Tender Question/Problem

[ScotNick]

I'm currently building a steam engine but have problems building the tender

That's what the tender is supposed to look like:

That's about how far I have gotten:

Now to the problem:

As you may see I want to make the tender as detailed as possible, the problem is that the tender has 3 axles and it isn't really easy to hide the motor AND make it turn around curves without derailing. I have seen others just using the ordinary motor cover from Lego, but I think that some details get lost with that.

So my question to you is if you know how to keep the detail but make it turn around curves.

Furthermore I want to know if anyone has an idea how to add these two "rods" on top of the tender (that I assume should keep the coal in the tender if there is more) (sorry I don't know if they have a name)

I think I will keep the livery that I have now.

Thanks in advance!

[Spitfire2865]

First, the name of those rods is coal rails. Second, its hard to implement the lego motor without altering the length. If you want accuracy, then the motor would either go in the loco, or a trailing wagon to push the whole thing. The wheelbase seems about right, but I think the wheels are undersized. I believe BBB's smallest drive wheels make good tender wheels. Lengthening the body of the tender may help get rid of the front footplate which isnt really there. In final, the rear shouldnt push out that much. Looks odd in Lego.

[Paperballpark]

Agreed. Use BBB's small driver wheels, with the middle axle being non-driven. You'll solve the problem of it going around corners, but you'll add two more problems - They're useless for grip, and they're not powered.

If you can get past that, I'd personally build it basically as a square box, with flexible hoses on top, connected together via use of some technic pieces and clips.

[ScotNick]

Thank you for your advises.

First, the name of those rods is coal rails. Second, its hard to implement the lego motor without altering the length. If you want accuracy, then the motor would either go in the loco, or a trailing wagon to push the whole thing. The wheelbase seems about right, but I think the wheels are undersized. I believe BBB's smallest drive wheels make good tender wheels. Lengthening the body of the tender may help get rid of the front footplate which isnt really there. In final, the rear shouldnt push out that much. Looks odd in Lego.

Agreed. Use BBB's small driver wheels, with the middle axle being non-driven. You'll solve the problem of it going around corners, but you'll add two more problems - They're useless for grip, and they're not powered. If you can get past that, I'd personally build it basically as a square box, with flexible hoses on top, connected together via use of some technic pieces and clips.

You probably think of the tender looking similar to Bricktrix's (https://www.flickr.c...57633180693172/) right?

I want to build a GNR C1:

The problem is that the other trailing wheels of the engine are BBB small flanged wheels, so the tender wheels would probably look bigger than the trailing wheels which they shouldn't, however I have to say that Bricktrix's design somehow caught my eyes, maybe I will give it a try. But then the second problem comes: I really wanted to have the Engine powered, not being pushed. Maybe I'll try to use PF on the engine, the tender would be able to hide the battery box and receiver, I just would have to power the large driving wheels, that would be another big problem.

This helped a lot thanks!

[Duq]

Since the wheels are almost entirely hidden behind your side covers maybe you can simply take out the third axle?

[domboy]

Another option for the six-wheeled tender would be allowing the middle axle to able to slide sideways as needed. Someone posted an example in another thread, but I can't find the topic where I originally saw it (it was discussing harry potter trains I believe), so I don't remember who to give credit to either. I tried to attach the .ldr file but I'm not allowed to apparently...

Also, what about making the locomotive's front two axles the motor? I'm not sure if the spacing would be right for your model, but it's a thought...

Edited April 22, 2014 by domboy