Big Blue 4-6-4 LEGO Steam Engine

[SUPERMILESBOY]

Good try but try loosen the wheels or the nuts holding it together

[Sparky1701]

@SUPERMILESBOY there are no nots--this is lego. the wheels are free moving. I just have to get some sort of fly wheel figured out

[SVPrelude]

This thing is amazing. I had no idea this was possible.

[Sparky1701]

@SVPrelude It's sorta possible--it's not perfect yet

[dondondonman]

try useing some joint lube on the moving parts to reduse drag

[Sparky1701]

@dondondonman That's a good idea. I have graphite dust to help. When I start working on it again, I'll use it

[88Rangerindanger]

wow man very cool

[Sparky1701]

@88Rangerindanger Thanks! It was a start--it's a work in progress. It's not perfect by any stretch yet, but it's fun to try!

[TexasTycoons]

Are the wheels a half-turn apart(alternating)? One of the pistons in the front needs to be a quarter-turn/ 90 degrees in front of or behind the other for steam engines.

[11Danofoxhatracing]

very inpressive...... i like it

[erikals2]

I noticed the air compressor on the tender is a bit small and there's a T-pipe on the air line from the compressor to the main engine - that can leak air and make the engine run slower.

You also need to run the compressor for about 10 mins so it fills the air tanks and then the engine is good to go for a run

haven't seen it tested on any curved lego track yet

[tylerrip11]

i would try but I have trouble making a base for lego trains plus I need to buy a battery box.I really would like to try.

[tylerrip11]

Needs work

[Sparky1701]

@tylerrip11 True. Wanna give it a shot??

[Sparky1701]

@legosrock518 Yes, building trains right out of the box can be fun as well. Or, you could try to build or do something that 's never been done before... Is entirely up to you,

[madjimms]

need to work on the wheels a bit.

[Sparky1701]

@madjimms I think the wheels are the only thing that don't need work :)

[LionelTrainsForever]

if you wanted/needed them

[LionelTrainsForever]

would you buy a piece of Lego rolling stock made of a mish mash of different pieces.

[Sparky1701]

@LionelTrainsForever I really don't need any rolling stock besides my own, and that which I don't have, I can build--sorry,

[TheHornylittledevil]

no steam so its not a steam train

[Sparky1701]

@TheHornylittledevil Looks like I can count on you to provide the hot air ;)

[TheHornylittledevil]

@Sparky1701 if you must when do i start

[Sparky1701]

@TheHornylittledevil When I get it working better :)

[FireFly686]

So the compressor actually blows preassure into the "moving parts" looks really nice :]

[Sparky1701]

@FireFly686 Thanks!! The compressor pressurizes the blue tanks, which, in turn, are connected to the pneumatic cylinders. the cylinders drive the wheels and the whole thing moves.

[Eddo1998]

Well it didn't blow up did it ?

So... I guess thats a start

[Sparky1701]

@Eddo1998 It's a start :)

[Calsk8er]

looks like it needs traction..... lol

[Sparky1701]

@Calsk8er :)

[patchesdf]

It's a bit herky-jerky. I guess you need a heavy flywheel for the motion to remian smooth. Brilliant! =^+^=

[Sparky1701]

@patchesdf No room for a flywheel :) Thanks for the kind words!

[ojideagu]

@Sparky1701 Reminds me of the Time Machine in back to the future 3 with all the pipes and moving parts added on

[youtship]

I worry that the pneumatics will wear off very fast if you keep running it.

Compared with electric motors, pneumatics is meant to be used occasionally of transient stroke motions.

[Sparky1701]

@youtship Don't fret--this is a 'test and display' model--not a 'run continously on a layout' model

Take care

[Bassotronics]

The problems that this engine is encountering is typical due to the fact that little models have very little inertia thus stopping almost "on a dime". And since its lightweight, the wheels are more prone to slipping. If it were a heavy 'full sized", I bet it would work great. :)

[Sparky1701]

@Bassotronics Absolutely true! But it's the limitation of the medium--LEGO doesn't come in bigger and heavier sizes ;)

The challenge is to work within the limitations of the current line of LEGO bricks

[Bassotronics]

@Sparky1701 Yup..true!

Anyway, all I know is that your engine is a beautiful work of art and it works! :)

Great job!

[Sparky1701]

@Bassotronics Thanks! It's an evolving project. RIght now it's kinda on the backburner after my latest attempt--Big Blue 3 (vids around here somewheres)... debating the best way to create a lego 'flywheel' that might mitigate some of the jerkiness... We'll see what happens :)

[TCLTC]

Big Blue is an engineering marvel! Kudos, Koudys!

[Sparky1701]

@TCLTC Thanks! I do like to combine various LEGO themes and see what works...

[14warr]

That is awsome.

[Sparky1701]

@14warr Thanks! I want to work on it more, but don't have the time right now :(

[14warr]

@Sparky1701 How do you build it. I dont know how it works.

[Sparky1701]

@14warr I haven't made any plans as yet, but the pics on my Flickr page should give a pretty good start...

[yorrickwi]

ben je nederlands?

[Sparky1701]

@yorrickwi my Opa brought the family to Canada from noord winterhout in 1948. my dad was 8 years old. the family didn't speak much dutch here and us grandkids can't speak it at all :(

[yorrickwi]

@Sparky1701 pretty funny my family lived in hilversum and now where moved to california

[yorrickwi]

@Sparky1701 oh and "wat een verekt ding zeg "means what a worthles thing

[Sparky1701]

@yorrickwi To some. Not to those that actually grok it.

[yorrickwi]

@Sparky1701 sorry but i dont realy understand what youre saing

[yorrickwi]

cool



[Sparky1701]

@yorrickwi Thanks!

[AjaxArjanAjax]

wat een verrekt ding zeg

[Sparky1701]

@AjaxArjanAjax Ich vait het neet!

[AjaxArjanAjax]

@Sparky1701 wat vat je niet???

[Sparky1701]

@AjaxArjanAjax I don't know what "wat een verrekt ding zeg

" says :)

[s12e12a12n]

can i buy it? :)

[Sparky1701]

@s12e12a12n got lotsa money? :)

[kirbyfan600]

is that live steam?

[Sparky1701]

@kirbyfan600 No, just air pressure from a custom LEGO air pump

[peterandben]

awesome

[Sparky1701]

@peterandben Thanks

[Mr27ace27]

this is great! I wish I had these lego parts, I'd build one of these in a heartbeat! where'd you get them?

[Sparky1701]

@Mr27ace27 try bricklink for the LEGO pneumatics and Big Ben Wheels for the wheels

[Trainguyxx]

dude that was amazing! what kits did you use to make that?

[Sparky1701]

@Trainguyxx No kit--just regular LEGO pieces with LEGO pneumatics and Big Ben wheels...

[Trainguyxx]

@Sparky1701 epic win XD what'd you mean by big ben wheels though?

[Sparky1701]

@Trainguyxx Google Big Ben Lego Wheels, or get the Emerald Night LEGO train set...

[rsvideos1820]

That's amazing!! cool design! try to put the compressor inside the wagon.

[Sparky1701]

@rsvideos1820 Won't fit. Have a new version which has a bigger compressor on it's own train car

[therealswarvey]

Just wondering... are the pistons alternated properly on each side of the engine? or are they both pushing the same way at the same time?

[Sparky1701]

The pistons are set up like a life size steam engine

[mko51ss]

it needs a flywheel to store energy between pulses

[Sparky1701]

LEGO doesn't have a small enough fly wheel

[droolerdork]

thats cool! i have a bunch of Lionel trains.

[Sparky1701]

Thanks! I don't

[Buemmo]

The final version of my locomotive is finally working but i´ve got no rails i post it as soon as i have some

[Sparky1701]

Good! Love to see it!

[Malk007]

you should keep doing big blues! they're amazing!

[Sparky1701]

Thanks--they are fun to build

[SharkVMKrock]

i have 1 question

Can i buy it?!

[Sparky1701]

Anything can be bought--for a price... :)

[SharkVMKrock]

that is just like the coolest thing but i only have 10 bucks

[Sparky1701]

And really it wasn't for sale :)

[Buemmo]

my pneumatic steam engine will be finished in a few days. I´m only still waiting for the BigBen Brick wheels. The compressor is already installed but I still need an air tank. If it works i´ll post it.

[Sparky1701]

I can't wait to see it

[AzelfandQuilava]

The coolest lego steam engine i have seen in me life

[Sparky1701]

Thanks! I want to make it better

[Buemmo]

what wheels did you use? (the 6 big ones) can you tell me in which set they are? I want to built a steam engine like yours too, just whith a spinning wheel to get over the dead points. Please answer soon, thanks.

[Sparky1701]

I used Big Ben Brick wheels (google them--you won't be disappointed). LEGO doesn't have a 'spinning wheel' heavy enough for that

[Buemmo]

yes, but I want to "modify" a heavy ring of iron XD

[Buemmo]

thanks for showing me the site, but which wheels did you use?

[Buemmo]

what about more pressure?? Bu it looks great, so 4/5

[Sparky1701]

That's an idea but I need more lego parts that I don't have right now to make another compressor

[NytroFlyer]

I think i know how you can make it smoother. That pump in the back attached to the wheel and motor, they are spinning too fast for their own good. make the wheel in the back a bit bigger so the pump gets it's full air pressure.

[Sparky1701]

That's a good idea but the little pumps don't extgend that far

[NytroFlyer]

HOLY SH*T, MAN! How much time do you have?!?! Those are awesome mechanics.

now try making it move smoother!

[Sparky1701]

Not enough time. I'll work on it when I can

[amoskeagTV]

nice train

[Sparky1701]

Thank you

[gamingfreak1shit1pc1]

nice nice

[Sparky1701]

Thanks Thanks

[Dauntless07]

Poor train just can't do it, but that was a good try, so I won't hate on you. Maybe I'll get that Emerald Night and steal... I mean take some pointers from their design. lol :)

[Sparky1701]

the Emerald Night is a gorgeous train! THis train may yet work when I get some time to work on it

[Tuga703]

you should put a electric motor to get it all started and going the right way

[Sparky1701]

Kinda defeats the purpose :)

WHen I get some time, I'll work on it again

[videoGunZ]

try to use the big pump... maybe it wors better... i think more preasure means more "speed" :D

well... nice video! and a wonderful creation! 5*

[Sparky1701]

Thanks! When I get time I'll redesign it and hopefully make it work better

[Jak3Mac]

Thats sick.

[LuigiLuigi8989]

people dont thumb this guy down he means by cool in sick i think

[micle546]

were any of these parts custom made?

also thought of something to increase friction with track, i have seen some trains with custom made wheels that have either a small thin strip of friction tape or you could order custom made wheels made of plastic with thin fitted rubber on them on 2 or 4 of the drive wheels which would greatly help with the slipping problem

[Sparky1701]

the LEGO company just came out with new wheels that have rubber bands on them. I'm trying to get those...

[co3ironbird]

yeah i think the traction would help alot

[brickmaster24]

can it go over curves and switches?

[Sparky1701]

haven't tested it for that yet :)

Still making better designs...

[M14A4BulldogTank]

You need to make some walschaerts valve gear for it.

[Sparky1701]

I don't even know what that is :)

Does it come in LEGO?? :)

[FrontalTraction]

I just noticed the tanks are part of the locomotive, good idea!!!

[Sparky1701]

i wanted to build them in--thought it looked real cool as well as functional....

[FrontalTraction]

Now just make the timing of the cylinders run off the actual rotation of the wheels and not an electric motor.

[Sparky1701]

That would be a great idea. unfortunately, the small cylinders don't have enough power to move the pneumatic switch.

If I used large pneumatic cylinders, I could absolutely do that.

[FrontalTraction]

Okay.

[xboxhog]

neat!

[Sparky1701]

Thanks!

[frvfhfrvfhhrvfh]

does it move?

[SonicsMate]

cool hmm i have some hornby track, i wonder. (runs off too build a small lego train)

[maistrooismi]

It needs a flywheel to make the movements less jerky.

[MEMTC]

thats quality

[BrickstarRunner]

looks like something out of Back to the Future III

[brickmaster24]

yeah it does

[Spongebob11223344]

jerky!!

[lolzadin]

nice O.o...?

[Snuetman]

awesome

[ronaldmcrae]

very nice

[aboozed]

looks excellent, top design.

[alienoutlaw3]

kool but may i sugest puting thin elastic bands on the wheeles and try puting oil of some sort *i use vegitable oil* on yor linkage rods

[cograilfan]

haha. yes

[ads5926]

It Looks like the locomotive from BTTF part 3 with all of the moving bits on it!

[IcyAlaska]

Ya it kinda does. Paint it black and throw a car infront of it you got a movie.

[dragoonslycool]

can you make a diesel shunter for me to see what it looks like

[toppie34]

nice

[tommydodger]

nice!

[Slayer666420]

Did you place cilinders on both sides of the train or only on one side?? if you place two, try to let them work at an simultaniously, btw great design!!

[5245jah]

Damm you should put 4 cilinders.........would be much powerful and faster! :P

[ads5926]

Power yes, speed no.

[ALeXBoY2009]

How did you make it?

[bigepi]

Perhaps there is far to much strain on the bar to move the wheels, it seems to be a jerk movement rather then a smooth rounded motion, perhaps this is were the problem is as the pauses imply there is a build of of stress before the piston can move any further and so forth

[blama22]

gr8 train, but is it possible to modify it ta move fowards and backwards without pauses?

[nickeax]

Excellent work.

[ihatemath1]

try rubber on the wheels

[shultz1975]

I miss my lego , i wish i hadn't sold it all.

Your Bluey super work

[MGD11]

Have you tried a bigger cylinder for the compressor? or oiling the cylinder slide bar?

[lordvader6169]

Great disine. Though it didnt move as well as planned, i beleive u can figure out what the problem is.