Rookie needing advice please - Ghost Train 9467

Comments

• bandit778 Member Posts: 2,380

  June 2020 edited June 2020

  There's a couple of completed builds on E.B. but couldn't find any 'how to' guides.
  It looks like a very similar approach to how the Christmas Train is modified so shouldn't be that difficult if you've already done this. It does use the old Power Function equipment not the new stuff so don't know how useful it will be. Here's an example from the Train Tech forum.
  https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/77509-mod-9467-monster-fighters-ghost-train-with-pf/&tab=comments#comment-1470182
  This might also be helpful.
  https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/54563-the-train-techopedia-tutorial-discussion-index/&tab=comments#comment-1516169
  

  0
• panchox1 Member Posts: 722

  June 2020

  I don't have the Ghost Train but I do have the Hidden Side Ghost train express. my plan to motorize that one is to build a custom box car similar to the one included and hide the powered up hub inside it and place this directly behind the engine. similar to how the Disney train has the powered up components in the tender. 
  
  I'm also fairly new to the hobby and in my early 50's. Started last fall by wanting to Plan to have a train around my Christmas tree that my three year old wouldn't instantly destroy and a Lego one seemed to fit the bill. Ended up with a full blown winter village. Now my house is over flowing with Lego as my wife has joined in the hobby with me. 

  

  3
• CCC Member Posts: 20,526

  June 2020

  I powered one years ago. I used a standard PF train motor for the engine. It is typical to put the battery box and IR receiver into the tender but this doesn't have one. I flipped the carriages around, so the cage-like carriage was essentially a tender but I seem to recall it had to be both lengthened (by a fair bit) and widened to get the components in. I don't use the new app/hub stuff so cannot help there, although whatever you will do you will need to gut some of the train and carriages to get the components in.
  
  If you have any electronics experience or RC car experience, some of the modern batteries and receivers can be connected up to LEGO motors if you don't mind cutting a cable. And they are significantly smaller than the old PF battery boxes and the large IR receiver.
  
  I suggest that you build it as normal first time you open it, before starting to worry about powering it. That way your grand-daughter will get the fun of the build and the (manual) play without the hours of frustration with you trying to work out how to modify it. You can do that later!
  
  
  
  

  

  4
• Bluetone Member Posts: 5

  June 2020

  Hi all, big thanks to your quick replies, it’s much appreciated.
  
  Bandit778, those links are really helpful thank you
  
  Panchox1, thank you, I too went mad on the Christmas village and bought 4 scenes, some old retired sets. They were worth it seeing my granddaughters faces when they saw them set up as I also bought the light sets for them including the train.
  
  CCC, I‘ll do as you say and build it with her and then look at motorising it afterwards.
  
  To all,
  Do you think the following will do the job as I already have them on my Christmas Train -
  Power Functions Train Motor 88002
  Power Functions AAA Battery 88000
  Power Functions IR Receiver 8884
  Power Functions IR Speed Remote Control 8879
  
  I already have a Powered Up 88009 Hub & Powered Up 88011 Train Motoron my new Disney Train 71044 which I haven’t yet opened. 
  
  I think I was getting confused as I’m sure that on my Winter Holiday train the locomotive was powered and not the tender. 
  
  
  
  

  

  1
• panchox1 Member Posts: 722

  June 2020

  
  

  
  I think I was getting confused as I’m sure that on my Winter Holiday train the locomotive was powered and not the tender. 
  
  
  
  

  I believe that, if you followed the instruction book on adding motorization, this would be correct. I used powered up components in mine and just put it all in the tender. 

  0
• Bluetone Member Posts: 5

  June 2020

  Panchox1,
  the list I mentioned that I used on my winter holiday train which went on the loco, do you think would work on the ghost train loco rather than trying to adapt a carriage / tender.

  0
• CCC Member Posts: 20,526

  June 2020

  Bluetone said:

  
  Do you think the following will do the job as I already have them on my Christmas Train -
  Power Functions Train Motor 88002
  Power Functions AAA Battery 88000
  Power Functions IR Receiver 8884
  Power Functions IR Speed Remote Control 8879
  
  
  
  
  

  Yes, that is enough to power and control it. Well, plus batteries of course. Lots of batteries (get two sets of rechargeables). 

  0
• panchox1 Member Posts: 722

  June 2020

  Bluetone said:

  Panchox1,
  the list I mentioned that I used on my winter holiday train which went on the loco, do you think would work on the ghost train loco rather than trying to adapt a carriage / tender.

  yes, that should work just fine. 

  0
• SirBrickalotOfLego Member Posts: 629

  June 2020

  Unrelated, but cool to see a fellow Welsh member! @Bluetone

  0
• Bluetone Member Posts: 5

  June 2020

  Hi SirBrickalot,
  where are you in Wales

  0
• SirBrickalotOfLego Member Posts: 629

  June 2020

  Bluetone said:

  Hi SirBrickalot,
  where are you in Wales

  I live in Newport, so not far from you at all.

  0