[Virtual MOC] 2020 Oslo Trikken (Tram)

[Hod Carrier]

This is another dip into the vaults for a design that been sitting on the books for quite a long time.

It was almost exactly 5 years ago that I had the idea to design and build a tram. It was something that I hadn't tried before and I wasn't sure how I would do. Part of the problem for me is that they don't look particularly distinctive, unlike trains that come in a bewildering variety of sizes, shapes and colours. I spent a good amount of time trawling through the internet looking for inspiration, which is when I came upon the 2020 Oslo Tram concept.

The story of this design concept goes back to 2015 when Sporveien, the public transport operator, started the tendering process for a new tram to replace it's ageing fleet. Two young Norwegian designers, Taral Jansen and Mikkel Brandt Bugge of design studio Norwegian Attitude, submitted a design for a brand new high-capacity tram customised to suit the needs of Oslo while reflecting Scandinavian design principles. More information about the project can be found on the project's Facebook page.

My first attempt at reproducing the design was not especially good. One of the main problems was that there was a mismatch between the width of the cabs and the width of the car bodies, which just didn't look right to me. I tried making the cab front wider but it just made the problem worse. The other issue was that, when I rendered the design, a lot of the features simply disappeared. This is something I have experienced a few times before when trying to render black and trans-black parts. I was very underwhelmed by the whole thing and so I just put it away and pretty much forgot all about it.

That was until just a few weeks ago when I visited Oslo for a few days.

I already knew that the 2020 concept would not have been realised as it would have required bespoke vehicles that would have been incredibly expensive. However, I was excited to see what types of vehicles would be running on Oslo's tram network given the amount of time that had passed, and whether anything of the concept design had been incorporated. So imagine my disappointment when I came out of the Oslo Sentralstasjon to see that the backbone of the Oslo tram service is still being operated by Duewag SL79s, some of which are already over 40 years old. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed riding these older trams, but I had expected something a bit more modern.

With my interest rekindled I came home and decided to revisit my model and see what improvements I could make. The first item on the work-list was to reduce the width of the cars so that they matched the cabs. Using a combination of brackets inside the roof and floor of the model, I was able to reduce the width by 1 plate on each side. Now the width is consistent all the way down the tram cars, going from 8 studs wide to half a plate over 7 studs. I also substituted some parts that were not available for others that are in order that the design can be buildable and replaced the windscreen with a much deeper alternative.

I have also learned a thing or two about the rendering process in Stud.io in order to try and get the design features to be more visible.

All that said, the most striking aspect of the design is still not visible when rendered. The "illuminating lines" around the cab windscreens and along the sides of the cars were just not showing up. So, by swapping out the trans-clear for luminous parts and adjusting the background colour and light settings in the render menu, I was able to replicate the effect of the lights. Applying the same trick to the inside of the cars meant that I could also simulate the effect of internal lighting.

I'm unsure if I shall ever build this model, but I am at least happy now to present it for feedback.

[XG BC]

ok that looks very cool! especially illuminated.

[M_slug357]

That illumination is really cool!

[Feuer Zug]

Interesting design. The light strip around the windows is neat. I like how you were able to render it.

[LordsofMedieval]

The real-world thing looks like the Macbook of trains.

[Hod Carrier]

Thanks for the feedback folks. I'm also liking how it looks, especially when all lit up. It's certainly a distinctive vehicle and would have made for a brilliant addition to the streets of Oslo.

18 hours ago, LordsofMedieval said:

The real-world thing looks like the Macbook of trains.

Do you mean the sleek modern styling and the way that it combines the aesthetic with the practical, or that it divides opinion along intensely fought lines and is incompatible with systems that went before it?  

[LordsofMedieval]

7 hours ago, Hod Carrier said:

Thanks for the feedback folks. I'm also liking how it looks, especially when all lit up. It's certainly a distinctive vehicle and would have made for a brilliant addition to the streets of Oslo.

Do you mean the sleek modern styling and the way that it combines the aesthetic with the practical, or that it divides opinion along intensely fought lines and is incompatible with systems that went before it?  

Mm... tough call. I think I meant the former, but the latter is applicable, too, I suppose. I don't like Macs, personally, but I actually think the styling of the train is neat.

[XG BC]

On 5/16/2023 at 1:58 PM, Hod Carrier said:

Do you mean the sleek modern styling and the way that it combines the aesthetic with the practical, or that it divides opinion along intensely fought lines and is incompatible with systems that went before it?  

well practical is debatable (no usb a no buy) but lets not dive deeper into this debate. great model either way. looks are very apple like sleek agreed.

[Darkkostas25]

Marvellous tram! I adore your building/trains/trams! 

[Hod Carrier]

On 5/17/2023 at 9:54 PM, XG BC said:

well practical is debatable (no usb a no buy) but lets not dive deeper into this debate.

Yeah, I agree. 

On 5/22/2023 at 9:41 AM, Darkkostas25 said:

Marvellous tram! I adore your building/trains/trams! 

Thank you, sir. That's very kind. 

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

What a model with modern and clean lines!
Wonderful render with interior lighting!