with trains and have built layouts for myself and in clubs in N, HO, O scale. I’ve even had LGB trains! And, of course, I’m into all things mechanical – if it moves, then it fascinates me. Trucks. Construction equipment. Robotics. Drones. So yes, I’m an ultra-geek. And a programmer.
Overview of the layout from the lead track and sidings.
Now, I
work from home quite a bit and the whole LEGO thing started innocently enough
with building a few Technic sets while I was sitting on conference calls. Then
I purchased a few instructions for 1:17 scale trucks by Ingmar Spijkhoven (who
unfortunately passed away recently). And building proper scaled and highly
detailed models in LEGO really woke up the AFOL monster in me.
Driving south along Route 1 in Van Buren, Maine today, a visitor glancing to the right probably wouldn’t know that they were looking at the remains of the northern yard of the former Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. The tracks are gone, and buildings, at least those still standing, peek out from the trees.
Keeping the past alive, William Dumond
has been modeling that rail yard.
William Dumond’s Van Buren Yark – from his Flickr account
We’ve featured his work before, but in addition to building incredible locomotives and rolling stock, Bill is a proficient scenery modeler, as can be seen in his comparison shot of the real Van Buren yard, next to his brick-built version on the left.
Van Buren Yard in 2014 – image from Google Maps, notice the white warehouse to the left, and the yellow building through the trees.
Looking at a Google Maps image of the area, it’s easy to find the buildings featured on the layout, and to get a sense of the tracks that used to run between them. The layout has a nice organic look, matching the prototype, and staying away from the rigid blockiness of some LEGO layouts.
Custom Turnout Switch – from William Dumond’s Flickr gallery
One of the most interesting things about the model Van Buren yard is the use of a custom switch, documented on Bill’s Flickr account. This switch flows nicely, and really adds to the realism of the scene.
For more of William Dumond’s Van Buren yard, as well as more of his Bangor and Aroostoock work, check out his stream on Flickr. We’ll be looking forward to watching the progress on this one!
From time to time The LEGO Group conducts market research by reaching out to customers and fans for information. Brick Model Railroader has been asked to pass along the following survey information to our readers
—-
Dear LEGO enthusiast, On behalf of the LEGO Group, we kindly invite you to take part in a study that aims to shed light on how you spend your leisure time and the kinds of hobbies and interests you have. As part of the study we would also like to get to know you better including the viewpoints and ideas you have when it comes to LEGO products. The survey is being carried out on our behalf by an online survey company called Lightspeed (http://www.lightspeedresearch.com/about). The information you give us will be treated in the utmost confidence and in accordance with the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. It will not be passed on to any other person or persons and any personal details you provide will not be used in any sales or marketing activity and no personally identifiable information will be passed onto the LEGO Group.
HOW DO I PARTICIPATE? The survey is specifically tailored for American, German and Chinese LEGO enthusiasts, and is offered in the following languages: English, German, and Chinese (simplified). Please select your preferred language via the links below. Please note that the survey closes by 24 th of February, midnight CET.
THE SURVEY IS QUITE LENGTHY – WHY IS THAT? The survey could take up to 30 minutes to complete. This is because we ask a lot of questions and because the questions we ask requires some consideration! We are aware that we ask a lot from you. Our hope is that by generating a rich data set we can generate a deep understanding of your preferences and wants when it comes to LEGO products, and that this in turn will enable the LEGO Group to serve you better.
I COMPLETED THE SURVEY – THEN WHAT? In April 2019 we will be sharing key findings via the LEGO Ambassador Network and the recognized groups that belongs to the network so that we can collectively build an understanding of who LEGO enthusiasts are and what you are generally interested in.
Recently, to allow for testing and
review, The LEGO Group supplied Brick Model Railroader with a number
of components from the newly released LEGO Powered Up line of
electronics. Powered Up is TLG’s update to the popular Power
Functions line of motor, battery, and remote systems.
Powered Up! Elements
As “mostlytechnic” mentions in his review on EuroBricks, the components have been released in the newer Boost and Train sets, which started in 2018.
The post on EuroBricks is excellent (and recommended), so rather than write another straight up review of something you can read elsewhere, I concentrated on playability as it concerns us train fans.
With the release of the new LEGO City trains, driven by the new Powered UP system, fans had many questions. Kim Thomsen, of LEGO, worked with fans to gather questions, and to research answers. The following is from Kim:
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With the launch of the new Powered Up system in the LEGO Train 60197 and 60198 a lot of questions surfaced in the AFOL Community. We asked the Ambassadors of the Recognized Communities to bring all those questions to us and below you have the answers to all those questions.
We hope this will clarify and answer a lot of the questions and concerns in the AFOL Community.
Today we interview SwissLUG member Stefan Erismann. Stefan’s unique builds include interesting rounded shapes and realistic proportions. For more, see his wonderful Flickr stream.
BMR: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you most enjoy building?
SE: I am 22 years old and I study electrical engineering. I am a member of SwissLUG, the first Swiss Lego user group. Since I was a small child, I was interested in trains and railways, and so am I today. I enjoy building models of existing rolling stock and the challenge to build the round train fronts and other things which do not fit in the “regular LEGO geometry”. This can be the tilted walls of the ETR 610, or the round front of the Trans Europe Express (TEE).
BMR: Your Flickr photos show a number of small studies of building techniques, as well as computer renderings. Can you tell us about your design and building process?
SE: I normally start with pictures of the real thing, e.g. a locomotive. I also look for blueprints and especially pictures from the side, to get the proportions right. Then I build a prototype with the bricks I have at hand. Often these prototypes are quite colorful. Depending on the size and bricks I already have I build the MOC with the LDD to calculate the bricks I am missing. On the other hand, I cannot build everything I want, so a lot of MOCs will stay in the LDD. That is also the point where I put pictures online. I hope that my building techniques can inspire other people to build their MOCs.
The models I finally build with real bricks however seldom look like the LDD prototypes. I often change things if for example some new bricks appear, or some bricks become available in a certain color.
BMR: In addition to trains, you have built some beautiful models of public transportation buses. Do you enjoy building these a individual models, or
are they part of a larger layout?
SE: The correct answer is both. I started with a coach, which then turned into a small layout with the coach, a bus stop and a campsite.
There are a lot of members in SwissLUG who build trains or modify the train sets from Lego, so there is never a lack of trains on an exhibition. However, there are no buses. So now I am planning a big bus station and I have now six buses, from commuter service buses to a double deck coach. I also enjoy that every bus manufacturer has their own details, like the front or the shape of the bus itself. That is something I try to capture with my bricks.
If you’re in the Jackson, New Hampshire area this summer, swing by the Jackson Public Library and check out this awesome LEGO rendition of the Conway Scenic Railroad by Dawson Santoro.
The Conway Scenic is a a tourist line in the Mount Washington Valley of New Hampshire, offering passenger excursions through the White Mountains. Their colorful consists include a number of vintage locomotives and cars, including the 0-6-0 Canadian National 7470 that Dawson chose to model for his display.
I asked Dawson a few questions about his very professional build.
BMR: What was the original inspiration behind choosing the Conway Scenic as a prototype to model?
DS: I’ve been following PENNLUG for a few years now, the models they build are truly amazing and they inspired me to build a train with that level of detail. And since I’ve been coming to Jackson, New Hampshire every summer for the past fifteen years, I chose to build the Conway Scenic Railroad which is a major tourist attraction in the area. by invitation, for the past two summers, I’ve had some custom LEGO builds on display and for this year I chose the Conway Scenic because everyone here in The Mount Washington Valley, knows about and has seen or been on the real thing so it’s relatable to everyone.
BMR:What is your design process? Do you work with virtual models on acomputer first, or do you work more hands on with physical bricks as youbuild?
DS: My design process was to first look at a lot of close up pictures that I took of the real train last summer and I tried to figure out what LEGO parts I could use for each feature of the train. I also looked at a lot of LEGO models from other builders to get ideas. I designed one of the coaches on LEGO Digital Designer to get an idea of how each one would look and have a rough list of parts I would need. I modified each coach as I built them and I would often take apart a lot of the detail and rebuilt it differently to get it as accurate as I could. For the steam locomotive, I designed the boiler, cab, gearbox and coal tender on LEGO Digital Designer. Since it was my first locomotive I’ve built there was a lot of trial and error with building with physical bricks. I much prefer actually building my models and being able to see how it’s going to turn out and what works and what doesn’t.
BMR:How long was the design and build process?
DS: I started building this model in November 2017 and finished it at the beginning of May this year which is about six months from designing it to applying on the decals at the end. Before I started designing it I already knew how I was going to power it so I ordered the power functions I needed back in September. I first started building the locomotive which took me about a month and a half to complete the rough shape and functions of the gearing. Throughout the rest of the building of the coaches and the track, I didn’t stop working on the locomotive, adding small detail or changing details I didn’t like or thought I could improve on.
In addition to MOC Builder interviews, BMR has recently reached out to the worldwide LEGO train community to learn a little more about some of the people and groups that make up our great hobby. Recently I interviewed Paolo Sbrascini, a train builder from the Italian fan group Marchebrick.
Paolo is the main train builder for their group, and enjoys building automation into his MOCs and layouts, including such things as automatic doors that open and close on passenger trains as they stop at the train platform.
Paolo with “Emerald Night” designer Jamie Berard
BMR: Can you tell us about Marchebrick?
Paolo: Marchebrick group…RLUG from January 2017, now with more than 40 members and 25 active AFOLs, proud to be their Ambassador and co-founder of this group.
It was December 2014, AFOL from 2010 and ITlug member, (still I am), I was participating as exhibitor to an event in our Region (Marche, Central Italy, 300 kms north/east from Rome) organized by our friends of Romabrick group. In that occasion I met some guys who lived not far from me and all great AFOLs. We discussed about the possibility to found a group to enjoy together and run own events. After some months talking about it (usually in Pubs and restaurants), maybe a little drunk, in the 2015 spring we officially founded “Marchebrick”.
In origin we were 5 main AFOLs, different theme lovers (city/trains, fantasy/castle, Technic, pirates and Friends (a member wife).
This 1st event arrived quickly, in April 2015 we organized an expo area in a fair near us. Event gone okay and we decided to raise the level, organize a specific exhibition in the Center of the main Cities of the Region, and we did it! December 2017, two events in Ancona (Region’s Capital) and Macerata (Province chief town) gave us an extreme visibility and all the “hidden” AFOLs and brick lovers of a large area contacted us to know more, to take part to our activities, to enjoy…
2016 a Year of big changes, more people to manage, more activities to do (an example, we bought a lot of bricks to make children play for free at our events), a founder gone, some new “big” AFOLs arrived…continuing growing and making bigger and enjoying events. August and October Central Italy Earthquakes (one during an event…incredible) impacted strongly in our Region…but even with some difficulties we continued to play!
2017, January…Welcome aboard new RLUG! Doors or a new world open to us, we start to make official events and cooperate more with all the “neighbours” and the other Italian groups. The Main event comes on January 2018, Brick And Build Porto San Giorgio, a whole sports hall, 55 exhibitors from all over Italy, big play area, fantastic reply from public.
Marchebrick
Now we are trying to add new activities to play with public…and among our members, like internal brick contests or community Ideas to develop…soon enjoying news!
BMR: Do you find it difficult to be the only member who enjoys building trains?
Paolo: No relevant difficulties, even If I am the only train MOC builder of my group, when I do something I like I never find problems. I am a Train lover since I abandoned my dark age in 2010. Participating to events through Italy I met a good part of the most “famous” Italian and European Lego trains builders and I had the possibility to compare with them. I also searched if in our group there were someone interested, but all the other City lovers only consider trains like “the movement” in the city…without approaching to MOC models like me. For these reasons in my group I am usually the one who manages city and trains Layouts and in occasion of bigger events I usually call other “foreign” train lovers to help me with their creations. I also usually go outside when called to run my trains in some large city layouts built by other groups. And I enjoy very much to do this!
BMR: Tell us about the automations that you build. Do you have a process for
testing as you create?
Paolo: Making my trains as accurate as possible, I started to search for some new “wow” effects to add…for example smoke from exhausts, sounds, but these are all existing tricks, which can be made adapting a normal kit from railroad models. For this reason, I started to think about what could be unusual or enjoying to see and I found some good stuffs to improve, like: working automatic railroad crossings, automatic train doors, automatic start/stop trains on station’s platform in according to light signals…
Usually I build my trains before by LDD, but for these moving stuffs (especially crossing and working doors) I had to invent completely all the functions by using real mock-ups. Testing these models I optimized their work and then I putted them into my models/layouts, in this case empiric approach works very well for me.
Regarding automations, I use an old RCX 1.0 and sensors which can be programmed by NQC language, I know it’s quite complicate but I usually can obtain good results.
BMR: Do you use 3rd party parts (batteries, lights, motors, etc.) in any of
your builds? If so, why?
Paolo: I consider myself quite “purist” using Lego parts, so if possible I try only to use only original pieces. This “rule” is fundamental regarding bricks and normal pieces, but regarding electronic Everybody knows that there are some limits in standard parts. Building my models in the Years I used no standard rechargeable batteries, but with big problems (heat) so I started to use official rechargeable batteries. (expensive but efficient). Same for controllers, I tried S-Brick receiver, but not totally satisfied applying it to trains. Now I’m thinking about buying a Buwizz battery (I know Roni one of the founders) and it could be interesting to have a small “all in one” device.
Another real problem is represented by old 9v train motors “burnt” or very “tired”…I’m now trying to run my trains with PF motors collecting energy by a cable connected with a 9v motor (but in small models it’s more difficult).
Regarding controlling functions I will try to remain with RCX system till it will be working, but I also know some friends implementing programmable (and quite cheap) systems like Arduino with increasing success…so let’s see in the next future…also considering that TLG will launch soon the new PF2 system.
Photos from Marchebrick Porto San Giorgio “Brick ‘n Build” show some very
detailed and realistic train layouts. Were these collaborations between
you and other builders?
Paolo: In small events I usually manage train layouts with my forces, but as I said before regarding my activities, in big layouts I usually contact before 4 or 5 “serious” train builders asking them to give me a hand to display great dioramas and realistic trains. We know each other and we usually keep in contact among us, so we know exactly what we have to display and what could be useful for this or for another event. The only thing which has not been implemented yet among us Is the direct collaboration for realizing a unique layout…cause we are far from each other (2/300 kilometers each) and we cannot often meet physically, But we are talking about it, let’s develop this idea in the future.
With the release of the Brick Model Railroader Northeastern Style Caboose, I thought I’d give a short photo tour of a couple of vintage vans that plied their trade in the the northeastern states of Vermont and New York along the old Rutland Railroad.
First up is Rutland Caboose #28. Currently on display at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania, #28 is a fully restored piece, varnished in Cherry Red, that I was able to visit while traveling to BrickFair in Virginia back in 2009. According to the National Park System’s documentation, caboose #28 was built in 1920 by the Rutland car shops. Built to the New York Central design, the caboose features a cupola that is offset to one end of the van, with a comfortable interior for the crew. The caboose was assigned to the lines between Rutland, Vermont and Ogdensburg, New York. It ended it’s working life as a bunkhouse in Bellows Falls, Vermont before being donated in 1961 to F. Nelson Blount for display at the original Steamtown site in Vermont. The restoration of #28 took place in 1995. The caboose was on display inside of one of Steamtown’s buildings, which made getting exterior shots difficult, but did provide for a look at the roof line.
Roof of Rutland #28
Lettering of Caboose #28
#28 Showing a Rebuild Date of July, 1933
Restored Interior of Rutland #28
The second caboose is Rutland #45, currently on display outside of the Center Rutland Depot just outside of Rutland, Vermont. The Depot is home of the Rutland Railway Association, who have both a museum and model railroad club on site. This caboose actually lives just a few miles from where I live, so I’ve photographed it a few times over the years, including a couple of days ago to show its current state. Though the caboose is off-limits to the public, in the summer of 2016, a couple of the Association’s members allowed me a look inside the unrestored caboose. While it’s a bit run down (it *is* almost 100 years old), it was quite a treat to see the original floor, paint, and layout. Most interesting to me were the beautiful cast-iron seats up in the cupola which allowed would have allowed for a great view for the train crew.
#45 was built in June of 1924. Originally numbered #95, it was renumbered a few months later along with the rest of the 90 series. Like Steamtown’s #28, it ran on the Ogdensburg sub-division of the Rutland lines. With the end of the Rutland Railroad in the mid 1960s, Rutland #45 become Vermont Railway’s #45 when the state of Vermont bought the former Rutland’s assets. VTR #45 was retired from use in the mid 1970s, and moved to Center Rutland by the the early 1990s. Members of the Railway Association are currently restoring both the caboose and the Rutland Depot that is their home.
Rutland Caboose #45 in March of 2010
Front end of #45 in 2010
Cupola End of #45 in 2010
Unrestored Interior of Caboose #45, August of 2016
Cast Iron Cupola Seats, Rutland Caboose #45
Rutland Caboose #45, April 2018, Restoration in Progress
Lately on Social Media platforms, there has been an uptick in “Can I have building instructions for…” type requests. While some of these requests are very specific, and the answer from other builders is usually “You’ll have to design it yourself,” there are sources available for a number of train related building instructions.
Following other designer’s instructions is a great way to learn different building techniques and trends. While it’s sometimes frustrating to see an amazing build and immediately want to build one yourself, it’s often better to step back, assess your skills, and start small. I’d wager to guess that most of us who currently design our own models started by following official LEGO instructions. After a while, we would modify those builds, adding our own touches (my first “designed” train was a modification of the My Own Train line from back in 2001). After modifying official models for a bit, we’d start experimenting with the techniques we’d learned, and we’d begin designing our own builds.
The following are some sources (other than buying sets) of train related building instructions that may help builders get started. Some of these are older resources, but the techniques displayed are as valid today as they were when they were originally assembled.
First print of BMR’s PS-1 Boxcar Premium Instructions.
First, of course, is our own Brick Model Railroader Premium Instructions. Designed by Cale Leiphart and Glenn Holland, these models are in the 8-wide scale, designed specifically for builders looking for prototype realism in their models. Instructions are printed in book form, and include any custom parts needed for the builds.
Next, The LEGO Group, on their Customer Service website, offer Downloadable Instructions for official sets. Not all sets are available, but this is a great resource if you are looking for just the instructions for current or recently retired sets. Some older sets are also available, but again, not everything is there. Instructions are provided as downloadable PDF files.
Two other sites also offer instructions of official LEGO models. These sites include some of the company’s older sets, which may be of interest to builders wishing to delve into the history of LEGO trains and building techniques. Brick Instructions.com includes downloadable PDF files of instructions, or onscreen image files that a builder can scroll through.
The second site, Peeron.com has scans of instructions from as far back as 1955. Peeron was THE fan-created database of LEGO sets twenty years ago, and still contains a huge amount of information, including set inventories and catalog scans.
On the fan side of things, there are a number of resources for building instructions.
Jake McKee’s Getting Started With LEGO Trains.
Back in 2004, Jake McKee, who used to liaison between the LEGO Group and the fan community, wrote Getting Started with LEGO Trains. Published by No Starch Press, the book included a history of LEGO Trains, as well as building instructions for a diesel locomotive and a number of freight cars. Though out of print, Getting Started with LEGO Trains can still be found at a number of used booksellers.
No Starch Press also publishes a number of other LEGO related books, including the new The LEGO Trains Book by Holger Matthes. Available in both print and PDF form, the book includes tips for different building techniques, as well as some step-by-step instructions. Glenn Holland reviewed the book for Brick Model Railroader back in October.
RAILBRICKS Issue #1
A third publication, this time in magazine form, was started back in 2007 by Jeremy Spurgeon. RAILBRICKS published 6 issues, in PDF and Print On Demand format, through August of 2009. In 2010 the magazine was revived with Jeremy passing editorial duties to Elroy Davis. The volunteer team of authors and content creators that made up the RAILBRICKS team published another 9 issues, ending publication in July of 2014. Each issue of the magazine included building instructions for things like locomotives, rolling stock, or scenery. An archive of the RAILBRICKS magazines is available here on the BMR website where each issue can be downloaded in PDF format. Print issues of the magazine can also still be purchased from MagCloud.
In addition to publications, a number of builders offer instructions of their designs via their BrickLink shops.
A search for “Custom Instructions” on BrickLink turned up shops selling instructions for locomotives, rolling stock, scenery, and modular buildings.
BrickLink Online Marketplace
One of the largest offerings of instructions is Anthony Sava’s SRW Locomotive Works. His designs includes steam and diesel locomotives, as well as passenger and freight cars. I just recently finished building his Light Mikado, and can recommend his instructions as clear and easy to follow.
Bricks Northwest offers a number of diesel locomotives, including CSX, Canadian National, and Conrail liveries.
For the fans of the Emerald Night set, Zac’s Brick Place sells instruction sets for custom coaches in the Emerald Night color scheme.
For those who like high speed rail, LT12V in Italy sells instructions for three different passenger trains.
Next, Brick City Depot has a nice offering of rail buildings, trains, and maintenance of way equipment.
The BrickLink shops listed above are by no means the complete list. They are just a few of the instructions available from fans that I found with a little searching.
Brick Instructions Website
Finally, there are a number of fan sites out there that offer instructions as well.
One of my favorites is the L-Guage wiki. Instructions for ballasted track, roads, viaducts and more are available as downloadable PDF files.
A similarly named site, LGauge, offers a large amount of instructions for freight cars, as well as few diesel locomotives and small scenery pieces. The instructions can be followed online in HTML format, or downloaded as PDF files.
Michael Gale, of the L-Guage wiki, also has custom instructions for sale on his Brick Dimensions website. These include both passenger and freight models.
Like BrickLink, this small list of sites was found with just a quick search on Google. I’m sure there are other sites out there with similar offerings
Instructions are awesome, and while there are many available, nothing really beats just sitting down and experimenting. Don’t be discouraged if your initial builds don’t work out they way you think they should, and don’t compare yourself to builders who have a couple of decades of experience. Remember that we all started at the same point. Follow the instructions for a while, then have fun striking out on your own design path!
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