@playingwithechoes
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@argonvesher, I’m intending the Behemoth Bridge to be front and center to the R104 and R120 track layout. It’s built in the LUG colors and may sport a special LUG banner on the bridge so like that LUG box car that my Big Boy hauls, every photo of the bridge should have the LUG logo in it. 🙂
It has two manual modes should anything happen to the motorization, one being emergency operation by popping out the worm gear and directly raising/lowering the bridge by lifting it with the hand. Max lift is about 45 degrees so you can navigate around the raised bridge to access the inner operation zone. I just went through a week of hard testing of the bridge, from repeated operations to looking for stress in the frame as it settled over the days and it’s passed. So hopefully no need to crawl under it.I’m really liking the idea about different worlds from the view of the train going through the displays. Whether it’s the main 104/120 loops or the smaller R40 loops, I would be more than glad to record the journey with my camera car. It worked at CSC and to capture a train going through the wild west or castles or other themes would be great. If any of the loops are connected with switches, I can try to do a seamless grand tour of the entire layout by stitching video segments together.
If @carlsonf wants to bring her nuclear power plant to display, I would be more than glad to provide any of my nuclear energy themed rolling stock to integrate with the display.
Thanks. I’m happy to see it working after days of continual testing so it should be fine for the length of the HG show. I went ahead and ordered some tiny LEDs and yellow wiring from Amazon so I should be able to solder a circuit with a 2×2 9v plate to feed from the 9v Speed Regulator. It’ll be a LIGHT addition to the load (ba dum tiss) but I have plenty of 1×1 plates if I need to counter the weight. LOL
The Behemoth Bacule Bridge is in operational order. Ballast works (Thousands of 1×1 plates). The control switch works. Ran it a couple dozen times repeatedly to test operability and self-alignment of the track upon lowering into position. It even runs off a 9v speed regulator so no need for batteries. And there is a backup manual mode if needed. I have the motor switch connected to the feed from the Speed Regulator so that you simply turn on the regulator to have the lights on. Then flip the switch at the cabin to raise and lower the bridge, feeding from that power. That way, Lights and (soon sirens) will go off as soon as there’s a current without accidentally activating the bridge. So it’s safe in standby mode prior to and after intended movement. I’m ordering a few 2×2 siren bricks off Bricklink so hopefully we can hear an audible alarm (depending on the noise of the crowd).
I may decide to rotate the bridge and landings so that the cabin with switch are facing the center area for control by staff already in the space.
The Bridge is in operational order. Ballast works. The switch works. Ran it a couple dozen times repeatedly to test operability and self-alignment of the track. It even runs off a 9v speed regulator so no need for batteries. I have the motor switch connected to the feed from the Speed Regulator so that you simply turn on the regulator to have the lights on. Then flip the switch at the cabin to raise and lower the bridge will feeding off of that power. That way, Lights and (soon sirens) will go off as soon as there’s a current without accidentally activating the bridge. So it’s safe in standby mode. I’m ordering some 2×2 siren bricks off Bricklink so hopefully we can hear an alarm over the noise of the crowd.
It’s been another great Locomotion Weekend. I want to thank you all for the wonderful layout and for letting me roll trains with you. The sags in the outer loops on the table tops were no problem for my Big Boy and Challenger. The crowds loved all the trains and that Schnabel car amazed them rounding the corners. I’d agree this year seemed particularly welcoming to Lego trains and I’m very happy with the enthusiasm. People were quite curious how to make Lego trains and buildings and cars. Everyone did a great job in answering their inquiries. If you can imagine it, you can build it. I’m in the process of going through videos and photos of the amazing layout and making a video tour of it. Thanks again and I’ll look forward to next year.
MPL
@rcgrier3406, @joshhall, wonderful! I’ll make sure to pack the Lambo tractor and seed drill in my travel box along with my trains. Thanks for letting it be part of the display.
I’ll need to make a video of the operation. The motor draws in the twin teethed arms to raise the bridge. Added a light at the top front to glow red when in operation. It has a manual safety mode where one can rotate a gear a hundred times LOL or another manual mode by removing the worm gear. I figure a little more ballast and some PF extension wire to put the control in the cabin.
It still needs some adjustments but it’s working with the L motor drive. It will be motorized for HG show.
Thanks, @rcgrier3406. I’ll bring it and the red seed drill attachment. (See attached) Might take up the whole 32×32 baseplate, now that I look at it. LOL As Kaleb said on the show, “It’s too big!”
Will also bring some new unusual super cars for the streets since I can tuck them between the trains in my travel boxes.
4K Camera train car is also looking good to be on time for this. 🙂
The Behemoth Bridge will be there. Whether or not the motorization works, it will have a manual operation mode. I don’t know if the camera has wireless. I know it uses micro SD and has a micro usb port for a wire to grab video files.
I have a new train camera car in the works designed to handle my small 4k camera and vertically hold people’s smart phones (can’t have the phone sticking out and hitting things). I may bring it for CSC Locomotion Weekend as a test for the HG show.
So @joshhall, @timf and anyone else, if you got something you’d want to see from that ride along perspective, let me know. I’d be glad to share footage. Might be able to fit the camera on a flatbed truck if you have one for city streets.
@randomdan
The Rambo Lambo and speed boat have been built and ready for Home and Garden Show. 🙂@rcgrier3406, I can bring my giant Lambo tractor to take over either front 32×32 blank corner (the one based on Clarkson’s Farm). Do you or @joshhall have any plant parts that would look good for a farm row? I think I have some reddish brown 1×8 plates I could use behind my seed drill.
When I arrive early on Saturday to set up the big trains, I’ll get that tractor on the corner and set up the rows of dirt or plants. I’ll just need a green 32×32 module ready in place.
Got the frame updated IRL. I figure under a kilo of ballast as 1×1 plates is needed (931g). Still have to devise the motorization but even by hand, the movement is smoother.
The tractors have been built, along with the accessories. Hopefully, I can show them at the Home and Garden show in March. The big Lambo tractor with the seed drill fills an entire baseplate. LOL
I’ve signed up for Saturday and Sunday. Like last time, I’ll show up early Saturday to get the trains running and stay out of the way of MILS setup. Any last minute stuff before the show starts, I’ll gladly help.
I’m bringing the BIG steam trains for the outer loops along with some new train cars. If we have power, I need two outlets for the chargers as I’m bringing an armada of rechargeable batteries and two chargers that do 16 AAA each and I have way more than 32 batteries. Should be more than enough for the weekend, with some to spare to support other trains if needed.
I don’t have MILS buildings to bring but I do have some Speed Champion sized vehicles to bring to the city streets. Might even bring the Lego Lamborghini LM002 out for a spin. XD
Sad to hear @emperorofthenorthpole wont’ be able to make it. Safe travels, Glenn. If you have anything you’d like us to run on the tracks for you, let us know. I’d be glad to help out and look after anything you might want to have displayed here, static or rolling. Hopefully, you can make it to a few shifts at the Home and Garden show where I’ll have the Behemoth bridge ready for our massive trains. Seriously, I think you’ll like just how spacious it is for the iron giants.
@rcgrier3406, @joshhall, @knb112, I’ll have my UP fleet ready to do both grand loops, including the Schnabel car and various Pittsburgh industrial and stem rollingstock for the yard. Let me know if you need anything to cover a vacant R40 small loop.Rambo Lambo needed a friend. Here’s a 1990s V12 Lambo powered speed boat on a custom trailer. The real thing won its intended lake race and set a record that hasn’t been broken since.
Awesome to hear the sky scrapers are coming back. XD Hopefully I can do a ride along video from the trains on the different circuits to get that in the city perspective. 🙂
@laura, let me know if you want some photos of my Lambo tractor for ideas on where to put it. I’d be glad to place it anywhere blank on the display that needs something.Behemoth Bascule Bridge is coming along. Working on modifying the tower armatures and mechanism to work more smoothly but we have a functional bridge structure to display. For design purposes, @joshhall, and @amplef0rth, the bridge will need 40 inch AKA 4 baseplates of clearance between landings, exact, with nothing below as there is technic framing below the track level. Surfaces for landings need to be level and stable. Tower side landing is 2 baseplates long and will be on the left, when seen from the front of the display. The other landing is 1 baseplate long. I would caution at least a baseplate extra on either side to let the long trains straighten out a bit from the large curves.
If anyone has access to a filament type 3d printer, I saw a downloadable re-railer that would fit in place of one piece of straight track we can add to each track line to avoid that one odd wheel that always randomly pop out at the curves.
I also stocked up on more rechargeable batteries and extra charging station to keep the giants chugging along.
Also, any farming fields? I got that Clarkson Lamborghini tractor stuff nearly done. Will help with any broad green flat spaces in need of something.
The bridge’s counterweight tower is currently being worked on. I figure the whole project won’t be complete till New Year’s.
Thanks @rcgrier3406. Old school is best school. XD
I just had an ideal of where to mount the motor and side actuator rods: up on the top center beam. It’ll be risky like an interference type engine but a fun idea to watch the counterweight and drawn rods trade space and the leverages versus pull should work at that direct angle.
