Spoiler alert, this is a review of a non LEGO® product.
Today we’re reviewing baseplates produced by Brickyard Building Blocks. These are what many might consider a clone brand, but their baseplates are a little bit different than the LEGO style we’re all used to. That said, they have some unique advantages to offer builders and may be of use in your own train layout building. So let’s take a closer look.
Continue reading Review: Brickyard Building Blocks LEGO Compatible Baseplate
On February 5th and 6th, 2022 several LEGO® train builders gathered in Timonium, Maryland for the Great Scale Model Train Show to put together and display a L-Gauge Modular Standard (LGMS) train layout. The layout was planned and coordinated by Monty Smith. Contributors included Justin and Jesica Rupp, Nate Robinson, Eric Swanson, Robert Tebeau, Cale Leiphart, Glenn Holland, Brandon Burt, Robert Douthwaite, Bob Hayes, Jason Miller, and John Albright.
So first, maybe we should review what LGMS is. The objective of the L-Gauge Modular System (LGMS) is to provide a platform for realistic group layouts where a number of participants can bring LGMS modules to an event and assemble a coherent, reliable, and plausible layout suitable for public display, realistic operations and switching, or loop running where applicable.
LGMS uses a carefully designed set of standards for building layout modules so that every one is bringing a module can seamlessly mate up to any other module following the standards. The most up to date standard can be found on the LGMS website.
The show layout measured 67ft long x 15ft wide, with several bridges, sidings, industries, a branch line, and a staging yard incorporated into the layout. Monty Smith, the layout coordinator, did an awesome job working within the confines of the space we were given by the show while still designing an interesting layout with some creative running opportunities.
Here is a video tour of the layout.
And here are some of the trains we ran over the weekend.
And here are my still photos from the show.
On Sunday morning of the show, we held a mini operating session. What is an operating session you ask? The typical model railroad operating session seeks to model how the real railroads operate on a daily basis. Just like a real railroad, one can perform tasks on a layout such as delivering and picking up freight cars to and from industries, classifying (sorting) cars in the yard from arriving trains, and building outbound trains. Passenger trains make station stops and can be assembled and broken down in the passenger yard. Traffic control, a train dispatcher and signaling can also be involved.
For this op session, we really just wanted to play around and get a feel for what we could do. It was a pretty laid back, made up as we go fair, but was quite fun, and a good learning experience for future op sessions.
Myself, Justin Rupp, and Robert Tebeau took the role of running freight trains and switching on the layout. Each of us controlling our own locomotive. Bob Hayes operated a passenger train, stopping regularly at stations and taking priority on the main line. Monty played the role of dispatcher, instructing each freight train/switcher on what cars to pick up and set out and where they needed to go, while also directing the passenger train schedule.
As I said, it was pretty laid back, and maybe could have done with a little more advanced planning, but we all had a blast and operated for close to an hour before stopping as the show crowd picked up and we went back to running trains normally. It was a great learning experience and we plan to try another op session based on our experience at the 2022 Brickworld event coming up in June.
This show was a ton of fun. The layout was planned well, and there were some great modules making up the display. We ran a wide variety of trains, from Steam to diesel to moderns high speed trains, and there was no shortage of excellent rolling stock to pull.
A big hand goes out to Monty who was our LGMS coordinator and layout planner for this show. This was not Monty’s first LGMS layout, he has coordinated two previous LGMS layouts the Great Scale Model Train Show and also one for Brickfair Virginia 2021. He is also helping with the track plan for two upcoming shows, Brickworld, and the NMRA National Train Show, coordinating for the Brickfair Virgina LGMS layout, and will be coordinating the October GSMTS LGMS layout. Monty has got this layout planning thing on lockdown and his hard work is much appreciated. And he also builds some cool trains.
For more information on LGMS and also upcoming shows featuring an LGMS layout you can visit the LGMS website and join the LGMS Facebook group. Links below.
Hello everyone. The world has spent the last year in lockdowns and isolation while we’ve been fighting a global pandemic. All our favorite LEGO® Fan Events have either been postponed or moved online. And while we have made the best of the situation and persevered, we are happy to say that in the United State at least, public evens are starting to return. Today we’re going to highlight a few of those coming in the next few weeks.
Before we get into the events, we wanted to make a quick note of what is going on with the L-Gauge Modular System, LGMS for short, since the standard will be featured in several of the events coming up.
LGMS now has a dedicated website!
https://lgms.org
On the LGMS website you will find the latest updates to the standard, information on upcoming events where an LGMS layout is being organized, links to various LGMS resources, and articles on LGMS. Of course we will still cover important LGMS info here on Brick Model Railroader as well, but the LGMS website will be a great tool as the standard continues to grow.
Brick Days – Omaha is a family friendly event featuring 15,000 square feet of amazing custom creations, games, and interactive activities, all built from LEGO bricks by LEGO enthusiasts from across the Midwest. With this being our flagship event, Brick Days holds nothing back. You will see the newest creations from many different builders, the best prizes, and the newest up-to-date swag from the most popular vendors within LEGO® community.
This year Brick Days-Omaha will be held on July 24th & 25th, at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA.
BMR attended this even in 2019 and had a really great time. I will be raveling back there again this year, though I will not have the PennLUG layout coming with me. I still very much look forward to seeing the event, catching up with old friends, and meeting new train fans. Look for me to be hanging around the Northern Illinois LEGO Train Club layout with a few models to show off.
BrickFair Viginia is one of the premier LEGO® fan events in North America, bringing together hundred of LEGO builders and their creations. Held every year in Chantilly, Virginia, the event returns this year on July 28th to August 1st.
https://www.brickfair.com/VA/
This year will be the first time an L-Gauge Modular Standard (LGMS) collaborative layout make an appearance at the event.
Several clubs and individuals will be participating in this layout, including myself with my Red Lion Station layout. A big shout out goes to Monty Smith for organizing this for the 2021 event. I’m really looking forward to running some trains on this.
BrickSlopes is proud to return to the Mountain America Expo Center for their 2021 EVENT. After being forced to cancel the 2020 event, they hope you are too. The event will be held on August 26th- 28th 2021.
Brick Slopes is excited to announce that it is putting on its first LGMS train display this year. Don’t have a train? No worries, buildings, scenery, and just about anything city can be displayed next to some train tracks! Just as long as its made to the LGMS standard.
HOW DO YOU JOIN IN THE FUN!
When you register your MOCs on the BrickSlopes website, select city and train as the theme. Then feel free to reach out to Brad Rowley so they can find the best place to put your layout on the loop! If you have any ideas, suggestions, or just want to share, send Brad a PM! The time is closing fast, so get those MOCs ready!
One final note. As the BMR Store shipping department (that would be me) is going to be on the road the next two weeks attending Nebraska Brick Days and Brickfair Virginia, I will not be shipping orders until I return. The store will remain open so you can place orders, and download our Knuckle Coupler Cad Models and Knuckle Coupler Conversion Instructions, but any orders requiring shipping will not be shipped until I return on August 2nd.
Thank You, and I hope to see you at Nebraska Brick Days or BrickFair.
Cale Leiphart
BMR
Announcing an L-Gauge Modular Standard layout for BrickFair Virginia in Chantilly, Virginia 2020. BrickFair Viginia is one of the premier LEGO® fan events in North America, bringing together hundred of LEGO builders and their creations. The dates of the show for 2020 are July 29th to August 2nd.
Cale Leiphart will be layout chief for this event. He is responsible for the layout plan, securing space at the event, set up coordination, and operating schedule. Anyone interested in participating should contact him directly:
Cale Leiphart – cale@brickmodelrailroader.com
Participants must be finalized by the end of May 15th in order to coordinate a layout plan and submit it to Brickfair for space approval.
The LGMS layout must conform to LGMS v1.3, which has been uploaded to our LGMS page and to the LGMS Facebook group.
Recently I had the pleasure of participating in LEGO train displays at two train shows here in the Northeast United States. The first was the annual Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show with the New England LEGO User Group. The second was the Great Scale Model Train Show with the second ever L-Gauge Modular Standard display. These were both great shows, and were a lot of fun. Here is a report on both these events.
Continue reading 2020 Winter Train Show Report
Brickworld 2019 has come and gone. It’s time to reflect on all the excitement, pain, wonder, frustration, and joy that characterized my trip this year to one of North America’s premier LEGO fan events. Brickworld takes place at the Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL every June, and is one of the largest LEGO fan events in North America. It draws some of the best builders in the country, and even a few from over seas. It is also typically the largest gathering of LEGO train fans, and train clubs in the US. If you love LEGO trains, you’ll be in good company at Brickworld.
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