[MOC] Power Functions Saddle Tank Shunter in Dark Blue

[Dread Pirate Rob]

The awesome tank engine Dutchiedoughnut is assembling inspired me to get stuck into my next project. I destroyed my new dark blue Creator Jet but used the wonderful parts to put together my first Saddle Tank 0-4-0 shunter.

Lights by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

The Details:

Freelance design, there is no DB prototype as far as I am aware (The DB doors were the last ones I had)

6 wide chassis, 7 wide at the saddle tank.

All power functions components on board

Two working lights

Minifig driver (I cheated a bit here, he has no legs on account of the extreme cable situation in the cab)

0-4-0 wheel arrangement of standard Lego wheels fitted directly to a train motor

Cranks for the side rods have been kragled to improve reliability at exhibitions

Cranks have also been shortened (sorry purists) to work on 12v track geometry

Power button activated by pressing the sand dome

PF receiver is in the bunker with 1x1 round plate coal

LEGO Power Functions Saddle Tank Locomotive in Dark Blue by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO Power Functions Saddle Tank Locomotive in Dark Blue by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO Power Functions Saddle Tank Locomotive in Dark Blue by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO Power Functions Saddle Tank Locomotive in Dark Blue by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

I really love this dark blue but it does not photograph well with my lighting setup. The colour in the first photo is closest to how it looks in real life. Does anyone have any suggestions for photographing dark blue?

I am considering Bricklinking some more 1x1 dark blue bricks for the cab but then again the black is a nice contrast and is growing on me. I would be most interested in your thoughts.

Cheers,

Rob

[Nemo57]

Very nice steam locomotive. If the light-gray change to black will be at least good.

[Covenant84]

Looks great! I'd like to see how the insides are put together - haven't made a powered seam engine before and don't know where to start with power functions but a little engine like this seems like a good starting place.

[dr_spock]

Looks great with dark blue. The engineer's labour union may speak to you about working conditions in the cab.

[THERIZE]

only 7 wide? that is the most compact PF design if ever seen! wonderful! but it looks more like an american tank engine then a german one.

[Dutchiedoughnut]

Wow, glad I could provide the inspiration ;). That's a very very small PF-powered shunter! Looks nice too, I kinda dig the light grey.

[Beck]

Really Cute!

[someguy]

So when does Lego put it in stores??????????????? This is so awesome!!!

[Electricsteam]

I've been trying to make a train with rods like that for ages.... I never could get non yellow crank shafts so I ended up making a "Heavy duty" train using medium BBB

[Ivan Furlanis]

Wow, I don't understand how you could put both battery pack and receiver inside this small loco .

[zephyr1934]

Oh wow! That is an impressive little puller. On the one hand it is amazing that you fit so much PF in such a small space, on the other hand, she's a fantastic looker with great detailing. Great job

[Younge]

Keep the shunters coming people!!!

[Dread Pirate Rob]

Very nice steam locomotive. If the light-gray change to black will be at least good.

Yes, the master builders here will find it hard to believe but I do not posess a single one of those round 4x4 bricks with holes in black:) I might try it with an octagonal black smoke box though...

Looks great! I'd like to see how the insides are put together - haven't made a powered seam engine before and don't know where to start with power functions but a little engine like this seems like a good starting place.

Thank you. I regret I can't put up the LDD file. Last time I tried to build a train in LDD the result looked worse than a 2 year olds minecraft house (actually some of those 2 year olds are rather good) so I do all of my building in brick. I will post some exploded views when I get a chance with some reasonable lighting if that would be helpful.

Looks great with dark blue. The engineer's labour union may speak to you about working conditions in the cab.

The driver is still smiling though I love how optimistic those old faces are...

only 7 wide? that is the most compact PF design if ever seen! wonderful! but it looks more like an american tank engine then a german one.

You are right, I have never seen a german saddle tank. I'll claim it as an Australian tank engine then. We had a lot of little Baldwins and their brothers working narrow guage sugar cane trains over here.

Wow, glad I could provide the inspiration ;). That's a very very small PF-powered shunter! Looks nice too, I kinda dig the light grey.

That is a vote each way on the light grey... I do like the way it balances the other light grey elements on the chassis.

Really Cute!

Cheers!

So when does Lego put it in stores??????????????? This is so awesome!!!

Most of the parts you need are in the currently available creator blue jet. All it needs then is power functions, train doors, a locomotive base, lights, tables from an Emerald Night for the funnel.... OK, there isn't much jet in there.

I've been trying to make a train with rods like that for ages.... I never could get non yellow crank shafts so I ended up making a "Heavy duty" train using medium BBB

The light grey are reasonably cheap on Bricklink. I have done something similar with BBB medium drivers on my little tender engine but I wouldn't use any bigger wheels than that on a standard train motor as it is on the speed vs torque limit now and does not like inclines.

Tüblingen individual items by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

Wow, I don't understand how you could put both battery pack and receiver inside this small loco .

I start with the power functions first, then build out. It helps to not have a prototype

Oh wow! That is an impressive little puller. On the one hand it is amazing that you fit so much PF in such a small space, on the other hand, she's a fantastic looker with great detailing. Great job

Thank you. With all of that weight over the drivers and no articulation, it can actially pull more cars than any of my locomotives from official sets.

Keep the shunters coming people!!!

Will do, I don't have the bricks for anything bigger

Below is a short video of her in action. I made a little display shelf to put it on, then couldn't help myself and I seem to have a new shelf layout growing Oops.

She runs quite nicely just on speed setting one.

Sorry, struggling with inserting the video from Flickr. Please let me know if this doesn't link.

IMG_0864 by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

Edited September 8, 2015 by Dread Pirate Rob

[Dutchiedoughnut]

Reminds me of the trains we have here ;)...

https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercityrijtuig#/media/File:Intercityrijtuig.jpg

It looks so cute driving about! :D

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Woah! What a beautiful color and amazing old school design!

The lights are a nice touch!

[slazerlego]

I love how compact you got your tank engine. And the round body looks awesome.

[Electricsteam]

Dread here is a photo it uses a different sort of rod design out of bricks not the beams ...

[Dread Pirate Rob]

Reminds me of the trains we have here ;)...

https://nl.wikipedia...cityrijtuig.jpg

It looks so cute driving about! :D

Thank you for that photo, I have spent the last 30 years wondering where the prototype for the blue and yellow coaches from 7710 came from. Now I know! Could that be a possible future thread? Find the prototype for the LEGO train!

Woah! What a beautiful color and amazing old school design!

The lights are a nice touch!

Thank you, I realised a few weeks ago that I have never built a locomotive in any other colour than black! I was wxtremely happy to get the lights in, next challenge might be smoke generator...

I love how compact you got your tank engine. And the round body looks awesome.

Cheers, I held myself back from full SNOT as it wouldn't fit with the rest of my octagonal boilered trains.

Dread here is a photo it uses a different sort of rod design out of bricks not the beams ...

That is a really nice connecting rod design. Also, I like the way that making it more solid hides the lack of side rod well. I shall have to give it a go on a future build.

[Dread Pirate Rob]

I promised to post some exploded views because I am an LDD novice to show how I squeezed in the power functions components. It is a relatively simple build and would be even easier in black.

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

LEGO 4-0 Dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive exploded views. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

I have also MODed my 60051 High Speed Train into a Low Speed Train. The only extra parts I have used are some black 1x8 plates, four white half-arches, four black fences, four 4x1 red plates and a pile of 1x1 white bricks from a trip to a PaB wall from my last trip to the US.

LEGO dark blue saddle tank steam locomotive with open ended passenger carriages modded from 60051 high speed train by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

Fun little MOD: turning a high speed train into a low speed train. by Canvas Rails, on Flickr

As always, more photos on Flickr and I would be interested to know if you think I should replace the red stripe with dark blue to match the engine.

Cheers,

Rob

[dr_spock]

Good job. I like those passenger cars. I think it is ok to keep the red stripe.

[xboxtravis7992]

Cranks for the side rods have been kragled to improve reliability at exhibitions

LOL. Great model, even with Kragle!