Bank

One of the early design challenges I had with my Lego city was putting a bank together.  There were several elements I wanted to incorporate, including a service counter, a vault, and an ATM machine.  I might have painted myself into a corner by only using a 32x32 baseplate, but I'm satisfied with how it turned out.

First Bank of Lego City

Another challenge was determining who would work in the bank.  I chose to staff it with some of the criminals that came with my police sets.  Kind of fitting, if you're only of those that thinks all banks are crooks and screwing their customers out of their hard earned money.  Of course, I couldn't have a bank without a security guard on duty either.

All the Lego people who applied to work at the bank

I have about 8 people who look like criminals, but only needed three of them to work at the bank.  I whittled the choices down to those with a smile (that wasn't too crooked) and were dressed a bit sharper than the rest (overall fans need not apply).  I found my three guys; two to work the counter and one as a loan officer (who has a bit of a crooked smile, but that's to be expected).

Bank employees/former convicts (left) and the security guard (right)

Another requirement for my bank was a vault to hold money and maybe a few personal valuables.  If I had used a larger baseplate, I could have had my ideal vault, with several shelves to hold more stuff.  With the size restriction, I could only fit three treasure chests in here, all sitting directly on the ground.  If I ever big a bigger bank, I'll design the vault first and build everything else around it.

The keypad to enter the vault (left) and some of its contents (right)

Most of the bank's contents are in small zip-lock bags for now.  I've got it split into four piles.  Cash (bills and coins), raw gold, jewels, and personal valuables.  If I ever get a mining operation going, I'll probably take most of the raw gold and jewels out, just leaving the cash and personal items.

Total contents of the bank (from top left, going clockwise): raw gold, cash, jewels, and personal valuables.

I think I got about 4000 worth of Lego money, in 100 bills and coins (10's, 20's 30's, and 40's).  Anytime I get a new Lego set that comes with currency of any type, I put that money in the bank.  Once I feel like I have enough, I'll spread it around town, to all the businesses and their patrons, so everyone can conduct their financial business.  Sure, I could assume everyone's got credit cards, and maybe I should.  If any of them actually need some bills or coins, they can hit the ATM outside the bank.

The ATM outside the bank

Usually, I'd list all the sets I used to build this bank, but it's such a melange of pieces, minifigures, contents, etc.  It might take forever for me to figure out where everything came from, so I'm just saying to heck with it.  If I wanted to start over on a bank (or if you wanted to build your own), I'd just recommend finding all the bricks you need online, from Lego or other third parties.

Lego Catalogs

In the world of Lego, Christmas doesn't come once a year.  It comes FIVE TIMES a year!!

Once every quarter or so, Lego publishes and mails out a new Lego catalog, highlighting all the new sets that have recently hit stores and their website.  And when I get mine on the mail, I'm like a kid with the new Christmas catalog.

The June 2015 Lego Catalog

Although I constantly check Lego, Brickipedia, Facebook, and Twitter to find out what's on the horizon, I'll grab a Sharpie marker and put a star next to every set I want.  

Ooh, ooh!!  Can I get a Ferris Wheel?  Pwease?!?!

There's currently a lot of road construction in Minnesota, especially between my place and the Lego Store at the Mall of America.  As such, I don't really want to go there to see what's available for purchase (and neither does my wife).  Unless we absolutely need to (like when new Lego minifigures are released), we'll be avoiding it in the near future.  Which is great, because I can get free shipping on all orders over $75 (and I've got five codes for free shipping on ANY order).

I want this one, and this one, and this one, and...

Lego sends out new catalogs about once a quarter to correspond with each new season, plus an extra one for the holiday season.  If you'd like a catalog, you can either pick one up at your local Lego store (they've usually got them in a stack near the check-out), or you can click here to get one mailed out to you.

The last 12 months of Lego Catalogs (Fall 2014 to Summer 2015)

Lego Haul - 6/19/15

If you missed the first half of my Lego haul, click here.

Over the past several months, my wife and I became huge Chris Pratt fans.  We had some doubts about Guardians of the Galaxy, and he pretty much killed it.  Then, as Parks and Recreation was winding up its series run, we started watching it and became even more enamored with his brillance, both on and off screen.

So, with Pratt starring on Jurassic World, I could have a Lego Chris Pratt (I didn't buy any Guardians of the Galaxy sets because I had no idea what to do with the spaceships and such).  Oddly, only one set has Owen, his character i the movie.  But I have it, 75917 Raptor Rampage, now.

75917 Raptor Rampage

I plan on using this set to help amass contents for a zoo or wildlife preserve.  Yes, I've seen Jurassic Park and know about the dangers of housing dinosaurs for tourists to gawk at.  But that was a movie...  OK, Lego's are real either, but since I control their universe, I say that the raptors are not dangerous to the citizens of my town.

75917 Raptor Rampage contents

I should have maybe bought one of the sets with an enclosure.  It'd put me much further along.  I wouldn't have to design and build a zoo from scratch.  It'll be years until I finish one off.  I may have to leave that task to my kids

75917 Raptor Rampage assembled contents

One other great thing about this set: since everyone else is posting pictures of Prattkeeping, I thought I'd take one myself.

Lego Chris Pratt asserting his dominance on Lego raptors

Lego Haul - 6/18/15

Well, Lego made me an offer I couldn't refuse.  So I took it.  I didn't want them to break my thumbs.

This June, Lego was giving anyone who bought more than $75 worth of merchandise a free exclusive Winter Soldier minifigure.  Not only that, but there were double VIP points on Jurassic World sets.  I pulled the trigger and got three sets: 10694 Lego Creative Supplement Bright, 60073 Service Truck, and 75917 Raptor Rampage.  Oh, and I got a free ticket to Legoland.  I think it's a kids' ticket.  If you want it, lemme know.

When I placed my order, the Raptor Rampage was out of stock, so I received everything in two shipments.  The first one came on the 18th and contained the Lego Creative Supplement Bright and the Service Truck.

The first shipment of my Lego haul arrived on 6/18/15

I've got most of the Avengers, but few villians.  I think Loki is the only one so far.  So I HAD to have the Winter Soldier, James Buchanan Barnes.

The Winter Soldier polybag and assembled contents

Captain America is my favorite Avenger, so I had to have his best friend turned enemy turned whatever Bucky will be in Civil War.  I wish there's be more focus on the main secondary characters in future sets.  Jane Foster, Col. Rhodes, Peggy Carter, and of course, Phil, son of Coul.  I want the whole extended Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D./Avengers crew.

Best friends since they were kids, Bucky and Steve battle it out.

The Service Truck will go to the Construction Site.  I got an extra foreman, which will go into the City Services office overseeing city operations.  This will give me a sufficient number of tools for those working on the new building in town.

60073 Service Truck contents (left) and assembled product (right)

The Lego Creative Supplement Bright box has several colors of Lego bricks that I just don't have and aren't available in any other set.  I opened the instructions and built one thing, then another, then...  Pretty much everything in the manual.  Cake, a butterfly, a guitar, a rabbit, a birdhouse, and a flower.  I've got them all sitting on the shelf for now.  I don't think they'll stay assembled, as I have plans for the bricks (mainly the Princess Play Castle I'll be building later this summer).

10694 Lego Creative Supplement Bright contents (left) and assembled product (right)

Part two tomorrow...

Train Station

I don't have much public transportation in my Lego city yet, but my Train Station is a start.  It's not much now, as I only have four pieces of track and no train.  OK, it's pretty much nothing right now.

My Lego city train station

I haven't found a Lego train I really like yet.  There have been a couple of decent ones in the last few years, but nothing that screamed "Oh my god, I NEED THIS!!".  I think I'll finally break down and get one closer to Christmas this year.  And it will be a passenger train.  Lego has had some cargo trains lately, but I'm more worried about getting people in and out in mass quantities, especially since I don''t have much of an airport (and what I do have is more cargo oriented).

Another view of the Train Station

I built this portion of town using 7937 Train Station and placing it on top of an extra large gray baseplate.  You can only fit three pieces of track on a 48 x 48, so the fourth piece of track is extra for now.

The platform conductor oversees arrivals and departures

A passenger crosses over the bridge on the walkway

This is where the ticket taker would verify that everyone who wants to board the train can do so

I have one train car for now.  Kinda...  79104 The Shellraiser Street Chase came with the necessary hardware to travel on the tracks.  However, I had to strip a number of pieces to ensure it'd fit.  The wheels, cannon, and side doors all had to be taken off so the car can fit under the walkway bridge and in the corridor between the two platforms.

79104 Shellraiser Street Chase train car and extra pieces

79104 Shellraiser Street Chase train car doors internal (left) and external (right) views

I still need to modify the car to put the doors back on.  I also got to get a couple pieces to cover the portion of the roof where the cannon sat, and also had some pieces to the back and front to allow the car to be connected to others.

The 79104 Shellraiser Street Chase train car sitting at the station

Once I get a Lego train, I'll plan it's route in and out of the city.  I don't need to worry about a destination, because there really isn't anywhere for the train to go.

Although...  Maybe I can connect it to the mountain winter resort area.  That'd be nice.  But that's a project for another day.

Sets used: 7937, 79104

Lego Haul - 6/7/15

My wife and I were visiting South Dakota this past weekend, and since there was a Toys 'R' Us within walking distance, we decided to check it out.  Although they had the normal markup I expected of a Toys 'R' Us, we did grab a couple of sets.  I got a 40181 Bricktober Pizza Place and 40055 Halloween Pumpkin.

The Lego haul from the Toys 'R' Us in South Dakota on 6/7/15

The Halloween Pumpkin was an odd thing to find at Toys 'R' Us, but typical of the low asset turnover those stores usually have.  Especially since this was the 2013 Halloween set that Lego released.  It's nearly two years old and I found it!!  It will be a great addition to the other Halloween sets I have.

40055 Halloween Pumpkin full assembled.

I also grabbed a 40181 Bricktober Pizza Place, which I've added onto the two Bricktober sets I got in Moline last month.  I wasn't able to find the movie theater to complete the series, so I'll have to go to a Toys 'R' Us in the Twin Cities to finish off this little diorama.

40181 Bricktober Pizza Place contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

I'm still not sure where I'm going to put all this in my Lego City.  I can put the vehicles in my Toy Store.  As for the buildings, I could maybe open an art store or a school to house them.  I don't know yet, but that's at the bottom my priority list.  I've got a million other things I need to finish up first.

Three-fourths of the Bricktober diorama I've assembled so far.

Lego Haul - 5/31/15

Another pay day, another dollar spent on Lego bricks.  I made another Lego run on Sunday, and overwhelmed with all the currently available products, I decided on just a few sets.  I grabbed the last two Simpsons Series 2 minifigures I needed to complete the set and a 10692 Lego Creative Bricks set.

Sunday's hall from the Lego store

I didn't want to drop too much on Lego bricks, as my wife and I will be traveling soon.  After I return, I'll ramp up my procurement efforts to normal levels.

Contents of 10692 Lego Creative Bricks (in the original bags, left, and all opened and laid out, right)

I plan on getting all the Lego Classic sets for the bricks and ideas for models to build.  This set had a design for a sheep, which I will put in my Lego playground that is currently in development, and the mini lighthouse, which I might put out at the lake shore area as a decorative piece.

The contents of 10692 Lego Creative Bricks all fit in a large cup

The price of this set is pretty good, considering it's about the same as a large cup of bricks, with way more variety than one would see in a lifetime on the Pick-A-Brick wall.  I look forward getting the other sets over the next several months.

My other purchase were the Dr. Hibbert and Patty Bouvier Simpsons minifigures from series 2.  Dr. Hibbert was the toughest one to find, as he is quite similar to Date Night Homer.  The only way I was able to find him was that I noticed Dr. Hibbert did not have the round protruding nose that Homer did.  Both minifigs only have a single 2x2 flat tile as an accessory and the same basic head shape.  Patty was quite easy to find, as she's the only one with a purse.