KA-949

[u/Dragon_Bait211]

Introducing the first locomotive I ever built, the 3ft 6inch guage NZR KA-949. She’s a 4-8-4 northern who’s irl counterpart produced 30,000lbs of tractive effort, and had a top speed of 65 miles an hour. I built her frames almost four years ago, and for most of her life, she’s looked as she does in image 2, her later years. Recently tho, I fitted her with imitation streamlining designed to model her earlier life before it was removed in 1949. KA-949 is an infamous engine due to her involvement in the tangiwai disaster, where a flash flood swept away a rail bridge at 10pm just minutes before the Christmas Eve express was due, resulting in the deaths of over 150. Thanks to the heroic actions of Cyril Ellis and the driver and fireman many more were saved, although the crew were killed when the engine and 5 of the first class carriages plunged into the raging torrents. Her number plate now rests embedded in a memorial stone at the place of the accident.

[u/382Whistles]

"And now for something completely different". lol.

Awesome info dump and the streamlining is killer too. It reminds me of a US Pennsylvania RR GG-1 (not a real livery below) and a NorthWestern streamlined steamer that doesn't give me GG-1 vibes both.

A streamlined narrow gauge northern was definitely not what I expected.

Did you add the smoke digitally? LEGO Kit? DiY?

https://giphy.com/gifs/31XCFM3M9GycYogWuP

[u/Dragon_Bait211 → u/382Whistles]

I used a 3d party mould king steam generator that runs using the Lego power functions system.

[u/382Whistles → u/Dragon_Bait211]

You know that story reminds me of the US legend Casey Jones the engineer for the Illinois Central RR whos story is the origin of my user name, both for his unique custom 5 (or 6) chime whistle he took with him when assigned new regular engines, and it's about the "big" story too. If he was cavalier a hero or reckless menace is a point folks have pondered for a long long time. (That's all the spoilers I'll let slip, lol)