I have updated the ME Models track components library to include all of the available sleeper/tie colour choices made by ME Models. These include all of the R104, R88, R72, and R56 curves as well as the double, full and half straight components. All of these components are rendered in 4 colours: Black, Dark Bluish Gray, Dark Brown, and Reddish Brown. Each colour will be identified correctly for the purposes of compiling a Bill of Materials for your layout, with the exception of Dark Brown. BlueBrick does not identify the LDraw colour code (308) for dark brown and therefore it is indicated as an unknown colour. Hopefully a future update of BlueBrick will remedy this very minor issue. For your convenience you can download each colour as a separate library or you can download the entire collection in a single zip file. Head over to the resources section to download this updated library.

Happy layout planning!

Tags: track, MEModels, library, BlueBrick, resources, downloads

A completely new BlueBrick library has been designed and created for detailed Lego train layout design. It is a universal library combining all available Lego train track components from different vendors. Most importantly, this library is illustrated in schematic symbol form. This allows track components and geometry to be easily interpreted from the drawing. Now that train layouts can combine components from different vendors as well as combine 9V and RC track, it is important to be able to identify these elements. Furthermore, with the new curve geometries offered by ME-Models, it is difficult to interpret which curve component is used without some form of identification. This library solves all of these issues with its unique crisply illustrated colour-coded symbols. This is a completely new library developed specifically for symbolic or schematic track planning. Its features include:

• Universal: includes 9V and RC track from LEGO®, ME-Models track in both plastic and metal, and a range of custom track components
• Colour Coded: elements are colour coded for easy identification. Red elements represent track products from LEGO®, orange elements are custom parts, and ME-Models components have different colours for each unique curve radius.
• Plastic and Metal rails: RC/plastic and 9V/metal track elements are differentiated by colour saturation so that metal and plastic track can easily be combined in a plan, yet easily identified. Furthermore, metal track also include a small energy bolt icon to indicate that it is powered.
• Custom Elements: a range of customized track elements are included such as single element stub switches (in both RC and 9V) and compound track arrangements such as pre-made/aligned crossovers (LH/RH in both RC/9V)
• Complete: all track elements are properly identified by colour and part number (where applicable). This will be especially helpful when generating a parts list since it will itemize all unique parts.

This library is freely available for download in the resources section of this website. Happy layout planning!

Tags: track, BlueBrick, library, downloads, resources, MEModels

BlueBrick is a terrific open source software tool for designing Lego® based layouts. This tool allows you to arrange baseplates, track, and other items into desired layout configuration. You can assign different drawing layers for each item, generate parts lists, add text annotations, and much more. BlueBrick comes pre-installed with many different parts libraries, including Lego® track from the 4.5V era up to current 9V/RC track. Since the introduction of new alternative track items from ME Models, we can now build layouts with new curve radii options of 56, 72, 88, and 104 studs. I have created a BlueBrick compatible library for the ME Models track components which you can download from the resources section.

Happy layout planning!

Tags: track, BlueBrick, library, downloads, resources, MEModels

A new Resources section has been added to brickdimensions.com. This section contains freely available content for you to download. Most of this content are items which I have created for my own use and thought would be of value to others. Examples include:

• Bin Labels - these are labels designed to be applied to bins of sorted LEGO® elements based on a system I have evolved over time. Elements are roughly organized by colour (since I found this is the easiest to maintain over time) and by major category (e.g. wheels, windows, track, etc.). Bin labels are a combination of large and small format labels which can either be printed onto paper or self-adhesive label sheets. If the labels are designed for a particular self-adhesive label sheet product, it will be annotated as such.
• Stickers - a collections of sticker graphics I have authored for some of my models which may be useful for others
• Design Concepts - drawings, articles, etc. for items such as my custom LEGO® tables, brick ideas, etc.
• Library/Template Files - custom library or template items I have made for LEGO® software applications such as BlueBrick, LPub, LDraw, etc.
• Electronics - drawings, schematics, PCB layouts, etc. of electronic circuits I have made for LEGO® applications

I am sure there will be other categories added over time. I should emphasize that it will take me some time to populate this section of the site since I have a great deal of material to review and I want to take the time to clean-up and prepare it for public consumption. The initial content which I have uploaded are the labels I use for my collection’s sorting bins. Other content will be released gradually over time, so stay tuned! I hope these resources are of value to some folks and if you have any feedback or questions, please feel free to contact me.

Tags: resources, labels, downloads