2024 update to my original 2002 passenger train - real world MOC

[Murdoch17]

Originally, me and my dad made me a train way back in the early 2000's as my first train MOC. (you can see it as the last photo of this post) At my request, he got rid the bright colors of the original 1980's train sets it was inspired by with more subdued tones. The black and red are what became the standard color scheme for my fledgling railway for a good many years. And now, two decades later in 2024, I'm updating this original train again.

This time, I've Americanized them. Before they were more European looking, with a baggage car at the rear - now, they will have an observation car with a platform at the back and the baggage car added to the front of the train instead. I also added a updated 4-6-2 steam loco with a 7-wide cab and tender inspired by the works of @SavaTheAggie.

I really liked the cab and tender from from the 2-6-2 steam loco I recently built (which was originally a Sava design) so I decided to make another engine that uses them too. I took a 4-6-0 frame (originally from the 2023 Hogwarts Express loco) model, stretched it out a bit and added the 7-wide cab to make it a 4-6-2 Pacific (the 2-6-2's tender design was stretched out quite a bit too!). I also put on a bucket as a funnel like in the Orient Express LEGO set.

Rear of the loco, with the stretched tender design mostly taken from a few Sava models. (his 2-6-2 for the basic look, and his 4-6-0 for the stripes) BRS stands for Brick Railway Systems, which has been my railway for twenty years. This anniversary prompted me to make this revised MOC.

Inside of the cab, which has also been lengthened by a stud since the last time I showed it off.

Inspired by set 7722 (steam cargo train set) and the red / yellow  guard's van.

These three coaches were inspired by the red and blue coaches of set 7715. (Push along passenger train)

The observation car is my own design.

...and here is what it all looked like originally. (picture circa 2017) The diesel at bottom left is long scrapped, but the original 0-4-0 steamer survives to this day. This tiny loco was inspired by set 7722 (steam cargo train set) while the steam engine's tender was inspired by 3742 (My Own Train series) from 2001.

Thoughts?

Edited July 16 by Murdoch17

[Feuer Zug]

Decent setup. I understand the desire to update everything. That said, with the larger locomotive, the carriages look cartoonish in comparison now. I know lengthening them would involve increasing the wheels on each one, but would help the overall feel. Maybe use the old style windows on the second class carriages and the new style on the first class to maximize your parts. Some solid pillars would help stretch it too. The color scheme works well, especially for a steam train. They do get dirty.

[Shiva]

Nice train :)

Regarding the length? Those work. Same if the wagons were 50% longer, with the same amount of axles.

[JopieK]

Very nice indeed! I also like the 4,5V/12V style trains, also that little diesel shunter.

[Murdoch17]

On 7/16/2024 at 9:39 AM, Feuer Zug said:

Decent setup. I understand the desire to update everything. That said, with the larger locomotive, the carriages look cartoonish in comparison now. I know lengthening them would involve increasing the wheels on each one, but would help the overall feel. Maybe use the old style windows on the second class carriages and the new style on the first class to maximize your parts. Some solid pillars would help stretch it too. The color scheme works well, especially for a steam train. They do get dirty.

Thanks for the comment @Feuer Zug, but I don't know about them cartoonish - shorty coaches exist in the real world too, even in the USA....

19 hours ago, Shiva said:

Nice train :)

Regarding the length? Those work. Same if the wagons were 50% longer, with the same amount of axles.

Thanks @Shiva!

8 hours ago, JopieK said:

Very nice indeed! I also like the 4,5V/12V style trains, also that little diesel shunter.

Thank you @JopieK. I agree about the old trains - they have a certain timeless charm, as does the early 9v stuff. Also, that BR Class 08 shunter originally came from here on EB's Train Tech - it was made ~2009 by @Chromeknight and I subsequently recolored / modified it into what you see there.

[Lion King]

It looks fine. 

[Murdoch17]

4 hours ago, Lion King said:

It looks fine. 

Thank you @Lion King!

[Ropefish]

It’s always lovely to see the progress one makes, especially as an artist or hobbiest, I’ve found it rather easy to fall into the pitfall that my own work pales in comparison to others.  But it’s not, you cannot hold your work to someone else’s standards and sometimes looking back at old works can show you just how far you’ve come. Keep up the wonderful work as always :>

[Murdoch17]

4 hours ago, Ropefish said:

It’s always lovely to see the progress one makes, especially as an artist or hobbiest, I’ve found it rather easy to fall into the pitfall that my own work pales in comparison to others.  But it’s not, you cannot hold your work to someone else’s standards and sometimes looking back at old works can show you just how far you’ve come. Keep up the wonderful work as always :>

Thank you for the good advice @Ropefish. I'll try to keep that in mind for the future!