cOnTenTs Acknowledgments Foreword by michael gale IntroductIon advice Before You start LeGO on the internet The Official LeGO Website BrickLink Brickset naming sets and elements in This Book a note on Difficulty Let’s Get started A H Isto ry o F leg o t rAIns The Blue era 1966 1979 Power sources Tracks Other elements seen from Today’s Perspective The Gray era 1980 1990 Power sources Tracks remote-controlled accessories Other elements seen from Today’s Perspective The 9 Volt era 1991 2005 Power supplies Train Motor Tracks x xii 1 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 9 12 12 15 16 19 20 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 28
Other elements seen from Today’s Perspective The rc era 2006 Power supplies Tracks Magnet couplings seen from Today’s Perspective The Power Functions era 2007 Present Power supplies Tracks Wheels seen from Today’s Perspective Other LeGO Track systems Monorail narrow Gauge Track conclusion BAsIc PrIncIPles Basic LeGO Pieces how Do LeGO elements stay connected LeGO Technic connections Building Techniques Geometry of LeGO Bricks snOT Building in all Directions Building Off the Grid Building in Odd Dimensions Microstriping Textures nice Part Usage 29 31 33 34 34 35 35 36 38 41 41 42 42 42 43 43 45 46 49 51 51 52 53 58 62 64 67 68 vi
desIgnIng your own models choosing a scale Minifig scale L-Gauge scale scaling by Wheel size 6-W ide 7-W ide 8-W ide or More choose Your Own scale Designing to run on Track Mimicking real-World axles and Trucks couplings and Buffers Building a steam engine attaching Leading and Trailing Wheels Using spoked Wheels for steam Trains a Flexible Design rods and cylinders Power and control Train Motors and Powered rails Power Functions Train Motors Power Functions Drivetrain The sBrick receiver Modeling Details color streamlined Front Driver’s cabin W indows and Doors roofs corridor connectors Pantographs Underframes 71 72 73 73 74 75 78 78 81 84 88 89 89 91 92 94 94 95 96 98 99 99 100 100 100 101 101 102 102 vii
