Modified Emerald Night

[Redimus]

OK, so I have never made any secret that I think Emerald Night is crap. Odd proportions, terrible tender, complete lack of understanding of what several parts actually represent, looking *nothing* like the source material,....

I also know (from bitter experience) how difficult (and expensive) making a decent replacement is. After having built some really nice Pullmans, and building a disappointing pacific (which was miles better than EN), taking it apart, starting again, running out of inspiration, then getting made jobless so I couldn't afford to buy bits had I come up with an improved design, I decided to finally do something about my Emerald Night that had been sat in a corner with no wheels for at least 2 years.

Things that I wanted to change:

• Give the front a footplate.
• Use the cylinder fix.
• Do something about that god awful (lack of) dome.
• Raise the cab so it doesn't look too daft with my coaches.
• Build a completely new tender (seriously, f**k that tender, that city cattle wagon was less lazy).
• Add lights and S Brick (which I had done a long while ago).

So here are the results:

Loco

The new footplate, added tiles to the front bogie, replaced the green 1x6 plate with a black one, and the improved cylinder innards.

New dome with S Brick underneath.

Slightly raised cab.

 

Tender

The tender was a complete rebuild, but used basically the same chassis. It was however, a little lazy, and relied heavily on what I happened to already have.

New Tender

Completed Engine with Train.

 

 

I intend to replace it with an actually good loco one day, but until inspiration and funds allow, this is a vast improvement.

Edited March 21, 2019 by Redimus
Replace photos.

[icemorons]

Nice job!   I like the 7-wide tender solution you came up with.

[Vilhelm22]

Really nice! Can we see some pictures of the carriages?

[Paperinik77pk]

Good work on the Emerald Night, it now seems a different engine! I like a lot those  wagons too 

[ALCO]

It seems your image links are not working...

[Johnny1360]

Strange they seem to be working for me. Like the looks of this, much better than the original. 

[Toastie]

On ‎10‎.‎05‎.‎2018 at 2:31 AM, Redimus said:

OK, so I have never made any secret that I think Emerald Night is crap. Odd proportions, terrible tender, complete lack of understanding of what several parts actually represent, looking *nothing* like the source material,....

I also know (from bitter experience) how difficult (and expensive) making a decent replacement is.

This is what I like so much about your post: Putting things into perspective. It is so easy to just put the "crap" stamp onto something.

I totally agree with what you are saying: It does not really look like the original, but it is really not easy to make it look better - within the constraints given. And even when you try, it becomes costly - which in turn means you are beyond the constraints.

Personally, I don't like the Emerald that much. Your changes and additions to it are really spot on and make it much more appealing. But only possible at a certain extra investment plus some considerable time of thinking and trying. Which in turn means, they did a fairly good job over at TLG.

Thanks for sharing!

All the best
Thorsten      

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Nice modification and amazing wagons ...I've never seen EN with SBrick 

[Redimus]

On 5/14/2018 at 11:09 PM, Toastie said:

This is what I like so much about your post: Putting things into perspective. It is so easy to just put the "crap" stamp onto something.

I totally agree with what you are saying: It does not really look like the original, but it is really not easy to make it look better - within the constraints given. And even when you try, it becomes costly - which in turn means you are beyond the constraints.

Personally, I don't like the Emerald that much. Your changes and additions to it are really spot on and make it much more appealing. But only possible at a certain extra investment plus some considerable time of thinking and trying. Which in turn means, they did a fairly good job over at TLG.

Thanks for sharing!

All the best
Thorsten      

Yeah, had I not got a fair amount of dark green bits for my failed attempt at a replacement loco, I wouldn't have been able to do the tender, which would have killed the main fix before it started!

That said, part of the issue I had with my replacement attempt was it's tender, which was just way too boxy. My first thought was to still use it (because it was a better build than the one used for EN), but it had a completely different way of connecting, and was way too tall (and not easily modifiable to fit in with EN). It did however, have some details that were a lot more prototypical, so I may savage it for more parts (it's currently just a set of frames and wheels) to improve the tender further. Right now thought, I'm looking for ideas on how to fix my issue with the tender's shape that both tenders suffered from.

22 hours ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

Nice modification and amazing wagons ...I've never seen EN with SBrick 

As far as I'm concerned, it's a must, I really hate the way Lego 'integrated' power functions, and the Sbrick removes one of the glaring problems (and is a way better mechanism for controlling your trains anyway). I do wish there was a way to use the of controllers with bluetooth (I assume PF 2.0 will do just that).

On 5/11/2018 at 12:26 PM, Vilhelm22 said:

Really nice! Can we see some pictures of the carriages?

 

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Thanks for sharing the details of these amazing wagons!

[Redimus]

Believe it or not, the most expensive parts on the entire build were the 'reddish brown 1x1 modified plate with horizontal clip' used to hold the handrails on the doors.

[Miikeyboy]

Hi recently joined the site, having just bought an emerald night, and was looking to improve it. This thread seems just what I am looking for but am unable to see the pictures if anyone can help

 

Many thanks

 

Mike

[Holodoc]

I'm facing the same problems.
I believe the topic starter has removed his online photos.

[Roadmonkeytj]

On 3/16/2019 at 5:39 PM, Holodoc said:

I'm facing the same problems.
I believe the topic starter has removed his online photos.

Did anyone save the pictures by chance? 

[M_slug357]

Someone should let @Redimus know his photos are down!

[XG BC]

i will send him a PM

XG BC

[Redimus]

Don't know why they disappeared, but put em back in the first post.

Also, as a bonus, here's the reasons Emerald Night won't be getting run again anytime soon*:

 

*A3 will be having some minor body work changes and a redesigned front end when I get a chance, and Hogwart's Castle has since received a proper set of rods.

[XG BC]

your train looks really good especially the tender and the cars.

Im impressed

XG BC

[Roadmonkeytj]

On 3/21/2019 at 2:31 PM, Redimus said:

Don't know why they disappeared, but put em back in the first post.

Also, as a bonus, here's the reasons Emerald Night won't be getting run again anytime soon*:

 

*A3 will be having some minor body work changes and a redesigned front end when I get a chance, and Hogwart's Castle has since received a proper set of rods.

Great minds think alike...  Do you have more pictures of your hall...  Or Hogwarts castle per chance I intend to do something similar