Double the Power - Modifying the LEGO Orient Express Train

[@danjotrains]

Part 2 is out now! Check the description for the link 😊

[@J3TF1RE]

This video is absolutely top quality. I appreciate more now how good the standard powered up motor is, it held up pretty well until the final test.

[@danjotrains]

Thank you! 😁

[@danjotrains]

Good news! Part 2 and the detailed instructions are coming in two weeks 😁

[@colindyler6274]

Are you still going to show your progress on this?

[@danjotrains]

@@colindyler6274 Yes! Instructions are complete, I just need another day to finish the video.

[@MrBudhead86]

The best way to motorize the orient express I have seen so far. You did a really good job. Please let us know how to do by publishing the instruction on rebrickable. 😊

[@danjotrains]

Thank you! I'll definitely let everyone know when the instructions are ready.

[@losaangel]

The whole reason I haven't bought this set yet is because it was motorized. I would love if you put up the final model instructions on rebrickable. :)

[@RW-zh7kl]

I just did one power up in the tender and mine runs fine

[@danjotrains]

I'll add a link as soon as the instructions are ready :)

[@NWRGreen5Productions]

How much of the power does the motor setup draw? I saw a few videos where people attempted to motorize it with just 1 motor, and it ran out of power in like 2 hrs.

[@danjotrains]

Good question, I have not tested the battery life with both motors on at full power but I imagine it would drain the battery in half the time. To get around this, I would recommend a battery box that's easy to recharge. I'm looking into getting a BuWizz for my train.

[@megaredemption8051]

Awesome design! Would love instructions

[@mrmemesgaming23]

What parts do you use like the numbers

[@danjotrains]

@@mrmemesgaming23 If you check out the instructions on Rebrickable, I have a parts list with everything you need.

[@legogonegaming]

Pi bricks can also be used to put two motors on one button on the controller. I believe that battery powered bricks has a video on this.

[@danjotrains]

I've seen his video, it's very informative!

[@TheMegaMustang]

Using these replies! I have a twin L motor train that I can't figure out programming on

[@jimm244]

I’ve been waiting for someone to do exactly what you’re doing with 2 L motors. Nice work! Yes please, Rebrickable.

[@daxroman]

Excellent video, do you already have the instructions to make this adaptation? I need to know what those motors are and the parts necessary to put my son's train in a similar way. Thanks

[@danjotrains]

Thanks! 😁 I do have free instructions available, you can check out part 2 of the video for the link or look up Danjo_trains on Rebrickable. The motors are "Powered-Up L-motors" from Lego.

[@jajproductionsfruitcakefil8489]

I've been watching through your backlog, and really been enjoying the layout progress stuff and loco showcases. Just got a question regarding this one: why do the R56 curves make more of a challenge for the trains? I thought a wider curve would be less of the strain on the motors.

[@danjotrains]

Thanks! Glad you enjoy the videos😄 The R56 curves do indeed make it easier for the trains to pull. Originally when testing, the Hogwarts stalled even sooner on the R40 curves with all the extra weight. I ended up setting up the R56 test track to see if it could make it around at least once (but it stalled there too as seen in the video). The Orient Express can do R40 but looks much smoother going around wider curves :)

[@TheMegaMustang]

Is your Pybricks program available? I have a twin L motor set up utilizing a differential and I just cant figure out programming. Im still tuning carburetors and stuff man, I never got on board with the electronics

[@danjotrains]

It will definitely be available soon! I'm working on a follow-up video and I'll include the program with it 😁

[@peskybobcat]

Yes for sure make your design for every one by making a video on how you did it here on KZbin

[@danjotrains]

Will do!

[@Da1X_Builds]

Now that’s some quality stuff. Another great video as usual Danjo!

[@danjotrains]

Thanks! 😁

[@brickinamsterdam7444]

I subscribe to your channel

[@yorrickwi]

Where are the instructions?

[@danjotrains]

I'll upload them on Rebrickable along with another video on the Orient Express in the next few weeks! 😄

[@RW-zh7kl]

I just powered up the tender and switched out the front wheels on the engine, the stock ones are restrictive, and an hour later I was chugging away to Istanbul.

[@danjotrains]

Really good point about the front wheels! Forgot to mention that I swapped out mine too. Definitely helps.

[@Thunderbox247]

this video is exactly what I'm currently doing with my Orient Express, I have 3 of them and I am modifying the engines into 2-8-8-4 monster, just waiting Bricklink... too bad I didn't see this before buying the parts for the gear assembly (mine is probably not going to be very strong, but I will figure that out later), BUT I also thought of the 2 motor with diff gear, nice to know I'm not a full idiot

[@danjotrains]

It's going to look fantastic as a 2-8-8-4!

[@Thunderbox247]

@@danjotrains if I can get all my stuff from Bricklink... yeah that's a pain, but it will look spectacular

[@BricksTheRobloxian]

Awesome my only complaint is the look of the engine but besides that it works much better than my standard 1 large motor design also if you could fix the looks I would love some instructions!

[@CF-Gaming01]

Can you motorise and add lighting?

[@danjotrains]

@@CF-Gaming01 Not with the regular Powered Up battery hub, since it only has two ports and I'm using them both for motors. But with third party hardware it's possible!

[@ghytseries5101]

What is the music at the fail montage?

[@danjotrains]

Crazy chase by Grand_Project

[@superjesse645]

Does the Orient Express come with those tires on its driving wheels? I tried building a large tank engine and tried putting the motor on both the driving wheels (which had no tires) and the rear bogie (which had tires) and both failed to povide adequate power to move the engine. Seeing this makes me ponder where i went wrong. :/ Was i just too heavy?

[@danjotrains]

I added the red elastics to the driving wheels for better traction! Otherwise the train has a hard time moving. You can get them on Bricklink. If the wheels on your tank engine are "slipping" when they turn you might have enough power but not enough grip.

[@superjesse645]

@@danjotrains I just rebuilt the tank engine into a GP-style diesel. I'll keep those elastics in mind if I ever get my own Orient Express (Assuming they don't discontinue it soon). Update: The engine still slips like crazy. I'm using tired wheels but as soon as I put on a few cars it struggles to move, especially on curves. What am I doing wrong?

[@gavinperry8759]

YESSS! Thankyou this is exactly what I was looking for - trying to reuse the motors from the motorised batmobile!!

[@FatalTrainBuilds]

Have you tried to put a motor in the boiler and the motorized tender? It might be a stronger mechanism.

[@danjotrains]

I have not! That seems like a crazy idea, I should definitely give it a try 😁

[@FatalTrainBuilds]

@@danjotrains Coolio👍

[@albertchan6470]

You did a great job. Thanks for sharing

[@Switchblade-sh3kx]

I bet you, it can pull more if using the custom ball-bearing wheel sets that are made by brickmodel railroader and bricktrain depot.

[@danjotrains]

How performing are they compared to the old metal axle Lego wheel sets?

[@Switchblade-sh3kx]

​@@danjotrains The best way to describe it as friction bearing axles vs. roller bearing axles. The roller bearing axles take alot less effort to pull and keep their momentum alot longer than friction axles which takes more effort to move, I've found on some heavier cars they roll alot farther on their own than if they had traditional lego axles. Pretty much they save on the friction and let you pull more cars and in some cases go faster than traditional trains. If you ever look at PennLUG or TexasLUG train layouts they run bearing axles on alot of their equipment. Infact, because of the bearing axles they were running trains so long they had to create a new coupler system to mitigate breaks in the trains caused by magnets not being able to pull such large trains.

[@danjotrains]

Thanks for the info! I'll see if I can get my hands on the ball-bearing wheels and try them out on the heavy cars.

[@Whisper1337]

I was waiting for this one, awesome video!

[@BatteryPoweredBricks]

Great job on the motorization as well as the video 👍

[@danjotrains]

Thanks! 😁

[@GimbleOnDew]

How do you think 1 large motor -possibly geared down- would work pulling the 2 passenger cabs?

[@danjotrains]

I think 1 large motor is great too. Geared down you would still have good pulling power and you could get some decent speed as well!

[@gerhardtuma6688]

Das Beste zu diesem Thema! Gratuliere, ich mochte gerne mehr sehen! Danke! Nette Grüße, Gerhard 🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇

[@snafunet]

Interesting concept but it seems the second large motor doesn't add much if anything without more weight on the locomotive because it looks like the wheels just slip more when you turned on the second motor. You might try adding some 2x2 zinc brick weights to the locomotive if there's still room somewhere.

[@danjotrains]

The zinc bricks are a great idea, I'll see if I can order some and get better traction! I definitely want to test the max amount that this setup can pull, but I need to find some more passenger cars first 😂

[@Skyblade22]

Methodical and well presented! Awesome stuff!

[@appleman9695]

Bro this is the best Motorising that I have ever seen! Subscribed!

[@GalexTEM]

i cant wait to see the final version with all the detail

[@daniel1965nl]

Where can i find the instructions, great job b.t.w.

[@danjotrains]

I'll add a link as soon as I complete the instructions!

[@prashantbhargava694]

This is really awesome!! Would love to the full finished locomotive with the 2 motors and the instructions to build that. I am familiar with Py bricks, so I would expect the instructions to explain the basic details. One last request is to have the engine increased in length so that cab interiors is same as original one. Very excited to see the final build and instructions.

[@danjotrains]

Thanks! And good point, I'll be sure to include/explain Pybricks with the instructions.

[@prashantbhargava694]

Do you suggest using two tenders with powered up train motors to pull more trains cars? The other idea is to use powered up XL motor in the engine and two tenders with train motors. Will this be a workable solution? Is it possible to test these configurations in your setup?

[@danjotrains]

@@prashantbhargava694 I remember testing with a single Power Functions XL motor (older system) and it had significantly more torque and power than a large motor but lower RPM. Two of those can definitely pull more cars but it would be a slower moving train. They are bulky though and hard to fit inside the boiler. I can try testing with the two large motors plus a powered tender and see how much I can pull!

[@detectivesky6123]

5:30 "had to remove all detail inside the cab" nah mate, you just converted the engine to a long boiler locomotive lol

[@danjotrains]

That's perfect! 😄