MoC: 5AT in 7-wide

[Commander Wolf]

EDIT: Update version with instructions on Rebrickable: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-105230/NonsenseWars/148-5at-advanced-technology-steam-locomotive-v3-power-functions

 

Hey all, one more MoC from me this time around. This is a (theoretically) more accurate rebuild of a model I made in 2006. The 5AT is another advanced steam project that unfortunately did not/has not progressed passed the planning stage. While the 5AT was designed toward pulling passenger or excursion trains, it was also intended to showcase technologies that could someday find their way into mainline steam. I modeled the locomotive in a traditional DB colors with the contemporary DB Schenker branding to suggest the commercial steam-powered future that could be

 

While I call this a remake, it is actually a completely new build and does not share any common assemblies with the old model. As with the ACE, I tried to model the overall proportions as accurately as possible and then "sketch" out the greebles and details. The scale is again 155mm to the plate height, which gives a locomotive length of 34 studs (magnet to magnet) and a width of 7 studs. The surprisingly long tender adds another 28 studs to the overall length.

As far as construction details go, it's mostly studs-up save for some shenanigans in the front truck. It's articulated 4-6 with blind drivers on the first axle of the rear "truck"; I felt that this arrangement was a good balance between low rolling resistance, simplicity of construction, and modeling accuracy. The introduction of the XL BBB wheels between now and 2006 was one of the main reasons I wanted to rebuild this model: the (regular) large BBB wheels are way to small at scale! The front truck overlaps the rear truck slightly in order to plug the visual gap between the two trucks.

The tender is actually my favorite part of the model Like the ACE, the actual 5AT design calls for Scullin-type wheels, which aren't well represented by the spoked BBB drivers. Since the wheels are a big visual part of the locomotive, I think the design loses some of its radical flavor; with the tender the spoked wheels are a much smaller part (and mostly hidden) and aren't quite as distracting. Somewhat of an aside, I really wish they had that 4x4 dome piece in black too

Full Brickshelf gallery. Anyway, that's all I got, thanks for looking and have a nice day!

Edited March 15, 2022 by Commander Wolf

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Beautiful steamer Commander Wolf! It looks very sleek, a definite improvement over the last one. Very well done

[Hrw-Amen]

It is a very nice looking engine, nothing like a large steam engine really.

I must agree with you on the tender, I think it is rather nice and I also like to greeble the wheels on my tenders as it does tend to hide them and they never look at all like LEGO train wheels on the real thing so it is a very nice job you have done.

Do you still have your old train from 2006 or has it been taken apart for parts? (A fate many steam trains suffer from be they LEGO or otherwise.) I like to keep all mine built, once they are made they are made! But I understand it is not always possible.

[zephyr1934]

A very nice build with lots of great details. What is most surprising is the fact that so much of this locomotive seems to be classical building techniques rather than ultra-SNOT. One suggestion would be to use 1x3 curved slopes for the cab roof.

With an engine this nice, it really could use nicer drive rods though. As I posted elsewhere, technic connectors and axles could be a nicer all lego solution, e.g.,

[Commander Wolf]

Do you still have your old train from 2006 or has it been taken apart for parts? (A fate many steam trains suffer from be they LEGO or otherwise.) I like to keep all mine built, once they are made they are made! But I understand it is not always possible.

Heh, I know how you feel; it was hard to take it apart since I'd had it together for so long now, but I eventually needed some tiles from deep down inside. I have a space MoC that's older and bigger that I haven't had the guts to take apart yet I did keep the old loco together as long as I could for the sake of comparison:

1x3 curved slopes for the cab roof

YA! That's on my BrinkLink to-do list. My last seller didn't have any. BrickLink drives me crazy because it's so hard to find the Best Deal on a given list of parts, and my Asian instincts demand that I try to, even if it's a waste of time.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Commander Wolf

[Locomotive Annie]

I'll add my voice to the choir, - 'What a beautiful steam locomotive Commander Wolf!'

[Man with a hat]

That's a very impressive steam locomotive.

You did a good job capturing the beauty of the original.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

This is an amazing steam locomotive!

I like the tender and the red wedge plates that you have used!

Great work Commander Wolf!

[bricks n bolts]

Congratulations Commander Wolf, is a thing of beauty

Very cleanly done with wheels and swivel plates.