Retail Rush!

Happy to say all my shopping was done days ago.... online.   For all you brave souls still fighting for that last gift, be careful out there!  

The natives are restless... and they procrastinated too!  
So if you scored the last "hot" toy in the store.... keep it a secret.
Merry Christmas to all!

Going Places

We've taken a little time off but are getting ready to send a flurry of new posts your way over the long cold Winter ahead.   First of all... a quick peak of what is to come!

Air Superiority

Every big city needs an aerial unit in their police department.  Bricksburgh isn't THAT big, but given Lego's enthusiasm for creating police sets our citizen:cop ratio is pretty high!  How do the police keep Bricksburgh citizens safe?  With their "eye in the sky" police helicopter, of course.  Last year we showed you some of the design in our post called:  "Rule the Air" and in the video below.

This year... we're showing you how to BUILD it.   Click on through!

Make a Simple 4x4... Easily!

We're still trying to get our feet under us-- it's just a super busy time of year around here.  Three new videos have been shot or at least partially recorded and we'll be posting those as they are finished.  The first one went up today and features a 4x4 that pretty much anyone can make using spare parts.

There are no special pieces required (though we are showing it with some special axles) and it using very common pieces. 

Read on to find out what is coming next.

Skate / Bike Shop Construction

Sold as part of Lego set# 7641, the Bike Shop was originally built far from the beach.  We've since expanded it and relocated it on the new tables into some prime beachfront property, as you can see in our earlier post "Boardwalk Changes".

Ah, but that is now... this is THEN.   When the Bike Shop was first built, it went up very slowly as Tyler posed the vignettes of the construction site.  Click on through to see the details and the special equipment we built to get the job done.

Fire Truck Wash Day

Wandered downstairs one day this Summer and looked around Bricksburgh to see what kind of setups Tyler had made.  I ran across this nice vignette of the firefighters washing one of the engines, so I got out our light (aka "Mr. Sun") and snapped a few pictures.

 My goal with the light was to recreate the sensation of a bright-- nearly harsh-- dazzling sunny Summer day.  Not sure what these guys would be washing a truck with their helmets still on...  but check out the rest of the pictures!

Onward & Upward

Summer is officially over.  Sorry.   We're all getting back to normal and settling in for a new school year.  The plan is for Tyler to start taking over more blogging duties but we're still working out how to find the time for that to happen.  In the meantime, I'll still be here-- and we'll continue to upload to YouTube as time and projects permit.

Since we're getting our blogging feet back under us after a nice long Summer, I thought we'd post a few pictures sort of along those lines.

Storm Trooper Vacation

Summer vacation is almost over here (in some places it already is!).  Kids will be heading back to school and Bricksburgh will take a backseat to homework and activities-- but we'll still be posting, don't worry.

As we ponder the return to "normal" we consider what would happen....  if Storm Troopers wanted a day of vacation at the beach?  We'll make a movie of that someday, but in the meantime....  what if?

Boardwalk Changes

The city continues to get further refined and built back up.  We've recently done some work in the boardwalk area-- which you may have seen in our video updates-- including a rather significant change to the way tourists get snacks.

Read on to see what we've changed and to get a closer look at some of our other beachfront improvements.

Shark Week

I don't really have a story to go with this picture...  but I keep seeing these funny Discovery Channel commercials promoting "Shark Wee" (which I assume must be very soon).  I ran across this fellow in town when we were shooting the race track video.

I guess it's a bad day to be scuba diving near Tyler Beach.

We're all back from our various trips AND our last house guests left this morning, so we'll get back in the Lego groove later this week.  In the meantime, there's no shortage of stuff you can catch up on at the links below.  

Swim safe!

Thanks for visiting us here at www.bricksburgh.com and check out the videos on our YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/MSIMMONS.

Grand Prix of Bricksburgh

Growing up I used to watch Formula 1 races every chance I got.  Senna, Prost, Mansell...  those were the big names of the day.  I also had a rudimentary simulator on the computer that featured all of the race tracks on the F1 schedule.  My favorite-- by far--  was Monaco.  Something about the tightness of the circuit combined with the dense scenery to heighten the virtual sensation of speed.  Naturally, I would act out those races in my Legotown too (this was about 1986).  I'd transform all the sedans in town into "stock cars" and use the police car as a pace car.  A couple times I even stripped them down to chassis pieces with roof slope noses to look like F1 race cars!  Eventually Lego filled that void and began making ACTUAL race track/related sets.  Of all those, one is CLEARLY the best.... and we have two of them.

What to do....? what to do...?    Let me tell you.

Crash Test

Tyler is off this week, but we'll be posting a complete video tour and accompanying blog post that we prepared before he left.  It'll be ready in a couple days.  In the meantime, here's a crash test animation that Tyler made at the Victory Raceway Complex shortly before we shot the video tour.

He did this test animation of a crash on the front straight.   As this was only a test, we haven't added any sound or done anything in the way of backdrop or lighting...  Still, it gives you an idea of some of the possibilities.   I was going to just keep it to ourselves but since uploads to YouTube are free (yay!) I figured there was no harm in sharing it.

Wipe That Smile Off Your Face

There was recently a study that said Lego faces are getting angrier.  We've noticed similar changes in the faces of Bricksburgh's citizens.  What could be causing our normally smiling people to experience such anger, fear and disdain?  Well, it turns out, the same thing that makes real people more bitter...  a crime wave.

Well, it turns out, the same thing that makes real people more bitter...  a crime wave.

Harbor Offices Collapse

Here's a look back at our 2nd Harbor (we are now building version 4 on the new tables).

It had some very interesting features and a VERY disastrous end!

Daylight Comes

Good morning!  We're just back from vacation and gearing up to resume our posting "schedule" this week.  Tyler will be taking over more of the blog entries, especially the "historical" posts that will feature pictures from years past.  In addition to the "historical" posts, we'll be keeping you updated with new photography and videos on our YouTube Channel.  It's morning again, in Bricksburgh!

  This picture was taken using our new Ikea light-- which we bought specially for Bricksburgh.  Looks like the janitor is cleaning up the office at the beginning of the work day.  In case you don't recognize it, that's the upper level of the new police headquarters.  Looks pretty realistic, right?

Land Rovering

Tyler is away at Boy Scout Camp, but we wanted to get a video up before (or shortly after) he left.  The town is still getting rebuilt, but here's a look at one of my favorite recent projects.

For more details and a link to the video, click on through!

Repair Shop Finished!

As we wrote about a few weeks ago in "Repairing the Repair Shop", we've been rebuilding and redesigning some parts of town as it gets set back up.  We've since finished the reconstruction of the Repair Shop-- and here it is!

It's now taller than ever!  Why?  Read on.

Tyler Beach People

This is my first post, so it seems appropriate it would feature Tyler Beach!

Tyler Beach is the perfect place for people to spend their afternoon. They can eat at the snack bar, take a dip in the Bricklantic Ocean, or just walk around on the boardwalk.

The boardwalk area is one of the first parts of Bricksburgh to be rebuilt.  Come take a look!

Banana Luxury Apartments

Well, okay we're not really going to call it that... But the newest building in Bricksburgh DOES have a yellow outside and a white middle.   With the exception of the hotel at the other end of the boardwalk, this new building is the only residence in town that is truly "walk out" beachfront property.

 Read on to find out more about it!

Bricksburgh Yacht Club

For as long as Bricksburgh has been around, we've had a harbor area-- and that goes back even to when I was a child.  Pleasure boats and speed boats are a relatively new part of town and they really fit in nicely with the whole island/beach resort feel to the place.

However, there's a big difference between a harbor and a boat dock.  
Check out what is moving in--  click on through!

Revisions Revisions

We're still working to bring Bricksburgh back.
Last post we showed you our Repair Shop redesign taking shape.  Today we've posted a new video that shows how the town is coming along and also shows you how the Repair Shop has been improved and enlarged since our last posting.  There's still much to do, but a lot has changed since our last video, most notably the beachfront area.  Check it out:  http://youtu.be/zk0-HiyLUoY

Repairing the Repair Shop

In real estate they always say that the most important thing is "location, location, location".  And here we have a prime location ready to build on.   It is right across the street from the police station and on a two busy street corners!

So what business will get built next to the pizza shop?  Read on, as we rebuild Bricksburgh!

The Comeback!

Who doesn't love a comeback?    We're proud to call Pittsburgh our adopted home.  This city was once a huge powerhouse that was pushed to the edge of oblivion as success moved on.  But then... IT CAME BACK.  It is now a beautiful park-filled vibrant city on the rivers.  It has exceeded its own best expectations and is continuing to rebuild itself into a gleaming jewel with big city attractions with a small town atmosphere.

Like Pittsburgh, our own Lego town enjoyed great success on YouTube but then was pushed-- literally!-- into oblivion (if you consider getting packed out of sight, oblivion).
After nearly a year in boxes, crates, and storage bins...
BRICKSBURGH IS COMING BACK!   Want to see?   Click on!

Running a Redlight

It's been a while since we had a little gratuitous crashing around here.  So, let's have some fun, get out some rescue equipment, and have ourselves a good old fashioned traffic accident.   

These pictures were shot at the old house, on the old tables-- but they'll be new to you!   We never intended these to be used as a stop-motion video or anything, they just tell the story of an accident and rescue from various angles.  Ready to go?  Buckle up and click on!

We Will Rebuild

Every disaster or war movie has that great scene in it-- often at the end-- where a leader stands before his/her people and declares that they will rebuild their land.   
We were just watching the end of "Deep Impact" last week and President Morgan Freeman stood before a ruined Washington, chronicled how a comet impact had really screwed with property values in the area but that they would rebuild it.  His resounding battle cry?  "So now, let us begin."  What??   "So now, let us begin?!?"  That's the best President Morgan Freeman can muster??  Hasn't he seen his own movies??   Did the scriptwriter forget to finish the speech??  

It was pathetic.

Well, like that ruined Washington in the movie, Bricksburgh was completely destroyed about a year ago.  A YEAR.  It has been a long time.  Finally our tables are complete and nothing else stands in our way to reconstruct our great city.  Plate by plate, brick by brick, we will erect a new city, with new sets, new buildings, and more space than we ever had before.  
With nothing to stop us and no reason to delay-- So now, let us begin.

Built 4-Wide Tough

Growing up I spent a lot of time in Europe and each time we returned to the US is was always striking to me how many pickup trucks were around.  Pickup trucks are a very American vehicle and you don't realize how common they are until you go somewhere where they aren't.

 Lego is not an American company, obviously, so it took them a long time to come up with an actual pickup truck in a set.  We have trucks in several different sizes in our town, but the most useful is the one we're going to look at today.  Click on through and we'll show you how easy it is to build your own.

The Best Space Shuttle Set

No doubt playing off feelings of nostalgia at the impending retirement of NASA's space shuttle program, Lego pushed a new set onto store shelves in 2010, set #10213.  Its size is epic and the details are superb, but that also means it won't fit into our classically sized town.   So what IS the best space shuttle set for a small island with ambitions for space exploration?  Lego certainly made a number of shuttle sets over the years... but only one can be the best.    Here's a hint:

TABLES DONE!!

Just a real quick note--- the new Lego tables are finally DONE!!

The reconstruction of the city can now begin!

Table Delays... But a NEW VIDEO!

Those pesky weather forecasters keep getting our hopes up for good weather... only to have them dashed at the feet of rain, sleet, and snow.   Where is Spring already??
The tables are built and just need to be finished, but since it looks like that won't be happening for a while I wanted to give you guys something new to look at.  So, here's a quick look at the tables and some instructions on how to build the one truck every airport needs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9K9FaGZ0lg

Thanks for visiting us here at www.bricksburgh.com and check out the videos on our YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/MSIMMONS.

Lego Table Update - Final Assembly

The tables are assembled!

That's right, all the parts are in place and we're just one final sanding away from putting a finish on them.  Check out them out!

Lego Table Update - Taking Shape!

Our new tables are finally getting assembled!  

Sophie - aka "Catzilla" - was my foreman this morning as the tables were built.  There's still a lot of work to do, but check out our progress!

Lego Table Update - All A Board?

After a lot of planning, figuring, and waiting for the weather to get nicer... or at least STOP SNOWING, we finally were able to pick up the necessary lumber to make our new Lego tables with.

Of course, getting all the wood home was the easy part... and just the beginning.

All Around the Neighborhood

Lego table construction is UNDERWAY!   Updates on those will be coming soon.  In the meantime, here's a look around the old neighborhood.

We'll start out on "the floor" layout with a nice long look down the street... before we move to some pictures of buildings that aren't around anymore.

The Best Laid Plans

It is snowing.  A lot.   We had planned to start construction on the new tables this week but every chance we've had to go get the lumber-- every chance-- it has snowed.  Or rained.  The upside is that we've had a lot of time to work on the final plans and I think we've come up with some good ones.  Want to see?  Read on for some construction plans that involve wood instead of plastic.  Oh-- that red smudge?  It's blood... I caught a nasty splinter while lumber shopping!

New Police Station Complex

A new Bricksburgh is coming soon and coming with it will be a new police station complex.  As much as we love our classic-vintage styled police station, it was simply not big enough for a growing police force.  Read on to see what we've built and how we tried to stay true to the classic Lego style while more than doubling the facility.

 

Read on to see what we've built and how we tried to stay true to the classic Lego style while more than doubling the facility.

January Update

It's cold outside and time to start making new Lego tables.  That's right-- the process will start this week.  Read on-->>

Not in My Backyard

We're in the process of planning the new Bricksburgh Legotown tables.  As we've previously written, the town will be located on two tables of 2 or 3 levels each.  In the last post we described and linked the new sets that will be joining the airport complex in the new town.  One of the biggest considerations when planning the town-- just as in real life-- is determining where the airport will go.  No one wants to have jets taking off and landing in their backyard and yet, that is exactly how "old Bricksburgh" was laid out.  Pictured below, you can see that while the downtown and beach areas were on the top level, the bottom level was for what was leftover, the neighborhood and the airport.

In designing the new town (and the new tables) we are going to have a much larger airport/shuttle launching complex.  To better explain our design ideas, We've pulled out some pictures from the previous versions of the town as we explore the possibilities...

Coming Attractions

Happy New Year!   We trust everyone had a good holiday filled with Lego gifts-- we did!  The picture below is from a few years ago when Tyler decorated the town for Christmas.  You can see the tree in the background got some bling to go along with the police station.  This year a LOT of cool Lego sets were under our tree.  Read on for some details, including links the sets!