Welcome to Micropolis2 (or call it Micropolis Lite)

This is a collaborative workspace!  We're working on an update to the TwinLUG Micropolis building plate standard, which will allow easy routing of a power drop cable under the roads and modules, so we can easily power lights in the buildings on the modules.

By adding eight 1x4 arch bricks (blue in the left-side image above), this provides the power cable routing path for any plan.

The open-bottom arches makes it easy to move modules around, and drop them anywhere, and allow power to pass easily.

Each corner uses a 1x3 plate (light blue), a 2x2 "L" (pink), and a 2x2 brick (red) to secure them.

Under each 1x4 technic beam(red), there is a 1x6 plate (yellow). The arches have anchors on each side, for a sturdy base.

The colors used here are only to help the parts stand out for identification in this discussion. Feel free to pick your own colors.  :-)

Using larger plates on top of the base above will reduce the amount of extra bricks needed for support under the top plates.

(Again, colors are picked just to make it easy to spot the plates and tiles for this discussion.) Leave a hole in the baseplates to

drop your power cable. I'm suggesting a 2x2 opening. (I'm still looking for a stable, polarized, easy-to-plug connector pair to

use for power distribution, but I am leaning towards Molex parts 03-06-1022 and -2024.)

Of course, extra border roads will also need to have arch bricks. And any medians, waterways, etc. will need arches as well. 

Power for the models will come from a distribution cable, laid out on the table. The power cable will have drop connectors for between 4 to 16 modules. Power will come from a USB-based battery pack for small displays (see illustration to the right). A power module will be built into a double module, capable of driving 4 power cables.

Power for the models will come from a distribution cable, laid out on the table. The power cable will have drop connectors for between 4 to 16 modules. Power will come from a USB-based battery pack for small displays (see illustration below).

A power module will be built into a double module, capable of driving 4 power cables.

Why bother?

• TwinLUG led the way with a Micropolis standard, making it easy to throw cities together at a gathering without significant coordination between the participants.
• Chicago has made big strides in getting people to light their larger MOCs, and now LifeLights and BrickStuff make it easy to add lighting in some of the smallest places!
• Lights are tiny... battery packs are not. My answer: Run power "underground"! But, instead of building a powered table and mandating where your modules should have connectors,  my thought was to modify the sub-structure of the modules, to allow a power cable to snake from building to building. The power supply for a layout could come from one or two "power station" modules that could have any kind of model on it. 

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