Innovative Lego Train Power Solution: No More Batteries Needed! 

why can't I get to the website? It says it's private and wants me to go back to saftey

I believe FXBricks has/had something of the sort on their pipeline

Not sure nobody else has had any problems making orders

But now we call it "Innovative Lego Train Power Solution"

@@Netaction Give it the Apple treatment.. take somethingn old and call it innovative.

Hi Leo

Wasn't expecting to see you here!

Personally I'm a fan of the electric rails owning both 12v and 9v stuff, but I don't think LEGO is actually wrong in their current methods either. Lego is expensive anyway and the track is expensive enough even when its just mass produced injection moulded plastic, using the 9v style track by default is going to price most folks out of buying the Lego train for their kids. And that isn't a good thing, if you don't get the kids ever playing with stuff outside of the computer toys like Lego will start to die as the oldtimers do. Plus not being conductive track means you can create track layouts that would be impossible in 9V. A battery is simple, relatively cheap to buy, lasts a pretty long time even with cheaper low capacity rechargeable battery and ages with alkaline battery. Its good enough.

@@foldionepapyrus3441Lego isn’t expensive because of the production cost though. Lego is just expensive because it’s Lego.

@@woalk Not that I have any major complaints with any of the clones I've tried, they do interesting ideas Lego have not, and at the price being rather shoddy in comparison isn't disappointing really. You just can't compare the two so directly and say Lego is too expensive. As you do get what you pay for. Lego is really high quality, lasts virtually forever, and has really well thought out set designs that have clearly gone through many iterations to be really detailed, solid constructions, and still have the play value. Where the clone type construction stuff may be substantially cheaper, but its generally massively worse in quality, with much worse set design that you have to add new parts to so it won't fall apart on its own... So yeah Lego isn't expensive entirely because because of the individual parts production costs, some of it is because they have great customer service and really make well thought out sets - all that proof of the design costs more. But the parts are just better than the clones, especially the cheap clones that either don't grip at all or can't actually be put together without a softhammer... Mouldking stuff is the only 'compatible' clone I've seen that gets close in part quality to Lego, and its not exactly cheap either. Because parts with the right tolerance even when you are very clearly copying Lego's homework are not cheap to make the injection moulds for... And with the designs of their sets being stunning to look at but very flawed in places. It is very clear instead of rejigging the set design or designing their own part that won't cause rapid part failure for overstress by abuse they have copied Lego's homework and probably never actually test built the design for real before putting it on sale. For instance they use droid arms held in clip brick around the elbow as a decorative element on one of the locomotives I have - which just doesn't work you will snap that clip brick in very short order or lose the arm as it violently springs off if you don't file down the elbow and glue or solvent weld the two together...

Actually Lego DCC has been a thing for many years, using a special firmware on an RCX and real DCC decoders. I ordered a couple decoders but haven't gotten around to trying it yet

I e never seen anything dcc for lego, who sell it ?

@@BevinsBricksWorld I wrote a lengthy reply to this but it either disappeared or got blocked by RU-vid for whatever reason 🤔

​@@BatteryPoweredBricks i am intest in it Playing Around with raspberry to get it work

@@BevinsBricksWorld Not sure what happened to my previous comment. It's not a product, LDCC is a custom firmware for the Mindstorms RCX. You use the Mindstorms IR remote to send commands to the RCX and then it sends power / commands through the outputs to the track. A 9v motor would have to be modified with one of three supported off-the-shelf DCC decoders. It's a really old project, but very cool. It has a ton of applications outside of trains as well

Yeah didnt expect that so soon. I had 20 listed, so Ill be making more as soon as I get home to get them for sale.

Brick fair is coming up fast

Tbf, it something the lego portion of the model train hobby needs badly.​@@BevinsBricksWorld

I actually have a few rectifiers on order to test sizing

Totally agree

I never owned any of the 12 volt stuff, but have seen some of it and you are right, they had some amazing options and parts.

Goes on presale again tomorrow on my website at noon www.bevinsbricks.com

Hey Scott thanks, as for the power ups to .8mm plug I already sell those on my website as well 😀

Because it's $60 for one set of wheels

You mean what regular model trains have been doing for a while?

That would be a great use for this

Thank you for this question. As I feel I over looked testing on switched track. As you are correct the switches have a gap that could cause an issue. Ill be looking at that today and will be posting a video on it.

Thanks, Ill be making more available tonight after I get them produced.

Lmao, yeah got a little over pushy that that brick 🤣

My goal is to try and have everyones shipped out by this weekend. Glad to hear they arrived quickly for you :)

Thank you I appreciate the kind words and support.

Thanks my friend, still cant believe so many people are after these

Absolutely

No rush, I will be making and selling these for awhile :)

I took 50 pre orders and once I get all those orders filled I will be offering both a single and double pickup version again.

I prefer them myself just if no other reason no batteries.

That may be your opinion but I cant make and sell these fast enough. Your looking for cheap and thats ok. This isnt cheap.

Thanks and yes this gives a lot options for train builders.

Thanks 😊

Thanks

Lol, I dont think the batteries would be able to.produce enough amps to power the tracks.

Those will hopefully be released next month

Thanks and I agree 100% never understood why they stopped them.

Thanks, Fxbricks makes great track for 9 volt. I designed a simple power box and a new connecting cable, but still working out the bugs before I offer any of it.

Its basically a rectifier yes using diodes.

Understandable, trains are an expensive hobby

Yes that is a great idea

Thanks

More products will be available soon too :)

Im currently filling pre orders and will release both versions after the pre orders are filled. As for the 1 wheel set or cheaper as you call it, they do not work on switched track.

I do plan to offer pu as well just waiting for my plugs to arrive so I can set them up. 😀

I do sell my wheels alone also

I have considered it but I have also seen very few things printed for lego that have a good clutching power.

@@BevinsBricksWorld Fair point. I'm not really in the Lego game, so one would have to test it out first. cheers

Not sure if a cap would hold enough juice to power thru, but at the same time, with a single wheel setup, the train rolls right over the gap if moving at a medium speed so it might.

Well it can ride on standard tracks yes, but no way to induce power so no need for it.

Absolutely

Thanks for the good will :) hope you have a blessed day !

Hey Rob 👋

Thanks

I get that, for me once I get an idea in my head, I cant get it out until I do it.

@@BevinsBricksWorld I write them down just in case an oppurtunity comes up and I can bring an idea to live. BTW heads up for your honesty explaining the price.

Thanks, dont see any issues with my website and Ive had several orders today. 🙂

@@BevinsBricksWorld Yeah, so probably my security software in that case. It tends to be overly sensitive. I did find your site via using my cell phone data internet, will for sure be buying some pickups (once back in stock) and having a good gander at your other products!

I have had 2 other people say the same about security. For those with concerns, I do accept paypal as well :). The pickups, I plan to do another presale once I recieve my order of bearings. Ill make a video as well to give people a heads up before I do it.

Stainless steel bearings

Its possible, but the box would need to be made larger for the batteries and due to the amp draw of the motors you would not get much run time.

Thats a good idea

They can be seperately controlled if you set the speed control at full throttle and add a pf reciever

Thanks so much for the support

why not put a recitfier in the pickup itself, would make it fully compatible with powerfunctions.

@@Ramog1000 Then it would no longer be compatible with the old 9V system with transformer. You couldn't drive backwards there.

You are exactly right, I am looking at making adapters with a rectifier built in to them though.

@@ThisNameShallBeUnique oh yeh right, whups

Im working that out still, the biggest problem is I am waiting on plug ends to experiment with.

Its chrome molly bearings and I buy them already assembled.

Stick a thin strip of aluminum tape onto your plastic track.

As Nick said you can apply copper tape abd make your own tracks, I have a video on that as well

Thanks, yeah I thought for people that just want an all steel wheel train for asthetics it would look great.

If they work and are in good unbroken co dituon, they usually sell for about 60 to 65 each

a bridge rectifier may be better yeah. it would drop the requirement that the rails be the correct direction, and allow for doing odd layouts with polarity crossings if so desired (tho extremely rare I'm sure)

I was honestly unsure to even produce this for sale, as I did not think there would be enough demand. Clearly I was wrong.

@@BevinsBricksWorld I guess it’s all about risk, but I’m really sure Lego is stupid. But be careful Lego is a pain if they found out.

Yes but its rare anyone has a large enough display to see it. In the case of that happening, I do also have some other products I am trying to work on and develope.

Yes and it is to weak as the shaft bends easily.

Well it would be a lot easier yes, but like anything it would probably raise costs. As for the wheels I do already sell them as pairs.

Thanks for the offer

Yes but then you cannot control the motor with the speed control and to me that is the most important part. Thinking it would be better as an option to have a rectifier built into a plug set as an option.

Havent needed to, but if you do, it can be cleaned by using an eraser.

Lol that would be possible, but now sure anyone would want it as it would also be extremely fragile

Never heared it called a gretz bridge before. Always called it a full wave bridge rectifier. Learn something new everyday 😀

Thanks so much and thanks for watching.

Yes, but aluminum is very soft, and the shaft legth required for this method only being 3mm diameter, means it would easily bend and warp, making the wheels wobble. Im more concerned with quality than I am cost.

@@BevinsBricksWorld ​, hmmm... Steel axles but aluminum wheels? I think this will turn out to be even simpler in production - no need to “waste” metal on processing a solid part, instead, process the wheel and press a steel rod into it. I think that an aluminum wheel can easily withstand the required load. Although even when using a steel wheel, it will be possible to -optimize- reduce price of production

Your welcome to try and make some, but now your talking about 2 unique items to be machined and the aluminum wheel need to be pressed into the axle so it cannot slide. So now your also adding time to assembly.

I take into account that it is possible to buy a pre-made steel rod of the required diameter and length. Time is taken up for pressing, but is freed up for creating the rod itself.

Thats the issue with the cost, the wheels were not cheap and I had to purchase 1000 of them to be able to do this. I had a local cnc shop make them.

Hey Dave, hope your doing well and thanks, been having a lot of fun creating new products.

Yes

It can't because trixbrix is 100% plastic just like LEGO RC track. Fx Track will work though.

@@amseladams my trixbrix have copper wire on them

@@kkscott8019 I was not aware of 9V track from trixbrix. Is this a new product, or did you apply copper tape yourself? In any case this will work then of course.

@@amseladams I applied copper tape myself cause I like that they have narrow gauge tracks

Thanks, and thank you for watching.

The biggest benefit is no batteries, which means no battery pack that needs hidden.

Thank you so much for the kind words I appreciate it.