MOC: The Polar Express

[adwind]

“The Thing About Trains... It Doesn't Matter Where They're Going. What Matters Is Deciding To Get On”

Hi guys! This is my latest project, I've been working on it really hard and I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on the final result. Please don't take it as a promotion or something, even though it's on Lego Ideas. Here is the whole story behind the build :)
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/d8f0433c-efdb-454d-9a7d-981df8d55ead

The Idea

The idea of creating an ultimate Christmas train dates back to 2016-th. At that time, I just started my Lego journey and in that regards I had nothing except of Santa’s Workshop set, love to Christmas and everything around this holiday. Being inspired with the above mentioned set I was enthused by the idea of having a Lego train going around our Christmas tree. The Polar Express has been on our “to watch during the holidays” list for many years, so I knew for sure that this is the only train we need. After a quick web search I haven’t found a Lego set but I have found something more valuable – the Lego Ideas website! Long story short – I was hooked, and I owe the Polar Express that I’m an AFOL, as since that very moment there wasn’t a day that I didn’t visit the website.

Obviously at that time I didn’t have enough skills to create something as big and complex as a train model. Thanks to Lego Ideas – I’ve started to practice with smaller models, took part in contests, activities etc. and little by little started to work on my dream train. Of course, there were numerous breaks, fails, other projects etc. but I never left the idea of creating my “ultimate Christmas train”. Well… looks like we might be on time for the 20-th movie anniversary in 2024-th!

both acсompaniment and voice are mine* :)

 

About the build

"Hey! Hey, you! Yeah, you! Do you know what kind of train this is?

Actually, it's a Baldwin 2-8-4 S3-class Berkshire type steam locomotive built in 1931 at the Baldwin Locomotive Works. It weighs 456,100 pounds and has a tractive force of 3,450 pounds."

Pere Marquette 1225 is a reference for both the book and the film.

*The model you see on renders and video has around 2800 pieces but can be easily scaled down to 2000 or even less by using existing train platforms (6 studs wide cars with 5 windows and 1 row of seats, will be posted shortly in updates).

*The model uses new powered up system (L-motor fits well), including steam locomotive lights

*The model is built with real bricks and turns fine

*Proportions of the train are thoroughly adjusted in accordance to the reference train

*A roof and one of the side walls of each car can be easily taken off to reveal a detailed interior

Extra:

-         a motorized Hobo is skiing on a rooftop just like in that most exciting scene of the film

-         the lost ticket shots out a ventilation grill operated by a lever on a car’s wall

8 minifigures and a reindeer 😊  

- The conductor

- Hero Boy

- Hobo

- Hero Girl

- Know-It-All kid

- Billy

- Smokey

- Steamer

 

Easter Egg hunt

Do you like to search for Easter Eggs? Then leave a comment if you found any 😉

 

"Seeing is believing, but, sometimes, the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

*please desregard the m motor. I found a space for L motor which works way better with this train

[MAB]

Didn't this already get to 10K, or is this a new version?

[adwind]

4 minutes ago, MAB said:

Didn't this already get to 10K, or is this a new version?

I would know if my project got to 10k :) So I believe you're talking about some other moc

[MAB]

Yes, I just checked. It was another designer that had a similar model train based on the same movie get to 10K but didn't pass.

[adwind]

3 hours ago, MAB said:

Yes, I just checked. It was another designer that had a similar model train based on the same movie get to 10K but didn't pass.

Fingers crossed this one will have a better luck and will get to the final destination :)

Edited December 30, 2021 by adwind

[Johnny1360]

Looks spectacular, if I was to change anything it would be those Technic pieces on the locomotive but I still think it is great as is. I do think that LEGO would probably downsize the whole train drastically, which would be a bit disappointing especially if it involved changing the loco.

Good luck and thanks for sharing your creation.

[adwind]

11 hours ago, Johnny1360 said:

Looks spectacular, if I was to change anything it would be those Technic pieces on the locomotive but I still think it is great as is. I do think that LEGO would probably downsize the whole train drastically, which would be a bit disappointing especially if it involved changing the loco.

Good luck and thanks for sharing your creation.

Thank you so much for your thoughts, I'm happy you find it being nice! Honestly, we all know that Lego needs it's own train rods and and reborn of train windows :) So I agree with your point on the technic pieces.

If this will be approved, I will do everything possible to convince Lego to stick to the scale of Loco I did (simply because this is the most compact way to keep the all the wheels). While cars, most likely, will have to be built on standard train platform...

[adwind]

Just a quick prove of concept :)

And thank you for 2k votes in just 5 days!!!

 

 

[adwind]

A quick look at the purist minifigures I made for this project :)

[adwind]

Hobo on the roof of The Polar Express 

https://flic.kr/p/2mY8mi3

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by adwind