As many other kids, I had a model train, ages ago. From the first time, I've seen the TEE in a catalogue, I always wanted to get this train. But it was so incredibly expensive that this wish never came true.
Now, the best part on LEGO is, that if you can imagine it - you could build it! Building in miniland scale means, that a model of a 20m long train will have the length of 1m. That might be a small disadvantage of building in miniland scale.
For taking proper photos of my cars, I've started to build Brick-Valley. But it's actually to small for a 2m train. So most of these photos were taken with friendly permission in the LEGOLAND Windsor.
Actually the train can only be placed on straight tracks, because the transition between the transition between the cars is not flexible (yet). Here you can see the two drive heads with their overall length of 2m.
Short "action" video. Please ignore the pushing hand at the end :)
There are some really long bridges in the Miniland. To take this photo during the season would be more complicated, because there would be water underneath the bridge.
Hopefully they are moving away and not towards to each other. Otherwise they'll be in trouble pretty soon.
On the original train you can read in with golden letters the name:
"TRANS EUROP EXPRESS"
The model would be big enough for custom sticker, or the original printed 1x1 tiles. But custom stickers are not an option for puristic AFOLs (like me) and the printed tiles are black, which wouldn't fit to the color scheme. At the end it's recognizable enough, without it.
First try-out photos on LEGO tracks at home. Just to make a short test which viewing angle works best.
Accidentally taken snapshot. The neighbour's cat was curious about what's going on. Fortunately the train was stopped, so the cat was not in danger.
Since the original Miniland train tracks are not available in any shop, there is no other chance than building them with usual bricks. The track distance is 9 1/2 studs, which makes the sleepers slightly unbalanced. To be in scale, the wheels should be bigger, but the Emerald Express' wheel are working, too.
The carriers were connected with standard magnets. Two of them have enough power to keep the two engines together.
The rear bogie could be used for the train cars, too. The front bogie of the drive head is bigger, because they contain the propulsion.
This is how a drive head looks like, after it was transportet within a plane. It's obviously a good idea to pack LEGO models extremely well, with lots of padding stuff around. If it's packed good enough that elephants could play football with it, it would be ready for any airport.
The BR601 is passing Brick Valley. At this point the second drive head was not even started. This photo was taken at the LEGO Fan weekend in Skærbæk 2011. Sadly a little bit blurred.
Passing a small village, somewhere in the Miniland. Very nice background!
To be continued...
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Impressum
