All MOCs are popular, right? But the MOC sets we notice flying off the shelves fastest have to be LEGO MOC train sets. It's understandable too. There's plenty of people out there (like us) who love LEGO, and also love trains. Put it all together in one of the MOC kits we're going to talk about today, and you've got yourself one of the coolest LEGO building experiences money can buy.
But before you go running off to purchase a LEGO MOC train kit, let us talk you through some of the basics you need to know, so there aren't any surprises when your set arrives. Ready to get started? Then let's dive right in!
Where to look for LEGO MOC train instructions
There are plenty of LEGO MOC train instructions out there on the internet for you to consult. Some websites will sell you complete kits with instructions and all the bricks you need, and others simply share info about the bricks and techniques they used - leaving you to source the bricks yourselves. Either option is just fine, so don't be put off by a LEGO MOC train not being a complete kit. The likelihood is, as a LEGO fan, you already have most of what you need anyway.
If you're looking for our personal recommendations, then check out one of the following:
Rebrickable
Rebrickable is a great place to start if you have the money to spend on complete kits. The beauty about Rebrickable is that it's a very professional website, and the LEGO MOCs you buy from them will almost feel like a legitimate LEGO creation from the official store.
They often lay the instructions out in a very similar way to LEGO, by producing step-by-step instructions, making it an easy MOC to follow. We'd recommend Rebrickable to those of you who are new to LEGO MOCs and want to try something a little more familiar at first.
On Rebrickable, you can find plenty of sets such as LEGO steam train MOCs and LEGO passenger train MOCs, and much more besides, so check out the website to see what they offer.
bricklink
bricklink is a little more free-spirited, shall we say? By that, we mean the folks over there often post images of how the finished product ought to look (often through a computer LEGO design programme like Studio), but don't tell you how to get there. Click the link here to see what we mean.
There's always a list of parts that were used, so you'll be able to gather them all (and a helpful wishlist feature, too, that'll mean you can easily find the parts you're missing), but as far as step-by-step instructions go, these are rare. But for many LEGO MOC fans, that's part of the fun. Guidance is great, but exploration and getting to the end product yourself is a reward like no other!
You can find lots on bricklink. so check out all they offer from LEGO train station MOCs, to LEGO MOC train sets. They have it all!
General guidance
The designers, creators, and contributors over at Rebrickable and bricklink will offer the info you need about specific sets (such as how to build the product step-by-step, or where exactly you can get an obscure part from), but we just wanted to give our two cents before we move on to our area of expertise - you guessed it, lighting!
But before we talk about that, we just wanted to let you know that they often design the LEGO MOC trains in two ways. And they basically boil down to whether there are movable parts (playable) or not (display). Make sure you know what you're getting before you get it, because otherwise you might be disappointed by the result.
Knowing what you're getting isn't always easy either, especially if it isn't said somewhere in the instructions or on the site, so you might have to do further digging and/or check out the parts list to see if it sounds like it's for play or display purposes.
Light up your LEGO MOC train
OK, now we're talking! As you'll already know, we sell LEGO lighting kits to help make sets better, but we also just sell the lighting parts for you guys to make your own lighting kits for your MOCs or LEGO sets that don't have specific kits yet. If you head to our LEGO lighting kit product for the LEGO Ghost Train Express set, then you'll get an idea of the parts you'll need for your own LEGO MOC trains.
It's actually pretty simple to set up your own lighting kit once you know the basics. It's basically just a simple circuit that you'll have made countless times in middle school and high school. You just need to take some dot lights or strip lights, connect them to the expansion board, and then power them using a USB Power Cable connected to a USB Power Bank. That's it. Your bulbs will light up like they did when you were a teen.
Want some more info about the parts we recommend for your LEGO MOC trains? If you've checked out the 'What's included' info on the LEGO Ghost Train Express Lighting Kit above already, then you'll already know that the lighting accessories you need basically come down to dot, flashing dots, or strip lights. But what can they be used for in your LEGO MOC train and train station sets?
Dot lights
Dot lights come in a variety of different colors and are great for lighting up parts of train stations, such as a station lamp, for example, or even on the back of trains as taillights. With dot lights, your only limit is your imagination.
Flashing dot lights
Flashing dot lights are the same, small, circular shaped lights as the ones above, only flashing. These make wonderful headlights on trains, for example, or even at train crossings, depending on what your LEGO MOCs involve. Another great idea is using them in a station lamp again to create a slightly eerier atmosphere. Again, it all depends on your own imagination and the feeling you're trying to create with your specific LEGO MOC.
Strip lights
Strip lights are long strips of lights, again, available on our website in a range of colors. These are the perfect addition to any display LEGO MOC trains you have, because lighting from beneath the body of a train can be a great way to create light and shadow and make it a really striking piece you'll love showing off to your guests.
Before you leave...
We just wanted to leave you on this final thought: LEGO MOC trains and train stations are supposed to be fun. They're supposed to be fun to buy, build, and play or display. And fun is what we're all about here, too. So, if you want an extra dose of fun once your LEGO MOC train sets are all built, then look to our DIY lighting kit accessories to help you make your LEGO MOCs really stand out from the crowd!
