steamers with puffing smoke stacks- my BMR OcTRAINber 2021 odyssey

[zephyr1934]

Preamble

This thread is about my submission to the 2021 BMR OcTRAINber competition. Part of the competition is the design process and that is reflected with the slow build up and development in the thread. It is not until the third page that you see the final results and in fact the the thread starts with the specific subject murky and unclear. Now that the final build has been built and photographed, I'm adding this brief preamble to show you where this is all going,

The full gallery can be found here.

The original post now follows...

==================================

 

This past weekend, while diligently not doing one of the more than a dozen things I really need to be doing, I stumbled on the BMR OcTRAINber competition.

It is rare that I can go from concept to build in 6 weeks and as noted above, way too many other things on my plate (I'm still working on my train for BW 2020). 

But they are talking small... I can do small... the promise of small has sucked me in as I saw the words of inspiration in the post. Yes, while I usually sit out of the OcTRAINber builds because I can't move fast enough, I will attempt to MOC a prototype that I've always wanted to do but have dismissed as being impossible to do well. It might not win, but I'm hoping for a few "that's neat."

I will leave you guessing on my chosen subject for a little while as I begin the design process, but photos will leak out. Often the first step of any design is simply checking to see if it is mechanically sound.

Huzzah! My incredible vision will be able to handle R40 curves. Ultimately none of these parts will appear in the final build. One thing is apparent from this little leak, it is clearly not a steam engine.

[Hod Carrier]

Has it started..?? I must have been looking in the wrong place for an announcement.

That’s an intriguing start you’ve made. I wonder what it might be. I shall be watching developments with interest. 

[Paperinik77pk]

I will follow this thread with extreme interest - I'm curious to understand what will come out 

I saw from Flickr that the competition has started also for this year - I did not remember it at all (I'm aging badly!)

I would like to participate too, the "Critters Locomotives" topic is something I could manage in a little time, but I have to read HOW to participate.

Ciao!

Davide

 

[zephyr1934]

3 hours ago, Hod Carrier said:

Has it started..?? I must have been looking in the wrong place for an announcement.

3 hours ago, Paperinik77pk said:

I saw from Flickr that the competition has started also for this year - I did not remember it at all (I'm aging badly!)

Yeah, I'm surprised they haven't come by and posted the announcement here in EB. From the text in the announcement, it looks like they JUST finalized the competition and haven't circulated it widely yet. It was pure dumb luck that I stumbled on it when I did. Which gets to my core strategy of winning- DO NOT TELL ANYONE about it (grin), I hate being last. In all seriousness though, the more the merrier, I'm using my thread to spread the word as much as anything else (all the details are spelled out in the competition link of my first post). The stuff I've seen folks produce in the past years for this competition is just amazing.

 

4 hours ago, Hod Carrier said:

That’s an intriguing start you’ve made. I wonder what it might be. I shall be watching developments with interest.  

3 hours ago, Paperinik77pk said:

I will follow this thread with extreme interest - I'm curious to understand what will come out 

WaHaHahaHaha! My evil plan is afoot (not to say that it is "a foot," more that I've... wait, you've got me monologuing again!). So far I've only given two obscure hints of the subject and you'll have to put up with a few more cagey posts before I start to come clean.

 

[XG BC]

if i find the time ill have a go at it aswell but my build will be digital because i do not have a space to take good pictures as for what you are building looks like a small electric loco with 2 bogies and a centre cab to me but could also be some sort of small mallet style steam loco

[Paperinik77pk]

3 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

Yeah, I'm surprised they haven't come by and posted the announcement here in EB. From the text in the announcement, it looks like they JUST finalized the competition and haven't circulated it widely yet. It was pure dumb luck that I stumbled on it when I did. Which gets to my core strategy of winning- DO NOT TELL ANYONE about it (grin), I hate being last. In all seriousness though, the more the merrier, I'm using my thread to spread the word as much as anything else (all the details are spelled out in the competition link of my first post). The stuff I've seen folks produce in the past years for this competition is just amazing.

 

WaHaHahaHaha! My evil plan is afoot (not to say that it is "a foot," more that I've... wait, you've got me monologuing again!). So far I've only given two obscure hints of the subject and you'll have to put up with a few more cagey posts before I start to come clean.

 

I feel some James Bond villain end-of-movie speech around here ...but for the moment I'll use my secret weapon, the weapon of wise men - WAITING on the riverside for some other hints to pass!

In the meantime I'll give it a try 

 

• a foot more that you've (hoping that you don't lack one ) means 3 foot - or 914mm - sounds like a gauge, common in the USA. 2 foot, or 600mm gauge is more popular in Europe.
• two bogies but "none of the parts will appear", so also the fake suspension of Lego wheels won't be there. An internal chassis, maybe with coupling rods? Or maybe without.
• It's not steam , so we are left with electric or diesel. Puffing means smoke deriving from  internal combustion, so I choose Diesel motor.

BUT. it can be a Diesel with mechanical/hydraulic or electric transmission. Let's see - this could narrow a lot the choice! 

For sure it will be a small, cute locomotive, and to power it you may use something small. I have this feeling, because also mine has the same need. (CLUE!)

MWUUUUHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH HA HA HA HA. ha. 

ha. 

Ciao! 

Davide

 

 

 

 

[XG BC]

14 hours ago, Paperinik77pk said:

I feel some James Bond villain end-of-movie speech around here ...but for the moment I'll use my secret weapon, the weapon of wise men - WAITING on the riverside for some other hints to pass!

In the meantime I'll give it a try 

 good ideas but if i may go a little of topic here but speaking of bond villain if you have seen the new bond please dont spoil it for me because i havent seen it yet and definitely want to watch it

[zephyr1934]

On 10/5/2021 at 3:10 PM, XG BC said:

as for what you are building looks like a small electric loco with 2 bogies and a centre cab to me but could also be some sort of small mallet style steam loco

On 10/5/2021 at 4:16 PM, Paperinik77pk said:

It's not steam , so we are left with electric or diesel. Puffing means smoke deriving from  internal combustion, so I choose Diesel motor.

 

Now if I had been 2.5 months later, my steam elephant might have made a big splash in this competition, but there is that stinking Aug 1 cutoff. !@#$% I hate you BMR! (how's that for brown nosing the judges in a competition where you are judged in part based on how good the story is).

So anyway, back to my project at hand. Although I am being cagey, I'm not trying to mislead. So to be clear, my MOC will be a piece of rollingstock and it is standard gauge, but it dates to the golden age of steam (hence the title of this thread). The picture of the trucks was just a quick assessment to see if I can space two full trucks one stud apart. The final build will probably have ball bearing wheels with a custom "truck frame" similar to this one, only shorter. While many people might know this prototype, it probably is not widely known and I suspect few out of the US are even aware of it. It does have some roundabout ties to Disney though.

 

My design process cycles through digital building and then offline brain storming. When the build is really tricky, like this one, I also have to do physical component mockups to make sure a given idea will work. It is already looking like this build will have several physical mockups to get all the angles.

The most daunting feature of my prototype is the fact that it has a wide arc that is open on both sides. I personally think that is really hard to do in Lego at the scale of a 6 wide train, and that is the biggest reason why I've never attempted this model. Here's my first attempt at the structure of the arc. While I like the gentle curve, I'm not so happy with the indents, it looks too much like a watchband, so I am continuing my search for other solutions.

 

Next time around I'll show you a glimpse of the brainstorming.

 

[Hod Carrier]

On 10/5/2021 at 5:04 PM, zephyr1934 said:

Yeah, I'm surprised they haven't come by and posted the announcement here in EB. From the text in the announcement, it looks like they JUST finalized the competition and haven't circulated it widely yet. It was pure dumb luck that I stumbled on it when I did. Which gets to my core strategy of winning- DO NOT TELL ANYONE about it (grin), I hate being last. In all seriousness though, the more the merrier, I'm using my thread to spread the word as much as anything else (all the details are spelled out in the competition link of my first post). The stuff I've seen folks produce in the past years for this competition is just amazing.

Having seen how little has been posted on the BMR site I had a feeling that the guys were busy with their real lives and, given how time was going by, assumed that they were giving OcTRAINber a miss this year. So I'm very grateful to you for being the first one to bring it to my attention. Unfortunately I may not have an entry this year as I've already suffered a setback and time is tight.

Just a word of advice from a former entrant. The contest is very much Flickr based, so discussions and WIP posts tend to go there. We definitely appreciate your updates and are very much looking forward to seeing what you're building (I can see some bragging rights on offer to the first person who guesses correctly), but it might be worth just replicating them over on the appropriate discussion thread.

[Paperinik77pk]

I'm no good at all as a gumshoe detective!!! 

[zephyr1934]

4 hours ago, Hod Carrier said:

Just a word of advice from a former entrant. The contest is very much Flickr based, so discussions and WIP posts tend to go there. We definitely appreciate your updates and are very much looking forward to seeing what you're building (I can see some bragging rights on offer to the first person who guesses correctly), but it might be worth just replicating them over on the appropriate discussion thread.

Thanks for the tip, when I have a chance I'll replicate this thread over there.

[Hod Carrier]

By the way, I think I’ve worked out what you’re building. I think it’s a lady called Katy who would be celebrating her 50th year this year. Am I close…?

[zephyr1934]

19 minutes ago, Hod Carrier said:

By the way, I think I’ve worked out what you’re building. I think it’s a lady called Katy who would be celebrating her 50th year this year. Am I close…?

Why whatever would make you say such a thing?

 

[Hod Carrier]

19 minutes ago, zephyr1934 said:

Why whatever would make you say such a thing?

 

Because you’ve used the words of Mr Bill Peet in your posts; words that can be found in The Caboose Who Got Loose.

[JWBDolphins]

If Hod Carrier is right, that roof may be a bit leaky!  

 

[JWBDolphins]

I Should add, and again preface with IF this is correct, I see the problem and I think you're on to something with that arc!

 

[zephyr1934]

11 hours ago, Hod Carrier said:

Because you’ve used the words of Mr Bill Peet in your posts; words that can be found in The Caboose Who Got Loose.

 

Thing 1, I am about to start my post over in flickr, so anybody reading this thread please keep the answer secret for 24 hrs. Let them scratch their heads for a day. Then, if you are really nice people, let Hod Carrier out me there too (he did it so well over here).

 

Thing 2, Hod Carrier, next time you order rods (or whatnot) from me, remind me and I'll give you a free oil can, lantern or stepbox for knowing good literature when you see it.

 

Thing 3, I can't imagine that Bill Peet's fantastic book, The Caboose Who Got Loose, has been translated into other languages, the rhyming is so critical to the magic of the book, that starts,

"When Katy caboose rambled down the train tracks, the engines were steamers with puffing smokestacks. She was a caboose who disliked being last" (highlights added for bits borrowed in past posts).

I also mentioned a round about relationship to Disney, Mr. Peet was an animator at Disney for about 30 years, starting in 1937, and then went on to create a whole collection of children's' books in a second career.

With just a door and a pair of windows for a face, Katy is amazingly expressive, with various features serving as a "mouth" at different times throughout the book. I'll have a post about working on her smile after I catch those Flickr folks up to speed.

[Hod Carrier]

You are a generous man, my friend, but I’ll not spoil the fun over on Flickr and allow them the chance to puzzle over your clues. If they don’t work it out you’ll have the pleasure of revealing your creation yourself. I’m sorry if I ruined your enjoyment of tantalising us.

I think you’ve hit on a great idea to create something a bit different which will stand out from the other entrants. I look forward to seeing how you tackle the design and build. 

[Paperinik77pk]

It's a beautiful idea, and Katy's story is very nice. It surely is an original thing to be proposed. 

But now @zephyr1934 I'm curious - "My evil plan is afoot (not to say that it is "a foot," more that I've...)" was it a hint of some kind ??? 

[zephyr1934]

6 hours ago, Hod Carrier said:

You are a generous man, my friend, but I’ll not spoil the fun over on Flickr and allow them the chance to puzzle over your clues. If they don’t work it out you’ll have the pleasure of revealing your creation yourself. I’m sorry if I ruined your enjoyment of tantalising us.

Oh no need for apologies, you got it quicker than I thought but that's all part of the fun.

The strangest thing I find about this competition is that there seems to be more talk about it over here than there is on the flickr group. Maybe that's because the forum format allows a continuous thread on a given model.

 

5 hours ago, Paperinik77pk said:

But now @zephyr1934 I'm curious - "My evil plan is afoot (not to say that it is "a foot," more that I've...)" was it a hint of some kind ??? 

That was just me being silly, there is one more deliberately hidden Easter egg, but it will only make sense when I reveal the model. (assuming my plan comes together)

 

This post is guaranteed to bring a smile. As I mentioned previously, with just a door and a pair of windows for a face, Katy is amazingly expressive, with various features serving as a "mouth" at different times throughout the book. I'm planning to make the caboose 6 wide and the door 2 wide. That does not leave much space to work in the detail of the mouth. All of this leads to another one of the three main components of my design process, offline brain storming. I hit a problem in the digital world, go back to the real world, and many hours or days later I'll get an inspiration to solve my problem. Of course I might be at work or somewhere else that I can't really pick up the digital model. So I find a scrap of paper to scribble down my ideas. In this case I need to move the bricks 1/2 plate up and 1/2 plate to the side. With the wide array of brackets and side studs on bricks I've gotten pretty good at doing a single 1/2 plate offset anywhere I want it, but doing two at a time can still be tricky in a tight space like this. So this bit is the insight I had a few days ago for doing Katy's smile, it will fall in a 2 stud wide opening bounded by tiles. I've since incorporated it into my digital build with further refinements. It isn't done yet, e.g., by changing one of the vertical black plates to red I think I can tweak it to give different expressions depending on which way you look at it.

 

 

[XG BC]

ok so it was something totally different. with me being german i have zero chance of guessing that but nice way of dropping hints and keeping us guessing i am very curious on how you will build the face though. nice pick for a build especcially something you dont see every day here! 

[Murdoch17]

I loved that book when I was younger... I have a feeling Katy is in safe hands with @zephyr1934 at the throttle.

I always wondered this since my first reading at age 5-ish, however:

What the heck happened to the conductor who was most likely in Katy when she went airborne? I can only figure he jumped out the other door when she snapped off, died on impact (probably holding on for dear life all the way!), or was riding in the cab of the steamer at that time. If it's the third one: he probably wasn't employed much longer at that Railroad, as I believe there is (was?) a rule about staying in the caboose to clamp the brakes down manually just in case the train broke and the air-powered ones didn't hold.

I'm probably overthinking it, but that stuff makes a guy wonder what kind of Mickey Mouse organization that railroad is running there! 

[zephyr1934]

17 hours ago, XG BC said:

ok so it was something totally different. with me being german i have zero chance of guessing that but nice way of dropping hints and keeping us guessing i am very curious on how you will build the face though. nice pick for a build especcially something you dont see every day here! 

I'm going to follow the master Bill Peet and use the windows and door to be the face. The windows will be stickers, the nose a simple doorknob and the mouth will be 1/2 plate lines at the bottom of the door (via the basic offsets started with the sketch in my last post). I've tweaked the mouth so that if you look at it from one side it looks like Katy is not happy (it isn't quite a frown, just a flat line) and from the other side a nice smile. I'll get pictures of that soon.

 

16 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

I loved that book when I was younger... I have a feeling Katy is in safe hands with @zephyr1934 at the throttle. 

I still do, the rhymes and the pictures are amazing. And while the pictures are cartoonish, they are still realistically detailed in their own way.

 

16 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

What the heck happened to the conductor who was most likely in Katy when she went airborne?

Does this mean Katy eats people!?? You have just destroyed my world (grin)

 

Meanwhile, returning to the build experience, with the arched roof being critical to this build, I had to get something that worked. This required more physical component mockups. After a lot of trial and error I came up with a solution that I am quite pleased with,

 

 

Ignoring the top brick on the right (that allows me to just build 1/2), what do you think compared to the prototype?

 

 

[Paperinik77pk]

Nice and good looking!!!  

[Asper]

1 hour ago, zephyr1934 said:

Ignoring the top brick on the right (that allows me to just build 1/2), what do you think compared to the prototype?

Great shape, that is very close to the original. looks complicated (with a lot of clips and hinges?) or fragile (with chain links?) ...