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the prepared bluebrick file of the layout
I think some of Josh’s white plates need to be between the areas that are designated for Greg and Tim. In the Polar Express book, there is be an unpopulated / forested expanse between two distinct towns. One “town” would be the North Pole and the other would be a village where regular people live.
– I’m counting 125 green squares, which is a lot. Are the people whose names are on the diagram prepared to handle 16 baseplates each, or are we in danger of biting off more than we can chew? Example: Ben’s section on the diagram shows 16 baseplates, but in his post he mentioned doing 4. Not saying anyone should be expected to do more than he or she is willing / capable of (based on inventory & build time, not dissing anyone’s skill); just saying we need to make sure (sooner rather than later) that we’re really capable of filling that many baseplates.
Remember that not every square (which does represent a baseplate) needs to actually be a real baseplate. It is ok to have some tablecloth showing (note: we need to buy white sheets/table clothes). Most of the train track can just be laid on the table cloth directly, although per the Polar Express picture Greg just posted, it would be neat to have at least 6-8 baseplates of “snowy forest” for the Polar Express to run through.
I’m really hoping to build some stuff for this, but I’m still not sure how many parts or hours I can put into it. (I just did a lot of building for SHIPtember and my collection isn’t really set up for town/landscape/train.)
Ideally I’ll be able to put together a train station (32×64??) and maybe some…ice? And maybe a train car?
Sorry to be so vague, I’ll let you know if/when I formulate a real plan.The thing I’ve built does not run on a monorail track, it runs on a trail of 1x bricks. We don’t have to include it, its just available. I’ll upload a photo later … or maybe a video of it running.
Oh right; we knew that. Definitely would like to see pics & vid. I guess the question is, can we make that happen on your 1x track by next month? If so, what are we doing with the monorail track Dan and I contribute? Or, could we modify yours to run on our track for now, with the goal of eventually (by next year?) making your awesome brick built track a reality?!
Most of the train track can just be laid on the table cloth directly
True; but these are the kinds of details we need to solidify sooner rather than later. If I’m not mistaken, a MILS Train baseplate means the track will be elevated (i.e. – it wouldn’t match up with track laid on table directly). I’m not pushing it either way, just making sure we don’t forget details. Because you know what they say…
I’m really hoping to build some stuff for this, but I’m still not sure how many parts or hours I can put into it. (I just did a lot of building for SHIPtember and my collection isn’t really set up for town/landscape/train.)
A few SHIPs (your’s and Evan’s) along with all of Rich’s Vic Vipers, etc. on the other display table would be awesome!
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Tim wrote:</div>
Most of the train track can just be laid on the table cloth directlyTrue; but these are the kinds of details we need to solidify sooner rather than later. If I’m not mistaken, a MILS Train baseplate means the track will be elevated (i.e. – it wouldn’t match up with track laid on table directly). I’m not pushing it either way, just making sure we don’t forget details. Because you know what they say…
The train track can be slightly embedded into the MILS baseplates and covered with white plate/tile to make them snow covered. Also, track laying directly on the table can be gradually elevated to mate up with MILS track sections.
Making this my third post in a row. 😀
It would be nice to have a “trial run” set up before Greenburg to make sure everything fits together AOK. But I know that may not be possible.
Evan, do we know yet when the set up hours are? I’ve taken Friday, November 8 off from work so I can be there pretty much all day (and evening if needed) to set up.
A few SHIPs (your’s and Evan’s) along with all of Rich’s Vic Vipers, etc. on the other display table would be awesome!
That too. My SHIP turned out pretty sturdy (aside from one connection I still hope to strengthen). I wonder if we could hang it from the ceiling somehow?
That too. My SHIP turned out pretty sturdy (aside from one connection I still hope to strengthen). I wonder if we could hang it from the ceiling somehow?
lol, that’d be a question for Evan to ask our hosts.
Evan, I edited the site security, so you should be able to upload the bbm file now. Give it a shot. Also, I think you understand by everyone’s comments, it’s not going to be as simple as slicing the table up into even sections and assigning them to people. You’ll need to figure out how large everything planned is, how they fit together, and then what we need to work on to fill in the blanks. It’s a bit more work, so let me know if you need help. Blue brick does have a section highlight function too.
I guess the question is, can we make that happen on your 1x track by next month?
Frankly, short of a few reindeer, Santa’s sleigh is a lot further along than many other projects that have been proposed. That said, I am not overly committed to using it, because its slightly bigger and slower that I would prefer for Santa’s sleigh. I also wouldn’t want to commit a lot of new 1×2 clear bricks to create an underwhelming effect.
Frankly, short of a few reindeer, Santa’s sleigh is a lot further along than many other projects that have been proposed.
Greg, I in no way meant to cast doubt on your abilities or progress. I guess I was still thinking big – as in, covering the whole (or most of the) layout with your custom built track. But now I recall you mentioned a smaller, circular loop, just around the “town” part of the display – right? Santa doesn’t have to go everywhere, I suppose…
At any rate, between this sweet little sleigh and your other buildings, you’re definitely leading the charge for this display!
This is looking good to me. Does anyone have tan plate/brick they’re willing to trade to use on the space plates?
As for the monorail: we have enough straight track to circle the innermost loop of baseplates at a height of 10 bricks. I need to check what exact stud location will be used on the inner plates for the supports. Each support has a 6×6 footprint.
We have multiple monotrain bodies and switches if anyone wants to add a spur or a train to their section.
Rich and I met yesterday to discuss our corner. We would like 16 of the blue 32×32 for a seascape. We will attach to the other MILS plates as usual and then drop down to baseplate level with slopes. The rail will remain at MILS height via 4 tile high pilings.
Also, I’ve attached an updated layout image with two red loops (well, technically one since they intersect…). These are two potential locations for the monorail loop. We can change the configuration a bit (perhaps add S curves in & out), but I only have so many pilings. All lengths from corner to corner have to be divisible by 8.
Please let me know the requested height for the monorail on your square.
… locations for the monorail loop … I only have so many pilings.
do you mean the 6x6x10 stanchions
http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2681
or are you referring to something else?
Guys, I’ve been running around a lot this past week, but I’ll try to get my act together and inventory my monorail / start figuring out what I’m doing within the next few days…
It would be nice to have a “trial run” set up before Greenburg to make sure everything fits together AOK. But I know that may not be possible.
Evan, do we know yet when the set up hours are? I’ve taken Friday, November 8 off from work so I can be there pretty much all day (and evening if needed) to set up.
from Frank, the Greenberg contact:
. You’ll be located near the drive-in door, which
means that you won’t be able to begin setting up the layout until 5pm on
Friday but you’ll have a very easy move-in and will be able to drive
your vehicle right up to the layout location to unload.- I have a Horizon Express also.
– I have the Palace Cinema. Right now it is built straight up as the set. I was planning on MILSing it,
Bring your motorized HE, Matt bring yours if you can. Ben can you share with us how to MILS a modular?
I’m also planning to contribute what I can, I just forgot to post that I was >_>, sorry! I have 9v track (I need to count but it’s about 50 pieces of straight track, ~80 curved and 3 right and 3 Left 9v switches. I also have a multitude of trains, utility vehicles and streets vehicles. Since the space seems to already be divide up I can add to other areas if needed.
Laura bring all the 9V track you have and whatever rolling stock and vehicles you want to display. We have plenty of room, did you want your own space on the table, or did you want to just sprinkle some things all over?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dan Efran wrote:</div>
That too. My SHIP turned out pretty sturdy (aside from one connection I still hope to strengthen). I wonder if we could hang it from the ceiling somehow?
It’s a bit more work, so let me know if you need help.
Yes please! Here’s the Bluebrick file I began for everyone to use.
Rich and I met yesterday to discuss our corner. We would like 16 of the blue 32×32 for a seascape. We will attach to the other MILS plates as usual and then drop down to baseplate level with slopes. The rail will remain at MILS height via 4 tile high pilings.
Also, I’ve attached an updated layout image with two red loops (well, technically one since they intersect…). These are two potential locations for the monorail loop. We can change the configuration a bit (perhaps add S curves in & out), but I only have so many pilings. All lengths from corner to corner have to be divisible by 8.
Please let me know the requested height for the monorail on your square.
Dan that should work alright. It’s a good way for our MILS people and non MILS people to connect. Don’t forget you can also make your monorial tracks on the inner or outer edge of the table if there’s anywhere you want to avoid crossover. Maybe have it go around the inside of the table and loop into yours and Rich’s area for a station or something?
Slowly piecing this together, guys. We’ll figure something out soon.
from Frank, the Greenberg contact:
. You’ll be located near the drive-in door, which<br>
means that you won’t be able to begin setting up the layout until 5pm on<br>
Friday but you’ll have a very easy move-in and will be able to drive<br>
your vehicle right up to the layout location to unload.Very nice that we can (1) drive right up to our tables – that will make unloading and reloading easy – and (2) that we are close to the drive in door which again will make loading and unloading fairly easy. Not so good that we can not begin to set up until 5:00 pm. That could make for a late night on Friday. Did he say how late the exhibit hall is open that night for setup? I will still plan to get there by 3:00 pm so that at least we can start to get the tables and table cloths set up in advance.
Don’t forget you can also make your monorial tracks on the inner or outer edge of the table if there’s anywhere you want to avoid crossover. Maybe have it go around the inside of the table and loop into yours and Rich’s area for a station or something?
I thought about this. We’ll probably want it attached to baseplates so it doesn’t move as the train(s) circle. I may also want to put a spur off the main line to display a few more consists.
Not so good that we can not begin to set up until 5:00 pm. That could make for a late night on Friday. Did he say how late the exhibit hall is open that night for setup? I will still plan to get there by 3:00 pm so that at least we can start to get the tables and table cloths set up in advance.
Based on the wording of “Frank”‘s statement, I took it to mean “you’re literally in front of the drive-in door” – as in, you can’t even set up a table because people will be driving right through your space all day. But maybe I’m mistaken. (good news: if I’m not mistaken and that is the case, it’ll mean we’re the first to tear down & get out of there… then again, everyone would be pressuring us to hurry and get out of their way…)
Dan, my development on the ideas we’ve discussed is to gather up all the bley slope bricks we can, regardless of color. If this is a seascape, we can BURP some mesas and use them as cores for the gray slopes to create convincing mesas dotted with trans-neon green ore, much like what Tim did in his Gandalf cube in the Dig Into Reading display. We can even let some of the BURP surface remain exposed as a strata of rock within each mesa, saving us some brick use and building time. This in essence means that what will be bricking together on the 26th will be the mesas themselves.
We can then use some of those many 1 x 1 trans-clear cheese slopes you have now and whatever 1 x 1 trans-clear rounds we can scrounge to create some minor sea spray at the base of each one, around the pilings of the landing platform where my new NNoVVember “M-Tron II” Vic Viper will go, and around the pilings on the regular and monorail tracks.
If necessary, you mentioned the Aquazone sets. We can build those and use them as a last resort. Color consistency will be compromised, but we’re up against it right now and so top quality MOCing may not be possible.
Evan: we need to know right now how many baseplates we have available so we can begin planning the placement of the monorail track, the mesas that will replace some of the pilings (and hold spacey details), and the MOCs of the landing pad, chemical tanks and whatever spacey skiffs we need to have scooting around the place. Right now we have a 41 x 41 landing pad built and ready to go, but that’s all we have completed besides some of the pilings and the monorail mining train. We’ve got 30 days and a 96 x 96 area to cover based on functionally only a few days’ building time that’s available to me. The more resources we can pin down now, the faster we can get something together to refine.
Rich I’m going to say just route your track on the plates I highlighted and however you want in you and Dan’s section. We can add detail and put random filler around the pilings on the plates they will cover.
Laura bring all the 9V track you have and whatever rolling stock and vehicles you want to display. We have plenty of room, did you want your own space on the table, or did you want to just sprinkle some things all over?
Alrighty, I’m happy to just sprinkle stuff around, but if we have extra space that needs filling I have buildings and baseplates that I’m more than willing to set up. 🙂
Hello everyone, I just uploaded a few pics to flickr of the Haunted House display me and my son built. I doubt this is something that you would want/need for the train show due to Halloween being over by then, but if it is let me know and I’ll bring it along.
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