A TRIP DOWN THE LINE

A short freight train trundles down the old branch line. It has served this line for decades, tirelessly running from end to end with all kinds of trains. Even though times have changed and the traffic of the branch has dwindled away, trains keeps soldiering on to get every last job done.

THE LOCOMOTIVE

This tank locomotive was built right before the turn of the century. It still has a diamond-shaped chimney, even though it no longer burns wood. It also has two pilots, one at each end, because the engine can run both forwards and backwards equally well. This ability, unique to locomotives with pilots on both ends, allows the old steamer to change direction of travel without needing to turn around on a turntable, making it very useful for shuttling trains up and down the branch line.

THE HOPPER

Hopper cars carry loose material such as gravel, sand, grain, ore, or cement. This small hopper is designated for ballast, the rock material used to stabilize train tracks and keep them from shifting. It's always good to have some ballast on hand to keep the train tracks in good condition. Just make sure the hatches at the bottom are secured before the train starts rolling.

THE BOXCAR

While the name "boxcar" originates from the description of the car's shape, it's common to find them filled up with actual boxes, along with other containers such as crates, barrels, and even safes and luggage. Those in turn could contain just about anything you could imagine, so the boxcar is the go-to for transporting just about anything.

THE REFRIGERATED CAR

A more advanced "cousin" to the boxcar, this insulated freight car is able to keep perishable items cold. Today's cargo includes some barrels of milk, fresh produce, and crates of fish. Even as slow as this train is going with the old engine up front, these goods will remain cool and fresh for a long time.

Time will tell if this branch line and its trains will continue to exist. We can only wish the crew and their engine dry rails and good running.

DESIGN PROCESS

The locomotive is based on a small Finnish tank locomotive that I found while searching for some information on another kind of locomotive. There was something about its shape that I found appealing, and whenever a locomotive catches my fancy in any way, I will eventually have the desire to recreate it with bricks. Consequently, the freight cars are somewhat based on older European rolling stock with balconies or shelter sheds for the brakemen.

I actually built the locomotive on a chassis from another build that I entered in a previous BrickLink activity. Both models have the same wheel configuration and pilots at both ends, so I found it convenient to use that older model as a starting point. Of course, without the 300-part limit from that event, the final model turned out very different, being much larger and more detailed among other differences.

The locomotive can be upgraded with a battery hub and a standard train motor directly turning the driving wheels.

I chose to omit track or display bases to focus on the train itself and keep the parts count as low as possible.

BUILD STATS:

Parts:
- Engine = 407
- Hopper Car = 130
- Boxcar = 168
- Refrigerated Car = 223
- Total Cargo = 79
Lengths:
- Engine = 31 studs
- Hopper Car = 19 studs
- Boxcar = 23 studs
- Refrigerated Car = 23 studs
Widths: Mostly 8 studs, 8.8 studs at the steps, 9.4 studs at the handlebars, 10 studs at motion
Height:
- Engine = 14.6 studs rail to chimney, 15 studs overall
- Hopper Car = 7.5 studs rail to brim, 7.9 studs
- Boxcar = 10.7 studs rail to roof, 11.1 studs overall
- Refrigerated Car = 10.7 studs rail to roof, 13.4 studs rail to shelter, 14.9 studs overall
Functions and Features:
- Working driving wheels and motion
- Runs on R40 curves
- Fully decorated interior for engine cab
- Working hatch on hopper car
- Plenty of cargo
- Powered-Up Requirements: 1 Hub + 1 Train Motor
  - Requires removing a section of the bunker