RAILBRICKS 8 by RAILBRICKS

BRICK RAILROADING MAGAZINE

All Abo ard! ®

The yearl y g e t t o g e t h e r f o r L E G O t r a in f a n s is c oming bac k t o t h e W e s t C o a s t ! T h e 2 0 1 1 N a t ional Model R a il r o a d A s s oc ia t io n ’s ( N M R A ) N a t io nal Train Sho w ( N T S ) w ill be c o m in g t o S a c r a m e nto, CA. Mark your calendars!

July 8-10, 2011 Sacramento Convention Center 1400 J Street Sacramento, CA 95814 M o r e d e t a i l s a b o u t t h e LEGO ® train display can be found o n t h e planning wiki:

http:// w w w .f a c e b o o k . c o m / l / 2 2 bd6aAFo6NWu6DXI5CRiWfqLKQ;nmra2 0 1 1 i l t c o .p b w o r k s .c o m/w/page/5515272/FrontPage

ISSUE 8 - Winter 2011

In This Issue All Aboard! ..................................... 4 From the RailBlog ............................. 5 Feeding The Beast ............................ 7 DUPLO® Trains ............................... 11 Flashback: Train Engine Shed .......... 16 Reverse Engineering Challenge ....... 19 Lap-Siding ..................................... 20 A Real LEGO® Loco ....................... 24 MÆRSK® and LEGO® ....................... 27 Wye Oh Why ................................ 32 Tipping the Scales ......................... 34 Trainspotting ................................ 48 F.R.E.D. ....................................... 50

The RAILBRICKS Team Senior Editor: Elroy Davis Staff Editors and Writers: Steve Barile Benn Coifman Tim David Didier Enjary Eric Kingsley Cale Leiphart Holger Matthes Mark Peterson Larry Pieniazek Anthony Sava Jordan Schwarz Jeramy Spurgeon Copy Editing/Proofing: Christy Davis

On The Cover: A trainspotter catches a shot of big diesels entering the yard. Photo and MOCs by Mark Peterson.

Welcom e t o I s s u e 8 o f RAILBRICKS! In this i s s u e , w e f o c u s o n one of m y f a v o r i t e s u b jects: t r a i n y a r d s . I n p a r ticular, w e a r e p r e s e n t i n g informa t i o n r e l a t e d t o s e r vice-re l a t e d i t e m s w i t h i n yards. Ya r d s a r e w h e r e a lot of th e w o r k o f r a i l r o a ding tak e s p l a c e . C a r s g e t switche d a n d s o r t e d , t r a i n consis t s a r e m a d e u p o r P h o to By Kya Davis broken down, l o c o m otives ar e s e r v i c e d a n d c l e a n e d , c o n t a i n e r s a r e l o a d e d a n d unload e d , c r e w s a r e c h a n g e d , t h e l i s t g o e s o n a n d o n . Small y a r d s m a y b e q u i e t , w i t h o n l y a s i n g l e l o c o m o t i v e workin g t h e a r e a . L a r g e r y a r d s c a n b e e x t r e m e l y b u s y, with mu l t i p l e s w i t c h e r s o r a u t o m a t e d t r a c k s , y e t t h e r e i s an eleg a n t s y s t e m a t i c c o n t r o l t h a t s i t s b e h i n d w h a t m a y sometim e s l o o k t o b e c h a o s . Yards a r e f a s c i n a t i n g p l a c e s , f r o m t h e s m a l l e s t o n e t r a c k industr i a l s i d i n g , t o t h e l a r g e s t c l a s s i f i c a t i o n f a c i l i t y i n the wor l d . T h e s h e e r a m o u n t o f v a r i e t y m a k e s t h e m e x c e l lent pla c e s f o r m o d e l i n g i n s p i r a t i o n .

Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.

In this i s s u e , t h o u g h w e d o n ’ t t a l k a b o u t a c t u a l y a r d d esign, w e d o p r e s e n t s e v e r a l y a r d r e l a t e d a r t i c l e s . F i r s t , there is a q u i c k o v e r v i e w o f s o m e o f t h e s t e a m - e r a b u i l dings th a t o n e m i g h t f i n d i n a t r a i n y a r d . We a l s o o f f e r a n excelle n t o v e r v i e w o f a s m a l l s h u n t i n g l o c o m o t i v e t h a t i s intimat e l y l i n k e d t o o u r h o b b y. A l s o , a s w e t r y t o d o w i t h every i s s u e , t h e r e a r e b u i l d i n g i n s t r u c t i o n s , r e v i e w s o f older s e t s , a n d s o m e f u n s t u f f i n b e t w e e n .

LEGO® is a registered trademark of the LEGO® Company, which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this publication.

All of t h e s e a r t i c l e s w e p r e s e n t w i t h t h e h o p e s t h a t y o u , as buil d e r s a n d d e s i g n e r s , w i l l f i n d i n s p i r a t i o n f o r y o u r own cr e a t i v e e n d e a v o r s .

Copyright © 2007-2011 RAILBRICKS Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover

All other trademarks, service marks, and copyrights are property of their respective owners.

ALL ABOARD!

Instructions, Challenges, and Tips & Tricks have been categorized into the following levels:

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Tasty Dark Red Shunter Written by Jeramy Spurgeon | Wednesday, 17 February 2010 16:07 LUGPOL member Robson recently posted a nice little Electric Shunter, an E69.

Get our new CDs today!

The wheel cowlings are a particularly interesting solution, using the armor pieces from the Knights Kingdom action figures.

V i s i t the R A I L BRICKS R A I L BLOG at w w w.railbricks.com

Have an idea for RAILBRICKS? Here are some guidelines for getting your article published in an upcoming issue. W h o m ay s u b m i t a n a r t i c l e? A nyo n e m ay s u b m i t a r t i c l es for consideration by t h e RA I L B R I C KS staff. S ubmitted articles are rev i ewe d a n d , i f s u i ta b l e, used in future issues o f R A I L B R I C KS m a ga z i n e. Peo p l e s u b m i tt i n g a r t i c l e s do not need to be p ro fe s s i o n a l l eve l w r i te rs. RAILBRICKS is a m a ga z i n e fo r fa n s , by fa ns. We welcome art i c l e s f ro m ent h u s i a st s w ho build, collect, and p l ay w i t h L EG O ® t ra i n s . W hen we evaluate art i c l e s , we l o o k fo r q u a l i t y in the content and t h e b a s i c w r i t i n g st y l e. We also evaluate any p h o to s t h at a c co m p a ny t he submission. Ever y a r t i c l e to b e p u b l i s h e d i s edited by the RAIL B R I C KS staff to i n c re a s e readability if needed, a n d w h il e b a s i c g ra m m a r and spelling are exp e c te d , p er fe c t i o n i s n o t necessar y. W h at s o r t o f a r t i c l e s m ay be submitted? A ny m ate r i a l rel ated to t he creation, display, o r co l l ec t i n g o f L EG O ® t ra ins is welcome. This i n c l u d e s a r t i c l e s a b o u t p rototype trai ns or rail ro a d i n g l o cat i o n s t h at m ay spark inspiration, ove r v i ews o f m o d el s t h at have been created, o r step -by- ste p i n st r u c t i o ns for train models. W h i l e o u r fo c u s i s L EG O ® t rains, articles about rel ated i te m s , s u c h a s modif ying track with n o n - L EG O ® el e m e nt s , a re also welcome. We a re a l s o i ntereste d i n t h e overall LEGO® train co m m u n i t y, s o a r t i c l e s a bout events, peopl e, o r c l u bs a re a l s o en co u ra ged.

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Photos & Story by Elroy Davis

Feeding the Beast

Yard Structures & the Care of Steam Locomotives Like the animals they were often described as, the giant metal beasts known as steam locomotives had some basic needs to keep them in functional running order. Fuel, water, and shelter were as important to locomotives as food, drink and warmth are to most animals. In addition to these basic needs, locomotives needed a way to remove waste, be cleaned, and receive attention when damaged. All of these needs were met by some basic railroading structures, most of which could be found in one form or another within a steam-era rail yard. Though the age of steam locomotives has passed, the fascination with steamera equipment continues. Fans of steam are often familiar with different types of locomotives, but may not be as familiar with some of the structures dedicated to the upkeep of those mighty machines. One of the most iconic steam-era constructions was the coaling tower. Massive in size, the usual image brought to mind is of the multi-story wood or concrete buildings that dwarfed surrounding structures. The stereotypical coaling tower was basically a giant bin,

supported by thin legs above the tracks, with sluices on the side to feed waiting locomotive tenders. With this setup, coal could be brought in via rail in hoppers. The hoppers were then dumped into a bin that was at, or below, track level. Elevator or bucket conveyor systems then carried the coal from the loading bin to the top of the tower, where the fuel was fed into the main storage area. The coal sluices above the tracks were then gravity fed from this storage area, with the rate of ďŹ&#x201A;ow controlled by gates that could be raised or lowered as tenders were ďŹ lled. Variations of this basic structure existed, including coaling facilities that were fed directly from rail cars by means of trestle-supported ramps. In small yards the coaling tower may have only serve a single track. In larger areas, the coaling tower and its delivery systems spanned multiple tracks, feeding a number of locomotives at the same time. While coaling towers fed fuel to the locomotives, another iconic structure, the water tower, kept the big machines from going thirsty. Water, used by locomotive boilers to generate steam, was stored above track level in a cistern where it could be gravity fed into waiting

Opposite Page: Transition-era locomotives pose near a coaling tower and locomotive shed on display at the Danbury Railway Museum in Danbury, Connecticut. Right: The Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restored water pump, on display inside the pumphouse. The original water tower can be seen in a photo on the wall in the upper left.

B 7

MLCad drawing of a steam-era sanding house. Wet sand was unloaded into the covered bin on the left, then dried inside the building. Dry sand was then stored in the canister at the top of the tower on the right.

locomotives. Water came from nearby sources, and was either pumped into the tower for storage by pumps at ground level, or fed into the structure via pipes and ﬂumes from above. In the United States, water towers were generally built of wood, constructed in a similar manner as wooden barrels, with upright staves, 6 to 8 inches wide, bound by metal bands that were spaced closer together near the bottom in order to compensate for the weight of the water above. To keep debris from entering the water, and to insulate the liquid from the cold in northern climates, towers were covered by roofs, giving the top of the structures the conical silhouette that most people are familiar with. Holding thousands of gallons of water, variations of the typical water tower also existed. Some were built like a conventional building, with four walls around the cistern, while others were built of steel depending on the needs and location of the railroad.

In addition to coal and water, steam locomotives were also fed sand. Sand was used by railroads to help gain traction on slippery rails. Sanding houses, used for the drying and storage of sand, were another structure that may be found in a steam-era yard. Wet, or “green” sand could be brought in by rail or truck. It was ofﬂoaded into a storage bin on one side of the building where it could be stored until needed for processing. When needed, wet sand from this bin was brought into the sanding house where it was spread on racks and dried by a furnace or oven. Once dried, the sand was blown up into a storage canister in a tower next to the tracks using compressed air. The source of the compressed air sometimes came from the locomotive that was being fed. Dried sand from the tower’s storage canister could be loaded into the locomotive by means of a chute or pipe, similar to that used on a water tower. A counterweight system near the top of the tower was employed to help with the lowering or raising of this chute to keep it clear of passing trains when not in use.

Standpipes, another means of supplying water to waiting locomotives, were another feature that might Stand-alone sanding towers, like standpipes, were also be found in a railway yard. Taking up less real estate employed by some railroads in an effort to conserve than a water tower, standpipes were upright columns space. These towers not only took up less space, they with movable spouts that stood along the track’s right were also able to service more than one track at a time. of way. Standpipes allowed water to be pumped into a Sand was still dried in a sanding house, but the location locomotive from another location. Unlike a water tower, of that building may have been farther from the tracks. water for standpipes was stored away from the tracks, and could be fed to the standpipe via underground plumbing. While less noticeable than a large water tower, standpipes are a great detail to add when Opposite: Rutland Railroad engine house & transfer table modeling a busy railway yard.

under construction. Photographer and date unknown.

The placement of coal, water, and sand loading facilities was important. If designed well, a yard holding all of these structures could feed a locomotive from all three sources at the same time, cutting down on the time, and therefore cost, of turning a locomotive between jobs. In addition to feeding a steam locomotive, the process of readying a train for use also involved some less than glamorous jobs. Removal of waste, cleaning, and periodic inspections all involved some other specialized yard facilities. Coal and wood-fired steam locomotives all produced waste in the form of ash. Like a fireplace in a home, burnt fuel in a steam engine fell into an ash pan as the fire burned. The ash pan would need to be emptied periodically to keep the locomotive in good running order. In some rail yards a specialized area was built specifically for this purpose. One common way to clear the ash pan was to drive the locomotive over an open bin, or ash pit, where hot embers could be dumped from the locomotive to cool. The cooled remains could then be removed at a later time by truck or rail car. In some cases the ash pit was built into a hillside, with one side open, to allow for easy removal of the cooled ash. In other cases the ash pit was sunk into the ground, with ash being removed by means of a conveyor or hoist. A third version of an ash pit involved a sloped track running parallel and below the receiving track. An open gondola could be spotted on this track, and ash moved directly from the locomotive to the waiting car. Cleaning of a locomotive, though often done manually with high-pressure washers, could also be accomplished with the use of another yard structure, the wash rack.

Similar to modern car-washes, wash racks were drivethrough facilities that would spray water and steam over the machine’s exterior to remove surface dirt and grease. While a wash rack may not thoroughly clean a locomotive, it was an efficient way of quickly removing grime that could wear down parts until a more extensive cleaning could take place. While periodic cleanings of steam locomotives was important to prolonging their useful lifespans, regular inspections and maintenance where even more important. A very simple structure, the inspection pit, aided in these tasks. Inspection pits were simply sunken areas below track level, accessed by stairs or ladders, that allowed workers to view and work on the underside of cars and locomotives. While sometimes placed outside, inspection pits were often found inside locomotive sheds and roundhouses, where machines could be worked on out of the elements. The sheds and roundhouses where these inspection pits were located were as varied as the railroads that owned them. Shelter for steam locomotives could be as simple as a single track, flat-roofed shed, or as complex as full circular roundhouses servicing multiple tracks and containing enough bays to hold an entire fleet of locomotives. Much like a garage for an automobile, locomotive sheds not only offered protection from the elements, but also a place where locomotives could be repainted, repaired, and cared after by railway workers. While small sheds may have contained only a small workshop, larger facilities included overhead gantry cranes for lifting boilers or other large parts, office space for workers, and storage areas for equipment. While roundhouses were an iconic structure in the steam-era, with their multiple bays and turntables, longer warehouse-like sheds serviced by transfer

tables were also widely used for the care and storage of steam locomotives. Both structures offer excellent modeling opportunities for today’s builders. The care and feeding of steam locomotives is an extensive subject. While this article provides a brief outline of the basic structures involved, other sources offer in-depth coverage that is highly recommended for any modeler tackling the task of building a steam-era yard facility. With the coming of the diesel locomotive came the destruction of many steam-speciﬁc buildings. With many of the buildings gone, and others disappearing as more years pass, their original use and function becomes more mysterious. Thankfully, though, fascination with the steam years continues, keeping these wonderfully practical and interesting pieces of functional architecture alive. For further reading, see: “The Model Railroader’s Guide to Locomotive Servicing Terminals” by Marty McGuirk, published by Kalmbach Publishing, Co., 2001 “Railroad Structures and Estimates” by John Wilson Orrock, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1918 “Buildings and Structures of American Railroads” by Walter Gilman Berg, published by John Wiley & Sons, 1893

duplo trains Article by Didier Enjary Pictures of sets courtesy of BrickLink

Among adults fan of LEGO, some are parents - thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the case here at RailBricks. As adults, we are not, at ďŹ rst, fan of DUPLO but as our babies grew up, our interest for the DUPLO line increases. As we are also fan of trains, it is quite natural for us to play DUPLO Trains with our children.

The DUPLO line was born in 1969, more than 40 years ago. In 1976, the Duplo Car Base with hitch opened the possibility to create towed vehicles and trains but it did not come with tracks.

1991 - Express train 2459 built on Duplo Car Base

1993 - Choo choo train 2452 built on Duplo Car Base

Then, the ďŹ rst train appeared 7 years later in 1983: a steam-looking engine with tip wagon and passenger car (2700,2705) on black straight and curved rails, (2711,2712) bridge, crossing and point (2713,2714, 2717). The speciďŹ c parts are a steam train chassis with its drive rods, a cabin, a cow catcher and a funnel top which comes in basic red, yellow and blue color. The train chassis is different from the Car Base as it features an articulated hitch and train wheels.

This system of push-along trains remained unchanged for 10 years from 1983 to 1993, a period that I call the black era, with only a few additions (boxcar, station).

Set 2731-1 Push-Along Play Train - 1996

An electric version of the DUPLO train was released in 1993. It ran on batteries autonomously (no remote) but features an embryo of rail driven automatisation (smart brick). It came with a completely brand new set of tracks (straight and curve, point and diamond crossing, level crossing and bridge). The rails are dark gray, shorter but still compatible. The engine looks like a heavy ďŹ&#x201A;at car which can be modded into diesel-like engine with cabin and hood. Another engine is produced, on the same base, to ďŹ t a train passenger canopy (yellow/ red - set 2932) or train freight locomotive top (yellow/green - set 2933).

During this period, you could still purchase non-electric steam-looking trains, usually coming without tracks (2733,2731,2931). This period, which I call the Electric Era, found a new development in 2002.

The IntelliTrain is the new 2002 electric train in the DUPLO line. This train, compatible with the former DUPLO train tracks, also includes an extended programming system. IntelliBricks (Smart bricks), placed between tracks, allow the train to be programmed. The train, equipped with underside touch sensors, acts accordingly to the brick it runs across (toots, reverses, stops, makes a variety of sounds such bubbles or fueling, etc.) The engine also has sensors in the cab (identifying the engineer presence) and on the rear-top. The IntelliTrain system is expandable with an Intelligent Car. More about this system can be read at http://caveďŹ sh.net/intelli-train/index.html.

Since the very beginning in 1969, the DUPLO line never stopped innovating, from push-along train to the Intelli-train. But, since 2005, while the classical push-along and motorized trains are still present in the catalog, the main motivation (and this is not speciﬁc to DUPLO) is the growing amount of licenced products. Between 2005 and 2007, TLC produced about ten Thomas The Engine sets and has more recently relased the 2010 Toys Story train (5659 - The Great Train Chase). So, what’s next? It seems most unlikely that the LEGO company will decide to release a PFS-like DUPLO train. Because they would have do so already - because PFS does not ﬁt the DUPLO target audience. However the Intelli Train has some interesting features but clearly lacks simplicty. My two year old son wants a train that toots when starting (switch on), that roars when climbing a bridge (level sensor), that screeches its brakes when the train stops (switch off) and a crash sound when it hits an obstacle (touch sensor). And the train should light up when it passes through a tunnel (light sensor). Well.... Maybe should I customize his DUPLO trains with my old RCX stuff?

Flashback: 10027 Train Engine Shed By Jordan Schwarz

The venerable 10027 Train Engine Shed will be remembered as one of the most impressive railroad structures ever released as a LEGO® set. At the time, its detailed design was heralded as something of an architectural revolution in the world of LEGO® toys - unmatched until the later release of the Café Corner set as the first in the modular building series.

A s p a r t of the final wave of traditional 9V t ra i n s et s , t h e Train Engine Shed was offered a l o n g w i t h t wo other railroad structure sets from t h e “ Wo r l d C ity ” theme, the 10128 Train Level Cro s s i n g a n d 4513 Grand Central Station. Origin a l l y t h e Tra i n Engine Shed sold for $70 USD, altho u g h i t wa s p ossible to find copies at a discount to wa rd t h e end of the 9V era. T h e Tra i n Engi ne Shed’s 2003 release date m a kes i t a re l atively recent “flashback”. In the five d e ca d e s o f LEGO® trains, this set stands as the o n l y exa m p l e of an engi ne shed, despite routine re i s s u e s o f other structures like level crossing a n d t ra i n stations. However, a predecessor to t h e Tra i n E n gine Shed may be found in the cla s s i c 7 7 7 7 Tra in Idea Book. T h e Tra i n Idea Book depicts a yellow and red e n g i n e s h e d that bears more than a superficia l re s e m b l a n ce to the modern one. Specifically, t h e I d e a B o ok engine shed is hinged in the mi d d l e to p rov i de two short bays or a single long o n e, a l s o a key design feature of the 10027 set. T h e d e s i g n s share arched windows and stepped ro o fl i n es w i t h skylights. The two structures are a l s o s i m i l a r i n size. A l th o u g h the roundhouse is perhaps the m o st reco g n i zable of all railroad structures, the LEG O ®

G ro u p h a s n eve r re l ea s e d o n e . C o n s i d e r i n g t h e l i m i te d m a r ket fo r L EG O ® t ra i n s a n d t h ei r a s s o c i ated b u i l d i n g s , t h i s i s n o t s u r p r i s i n g ; a ro u n d h o u s e wo u l d b e a st ro n o m i ca l i n p r i c e a n d a d i ff i c u l t d e s i g n to exe c u te . H owever, a s t h e p i c t u res f ro m t h e Tra i n I d ea B o o k h i nt , s eve ra l e n g i n e s h e d s co u l d b e co m b i n ed a n d a n g l e d a p p ro p r i atel y to fo r m a ro u n d h o u s e - l i ke s h a p e. A d d i t i o n a l l y, m u l t i p l e t ra i n s h e d s co u l d b e p l a c e d s i d e by- s i d e to c reate a l a rge r t ra i n s h ed . Ret u r n i n g to t h e 1 0 0 2 7 Tra i n E n g i n e S h ed , t h e s et wa s co m p o s e d m a i n l y o f b a s i c b r i c ks b u t a l s o i n c l u d e d a d e c ent s u p p l y o f u n i q u e p a r t s . T h e b l a c k s l i d i n g d o o rs a n d l a rge , ca st l e- st y l e b ay d o o rs we re es p e c i a l l y u s ef u l . T h e b l a c k s l o p es u s e d fo r t h e ro o f were q u i te ra re u nt i l re c ent l y, w h e n t h e s e e l em ent s s u r fa c e d o n P i c k- a - B r i c k wa l l s i n L EG O ® sto re s . T h e g rey b r i c ks i n c l u d e d a re “o l d ” l i g ht a n d d a r k g rey ; t h i s s et wa s a m o n g t h e l a st m a d e b efo re t h e sw i tc h to “ b l ey ”. T h e E n g i n e S h e d i n c l u d ed n u m e ro u s a c c e s s o r i es s u c h a s a f u l l s et o f to o l s , we l d er ’s ye l low h a n d t r u c k , d r i l l p res s , a n d l at h e w i t h a c h ro m e e l e m ent b ei n g m a c h i n e d . T h e s e fe at u res a n d t h e f l ex i b l e l ayo u t o f t h e st r u c t u re a d d e d g reat l y to t h e s et ’s p l ay va l u e . No te t h at , a c co rd i n g to Pee ro n , t h e ye l l ow h a n d t r u c k a p p e a re d i n t h i s s et a l o n e!

W h i l e the Train Engine Set has received a l m o st u n i versally positive reviews, critics p r i m a r i l y n o te the set â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restrictive dimensions. True 6 - w i d e ro l l i ng stock can negotiate the narrow i nte r i o r, w h i l e engines with protrusions such as h a n d ra i l s a n d smokestacks tend to encounter pro b l e m s . E xc ess-height cars, ex tended-vision ca b o o s es , a n d 8-wide cars are completely out of th e q u e s t i o n . In its short-bay configuration, the E n g i n e S h ed length is b arely enough to accom m o d ate m a ny popular locomotives. Recall, however, t h at t h i s s et hails from an earlier era when LEG O ÂŽ ve h i c l e s tended to be smaller, and the Train E n g i n e S h ed was suited to most of the official ro l l i n g sto c k available at the time. No te: Images courtesy of Peeron.com an d b r i c ks et . com

Benn Coifman’s

This column seeks to challenge readers to look around at other builders’ work and tease out how they achieved a specific effect, an important skill as you wander off the instruction sheet and into your own creations. After the Emerald Night came out I decided to build my own Pacific. My chosen subject was the Southern Pacific Railroad, 4-6-2 ‘Pacific’ type steam locomotive. Several of these locomotives survived into commuter service and were preserved at the twilight of steam in the U.S. Two were operational in the past decade (2467 and 2472) and a third is under restoration (2479). I had planned to use the banded drivers from the Emerald Night and finally power a steam engine via the drive wheels. But then I saw Cale Leiphart’s PF Y at Brickworld 2009 and now I had better propulsion to pursue. Moving the motors to the tender gave me room to play in the cab. The front windows are borrowed directly from Gerrit, but the side windows are my own working. Look closely, they open and close.

Ed i to r ’s No te: T h e r e w er e n o r es p o n s e s to t h e l a st R EC, s o w e a r e r u n n i n g C h a l l en g e 7 a g a i n t h i s i s s u e, w i t h a n ew d a te fo r submissions of April 15, 2011. G o o d l u c k to a l l w h o ente r !

All submissions become the property of RAILBRICKS and by submitting an entry you will allow us to print your submission in whole or in part.

Your challenge is to reproduce the opening windows within the confines of an 8 wide cab that is only 6 studs long. The primary challenge is the windows, but in the event of a tie, a submission that also includes the roof vent hatches will receive preference. Submit your solution to challenge@RAILBRICKS.com with the title “SEVENTH REVERSE ENGINEERING CHALLENGE” in either ldraw format or provide sufficient digital photos on how to construct the feature. Judging will begin on April 15, 2011, and will continue until we are ready to release the next issue. But be sure to get your submission in by opening date for full consideration. If you build a physical model, you can use more common colors. Be sure to include your name and contact information. The editorial staff will select the best design from all of the buildable submissions that achieve this effect and winner will receive a “RAILBRICKS Challenge” engraved brick. If one of our readers is able to solve this challenge we will publish the solution in the next issue. Otherwise, in the event that none of the entries are able reproduce the feature by the deadline, this challenge will remain open until someone is able to solve it.

If you have ideas or suggestions for future challenges, contact us at submissions@RAILBRICKS.com.

L ap-Siding

by Steve Barile

One

o f my favorite model railroading struct u re s i s t h e c lassic Switching Tower. Often it ’s p i c t u re d a s a square two stor y yellow building w i t h b row n t r im. The first stor y is windowless, bu t t h e to p sto r y is like an air traffic control tower w i t h w i n d ows on all sides. One company sells i t i n a t h re e building cluster that includes a spe e d e r ga ra ge a nd a tool shed. I have always wante d to b u i l d t h is model out of LEGO but the lap-si d i n g wa s t h e challenge. I unsuccessfully tried u s i n g co r r u gated bricks, so I searched for and tried my own va r i ations of br ick-built lap siding but t h ey a l l s e em ed clumsy. It was late one night in b e d w h e n I was leafing through the Walters cata l o g a n d t h ere she was, almost teasing me... allu d i n g m e fo r 8 years! So I started to puzzle over s o l u t i on s i n my head. Building in my imaginatio n i s

m u c h fa ste r t h a n t h e t r i a l - a n d - e r ro r i te rat i o n s w i t h rea l b r i c k a n d eve n fa ste r t h a n C A D. F i n a l l y I ca m e u p w i t h t h e i d ea o f u s i n g t h e “s l o p ” i n t h e s e a m s b et we e n t h e b r i c ks . I go t o u t o f b e d , st u m b l e d d ow n t wo f l i g ht s o f sta irs to my b a s e m e nt L EG O ro o m ! I g ra b b e d a b row n 1 x 6 p l ate a n d a h a n d f u l l o f ye l l ow 1 x 1 b r i c ks . I p u t a row o f b r i c k o n t h e p l ate a n d t h en ro tated a l l o f t h em a s m u c h a s I co u l d … a n d t h ere b efo re m e wa s t h e l a p - s i d i n g effec t I wa s l o o k i n g fo r ! S o I sta c ked e a c h co l u m n fo u r b r i c ks h i g h a n d to p p e d i t w i t h a 1 x 6 b row n t i l e , ro tated t h e a s s e m b l y 9 0 d e g re es a n d I h a d my f i rst l a p - s i d i n g wa l l . I t wa s at t h at m o m ent t h at I k n ew I h a d co n q u ere d h e r ! B u t o f co u rs e a go o d M O C c h a l l en ge i s r i d d l ed w i t h s e co n d a n d t h i rd o rd e r p ro b l em s to b e s o l ve d .

T h e n ex t challenge was to figure out how to t u r n t h i s technique into a viable solution fo r M O C b u i l d ing , in particular the switching towe r. A go o d test for a new technique is to dete r m i n e h ow many variations it can produce, this t u r n e d i nto a real mind bender. Because the lap - s i d i n g te c h nique in the normal orientation is a ver t i ca l effec t, it had to be SNOT â&#x20AC;&#x2122;ed; rotated 90 d e g re es , to l o ok correct. One approach to this p ro b l em i s to build a skeleton structure where t h e l a p p a n el s fit perfectly into the voids. After a few attempts at a ground-up build I realized t h at t h e entire building needed to be pre-plan n e d s o t h at ever y void can be a particular size s o t h at i t ca n be precisely filled adhering to th e S NOT 5 : 6 ratio. The voids should be an even n u m b er o f st uds wide, which will result in incre m e nt s o f 5 rotated plates, i.e. 2studs = 5plate s , 4 s = 1 0 p , 6s = 15p, 8s = 20pâ&#x20AC;Ś Xs = X/2*5p. Fo r ea c h p a n el there is a foot plate and a top tile, s o t wo p l ate s need to be subtracted, X/2*5-2p. Fo r i n sta n c e an 8 stud void requires 6 brick sta c k o f 1 x 1 s with a foot plate and a top tile. Th e re a re st i l l a few difficulties to overcome for in sta n c e atta c hing the lap panels to the skeleto n . I t i s a l s o mandator y that the bottom and to p m o st 1 x 1 brick stack not be rotated in order fo r t h e p a n el to fit into the voids. A s i t turns out this new technique ha s m a ny va r i ations. It is possible to have panels w i t h i n p a n el s so that windows and doors can b e e m b e d d ed, like on the tool shed. Also var i at i o n s o n t h e skeleton/void technique can prov i d e fo r

6x4.2 lap-siding wall unit

10x10 skeleton box

e n d l e s s facades similar to half timber desig n s . A s a n exa m p l e t h ere a re t wo vo i d s o n t h e s i d e o f Sw i tc h i n g Tower (the side facing the train tra c k ) , o n e o n t h e to p a n d t h e o t h e r b el ow s e p a rate d by a d o u b l e stack of brown plates. The vertical b row n st r i p e s a re b row n p l ate s b u i l t i nto t h e l a p wa l l s , t h i s a d d s strength to the long run of 1x1 br i c ks a n d c re ate s v i s u a l va r i at i o n . T h e w i n d ow o n t h e o t h er s i de has a void on either side and a vo i d a l l a l o n g t h e b o tto m . T h i s i s o nly the beginning for this new tech n i q u e a n d a s m o re b u i l d i n g s a n d st r u c t u re s get b u i l t , s u c h a s the classic white church, western tow n sto re f ro nt s , a n d â&#x20AC;&#x153; S ea rs â&#x20AC;? cata l o g h o u s e s f ro m t h e 4 0 â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s , m o re innovations will be invented taki n g t h i s tec h n i q u e to t h e n ex t l eve l . H a p py b u i l d i n g !

L a p - Siding Sampler Wall; two, four, six, e i g ht , a n d e i g ht ( w / D o o r ) st u d w i d e vo i d s , n o te t h e SNOT br i c k + p l a te co u nt s .

The Magazine for LEGO ® Enthusiasts of All Ages!

BRICKJOURNAL ISSUE 9, VOLUME 2 • JANUARY/FEB RUARY

Issue 14 • April 2011

8.95

in the US

2010 • DISNEY/PIXAR SET DESIGN, WALT DISNEY WORLD: THE BRICK TOUR, NMRA 2009

LEGO® Animation: Behind the Scenes with David Pagano PLUS You Can Build It: Animation Puppet Events AND MORE!

If you are a LEGO® fan, you probably have some issues. If not, you should. Issue 13 Available NOW!

Issue 14 Available March 2011!

Spotlighting LEGO fan events, along with reviews of the new Harry Potter sets, builder profiles and more!

Spotlighting LEGO Animation with David Pagano, a review of the Harry Potter Diagon Alley Set, instructions, behind the scenes info, and more!

Available at select bookstores, LEGO Brand Retail stores, and at www.twomorrows.com for download or order!

1994 Hohenwestedt : Copyright Olaf Reese/Kiel, Germany

A Real LEGO Loco ®

By Tim David The factory and warehouses were situated just east of the railway station on the line between Heide and Neumünster so it was logical that it was rail served and in December 1987 a small shunting (switching) locomotive was purchased to work the factory sidings.

Hohenwestedt On the 12th January 1956 the LEGO® company made it’s initial expansion outside Denmark by opening their first foreign sales wing, LEGO® Spielwaren GmbH. Spielwaren was run by Axel Thomsen, who was already a toy manufacturer. The new company was based in an old railway hotel in Hohenwestedt, Schleswig-Holstein, Kleinlokomotivs Germany. The company’s aim was to expand the From the 1930s the Deutsche Reichsbahn sales of LEGO® in Germany. introduced small locomotives for use at stations and goods depots. They were specifically From 1956 until 1963 LEGO®’s series of H0 scale designed to be driven by shunting staff rather cars, trees and signs were produced in a small than higher paid fully qualified drivers and were factory in Hohenwestedt. Over the years the also small enough to be loaded onto a flat truck Hohenwestedt site also grew to become a major for movement around the rail network. After distribution centre. some experimentation two diesel designs were

standardised upon, with differing power ratings. The class letter K was used to identify them, followed by a letter indicating the type of engine, ö for diesel (Öl, i.e. oil). The next letter was the type of transmission: f for hydraulic transmission (Flüssigkeitsgetriebe) The four digit numbers signified the power range, those up to 40 HP (29 kW) were numbered in the range 0-3999 and while those in above 40 HP were 4000 and higher.

It was painted in the standard scheme of black under-frame and dark red cab and hood. In 1968 it was renumbered to 321151-3 in line with DB’s new computerised numbering scheme. In 1973 it was fitted with air brakes and renumbered again to 324057-9. It was used mainly in the Köln area.

In 1987 it became surplus to requirements and was withdrawn. It was purchased by LEGO® Gmbh, repainted yellow and black and moved The locos were originally restricted to 30km/h to Hohenwestedt. A LEGO® logo was applied to because they were only braked by the driver’s each cab and a smaller one on each side of the weight on the foot pedal. Many were later fitted nose. with air brakes and the top speed raised to It stayed in Hohenwestedt for the next 15 years, 45km/h. shunting the vans of LEGO® products around the site to the various loading bays. LEGO®’s Köf II LEGO®’s Köf was built by Deutz in 1950 for the West German railways; Deutche Bundesbahn After LEGO® (DB) and became their number 6140, signifying In 2002 the need for a locomotive diminished that it was in the higher power range and was and it was sold to the railway equipment dealer Mathias Bootz of Bad Nauheim. The thus a Köf II. Hohenwestedt site closed entirely at the end of

1994 Hohenwestedt : Copyright Olaf Reese/Kiel, Germany

2005 and the operation was transferred to the Further reading More pictures of LEGO®’s Köf can be seen at flickr.com Czech Republic. After a couple of months at Bootz’s the Köf was purchased by the railfreight vehicle hire company VTG Lehnkering AG who sent it to their wagon workshop in Syke-Barrien. For a while it kept its yellow colours with the LEGO® logos removed, however by 2004 it had acquired a bright red hood with black detailing and by 2006 the whole loco was bright red with a black under-frame. In 2004 the loco reverted to its DB number of 324057-9. Many thanks got to Olaf Reese for kindly allowing the use of his excellent photographs.

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/26541693@N03/tags/ LEGO/) and at deutsche-kleinloks.de (http://www. deutsche-kleinloks.de/index.php?nav=1001324&lang =1&id=1821&action=portrait). For more information on Kleinlokomotivs see deutsche-kleinloks.de (http://www.deutsche-kleinloks. de/) and Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Kleinlokomotive) and this drehscheibe-foren.de forum post (http://www.drehscheibe-foren.de/foren/read. php?17,4161893) . Pictures of Hohenwestedt can be seen at die-d-zugseite.de (http://www.die-d-zug-seite.de/html/h4.html) and in this bahninfo-forum.de forum post (http://www. bahninfo-forum.de/read.php?27,244231 ). A great video from a train passing the factory in 1992 can be seen on eisenbahn-sh.de (http://www.eisenbahnsh.de/Video/Hohenwestedt-1992-03-23-003.wmv)

MÆRSK and LEGO

A common history of bricks and containers

Article by Didier Enjary Pictures courtesy of BrickLink

The A.P. Moller - Mærsk Group has various activities in the transportation and energy sectors. It manufactures containers and operates container terminals all around the world. But its main revenue, with a fleet of more than 500 vessels, comes from the business unit “Mærsk Line”, the world largest container shipping company. Mærsk, just like the LEGO® Group, was born in Denmark in the first half of the 20th century and is nowdays internationally renowned as a succesful Danish company. Their common history-in-bricks started in 1974 with the first Mærsk Line Container Ship (#1650). It is built on seven large boat hull parts (big set for that time) and offers 8 containers in the 3x6 studs format.

Mærsk Line, Limited (MLL) is a subsidiary of the Mærsk Group based in Norfolk, Virginia. Created in 1947, it provides transportation to US agencies. It should not be confused with the Mærsk Line business unit of the APM - Mærsk Group.

In 1980, the Mærsk Line Container Truck (#1651) brings us a true miniﬁg size container. It does not take place on a ship but on a truck trailer. The truck is of European style with a ﬂat nose and the driver has a Mærsk blue hard hat on. In 1985, the set 1552 is also a Container Truck but of American style. It’s not surprising that the construction helmet disappears - Everyone knows that drivers in North America wear cowboy hats. The containers were an incredible width of 6 at that time! In 1995, a brand new truck is released (#1831) - I should say two. Actually, Sea-Land Corp. and Mærsk Line entered an operating alliance, and naturally, the SEALAND brand took place just below the MÆRSK brand. It happened that Mærsk later acquired the international container business of Sea-Land Service Inc. And the containers suddenly shrink to the width of 4.

In 2004, thirty years after the first Container Ship has been released, TLC releases a new version, the Mærsk Sealand Container Ship (#10152) with a brick built body. Just like the first one, the scale is smaller than the minifig scale but still the model is a large one - almost 1000 parts. The set is reissued in 2006 as the Mærsk Line Container Ship (#10155).

The Mærsk blue by LEGO .

This new change in the set name

LEGO produces parts in a

reﬂects the fact that following the acquisition by APM - Mærsk Group of the Royal P&O Nedlloyd N.V., Mærsk Sealand had changed its name to Mærsk Line in February 2006.

speciﬁc blue to match the Mærsk colors. These parts are used exclusively for the Mærsk sets. As a consequence, the variety and availibility of these parts are reduced. The medium blue color almost match the Mærsk blue and

The future. It appears that the Mærsk Group

is more widely available.

is involved in intermodal freight transport and it is known that trains have been and are operated in the US painted with the sevenpointed star ﬁrm colors. Here at RAILBRICKS, we are happy that the LEGO

Company is bringing to us the large grey containers on tracks. Mærsk Train Set #10219

An older MÆRSK set

Pictures courtesy of Gary Istok

To celebrate the Mærsk Train set to come, we have featured the Mærsk sets that have been released along the years since 1974. But an older Mærsk Set exists and BrickHistorian Gary Istok gives us an insight about it. The most famous Mærsk LEGO® models are the 2 Maersk LEGO® ships. The ﬁrst was the extremely expensive 1974 released #1650 Mærsk Line Container Ship that has sold on EBAY recently for up to $2700 in MISB (YIKES!!) The 2nd famous Mærsk LEGO® model was 10152 Mærsk Sealand Container Ship of 2004-2006. There was a much earlier 3rd Mærsk ship that TLG made... the Regina Mærsk (LEGO® model #0751). Unfortunately there were 3 stikes against this model.... 1) it was only made for LEGO® retailers from 1959-61, 2) it was made of Cellulose Acetate, so surviving models would have a lot of warped LEGO® elements, 3) there are no known survivors of this LEGO® model... in nearly 9 years of searching on EBAY (USA and Europe), I have never seen this one come up for sale. The original real (non-LEGO®) ship was built in the shipyards of Odense Denmark in 1954, and launched in 1955. It was the ﬁrst ever Mærsk Line ship that had a Mærsk blue hull, a trademark of all Mærsk ships today. The 1959-61 LEGO® Regina Mærsk Ship #0751 was built with regular blue bricks, and virtually no specialty LEGO® elements (they didn’t exist in 1959).”

N e w i tems of interest to LEGO train fa n s h a v e b e e n s p o t t e d i n L E G O ’s O n l i n e S h o p . N o t a l l regions have yet offered thes e n e w e l e m e n t s f o r s a l e , b u t t h e l i k e l i h o o d o f t h e m being available soon to all regi o n s i t h i g h . Item # 88000 LEGO® Power Functions AAA Battery Box

Item # 88 0 0 2 LEGO® P o w e r F u n c t i o n s Tr a i n M o t o r

W y e oh W h i l e m o st el e c t r i c a n d d i es e l - e l e c t r i c l o co m o t i ve s d o n ’t ca re w h et h e r t h ey ’re co m i n g o r go i n g , t h e re co m e s a t i m e w h en i t i s n ec es s a r y to t u r n yo u r t ra i n a ro u n d . W h et h e r i t b e a ste a m e n g i n e m ov i n g f ro m o n e en d o f a l i n e o f ca rs to t h e o t h e r, a st re a m l i n e d o r d i re c t i o n a l p a s s e n ge r t ra i n , o r even a s p e c i a l i zed p i ec e o f ro l l i n g sto c k , ra i l ro a d co m p a n i es i n t h e re a l wo r l d d o n o t h ave t h e l u xu r y o f t h e H a n d o f G o d to p i c k u p a n d t u r n t h e i r e q u i p m ent 1 8 0 d e g ree s . O n e way o f t u r n i n g e q u i p m ent i s t h e ra i l ro a d “ w ye”, o r t r i a n g u l a r j u n c t i o n . A w ye i s a t r i a n g u l a r a r ra n ge m e nt o f t ra c ks w i t h p o i nt s o r sw i tc h e s at ea c h co r n er, w h i c h a l l ows a l o co m o t i ve o r w h o l e t ra i n t h e a b i l i t y to p er fo r m a t h re e p o i nt t u r n . Wye s a re a l s o u s ed a s , a n d p ro b a b l y o r i g i n ate f ro m , a n i nte rs e c t i o n o f t h re e d i ffe re nt ra i l l i n es . Wye s o ffe r t h e b en ef i t s o f b ei n g s i m p l e r to co n st r u c t a n d h av i n g a l a rger ca p a c i t y t h a n a t u r nta b l e , w i t h p o te nt i a l l y l es s l a n d n e ed e d t h a n a balloon loop. M y f i rst ex p o s u re to a ra i l ro a d w ye wa s at t h e Texa s S tate R a i l ro a d ’s Pa l e st i n e d ep o t , w h e re t h ey h ave m a d e m ax i m u m u s e o f s p a c e a n d f u n c t i o n .

“Illegal Wye”

oh W h y By Anthony S ava

T h e depot itself sits in the middle of the w ye , a n d t h e engine shed is at the terminus of the p er p en d i c u l ar corner of the triangle. This allows t h ei r ste a m engines to move from either side o f t h ei r p a s s enger coaches, as well as back into t h e s h e d , n o m atter in which direction they finish e d t h ei r wo r k . I n L EGO, w yes can be a little tricky to co n st r u c t , d e p e nding on how much real estate yo u h ave ava i l able and what system of power you’re u s i n g . Fo r p lastic rails a w ye offers no issue, but fo r e l ec t r i f i ed rails a break in the current is nece s s a r y to p revent a short. This can easily be accom p l i s h e d by replacing one of the sections of rai l s i n t h e w ye with a plastic one, segregating the l i n es . I ’ve been experimenting with w ye desig n s , a s I wa nt to build the TSRR Palestine Station a n d my fel l ow TexLUGgers want to build a w ye a ro u n d i t . Fo r t his article I have provided two desig n s - o n e “ l e ga l” and one not. The difference betwe e n t h e t wo i s that the “illegal” design requires a s m a l l er fo o t p rint, but at the cost of slightly stres s i n g t h e t ra c k as it doesn’t line up perfectly. Don ’t wo r r y, t h e re’s no cutting involved, but you co u l d c e rta i n l y make an even smaller design if there wa s .

“ L eg a l Wy e”

Tipp i n g t h e S c a l e s I

By Elroy Davis

Track s ca l e s a r e o n e o f t h e m o st i mportant pieces of equipment that may be found i n a r a i l -y a r d . T h es e s ca l e s are capable of weighing cars and, more im portant l y, t h ei r co ntent s , a s t h ey pass over the specially built track section. Scales a r e i m p or ta nt to a ny r a i l r oad that uses weight as a means of billing. More fr ei g ht m ea n s m o r e w ei g ht , and more weight means more money. How ever, to o m u c h w ei g ht ca n a l s o b e problematic in some areas, so scales are used to m a ke s ur e t h a t ca r s d o n â&#x20AC;&#x2122; t weigh more than what the line can h andle. To keep t h e i r s ca l es a cc u r a te, r a i lroads use a special weight test car to cali brate ea c h s ca l e t h a t t h ey ow n . This car has a known weight, and is usually handled v er y car ef u l l y s o t h a t t h e weight of the car does not change for any reason. S i n ce t h e w ei g ht o f t h e ca r is known, each scale that is crosses can be careful l y t u n ed s o t h a t e a c h i s m easuring within the same tolerances. The fol l ow i n g p a g es s h ow b u i l d i n g instructions for a typical weight test car and sca l e h o u s e a s t h ey m a y b e fo und in various parts of the United States.

http://w w w.brickshe l f. co m /cg i - b i n / g a l l e r y. cgi?f=460415 by leg o r o b o

http://w w w.mocpag e s . co m / m o c . p h p / 2 4 1 5 9 6 by Mondo Diek

http://w w w. f l i c k r. co m / p h o to s / 3 6 0 5 9 7 6 7 @ N08/sets/721 5 7 6 2 5 5 4 3 3 6 2 8 2 1 / by J o h a n v a n den Heuvel

http://w w w. b r i c ks h e l f. co m /cg i - b i n / g a l l e r y. cgi?f=461289 by M a s a i

Than ks fo r rea d i n g t h e l atest i s s u e o f R A I L B R I C KS m a ga z i n e . We h o p e t h at t h e a r t i c l es p re s ented i n t h es e p a ge s w i l l h e l p to in s p i re, te a c h , a n d i nfo r m , a n d t h at yo u e n j oy re a d i n g them a s m u c h a s we e n j oy res e a rc h i n g a n d w r i t i n g t h em . We a l l l ove t h i s h o b by, a n d we re a l l y l i ke h e a r i n g f ro m o t h er m o d e l e rs a b o u t t h e i r tec h n i q u e s a n d ex p e r i e n c es . I f yo u have a n i d e a fo r a n a r t i c l e t h at yo u t h i n k o t h e rs wo u l d b e intere sted i n rea d i n g i n R A I L B R I C KS , p l e a s e d ro p u s a l i n e at subm i s s i o n s @ r a i l b r i c ks . co m . Build i n g i n st r u c t i o n s , to o, a re a l ways we l co m e . T h e q u i c kest way to l e a r n a m o d e l i n g te c h n i q u e i s to st u d y t h e wo r k of o t h e rs , a n d t h o s e w h o a re w i l l i n g to s h a re t h e i r wo r k help f u r t h er t h e h o b by by a l l ow i n g t h at st u d y. Final l y, I ’d l i ke to o n c e a ga i n t h a n k t h e e nt i re R A I L B R I C KS team . T h e ex p e r i en c e a n d v i ews o f t h i s te a m rea l l y s p a n a mult i t u d e o f a re a s , w h i c h h e l p to m a ke t h e p ro d u c t i o n o f each i s s u e a p l ea s u re. I ca n o n l y h o p e t h at o u r rea d e rs e n joy s e e i n g w h at t h i s g ro u p co m e s u p w i t h a s m u c h a s I d o . -Elroy

Help support RAILBRICKS, the brick rail roading mag azine, with thi s gorgeous 13 month calendar. Each month features photos from Anthony Sava’s Sava Railways Scenic Tours photo series, showcasing trains and scener y built entirely of LEGO® bricks. As a bonus, the 13th month features a guest photo of LEGO ® trains by Larr y Pieniazek and Jim Garrett. This is not a n official LEGO Product, and is not sponsored, autho rized or endorsed by The LEGO ® Group. htt p : / / w w w. l ulu.com/product/cale ndar/sava-railways-2011-calendar/140139 7 2

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