3rd party Lego monorail track comparison (Not sponsored)

[@theaninova]

Hi I'm the one at 2:50 working on better 3d printed tracks (parametric & GPL-3.0). Few notes on the rails in the video that I noticed: **TrixBrix** The **slanted studs** are a 3d printing optimization, effectively cost-cutting. The tracks are printed top side down to the bed without the teeth, to minimize the amount of labor required in removing supports. Because the studs are in mid air, they need a gentle slope to be printable. I tried this myself in a design, but relatively quickly decided that it was not worth it because you lose a ton of clutch power vertically which means that anything but the 2x4 plates will just fall off, and there's play up and down as well. The **pins** are likely a stopgap measure when they noticed that the slanted studs are really unreliable. The **teeth** are printed separately and glued/welded/friction-fit on. This again is a way to get costs down by eliminating the need for supports, but means that the alignment at the ends of the rail is not going to be great. The overhang on the half straight is probably an artifact of that. What I don't quite understand is why they chose to round all the edges off - 3d printers are definitely capable of getting them sharper, maybe that was done to get the edges to be consistent between vertical and horizontal edges, since vertical edges can only be as sharp as the nozzle. The ramps are printed sideways to avoid stairstepping. This means the surface finish between flat and ramped tracks is going to be inconsistent. The ramps also feature a different side stud design, where the studs are printed separately and then inserted and glued/welded/friction-fit in the track (I don't know why they seem to have done it on both sides). Because they are printed stud up you get a lot better fitment, but because of the small surface area the stud has there can be layer adhesion issues, which is what unfortunately seems to have happened at 15:07 where a stud ended up breaking off. In general they seem like less perfect/accurate low-cost options. **4DBrix** I have printed these before but wasn't super happy with the results. These tracks are generally a lot more accurate designs and printed in one single piece, but don't print great. The entire track needs to be supported, and that adds labor, time, and thus cost to the end price. When compared to an original track I did notice some things that we a bit off with the design, somewhere in the range of 0.1-0.3mm, but those kinds of errors are noticeable when you fit them together. I think the 4DBrix tracks are definitely the higher quality option that I would recommend given that the optimizations that TrixBrix chose to do seem to seriously impact the visual and functional quality. Both tracks are printed in "high quality" PLA. PLA is not particularly high-quality, in fact when compared to the material that Lego and all injection molded pieces use (ABS) it comes with a range of downsides: It softens at 50-60°C already, and while it's technically stronger than ABS it is also a lot more brittle and inflexible, which I don't know how that impacts the printed studs. It is however much easier to print.

[@BatteryPoweredBricks]

Thank you so much for these insights! 3d printing is all but a magical mystery to me 😅. I'll leave it to the wizards such as yourself 😁

[@rs2003-thfc]

Thank you for the great info! Do you have any plans to sell the tracks you've been working on?

[@theaninova]

@@rs2003-thfc Definitely don't have the nerves to handle all the stuff that comes with selling them myself, but anyone is welcome to do so (the license allows that). Even the 3d printed tracks tend to be pretty expensive when you buy them from various providers, so if you plan to spend more than $200-ish I would strongly recommend to directly buy say a Bambu A1-mini and print yourself. Printing yourself is ASTRONOMICALLY cheaper as a consumer, while you might spend $5-$10 on a straight track pre-printed, you can print them yourself for 20ct-50ct. Machines like the ones from Bambu have become exceptionally beginner-friendly without the need for tinkering. The models I designed are very 3d printing friendly and thus very easy to print as well, and I'd be happy to help out people with getting them printed themselves.

[@natbarmore]

Is there any reason one couldn’t print these in ABS? I know there are 3D printers that can use ABS filaments.

[@theaninova]

@@natbarmore You can absolutely use ABS, though 1. I don't recommend printing ABS at home though unless you are completely aware of what you are getting into. ABS releases toxic fumes when printed, so you need a very well ventilated room, ideally far away from where you work, and I would not recommend trusting any filtration systems. 2. ABS is a lot more challenging to print, since you need an enclosure and a higher temp heated bed which is fairly rare in entry-level printers, without that you get warping out of hell (though it's possible) 3. Finding a filament in RAL 7040 (the closest color I could find to light bluish gray so far) is really hard from what I saw 4. There isn't a good option for breakaway supports (aka other material that doesn't bond well with ABS) like there is with PLA. I'm experimenting right now with having a pre-printed support part in TPU or PETG, which you insert mid-print and can then just break off after the print is done and reuse. For all those downsides the only benefits of ABS come down to it being more heat resistant and less brittle, but at them same time PLA is stronger than ABS and we are printing a really rigid part.

[@brandongaines1731]

I can tell you at least one reason why your monorail crosstrack video got so many views: there are those of us who grew up knowing that the monorail system existed but were never impressed with it on its own as it existed officially, those of us who also knew about the aftermarket LEGO-compatitble parts industry for TRAINS, etcetera, who then, when that video landed in our video suggestions here on YT, were like "Whaaaat!?!" and mind-explody and all, because we knew enough about LEGO's monorail system to know that there never was an official crosstrack, and had never before supposed that there was even one aftermarket supplier of custom monorail elements, let alone the fact that there are multiple businesses in the LEGO aftermarket industry doing these, so - speaking from personal experience, here - it was very eye-opening and well worth the visit. Now, I don't suppose that this video will do any less astonishingly view-count-wise, as there will be more of us potentially getting into the monorail system as a result, so these aftermarket makers had better get on it when it comes to monorail motors, etcetera! Sorry for the long, run-on sentences, I'm basically dictating my train of thought (no pun intended).

[@CappnRob]

I am very pleased to see the developments being made in the third party repo scene for Monorails becsuse as a kid I always wanted to build monorail space port kind of things and never had a chance to get a single monorail set and the secondhand market had always been insanely scuffed. These are still pricey for sure but it’s progress in the right direction and I like seeing the new parts being designed too.

[@BrickTrains]

Excellent break down of the old monorail and the new stuff that is available.

[@TrixBrix]

Thank you for this thorough review and the valuable feedback. We have adjusted the rack length on the half straight already :)

[@almightyarjen]

The overhang of the Trixbrix is really worrysome if you ask me, the bowing shouldn't happen. You could sand/file it off I guess. Qualitywise is the fallen off stud of Trixbrix also pretty bad. The ramp extensions from 4Dbrix are really useful if you want to pass a Lego train beneath the track as the height of the ramps is based on the height of a monorail train which is way lower than a normal train. I uses this stuff also for the container terminal, really cool! I had the same problems with the extension cars. Great video!

[@BatteryPoweredBricks]

TrixBrix did leave a comment and said they fixed the gear rack on the half straights, no comment on the missing stud. Luckily I have 4 sets of official Lego ramps. The 4DBrix designs add so much to a layout, the diagonal straights open up a world of possibilities. Once I finish up a few other projects I want to build a huge monorail layout with all of the tracks I've been hoarding 😅

[@BrennanHuff_001]

Quality content! Monorail seems to have a resurgence lately. I’m glad that the 3d options are available, I’ve printed myself and it works well. People who have printed know this, but don’t expect Lego quality.

[@markoffalworth]

Very useful!! Thanks for sharing man!

[@Zeallos]

woa, not just a nice informative video on Lego Monorail expansion options, but Wintergatan! Some people just have great taste hahaha :D

[@BatteryPoweredBricks]

Haha! I'm so glad they allow the use of their music 😁

[@henribg1]

Great video! Thanks

[@DanielDumene-j7f]

Happy that monorail is being produced at a decent price( instead of the $20! for yellowed track). Personally, I’m going to wait until mor motor options are available. 🤞trixbrix comes up with one soon

[@rs2003-thfc]

Awesome video, thanks!

[@Brickticks]

Hey BPB, how’s things? I think I have an idea on how to control the 9V switching mechanism that you suggested, and to do so remotely without cutting wires! Problem is, I need to know if it’s possible. See, my plan, as of right now, is to use a traditional 9V track contact, (obviously connected to the powered tracks), to power a PF IR Receiver, which in turn will power the PF motor at the switching mechanism when a signal is received from a PF Remote Control, specifically 58122c01. So, with all that said, do you know if it’s possible to power such a system via the 9V track contacts, assuming all appropriate PF to 9V adapter wires are used where necessary? If that’s possible, then great, I just have to figure out which loop of track to connect the contacts to. And if not, we’ll, can’t say I didn’t ask. Rockatoa, Brickticks out!

[@bomber_cost]

Gonna 3d print some of them someday 😂

[@BatteryPoweredBricks]

Go for it! 4DBrix designs can be downloaded for free from their website as well

[@NeeandMarie]

What are the benefits of becoming a member?

[@NeeandMarie]

Hey battery power bricks i have a ge dash 8 locomotive that has apparently 85 parts would you like to know how to make it 🤔

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

Honestly I wonder why Chinese factory hasn't made an injection molded Lego monorail replacement. As Lego mono rail tracks just seem to be lightly modfied gebric toy mono rail tracks that has been around for dacades... So it should bew easier for it to make tghe geric toy version in a Lego version and chinnsse factory loves making Not lego elements that lego would never make... So it makes sense and the con of chinses factory not lego having cheaper plastic or just not quiyte right plastic and most defnattly not the same percistion. About the same fresh out of the box as my advage 20 year old Lego I have... But yeah 3D printing does make sense for Lego train rails as the OG are so expensive or not exsit or both and the issues with layer separation in use and not having anywhere near the perction needed are not deal breakers for rails... Exacpt if your trrixbroick that seem to use a dacade old printer and the cheapest materal they can find... Also the design could use polish but that isn''t the mian problem I feel.