Ta shunting tractor

[XG BC]

After my last endevour with the breuer here is another little shunting tractor: the swiss ta shunting tractor. it used electromagnets to pull the wagons to allow a single operator to shunt wagons without any other people required. anyhow here is the real thing:

as you can see the electromagnets where in the buffers where the wires are attached.

here is my model, i have made two versions because i wasnt shure if i should make the vents for the batteries black or trans clear

here is the trans clear version:

and here is the version with black vents:

hope you like this model!

[Feuer Zug]

Cute little shunter. This is probably one of the few models where the stock LEGO wheel bearings are perfect given the external leaf springs on the suspension. The electromagnet idea for connecting to the buffers is a cool idea. The only thing I might change is go with a 3 length bar for the grab irons instead of a 4. If it is a 3, then you've done the best you can and it's great. I prefer the black vent color.

[XG BC]

it is a 4. i will change it to a 3. the black also looks better in my opinion.

[XG BC]

i made the changes. here it is but i went for a small antenna instead of the 3l rigid hose. looks better than a bar.

ofcourse it is only the black vent one because i too think that this looks better.

[zephyr1934]

You come up with some of the strangest little prototypes, that critter contest must have gotten under your skin. Meanwhile, that does seem very Swiss- brilliant and complex all in a tiny package.

 

Your rendering is great given the tiny size of the prototype. Now to my eye, the most prominent feature of the prototype are the buffers sticking out beyond everything else, but on your MOC the headlights and coupler both go past the buffers. What about using an old 9v buffer beam without the magnet holder installed and use headlight bricks or similar to mount the headlights? You lose the lantern of the original, but to do that in lego requires enlarging the feature so there is no perfect solution. Alternatively, what about moving the buffers out one stud or making brick built buffers? Google turned up this image,

With the vents I think has is a similar thing, no good way to get them the right size in lego, it might be worth seeing what it looks like with no vents... actually, what if you used the sides of studs up headlight bricks or the end of a 1x2 tile with grill? If this will strictly be a digital build, what about changing the base of the lever to brown? Otherwise, if there are no 4 long bars, what about cutting down a 3mm hose to 3 studs for the handle?  (ugh, I did not mean to write so much, don't get me wrong, your build is great)

 

[bogieman]

Neat little prototype, well done. I would vote for brick-built buffers as Zephyr suggests and moving them up higher.

[XG BC]

49 minutes ago, zephyr1934 said:

You come up with some of the strangest little prototypes, that critter contest must have gotten under your skin. Meanwhile, that does seem very Swiss- brilliant and complex all in a tiny package.

 

Your rendering is great given the tiny size of the prototype. Now to my eye, the most prominent feature of the prototype are the buffers sticking out beyond everything else, but on your MOC the headlights and coupler both go past the buffers. What about using an old 9v buffer beam without the magnet holder installed and use headlight bricks or similar to mount the headlights? You lose the lantern of the original, but to do that in lego requires enlarging the feature so there is no perfect solution. Alternatively, what about moving the buffers out one stud or making brick built buffers? Google turned up this image,

With the vents I think has is a similar thing, no good way to get them the right size in lego, it might be worth seeing what it looks like with no vents... actually, what if you used the sides of studs up headlight bricks or the end of a 1x2 tile with grill? If this will strictly be a digital build, what about changing the base of the lever to brown? Otherwise, if there are no 4 long bars, what about cutting down a 3mm hose to 3 studs for the handle?  (ugh, I did not mean to write so much, don't get me wrong, your build is great)

 

suggestions are always welcome! that is the beauty of a community. if i didnt want commentary i wouldnt have posted it here.

[XG BC]

version 3 is here along with it come new and improved buffers:

 

[Feuer Zug]

Swapping out the buffers really does this shunter justice. The replacement of the 4L bar handle for the antenna is perfect.

[XG BC]

thank you! now the only thing left are the vents...but thats a thing i will worry about tomorrow.

[XG BC]

@zephyr1934 i now see what you mean with the headlight bricks for the vents. clever! that could look very good.

[Sven J]

What a funny little critter! Well done!

As for the vents: Now I don't know about the internal structure of your model, but would something like this work?

Link to .io file

[XG BC]

should work. thank you!

[XG BC]

and now i am done with doing all the things you guys suggested. first is the one @Sven J suggested with the tiles:

the solution for adding the vents is very clever. i like it from a building technique standpoint alone.

next up is the version @zephyr1934 suggested:

simple but good looking too.

and finally here is what i came up with which is a mod of zephyrs version:

as the vents on the prototype go upwards i did the same. had do redo the mounting for the handrail.

let me know what version you think looks best. looking forward to your suggestions!

[Toxic43]

That third version with the staggered vents is my personal favourite! Perfect!

[Sven J]

When I look at the prototype photos, it seems to me that the vents aren't actually staggered, but simply different in size. But that should be impossible to model.
I would combine version 1 and 2:  Small vents as in no. 2, but (as in no. 1) using this part for the front corner instead of that one - there's too much black on the sides of no. 2 (and 3).

[Sven J]

And yet another proposal...

Link to .io file

[XG BC]

nice one! will integrate that one!

[zephyr1934]

These are looking good! Just one warning about the headlight bricks, in real life I think they are a fraction wider than a brick, so a headlight brick facing a normal brick will have some pressure (nothing a little sand paper can't fix, <evil grin>, but that's impure). If you flip the snotted tiles around on Sven's most recent design and go with only two vents it solves this problem.

Oh, I've got another idea for thin vents... possibly too thin. You could use the end of a log brick,

[Sven J]

15 minutes ago, zephyr1934 said:

in real life I think they are a fraction wider than a brick, so a headlight brick facing a normal brick will have some pressure

That's true, but my solution works nevertheless - the 1x1 bracket is flexible enough to bend a tiny bit. I tried it before posting.
 

Of course, attaching the yellow lever to the old 2-finger hinge plate is also an illegal connection. But with a bit of violence, it works, too - see the windscreen wipers on my S1 locomotive...

[XG BC]

illegal connections are fine in my books. hell i built a monoraill where the curves are all illegal.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Very cute!

[zephyr1934]

23 hours ago, Sven J said:

That's true, but my solution works nevertheless - the 1x1 bracket is flexible enough to bend a tiny bit. I tried it before posting.

23 hours ago, XG BC said:

illegal connections are fine in my books. hell i built a monoraill where the curves are all illegal.

I posted that more for the readers than for you guys. As I recall, a headlight next to a normal brick requires a bit of force to get a plate on top of and that is a connection that probably will eventually crack something if left long term (hence my sanding suggestion). Though as I think further, you could do a headlight facing a technic 1x1 brick and even though the holes are off by some tiny amount, the pin cuff on the technic brick has plenty of room for the stud on the headlight. One could also do a headlight facing a 1x1 panel but then you lose any clutch there and you have the rounded corner on the panel.

[XG BC]

ok that is pretty important then i guess as all my models are available as a digital file in the link in my signature