Iarnród Éireann freight train

[Duq]

It's been a while since I posted a new model here and technically my Class 201 is not a new model... I built it a few years ago to go with some carriages that a fellow club member built. Unfortunately those carriages were fairly heavy and the combination of M-motors and wrong gearing meant that my engine couldn't cope. As a result it spent most of its time at shows parked up.

In real life the class 201 engines have also been side-lined as loco-pulled passenger trains have been replaced by multiple-units in recent years. A number of these InterCity branded engines are now being used in freight service. So I figured it was time to give my model 201 a freight job too. For a start that meant fixing the lack of power. That in turn meant a rebuild from the ground up.

PF L-motor mount by Duq, on Flickr

Based on this motor mount on either end I rebuilt the body mostly as it was before, except that it had to grow by two studs

Irish Rail Class 201 by Duq, on Flickr

Once I had the engine sorted I needed some cars to pull. There's not an awful lot of choice in Ireland but I found these 'spoils' wagons and quite liked them.They are used for maintenance works. They are bright yellow boxes that sit on dark red container cars and I just liked the colours.

30130, Portlaoise PW, 22/8/14 by Kieran Marshall, on Flickr

These wagons have since been modified a little, with plates at either end to stop the gravel getting stuck in the chassis.

My first attempt was entirely 6 wide to go with the 6-wide loco. It just didn't look right. Back to the drawing board then for a 7-wide container on a 6-wide chassis. It took a lot of jumper plates to make that work...

Irish Rail Spoils Wagon WIP by Duq, on Flickr

Nearly there, but I wasn't happy with the bogies. It took a few nights of fiddling to come up with the idea of using pneumatic hose for the side of the bogies.

Sambre et Meuse freight bogies compared by Duq, on Flickr

All that was needed now was a few Bricklink orders to build a set of 3:

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[Andy Glascott]

Very impressive sir!

[Nemo57]

Great locomotive, excellent color, good proportions platform.

[zephyr1934]

Excellent work, great job capturing the look and feel of both the locomotive and the cars

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Fantastic bogie work and excellent shape for that wagon!

[Severus A]

Very elegant execution. The model looks awesome.

[Man with a hat]

Nice. Excellent work on the bogies.

Overall it looks good. The shape of the front of the locomotive is very nicely done.

[James Mathis]

When artistry satisfies and engineering motivates, the entire package rules the rails. Expertly conceived and delivered!

-James

[dr_spock]

The train looks great. Excellent work.

[Duq]

Thanks for all the compliments guys, much appreciated!