Custom LEGO Modern Metroliner Passenger Train

Video Link: Custom LEGO Modern Metroliner Passenger Train

One set I loved as a child was my 4558 Metroliner 9V set. I actually don't remember what happened to it, but today I'm showing off a modernized version of it that will service my City's middle loop.

My layout doesn't have any 9V compatible tracks so rather than buy the original again (at today's crazy prices) and butcher up such a classic set with Power Functions, I went with making a more modern looking version from scratch as more of a tribute. The major change aesthetically is the swap from old light grey to black and now the main locomotive no longer houses any passengers.

Primary locomotive, passenger car,
passenger luggage car, secondary control cab

I went with a passenger-less primary control locomotive. The idea being that the entire area is taken up by motors and electrical systems and other complicated technical train engine stuff.

The passenger car is structurally very similar to the one from the original set but mine has brick built doors that are not functional.

The club car... I mean the combined passenger and luggage car is obviously inspired by the original set 4547 Railroad Club Car, that was sold separately to the Metroliner. I never owned it myself and I still don't... BUT this is kinda close design wise. I really didn't think sleeping quarters would be required for my use as an inner city train.

The final part is the secondary control cab which can also house a smaller amount of passengers. Where I live nearly all our passenger trains share the control cab and passenger space.

Custom LEGO Midnight Sapphire Steam Train (Emerald Night)

Video Link: Custom LEGO Midnight Sapphire Steam Train

Next up from the train yard is a custom skinned steam train which uses set 10194 Emerald Night as the base. I've also added various carriage styles and a caboose to keep things different, despite further learning that these are not present on British trains.

Like the Hogwarts Express I chose not to butcher the locomotive too much to fit in Power Functions. I still used the standard method of a large motor in the cab to drive the wheels, but instead of installing the IR Receiver in the boiler, breaking up the smooth lines, I swapped it into the tender where the battery box would usually go to look ugly, covering it with the coal the engine would use to go. The battery box is now in the first carriage which is a combination luggage and passenger car. The only negative is that there is a cable running between all the components. But I feel this is better than sacrificing the look of the brick built models.

Combines luggage and passenger car, perfect
for hiding a power functions battery box

Almost exact copy of the original passenger car.
Substituting in some cheaper window frames and glass.

A caboose that isn't meant to be!

Benny's LEGO City Update #5 - Suburban Train Station

Video Link: Benny's LEGO City Update #5 - Suburban Train Station

City progress is good progress, especially when it involves anything in the trains department. One of my first completely custom built from scratch projects is this suburban train station, the first of 3 going into my city and the smallest.

This is modeled after a typical train station you would find in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. As a kid I used to love just hanging out at a station fence with my Grandpa and watch the trains arrive and the passengers head off to whatever adventure awaited. I was always jealous and wanted to go on a train just for the ride.

When I was older and before I had a car of my own I used to walk to the local station and wait for the train to take me to the football games. Many times after the game ended, with a rush of patrons to catch the first train, I had to stand in the rain because there was often minimal undercover areas and i usually didn't bring my umbrella. I have built this station reminisce of those times with almost no shelter from the elements.

Something I've noticed over the years is the growing popularity and use of of abstract architecture when building or renovating the real world stations. I've contributed my own azure and dark green design theme when it comes to this, and some of the abstract work is very obvious in the pillars of the foot bridge.

The station platforms are far enough apart (10 studs) to allow my widest trains to pass through, mainly sure to wheel cranks and piston rods on the steam trains.

A lot of the ballasting details still need to be finished but they are definitely on the way... any minute now... I swear!

A view across the platforms with the 
ever important vending machines.

Abstract bridge architecture. Hopefully it holds up.

Automated ticket machines, now accepting tap and go!

Please stand behind the yellow line until
the train has come to a complete stop.

While my train station system is 33.3% completed, with the next one being a bit bigger and then the main station planned to be an absolute behemoth I still have my work ahead of me.

Custom LEGO Motorized Hogwarts Express Train 75955

Video Link: Custom LEGO Motorized Hogwarts Express Train

Based on the 2018 re-re-re released Harry Potter set 75955 Hogwarts Express. It's a pretty nice looking set to begin with, that most people will be very happy to own as is, other than it does not come ready to be motorized right out of the box. For mine I used the new Powered Up (Power Functions 2.0) and put all the electronics in the slightly bigger tender instead of messing around with the locomotive too much.

I wanted to bring the locomotive's details closer in line with that of the Emerald Night. Other than a few minor part and color changes, I would say the main thing that I'm happy with is in the design of the side coupling and piston rods. I took a different approach than most that I haven't seen before. It's simple but I think they turned out pretty good, especially when the train is moving.

Check out the video for my thoughts and some clips of the Hogwarts Express running around my City Layout.

AFOL PSA - Powered Up! Bluetooth Battery Hub

Video Link: AFOL PSA - Powered Up! Bluetooth Battery Hub

 
Australian pricing has been released for LEGO part 88009 Powered Up Bluetooth Battery Hub which is used to power and control various elements of the new Powered Up system that replaces Power Functions.

This is going to cost you $79.99 AUD from LEGO Shop @ Home...

Stock up on these from BrickLink while you can :)

Benny's 2018 LEGO Christmas Layout

Video Link: Benny's 2018 LEGO Christmas Layout

Originally I wanted to have all my Christmas themed LEGO sets under and around our Christmas tree. I especially liked the idea of the train circling the base of the tree. But with babies and kids around I decided to move everything and make a small and simple LEGO Creator Winter Village layout, separate to the tree, combining the 4 most recent Christmas seasonal sets and some advent calendar goodies.

• 10249 Winter Toy Shop
• 10254 Winter Holiday Train
• 10259 Winter Village Station
• 10263 Winter Village Fire Station

Before I moved everything from the tree I had made up a quick cargo wagon to hide the Powered Up battery hub and train motor for the Winter Holiday Train because I never liked how the official instructions intend us to butcher the look of the train and tender to make the  Power Functions fit. I tried to make it look like a wrapped present covered in holly. The bonus is I can also just run it around my City layout.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas.

I'm looking forward to expanding on these ideas for 2019!

Custom LEGO - Train Rolling Stock

Video Link: Custom LEGO - Train Rolling Stock

With such a large city train track layout I thought I'd better get some train related stuff rolling on the rails. I made up a few common official LEGO sets but they just don't seem epic enough on their own. Some of the cargo carriers have a decent look to them so I just modified and multiplied them, while also creating some completely custom cars.

7x Open pallet cargo carrier.

 

2x Vehicle transporter.

 

2x Coal car.

 

2x Mining hopper.

Benny's LEGO City Update #2 - Train Track & Ballast

Video Link: Benny's LEGO City Update #2 - Train Track & Ballast

G'day, I want to start this post with a bit of a story.

When I was a child my Opa has several HO scale train layouts. My cousin an I would spend hours and hours making up trains and controlling them around. My Opa was a very talented man and would hand make and paint all the scenery, mountain landscapes, roads and he was especially good at waterfalls and rivers. I always loved my own LEGO train sets as a kid and when I started planning a LEGO city I knew that trains would play a very large roll in it. Here's hoping I have inherited some of Opa's talent and can do justice with my own layout.

The longest stretch of track covers the entire length of the table.

Full curve in place to help line up the ballast.

Plate outline of one of the switch tracks.

Switch tracks were the most complicated to get the under details lined up.
This is where 2 switches almost touch.

Unfinished train yard. The colored plates have no significance,
they were just cheap to buy in bulk and made good filler.

Finishing up the train yard... bags of parts and tracks everywhere... organized chaos.

Extra studs for detail will be added to the inside of the curves.

Quite a while ago I was trying out a few designs for the train track look. A popular method is using 1x4 black or brown tiles alternating every other stud, which I think looks amazing. However I decided to go with 2x4 plates in the middle and 1x2 plates on the outside, both in reddish brown, not just to be different but to save me a LOT of money. With so much track on the table it starts to add up fast. The tracks are placed on a double layer of built up grey plates with further layers of smaller detail to be added after the tracks are in. I made some final prototypes before going ahead to be sure I'd be happy with the design.

Straight section prototype.

Curved prototype was very time consuming...

And just some number crunching, this layout is made up of:

• 433 Straight Tracks
• 93 Curved Tracks
• 15 Switch Tracks (8 Right, 7 Left)
• Over 1500 redish brown 2x4 plates and over 3000 1x2 plates to make up the main sleepers
• Around 600 light grey modified plates + 1200 cheese slopes for station sleepers
• Over TEN THOUSAND various grey plates making up the ballast and details
• So far...

Thanks guys be sure to look at the YouTube Video for a complete dynamic run through of the finished layout. Next up I will be adding in some further details and getting some trains running.