Category Archives: Models

Models built by fans

LEGO Train News, Models

San Francisco Cable Car: Support it on LEGO Ideas!

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I have a soft spot for trolleys, and so does LEGO Ideas user, kevinszeto. He has posted a few of these vehicles to LEGO’s crowdsourcing platform, including one which hit 10,000 supporters but failed to pass the review process.

This has not stopped him from posting other trolley projects, including this iconic San Francisco cable car.  Unfortunately, it has 35 days left unless it hits 5,000 by that time. It would be a great shame for this lovely model to fade into obscurity. If you would love to have one of these, go here and hit the “support” button. Share it with anyone who might be interested!

Kevin was lucky enough to have his Yellow Submarine project get turned into a set. While the Beatles are cool, an official LEGO trolley would be tough to beat!

Models

“He’s a really useful engine, you snow!”: Thomas & Friends for the Holidays

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Flickr user Johnny N. has been kind enough to indulge our childhood fantasies by decorating classic “Thomas the Tank Engine” characters for Christmas! Disclaimer: These are renders, so there are certain parts portrayed in colors which they have never appeared. Now if only Santa would bring us green and yellow train wheels, we would be set…

Click here to view the entire assortment of Thomas characters.

Thomas
Percy
James
Stephen
Culdee

Building Techniques, Models

Make way for Maintenance of Way!

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Flickr user de-marco has created an amazing little railroad maintenance vehicle.  In particular, the detail of the cab is stunning and uses an interesting offsetting technique.

Want to build this for yourself? de-marco was kind enough to share building instructions via this YouTube video! You can even find the parts list on Rebrickable.

It turns out that de-marco is skilled at making other LEGO vehicles. Visit his flickr account for a world of automotive excitement!

 

Models

A cute little engine you can build

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Did you receive set 40235 (24-in-1 Holiday Countdown Set) this year? The set comes with instructions for building 24 different models (one for each day leading up to Christmas). Bill Ward has been doing each day’s build, while also making a MOC with leftover parts each day. Day 13 was this cute micro steam engine. His use of the white croissant for smoke is both well-played and deliciously adorable.

Bill has been kind enough to post instructions so you can build your own. You can access them here: page 1 and page 2.  To see what other builds he comes up, be sure to follow his blog, Bill Ward’s Brickpile!

Models

“You’re in the Army now. You’re not behind the plow.”

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Flickr user Tablizm brings us a super-detailed U.S. Army train. You may have seen this when it was blogged by the Brothers Brick, but I did not stumble upon it until today. I enjoyed looking at it so much that I wanted to share it with you. In particular, I love how the builder made such a diverse lot of cars, some of which have interior details! Click here for additional images of his train.

About BMR, Models

Our AAR 53′ 70 Ton Flat Car Premium Instructions are now on sale, plus Restocks!

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Our fourth premium instructions, for the AAR 53′ 70 Ton Flat Car are now available for purchase in our store!

See our video review here

Continue reading Our AAR 53′ 70 Ton Flat Car Premium Instructions are now on sale, plus Restocks! →

Layout Design, LEGO Train News, Model Design, Models

4DBrix Announces a Game Changer

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Tom Lowa at 4DBrix has worked continuously to bring new innovations to the Lego train hobby for some time now. Using their own on-site 3D printer, they’ve been making things like remote switch mechanisms and modular switch tracks, as well as a lot of monorail components, if you’re into that kind of thing. More recently, however, there has been two new additions to the 4DBrix online store that really gives them some good reputation.

If you missed it or haven’t seen it yet, I don’t blame you. It hasn’t been “officially” announced by 4DBrix yet, but rest assured it IS listed on their site. Enter the “Ultimate Railroader” series. Aside from a clever name, this is 4DBrix’s play at getting into a more serious scale Lego railroading market. Currently, the only two products in this line are nearly the same, but different enough to make someone want one of each (or more). Tom has listed R148 crossovers, in both right-hand single crossover and double crossover configurations, on his website. He was also kind enough to send us a set of the double crossover to review, which will be the main point of this article.

Continue reading 4DBrix Announces a Game Changer →

Contests, Models

OcTRAINber: The Results

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After a great and exciting month that we dubbed OcTRAINber, the difficult part for us judges had only just begon. However, we have managed to finally decide on the winners, which will be announced in this post!

First of all, let us say that we are pleasantly surprised by all the high quality entries and the great Swoosh-videos. We were very glad to see so many great ideas and prototypes being build, both digital and in real life. In fact, the reason that it took us so long to judge is because of the high quality of all of the entries. Therefore, we would like to thank all our contestants, because without you, OcTRAINber wouldn’t have been the succes it has been!

Now, let’s move on to the award ceremony!

Continue reading OcTRAINber: The Results →

Inspiration, Models, People

Drifting with Sunder

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I agree, this topic title normally makes more sense over at our friends of The Lego Car Blog but thanks to well-know Sci-Fi trains and space builder Sunder, we can now also use this title over at BMR, and not without a reason. Just have a look at this great YouTube video and you know what I mean!

I’m to be honest not sure what is more addictive; that song or seeing 3 minutes of drifting by a Lego Train…

As you can see, Sunder is a great builder who also knows his ways in 3D rendering, which actually gives us the excuse to also feature another of his models which he posted about a week ago. Just have a look and decide for yourself if this is actually a render, or real life bricks…

Want to see more? Just drop by at Sunder’s Flickr for more pictures of these and several other great Sci-Fi trains!

Model Design, Models

A Tail Of The Blue Comet: The Seashore’s Finest Train In LEGO by Cale Leiphart

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My first encounter with the Blue Comet was at the National Toy Train Museum in Strasburg Pennsylvania. It was an O scale model of the train made by MTH, sitting on a display shelf in the main display room. I fell in love with the train almost immediately. It was a very striking train, with the locomotive painted in an eye catching blue with gold pin striping, and nickel plated accents. The passenger cars also blue, with an attractive band of white running down the windows. It was beautiful train from a different time, a time when rail travel was king, and a journey on a train was something special. The Blue Comet had caught my imagination like so many before. I knew that I was going to be the one to bring this train to life again in LEGO.

My LEGO model of the Blue Comet train set.
Advertisement for the Blue Comet from the period.

The Central Railroad of New Jersey’s Blue Comet

“A Deluxe Class Train, for a Coach Class Fare”
Continue reading A Tail Of The Blue Comet: The Seashore’s Finest Train In LEGO by Cale Leiphart →