MOC: 2-4-2 "Columbian" Steam Engine

[Daedalus304]

Hello again everyone! This engine brings me about halfway up to speed on posting my train MOCs, only two more to go! (And one of them needs finishing...)

Today I bring yet another relatively simple engine, a 2-4-2 saddletank locomotive. After my 8-wide Emerald Night I had plenty of leftover parts and wheels, and from what I had I knew I'd wanted to try and build a saddle tank. I did a lot of google searching to try and find inspiration and eventually stumbled on a site highlighting 3 logging engines similar to what i was looking to build. (I have since lost the site, I'll try to find it if anyone's interested) This engine isn't specifically based off of any of them, but much like the EN is more based on the spirit of several engines this one is also more "inspired by" than "a replica of".

Less ado with words, more pictures!

I used the same basic piston design as the EN, as I had it in mind to build the engines as a complimentary pair.

This engine is powered by one Power Functions M-Motor, which is geared down to the front (blind) drivers which power the flanged wheel via the connecting rods. I had a lot of worries about it's power capabilities since it essentially running off two drivers and doesn't carry the battery box on board, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that this little engine was powerful enough to pull a decent 5 cars (one of which carried a battery box and IR receiver, a heavy car for sure)

The engines this was based off of were wood-burning logging engines, and it was easy enough to build that. I have since decided that this engine will probably be working primarily in a forest area, if and when I get around to making an actual layout.

An unfortunately sparse cab, due both to not knowing how to work around the M-motor and being all around bad at cab details. This is the section I'm planning on revisiting sometime after my current project.

Size comparison with the 8-wide EN (Minus the tender, that wouldn't fit on my photo table).

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my "Columbian", as I hope you enjoy all my engines. This week I'm posting about a year's worth of work and it really has been a learning process the whole way; and I hope the progress shows! I've only got two more engines to post, in a day or two I shall post a 4-4-0 American engine and after an incoming Bricklink order (and some running gear tinkering I'm sure), my latest project which really pushed my limits!

Comments, questions, criticisms and suggestions are more than welcome! Good day to you all!

Edited April 28, 2012 by Daedalus304

[Pencil_42]

Nice little engine! I was going to ask where the water tank was in the tender, then realized it was a tank engine :)

Making the pilot truck fixed instead of swiveling is a nice idea, and fixes the issue of interference with the piston rods.

[L@go]

I'll chime in here - I'm not a huge train buff and my knowledge of trains is very limited, but I really like the look (and size) of this. Steam engines, lovely as they are, tend to be very big, but this one is just the perfect size :)

[kzv]

Nice and realistic looking engine!!!

[Sir E Fullner]

Ay up! That's a cute little engine.

I love the saddle tanks, and the fact you can hardly see the motor. Keep up the good work!

[LiamM32]

I was recently thinking that a shrunken Emerald Night locomotive would be good for some purposes. I'm not often so big on small steam locomotives, but I think that I really like this one. You made a good looking locomotive. I would like it more if the cabin and tender were 6 studs wide, and the tiles at the front were removed to take away the wide look, but I understand that many people prefer 8 studs wide. If it was 6 studs wide, than it would be my favourite unofficial Lego steam locomotive. I have a question; where's the PF battery? Are you using an alternate power source?

[Daedalus304]

I'm glad you all seem to like it! Of all my trains so far, this Columbian was probably the one whose build went the fastest - although the gearing did have a bit of tweak time to get it right. I am very fond of short little saddle tank engines so this lil' guy was right up that alley! Truth be told, after posting it I've been considering doing some more work on it so perhaps I'll have to update this topic at some future date with new pictures.

I was recently thinking that a shrunken Emerald Night locomotive would be good for some purposes. I'm not often so big on small steam locomotives, but I think that I really like this one. You made a good looking locomotive. I would like it more if the cabin and tender were 6 studs wide, and the tiles at the front were removed to take away the wide look, but I understand that many people prefer 8 studs wide. If it was 6 studs wide, than it would be my favourite unofficial Lego steam locomotive. I have a question; where's the PF battery? Are you using an alternate power source?

It does make a good companion to the EN, it's not as strong and doesn't have as much tractive effort but it did end up being nice as a paired shunter. Other than the pistons, it would be quite easy to convert/build it as a 6 wide locomotive, but I went for 8 for two reasons. The first one being that a 6wide cab would be just thinner than the saddle tank, and the other being that the rest of my locos are 8 wide. That said, if you would like, I can build a 6-wide variation of it for you digitally in Lego Digital Designer (I have to admit, being that close to being your favourite train feels like a bit of an honor!), that way you could try to build it if you so wished.

To answer your question, this engine is so tiny that it was a bit difficult just to get the motor and gearing hidden in there! It was designed to work with a pull-along car holding the battery and IR receiver (The hole in the rear of the tender is actually for the cords to travel through!). It may be possible to tweak the design to cram the IR receiver in there as well, although as I had two other engines that used the same battery/receiver car it just made sense to save resources.

[Hrw-Amen]

Interesting on two fronts. First the fixed front wheels and the drive set up. I may try that for a small steam engine as when I made my tank engine I had trouble with that.This looks like a good solution. Secondly 8 wide. I have tried that but felt they looked a little wide.(Your's seem OK though.) 6 wide seem so skinny so I go with 7, but it is quite hard sometimes to build stuff.

Still, this is a nice engine especially next to the EN, I do like the dark green color for trains, it is as though it was made for them.

[mrlegoman]

Nice looking engine there!