"O" gauge trains and LEGO

As for scenery and structures I'm hoping to have a 2 x 2 or 2 x 3 area on the layout with rotating dioramas so that I can get all the different things I want on the layout. I'm planning on a zoo, a waterfront, Cape Not Canaveral, an intermodal yard...  LEGO looks like it'll be helping with the waterfront,Cape Not CanaveralI've also got a space shuttle and mover to go with these launchpads. a transload crane to go with the intermodal yard, a hangar and helicopter for the airstrip/air museum that may get posted if this thread generates enough interest.

Coach - you are speaking my language!  I love legos mixed with o gauge.

Main street (in the background) is a mess right now from the kids playing there but you get the idea.

The backside of main street, normally diagon alley and the Halloween haunted house, currently hosting the Steelers station in the middle.

My main lego project right now is trying out regauging brick built rail cars for o gauge.

I am waiting on a pile of brick link orders to keep this one moving, but the chassis is just about figured out.

JHZ563, you're doing some wonderful stuff with LEGO rolling stock.  I've seen some LEGO buildings like the ones you've got on Main Street in a LEGO store at the mall.  They look very good and I thought they would make a great little section of town but the prices kept me from trying it.

Is that Steelers station LEGO?

Wow, guys... Lego has come a long way from the ones I had when I was a kid!!! Before the pandemic, I went to a Lego store in The Westchester (don’t dare call it a mall - they still charge for parking!!!). As long as the sticker price doesn’t cause a coronary conniption, some of the building kits were amazing. Look forward to see your new layout Joe.

No, the Steelers station is Mth.  It was part of a static display in the living room until a recent spectacular debacle that ended a mildly promising football season.

Back to Lego.  The buildings are all lego kits.  Some of the smaller Hogwarts ones are actually my wife's.   They have collected over 7 or 8 years. The firehouse was definitely my favorite for one large structure.  One of the other really fun builds was the detective office.   There's a pool hall and a barbershop on the first floor that I really enjoyed.   Back when I was part of a modular o gauge display group I would bring the building and set up a real city block.  It was always a big hit with kids and parents.

I am quite fascinated with starting to make O gauge compatible lego rolling stock.   The big issue is of course the gauge.  I think I have a solution for rolling stock worked out like I said above.   Eventually I would love to making a full working locomotive from lego for O gauge.   There are lego motors but they are lower voltage and not cheap!

I did get the latest lego crocodile,  because at just under $100 it was too cool to pass up.  The motor / battery kit is close to another $100 I think.  I passed on that.  I think I am just an early adapter.  Brick model railroader's bearing selection and new Kadee mounts are a game changer.   

I've got a decent collection of modern LEGO trains.  It's a pity they are just off O gauge or I'd run them on my layout too.  But as for my layout, all the rubber tired vehicles will be LEGO.

The bridge abutments and overpass on which the railing sits are Lego Bricks:

As is the underpass:

@sinclair posted:

I've got a decent collection of modern LEGO trains.  It's a pity they are just off O gauge or I'd run them on my layout too.  But as for my layout, all the rubber tired vehicles will be LEGO.

grab some mpc era trucks, drill out the center hole to 3/16".  Add a technic pin (and a washer if you need one to prevent rocking if the car is sitting on the technic pin collar) and you are good to go.

this car was built with a gap for the shoulder on the pin so it rides nice without a washer around the pin.

Nice work on the Gondola.  Pittsburgh colors by design or were those the bricks you had laying around?

John Sethian, what did you do to the abutments and portals to make them look so realistic?

@coach joe posted:

Nice work on the Gondola.  Pittsburgh colors by design or were those the bricks you had laying around?

Totally by design!  It was meant to be a Rail-Gon theme but I actually like running it with my MTH Steelers equipment

Making progress on the hopper.

Got the truck design locked down for this edition.  Always room for improvement but I am pretty happy with them.

I will post pictures of the hopper as the rest parts come in.

Is that all LEGO with "O" gauge wheel sets?

Here's a LEGO helicopter next to a die-cast Canada Air Rescue copter that I believe is 1:60.  I imagine the LEGO chopper as being a commercial commuter type, 6-10 passenger capacity.  That accounts for the size.

Looking good Guys - keep the photos coming!

John Sethian,

THAT is one incredible photo!  When I see layouts like yours, I want to just go downstairs and trash my layout with a sledge hammer.

What girder bridge did you use in that photo please?

Thanks,

Mannyrock

@coach joe posted:

Is that all LEGO with "O" gauge wheel sets?

Yup.  Wheels out of a set of older plastic trucks, bearings and lego compatible bracket provided by Brick Model Railroader, actual coupler by Kadee.   All the actual parts by Lego.

Coach Joe and Mannyrock,

Thanks for the kind words

Coach Joe: cover one face of each brick with spackle, do not smooth.  Stain with diluted craft paints.  Use a full strength light color craft paint as a mortar during assembly

Mannyrock

Please don't take a sledge to your layout, just keep rebuilding it and it will get better and better. If by the bridge you mean the truss bridge, that is a Lionel Postwar #317 Trestle Bridge

Some more views of the truck assemblies, including the underside. As you can see the base of the assembly is now 3 wide.

And here's some views of the hopper in progress. I was hoping my last couple orders would have showed Saturday but no such luck.

Got some more parts and some time to spend on the hopper build last night.

Observations:

1.  Assume all the parts you didn't order because "of course I have tons of those" will be buried in the bottom of the bins.

2. Lots of interesting techniques on this model, but it makes some of them rather delicate during construction.

3. The final width may be a problem.  8 wide studs looks pretty good with O gauge, but the ladder details hanging off the sides pushes this out to nearly 10 wide, which is more than I bargained for.  This will need to be reconsidered sometime after this model is done.

4. Only Batman and people who are suckers for eyestrain work in all black, and I am not Batman!

Anyway, here are some pictures:

Oh God where do I start!?

Vrmm Vrmmmm....

What way does this go again?  Oh Jezz don't tell me I put the last four on upside down!

Break time!

Okay, starting to look like something here.

O I am going to need more coffee more this...

To be continued....