Sven J

MOC: Swedish Class S1 2-6-4T (with local train) in 1/32.5 scale – update: now with video

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Dear trainheads,

It’ s been a very long time since my last steam locomotive ...
But now, after tinkering with the design for almost two years, I’m very proud to present my 1/32.5 (gauge 1) model of my all-time favourite engine, the utterly handsome Swedish Litt. (=Class) S1 2-6-4T.
For those who are interested, a few words about these locomotives first:

Spoiler

History of the SJ Litt. S1 locomotives:

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From the 1920s on already, the Swedish State Railways (Statens Järnvägar, SJ) pushed ahead with the electrification of their route network. Nevertheless, a few steam locomotives were also procured after the Second World War: After ten 4-8-0 locomotives (class E10) had already been put into service in 1946 and 1947, twenty units of the S1 series followed in 1952/53. These elegant 2-6-4 tank locomotives were primarily intended for use on branch lines that were not due for electrification, in order to bridge the time until reliable diesel locomotives or railcars arrived. In accordance with this purpose, the locomotives were designed with an exceptionally low axle load of only 12.6 t, despite their overall quite impressive size (only slightly smaller than the German class 64 in all relevant parameters). When only the rear tank was filled, the axle load could be reduced even further to just 11.5 t.
All engines were built by "Nydqvist & Holm AB" (NOHAB) in Trollhättan and classified by the SJ as road numbers 1910 to 1929.
Being the last steam locomotive class developed and built for the SJ, the S1 had some modern design features, such as the welded construction of the boiler and roller bearings for all axles. Overall, however, the locomotives were of a rather conservative design and were ultimately already outdated when they were delivered, as many other components were carried over from older classes.

In their time, the S1 locomotives were not considered a great success: Soon after they went into service, problems arose due to sloppy manufacturing; in addition, the boiler proved to be somewhat undersized. The engines got a bad reputation, and most crews preferred the 2-6-4T locomotives of the Sb/S2 series – even though these were around 35 years older and, with their higher axle loads, could not be used freely on branch lines.
So, while the S1 engines did not live up to expectations in every respect, they still had some merits. The well thought-out architecture with many steps and handrails as well as details such as the mechanical ash box emptying, pneumatically operated windshield wipers or the running-gear lights were new and pleasant features for the engine crews.
In addition, water and fuel capacity were exceptionally large for a tank locomotive of this size, even when the side tanks were shut down to reduce axle load.
9 engines (Nos. 1910 – 1913, 1915, 1916, 1927 – 1929) also received a NALCO feedwater softening system, which did not work particularly well. Locomotive No. 1914 was fitted with a Henschel feedwater heater for a period of time, while No. 1928 was equipped with oil firing in the 1960s.
The S1s, with a permitted speed of 80 km/h both forwards and backwards and with good running characteristics, were often used for passenger trains immediately after they had been put into service, e.g. on the Malmö – Ystad (– Simrishamn) route. From the mid-1960s, however, they were seen hauling local freight trains more frequently, while the first engines were already withdrawn at the same time.
By 1972, after only 20 years of service, all of the S1 series locomotives had been withdrawn. Like many other SJ steam locomotives, however, most of them were not scrapped immediately, but were preserved as reserve locomotives. It is thanks to this circumstance that five engines (1/4 of all S1 locomotives built) have survived until today. Three of these locomotives (Nos. 1914, 1921, 1923) are cared for by museum railways in Sweden, one (No. 1916) in Germany and one (No. 1928) in the UK.
As a concrete prototype for my model, I chose locomotive no. 1920, Nohab 2221/1952. This was one of the locomotives that received neither a NALCO feedwater softener nor (mandatory for NALCO installation) level indicators for the water tanks on the right side of the locomotive, so that the original elegant lines were never impaired.
When delivered, the S1 engines had double red trim lines on their tanks. On most locomotives, these were painted over in black in the early 1960s. As I like the later, “purer” look better, my model appears without trim, but still with the beautiful blue “Russia iron” boiler jacket.

My model is held in exact 1/32.5 scale. It consists of approx. 2,400 parts and weighs around 1.4 kg. The locomotive is driven by two vertically-mounted PF-L motors, which are directly connected to the 2nd and 3. coupled axle; the 1st coupled axle is driven by the rods.
A BuWizz 2.0 is used for power supply and remote control. Lighting equipment (directional headlights and cab light) is from Brickstuff, while the wheels were purchased from BBB as usual. The rods and valve gear parts are 3D printed elements of my own design.

But let the pictures speak for themselves now:
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Two two-cylinder beauties “Made in Trollhättan” …
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The coal bunker is detachable and gives access to the electronics.

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With the coal bunker detached, we can get a glimpse inside the cab:

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The main frame is as realistic as possible, with all the prototypical cutouts. The leaf springs are connected by realistically pivoted compensating levers (a bit crazy, I know).
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The leading truck and the rear bogie are built using a combination of liftarms and studded parts. The bogie is laterally slidable and with off-centre pivot pin. This enables the model to negotiate LGB R3 curves (1,200 mm radius) despite having flanges on all wheels.
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Road numbers and builder’s plates are printed on self-adhesive gold foil:

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As an extra gimmick, the model has a synchronised sound generator from Mobatron in Switzerland. It works with a a tiny optical sensor and a reflector disc on the 1st coupled axle, which triggers 4 exhaust blasts per wheel revolution. See and hear in these function test videos:

 

And here she is with the entire train:

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Scandinavian nights are long and dark, so there need to be decent lights on the train…

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The freight car and 2nd class coach are improved older models, while two slghtly different 3rd class coaches were built from scratch.

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As usual, I’ll make an on-track video of the whole train soon.

High-resolution images and many pictures from the WiP phase can be found in my Flickr album.

Thanks for stopping by!

Kind regards,
Sven

EDIT: Video now online!

Edited by Sven J

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That is a beautiful and immensely impressive locomotive there!  It took me quite a long time to work out it wasn’t LEGO, particularly with it not being L-gauge.  Huge congrats on such a masterpiece of a MOC - and, in my opinion, worth the two years you’ve spent on it!

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As usual, fantastic research, background story, attention to details and amazing overall presentation 👌🙌👍

I take my hat off 

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Insane is one word for this. Insanely gorgeous fits it better. The size allows for lots of details. This really steps up beyond most works. I mean it looks like a real frame was constructed first. Adding the lights and sound makes this a spectacular work. NPU with the skateboards as part of the plow.

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Tipping hat, a slight nod - and a bow.

Man. Can't say much other than: Beautiful in every regard. This is simply LEGO Champion's League, top rank.

I am playing in the lowest local league, where teams names like "Arminia Bierblau", "Holzbein Kiel", and "Dynamo Tresen" are competing, trying to get a simple (damned) angle into a LEGO build - with hardly any success.

Simply amazing. BUT: I shall have a look at all thy pictures, Sven - and then - then one day - far, far in the future ... I shall build that little blue car!!! I will succeed (or not - it is what it is) :pir-wink:.

You have just revealed that your username is an alias: Sven J = Sven Y. And the Y stands for Yoda, the LEGO master.

That one was easy.

Thank you very much for sharing, it is a real pleasure to look at all the pictures.

All the best,
Thorsten   

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5 hours ago, Sven J said:

leading truck and the rear bogie are built using a combination of liftarms and studded parts. The bogie is laterally slidable and with off-centre pivot pin. This enables the model to negotiate LGB R3 curves (1,200 mm radius) despite having flanges on all wheels.

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this one is a gorgeous locomotive and the wagons are awesome and skillfully built aswell especially in this large scale where you have to pack in every detail or it would look weird. very nice work. as you may know i think we are pretty much the opposite when it comes to scale. in fact i think your rear bogie alone may be larger than most of my recent mocs. the only thing id change is the routing of the wires for the front leds to be less visible but that is nitpicking at this point. other than that it is just perfect.

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Thank you for your appreciation, @Vilhelm22, @Selander, @Feuer Zug, @Toastie and @XG BC!

2 hours ago, Toastie said:

This is simply LEGO Champion's League, top rank.
I am playing in the lowest local league, [...] BUT: I shall have a look at all thy pictures, Sven - and then [...] one day - far, far in the future ... I shall build that little blue car!!!

You're always too kind, Thorsten! Well, regarding the little blue Saab 92B, you might as well take the easy way... :wink:

2 hours ago, Toastie said:

You have just revealed that your username is an alias: Sven J = Sven Y. And the Y stands for Yoda, the LEGO master.

:laugh: For the compliment I thank, Sir!

30 minutes ago, XG BC said:

the only thing id change is the routing of the wires for the front leds to be less visible

Indeed, the wire for the top front headlight is a bit striking in the pictures. Well, it is less obtrusive in reality with normal lighting conditions. I actually considered different ways of routing the wire when I planned the model, and chose this version for one single reason: The prototype's headlight cable is routed exactly the same way across the smokebox top ... :wink:

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intetesting. i would change it to all black maybe but if it is prototypical then it is fine that way.

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Wow, finally you got it! As in all your models you have reached that sensation of reality that only brass models can give. I think that you are beyond the LEGO community, it is a very nice thing use it this way to favor the spreading of railway industrial culture.

Next step: a functional steam distribution (khun scheife?) and... a REAL door :purrr:

Sergio

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@monai Mille grazie for your kind words, Sergio!

28 minutes ago, monai said:

Next step: a functional steam distribution (khun scheife?) and... a REAL door

Well, the first thing is going around in my head for quite some time, but I haven't found a final solution. And presumably it would be easier to realise on a 1/22.5 narrow gauge model than on a 1/32 standard gauge locomotive.
As for the door - be glad that it doesn't open, you would only see wires and massive internal support structures ... :laugh:

@Admins (I suppose @JopieK): Thank you very much for frontpaging my model! But could you please adjust the picture size? It looks a bit weird, at least when the bookmarks sidebar is enabled ... :wink:
640x321.PNG

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15 minutes ago, Sven J said:

And presumably it would be easier to realise on a 1/22.5 narrow gauge model than on a 1/32 standard gauge locomotive

yes sure but with 3d modelling it could be done, obviously not from inside the cabin but in my BR96 I can change the height of the radius bar manually, also if the lack of a proper expansion link (3D?) do not allow a real reversing job.

20 minutes ago, Sven J said:

As for the door - be glad that it doesn't open, you would only see wires and massive internal support structures ...

Indeed I would like to see them :excited:

Sergio

 

p.s.: Sven I see the front picture correctly, perhaps is a question of browser? (I use ubuntu firefox)

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1 hour ago, monai said:

I see the front picture correctly, perhaps is a question of browser?

That’s strange. I use firefox on my PC, too, and it looks as shown above. But it’s even worse with Chrome on my mobile.

1 hour ago, monai said:

Indeed I would like to see them

Well, obviously I don’t want to dismantle the model, so all I can offer is a render …
Without the wiring, though, and as parts of the door are integrated in the support structure, they block most of the internal parts from sight. So there's not really much to see in this picture, I’m sorry.


640x480.png

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Well done, it is very nice with the firebox front and its valves. The interior of my BR96 is completely dumb with the power function sensor as a firebox *huh*

S.

 

p.s.: perhaps there are some odd graphical settings on you OS (windows?).

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This engine is absolutely beautiful; the attention to detail is very impressive work.  Well done indeed.

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Enough pictures of the prototype, show your MOC... oh... that IS your MOC (grin). As we've come to expect and appreciate, it is always hard to tell your build from the real thing. Great work

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Outstanding model! I really love the colors too, and the integration of the "exhaust chuff" synchronizer.

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9 hours ago, Sven J said:

@monai Mille grazie for your kind words, Sergio!

Well, the first thing is going around in my head for quite some time, but I haven't found a final solution. And presumably it would be easier to realise on a 1/22.5 narrow gauge model than on a 1/32 standard gauge locomotive.
As for the door - be glad that it doesn't open, you would only see wires and massive internal support structures ... :laugh:

@Admins (I suppose @JopieK): Thank you very much for frontpaging my model! But could you please adjust the picture size? It looks a bit weird, at least when the bookmarks sidebar is enabled ... :wink:
640x321.PNG

Better now? Perspective view looks even prettier imho.

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Thank you very much, @ShaydDeGrai, @zephyr1934 and @bogieman!

5 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

As we've come to expect [...], it is always hard to tell your build from the real thing.

Oh, oh ... that simple sentence seems to raise the bar for future models ... :wink:

27 minutes ago, JopieK said:

Better now? Perspective view looks even prettier imho.

Yes, perfect now. Thank you!

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This is amazing, you can really see how much work you put into this--the careful detail that's gone into every part of this is really next level.  The lighting and sound effects are sweet.  Just fantastic. :excited:

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Wow this is incredible! I love by leaving behind the 6 wide Lego track, the models can become so much more detailed and have no compromises! Now given me the idea of upscaling one of my trains...

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Hi Sven,
probably no one doubts that your locomotives cannot always have the honor of ending up on the front page ...your works are so perfect that the opposite would surprise us! :laugh:
If I were to make a comparison between train MOCsMakers and watch manufacturers, I would place you among the great complications of Patek Philippe (with all due respect to other luxury brands)! :sweet:
There are many good builders here, but when I look at the cleanliness of your creations, the elegant style of your complicated mechanical solutions, the dedication to recreate realism by replicating the most hidden details ...then ...you beat them all! :excited:
So also this locomotive is added to your private collection leaving me speechless! :thumbup:
Beautiful livery, which combines black and dark blue, the wooden frame for the cabin glass and the red deflectors :wub: ...definitely my favorite model with the Ferrovia Eritrea Group R.202. :thumbup:
Greetings.

Emanuele

Edited by LEGO Train 12 Volts

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This is very impressive to say the least. I'm not too familiar with the Lego train gauges etc (yet) but for one, this shows how much of a difference a relatively small size increase from the standard (?) 8-wide scale makes. And when the detail level is taken all the way to 11 (studs), it looks pretty much like the scale model trains. I suppose this can still be considered as minifig scale as I understand it's anywhere between 1/30-1/40 depending on which way you look at the minifig...

Is the track some standard model train track? Looks like it's about 7-8 studs wide, and seems to fit the Lego dimensions?

 

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I’m trying to find words/phrases that others haven’t used to express my awe at this and I simply can’t, it’s beautiful, detailed, magnificent and everything else. 

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Wonderful, as always. Great presentation, with lot's of fascinating details! I love it.

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Thank you for your kind comments, @Kai NRG, @samsz_3, @LEGO Train 12 Volts, @firefabric and @Andy Glascott!

10 hours ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

There are many good builders here, but when I look at the cleanliness of your creations, the elegant style of your complicated mechanical solutions, the dedication to recreate realism by replicating the most hidden details ...then ...you beat them all!

Emanuele, you're too kind. That makes me blush ... :blush:

7 hours ago, firefabric said:

I suppose this can still be considered as minifig scale as I understand it's anywhere between 1/30-1/40 depending on which way you look at the minifig...
Is the track some standard model train track? Looks like it's about 7-8 studs wide, and seems to fit the Lego dimensions?

It's 45 mm gauge 1 track from Märklin.
Regarding minifig scale - well, I don't think 1/32.5 would fit into that definition. Unless you're accepting the minifigure to represent an adult person as "tall" as 130 cm (4*32.5), that is ...

Edit: Thank you too, @Asper! Seems you posted your comment the very same moment when I wrote the sentences above. :wink:

Edited by Sven J

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