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Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to let all of you know that NELUG is planning on doing a Train
Layout for the folks at the Wenham Museum at 132 Main St. Wenham MA.
http://www.wenhammuseum.org.
The show is happening next weekend from January 17th - 19th.
This is going to be a special train layout for us. We've decided to do a snow
theme. 8' x 16' of the train layout is now covered in white brick and plates.
If you're in the area, please swing by and take a look.
Jonathan
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This coming weekend, November 8th & 9th, NELUG will be
kicking off our train show season with a display at the Greenberg Train and Toy
Show in Hartford, CT. For details, see the
Greenberg Train and Toys Show
site. If you’re in the area, please stop by and introduce yourself.
If you can’t make it to Hartford, we’ll also be displaying in Wilmington, MA the
weekend of November 22nd & 23rd, at the Shriner’s Auditorium. Again, feel free
to stop by and chat.
-Elroy
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Subject:
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NELUG to show at Hooksett, NH Lion's Club Train Show
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.events, lugnet.loc.us.ct, lugnet.loc.us.ri, lugnet.loc.us.ma, lugnet.loc.us.vt, lugnet.loc.us.me, lugnet.loc.us.nh, lugnet.org.us.nelug, lugnet.trains
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Followup-To:
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lugnet.events
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Date:
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Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:15:14 GMT
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Viewed:
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29994 times
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NELUG will be showing a small train layout at the Hooksett, NH Lion’s Club Model
Train Show this weekend, on Sunday, April 20 at the Hooksett Cawley Middle
School in Hooksett, New Hampshire. Doors are open from 10am to 3pm. Admission
is $4 or adults, $1 for children 6-12, and free for children under 6.
The layout will include a small town, carnival, and farmlands, as well as
various rolling stock, steam and diesel locomotives, and general NELUG goodness.
If you’re in the area, please drop by and see us.
-Elroy
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I’m slowly adding to my collection of vintage Rutland locos and cars. The
latest is a Rutland gondola, based on an old photo found
here, and an n-scale version pictured
here.
NELUG
Gallery
The sides of the gondola are built from bricks laying on their sides, with some
SNOT to work in the slopes. I attempted to build the car as low to the ground
as I could, similar to the prototype.
The bed of the car is made up of 1x4 tiles on plates. The plates rest on 1x6
plates, on their sides, which span between the two sides. Unfortunately I
haven’t figured out the trick to photographing black, so some of the build
details are obscured.
I haven’t tested this on a track yet, but it looks nice displayed behind my
Rutland RS3.
-Elroy
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After working out how to build the Rutland boxcar, I decided to work on one of
the Rutland’s diesel locomotives to pull it. An RS-3 looked like a nice
challenge, and Rutland owned a few of them.
I tried to capture the most distinctive characteristics of an RS3. Mainly, the
curved body, and the blocky trucks. The front truck of this model is brick
built, and the motor is brick decorated. The trucks are a bit fragile, and I
haven’t had a chance to run my rainbow-colored test model on a track yet, so I
don’t know how much run time I’ll get out of them.
The windows needed a built solution as well. My original model used 1x2x2
windows, but I found that they don’t come in green, so the cab had to be
rebuilt.
A prototype photo is at
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2007051000383328843.jpg for
comparison.
-Elroy
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One of the positive sides of all the recent talk of 9v trains is that it got me
building again. I don’t usually post renders, but I liked the way this one
turned out, and I don’t (yet) have the pieces to build it.
Here is my version of Rutland Railroad’s boxcar #104:
Prototype information is here. Reading
through that page, there is some debate about the color of the roof on the
original cars. I went with yellow since that’s what most of the eyewitnesses
claim to remember.
Sadly, the Rutland died back in the 1960’s, but the bright green and yellow
boxcars make excellent models. The door is based on Chris Masi’s excellent
opening door design, which has become my default for boxcars. Sticker .dat’s
were generated using Scott Wardlaw’s sticker generator, and the trucks are those
that were featured in the first issue of RailBricks.
-Elroy
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Ladies and Gentlemen! Children of All Ages! Step right up! Enter the World of
Brickling Brothers International Traveling Circus!
Last month, I finished my latest theme train/playset. Inspired by a Duplo
giraffe that I found in a mixed parts bin, I began building the train last
February after NELUG’s show in Hartford, CT. Parts of
the train were previewed in March at our Wilmington, MA show, and the final
train made its debut appearance at Brick Blast last month in Vermont.
Parts for this MOC came from several different countries, and it was primarily
built to travel as part of our train shows, thus the International Traveling
part of the name.
Taking the train one bit at a time:
The
Locomotive
Brickling Brother’s circus required a long train to haul the troupe and
equipment. Long trains require powerful locomotives, so I decided to go with a
steamer with at least six driver wheels. I wanted to build a steamer, with
working drivers, without using Big Ben wheels, which provided the main
challenge. The solution that I came up with was to use large wagon wheels,
which were the correct size. The problem with the wagon wheels is that the hubs
accept pins, not axles, which made it difficult to make them spin. The solution
was to add a shaft, which pushes against the wheel spokes, connected to gears
within the locomotive. The gears are driven by a technic motor which is
connected to the train motor at the front of the locomotive.
The wheels float a single plate above the track to alleviate binding in the
curves. The resulting 2-6-2, while not based on any sort of prototype, works
very well, and looks nice while running. The only problem I’ve seen is that the
drivers don’t like to spin in reverse.
The
Tender
I wanted a large tender to go along with the large locomotive. Early on, I
decided that the full train would have an alternating red/yellow color scheme,
to keep the cars bright and festive. The tender is loosely based on photos of
tenders that I found with prototypical 2-6-2 locomotives. The Brickling
Brothers decal was applied to help break up the yellow wall affect, as well as
to name the circus.
The Wagon Cars
Band
& Giraffe
Monkey & Snakes
Birds & Magic The wagon cars were actually the first cars built for this MOC.
Every circus needs a parade from the train to the Big Top, and circus wagons
provide the color and excitement needed to lure in the crowds. I did a lot of
web surfing looking at various vintage circus wagons, and I did my best to give
a feeling of the mixture of bright colors, elaborate carving, and exotic feeling
of the real things. Since I’m a six-wide builder, this wasn’t easy to do, as
each wagon had to stay within the boundary of four studs wide.
As for the wagon cars themselves, they are basic flatbeds, with
ramps that can be lowered for loading and unloading of the wagons. Chains are
used to hold the wagons in place during transport.
Next up are the
Livestock Cars. The next two cars house the horses that are used to pull the
wagons, as well as the Ringmaster and Magician’s horses. Each car holds four
horses, as well as a feeding bin with hay. The cars each come with a shovel and
broom for cleaning the stalls, and each can be
completely opened to allow the horses to be removed.
Following the Livestock cars are the
Flatcars These are just basic flatcars used to carry cargo. The first car
carries two folding bleachers, while the second carries a folding bleacher and
cannon (for the Human Cannon).
The Big Top
The next two cars carry the supports and canvas for the Big Top tent. The first
car, strategically stacked, is a simple
drop
bed which holds all of the supports. The second car,
a
simple boxcar holds the canvas. The door of the boxcar is based on a design I
found on Brickshelf, which, in turn, was based on a design by Chris Masi, so, in
a sense, I just brought it back home to NELUG. The top of the boxcar is
removable, allowing the canvas pieces to be placed inside.
Passenger Cars
Two passenger cars carry the Brickling Brother’s troupe. Both the
yellow and
red
car are built the same. Each is built on a drop bed frame. Each car holds
eight passengers, with storage beneath for items such as horse saddles,
barbells, and other miscellaneous equipment (including 2x3 plates to help
minifigs stand on carpet). Like the boxcar, the
top
is removable to allow access to the minifigs.
Finally, the train is finished out with a simple
Clown Caboose. This car is where Brickling’s clowns travel. Since clowns are
not particular about their traveling arrangements, there is no interior to this
car. The top is removable, and the clowns are tossed inside. This does have
the advantage of being able to stuff a large number of clowns into a small
space, however.
To give a sense of the length,
here is a patched together shot of the full train.
Once the train reaches a town, and is unloaded, the wagons and troupe
parade through town, inspiring patrons to attend the evening show.
Six wagons make up the bulk of the parade:
The
magician’s wagon, driven by the Magician’s assistant. The rear of the wagon
can be
opened by removing the back fence piece, allowing the magician to store his
equipment.
The
Band Wagon provides the parade’s music. Like the Magician’s wagon, the rear
can be
opened to provide storage for instruments and headgear.
The
Snake Wagon, can also be
opened, allowing the slithering serpents escape.
The
Exotic Bird Wagon, has been nicknamed “The Joker Wagon”, thanks to the color
scheme.
The
Giraffe Wagon, which is what inspired this entire project, uses some SNOT work
in order to enclose the giraffe, who turned out to be three wide at the base,
making it difficult to fit into a four wide wagon.
The
Monkey Wagon holds a single caged monkey, with storage space for bananas.
Once the parade has finished, it’s time to set up the Big Top. The simplest
piece of the Big Top is the
entrance. Pieces for the entrance are stored beneath one of the passenger
cars. Next come the
bleachers, which, when
unfolded provide comfortable seating for patrons. Finally, the tent itself is
set up. The tent is made up of several
pieces which, when assembled, create a structure of
Supports and Canvas. The canvas pieces are hung from the supports, creating
the Big Top.
Several acts are featured during the show. The participants include the
Ringmaster,
the
Bearded Lady and Strongman,
the
Magician and his Assistant, and
The
Human Cannonball.
The Human Cannonball was a fun mini project. At technic belt stretched across
the front of the cannon allows a minifig to actually be fired from the cannon.
When loaded, a ladder pieces holds the minifig’s feet in place. When the ladder is
pulled, the minifig flies from the cannon, much to the delight of the children.
The main acts are supported by
Clowns,
the
Brickling Brothers Band, and
the
Drivers who act as support staff. There are also Engineer and Coalman figs for
the train, but they regretfully did not show up for the photo session (I later
found them in a box from the last train show).
The
Full Show
This was a fun build, and it’s a fun set to play with, even in between train
shows. The best part for me is that it can be displayed as a train, a parade,
or a circus. At the last show we even set up part of the big top while the
train itself traveled the layout.
And to answer the big question: Where is the elephant?
The only elephants I own are from the Adventurer’s sets, and they are huge.
They are about 7-wide at the feet, and wider with the ears. They are also very
tall, scaling to about the size of Jumbo the elephant, who, I believe, was the
largest circus elephant ever. So, to answer the question, there is no elephant
because they are just too big. If I ever get a Duplo elephant, I may add an
elephant car.
As always, comments are appreciated.
-Elroy
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NELUG has been invited by the Middlebury, Vermont,
Chamber of Commerce to participate in Brick Blast 2007. The event takes place
this weekend, July 14th and 15th at the Middlebury American Legion.
Information about the event can be found here:
http://www.midvermont.com/events/brickblast/
NELUG members will be displaying our train layout, moonbase modules, MOCs, and
robotics demonstrations. The public is also invited to participate by bringing
MOCs and moonbase modules of their own. The Chamber will also be hosting
building competitions throughout the day.
Questions about the event can be directed to the Middlebury Chamber of Commerce
via the webpage above.
-Elroy
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Over the weekend, members of NELUG re-enacted the first
battle of the American Revolution. This was the second game for our second Year
of BrikWars. Our goal is to have at least six games by the end of the year.
The original scenario rules are
here.
Basically, the goal of the British team was to march from one end of the board
to the other. The goal of the Colonial team was to inflict as many British
casualties as possible.
This was our first attempt at using the 2005 squad rules, and was our first game
that was based on an actual event.
Dave brought along some raised baseplates, which made for an interesting board
setup. Not only did the British have to make it to the end of the road, they had
to weave through a narrow canyon to do it.
After the board was set up, troops were distributed in even numbers. 40 Brits
against 40 Colonials. A quick dice-off put Joe and I in charge of the British,
with Shaun, Dave, and Dan in control of the Colonials.
The game started quickly, with the proud ranks of British infantry marching past
Buckman’s Tavern, only to have one of Dan’s Colonials leap out from behind a
shed, taking a pot-shot at the British Officer. The Colonial then ran around the
front of the shed, only to be confronted by the entire British army. Picture Han
Solo running around the corner into a regiment of Storm Troopers.
The British squad, armed with muskets and bayonets, quickly stuck multiple
pointy things into the Colonial. I think it was at this point that the Colonials
realized how much damage a British squad could do. It was also at this point
that the British realized that if the Colonials didn’t form squads, it was going
to take a long time to pick them all off one by one.
Moving past the tavern and into the canyon, the British squads were forced to
narrow their formation, going in one squad at a time. The Colonials, all named
Tony, used this bottle-neck to rain fire down on the British. The British
returned fire, causing a couple of the Colonials to turn and flee.
Sensing that his troops were beginning to panic, the Colonial Officer moved up
to bolster his troops spirits. For the next few turns the pass filled with
blood, gore, and carnage.
Seeing that they were blocked at the pass, two British squads at the back of the
army formation left the road, flanking either side of the pass. Both squads
moved relatively unopposed until about midway down the board, when they were
attacked by rabid Colonials with pitchforks, sabers, and axes. One Colonial,
hidden in ambush behind the tavern, took an unfortunate shot from behind, caused
by a British squad in the middle of the board.
A few more turns of bloody combat ensued, until the Colonial blockade finally
began to break down. As the last Colonial in the pass fell, it was up to Dan’s
men to make their last stand. Armed with flintlock pistols, they charged the
British troops in a valiant effort to make a dent. One man did manage to kill
the British Officer, only to be kicked in the head by that Officer’s horse.
In the end, the British prevailed by killing all of the Colonials, though they
lost almost half their men doing it.
Overall, I thought the game was a success. The British acted like British, and
the Colonials acted like Minutemen would have. The moral rules seemed to work
well.
I think the reinforcement rules would have given the Colonials a more even
chance, but the game lasted about 20 turns, so they didn’t do too badly.
I think I left before the kill scores were added up, but due to the British only
getting 1d8th of a point for each kill, I have a feeling the scores were pretty
close.
Shaun Sullivan has photos of the game
here.
-Elroy
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In lugnet.org.us.nelug, Edward Welsh wrote:
Let it never be said that King Futhark doesn’t know how to cut a rug...
...Funny though, that it was a Train show, yet you did not picture any trains!
:-D
Even more pics of this available here (after moderation):
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=232151
-Hendo
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