O.D. & O.S. Mueller 2025 Mik - Steampunk Loco

[Eric_Mueller]

Oldest Daughter (O.D.) and Oldest Son (O.S.) are both anime fans, and the decided that the could craft a steampunk inspired locomotive in line with the napkin drawing below:

They plan to cut up one of our surplus and outdated B’mann 10-wheeler chassis to make a base, powering it with a battery. The boiler will be a wood-clade beverage can, with the intention that it will look a bit like Stephen from the Thomas the Tank engine cartoons.

I am as curious to see how well they work together as I am to see how this project unfolds.

Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the house, O.D. and O.S. used on another’s absence at various points across the day to rationalize not getting their parts and bits out of the various puka. Still, by allegedly mutual consensus, they gathered the following:

That will become the steam punk loco, I am told!

[Tim1 (Tim)]

A true ‘Spirit of Mik’ project!

[Eric_Mueller]

O.D. and O.S. made headway today. Perhaps most importantly, they have decided on their division of labor. He will build it. She will detail it out. They also actually collaborated on design ideas at dinner! Whoa…

O.S. has decided on a double ended, Garrett-inspired contraption (I didn’t know he know what a Garrett was!). Today, he used rubber bands to clamp craft sticks (It is still a MUELLER project! Craft sticks are a must!).

Then, he lathered the lot in TiteBond III. To my surprised, and to the surprise of the 1:24 gang, he later pulled the can cores!

We discussed this tonight at dinner, as I hold that this will leave the boilers too fragile. He assured me that there was this, that, and the other thing, all important to a “steam punk aesthetic,” that will support the craft stick boilers. At that point, O.D. weighed in. She agreed on the “aesthetic,” but she also agreed he needed to keep the cans for strength.

The looping discussion on “steam punk aesthetic” continued, and I am no closer to either understanding their version of the aesthetic or envisioning the end state here.

Updates as required!

Eric

[Tim1 (Tim)]

‘Steampunk’ is a genre unto itself.

[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

Um, I started firing on the Dry Gulch RR when I was 19 years old. Would that make me a Steam Punk?

Just askin’, David Meashey

[Tim1 (Tim)]

[quote]Um, I started firing on the Dry Gulch RR when I was 19 years old. Would that make me a Steam Punk?

Just askin’, David Meashey [/quote]

Nope.
There is a distinction between ‘steam locomotive’ and ‘steam punk.’
‘Steam punk’ includes a wide range of steam powered gadgets and odd fashions.

[Eric_Mueller]

@Tim1

‘Steam punk’ includes a wide range of steam powered gadgets and odd fashions.

Bingo. Apparently, a big part of the aesthetic includes a lot of exposed, moving parts. Thus, O.S. cut off the bottoms of both cans…

…ostensibly to display the boiler internals. The smokebox door, or what I think will amount to one, will be clear plastic.

The other side I surumise are the firebox doors. Maybe.

All I know is that O.D. concurred with the direction of this project over dinner and began steering the discussion towards detailing and weathering. Many genre-specific words were spoken, most of which I didn’t understand, but they seem to have a plan.

Eric

[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

Tim;

I think you missed the point. I was still only 19 years old, so I was still a “punk” firing a steam locomotive. I’m guessing the term actually fits.

Regards, David Meashey

P.S. Since I still run miniature live steamers, I have kept my “steam punk” status active.

[PeterT]

If you saw the movie “Wild Wild West” (and we all did, as the 4-4-0 “William Mason” was in it,) there was a monster spider powered by steam. That is the ultimate Steam Punk device.

Wild Wild West (8/10) Movie CLIP - 80 Foot Tarantula (1999) HD

[Devon_Sinsley]

Am I seeing this correctly that this is going to have dual side by side boilers? Because now that would be cool. I am sure Rooster will dig up a prototype picture of one but that is not something I have seen and would very much be a “steam punk/rat rod” type locomotive.

[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

Devon;

The Listowel and Ballybunion monorail in Ireland was powered by little steam locomotives with a boiler on either side of the single rail. I’m sure Bill will post a picture of one of these locomotives, so I won’t bother to look one up.

Best, David Meashey

[Hines (Bill)]

Could only find a historical poster that doesn’t show the line well.

[mickb (Mick Benton)]

[Devon_Sinsley]

Interesting to say the least. What an odd thing.

[Eric_Mueller]

No progress today…O.S. says the monorail fits the steam punk motif, but he plans to mount the boilers fore and aft. O.D. concurs.

Eric

[Cliff_Jennings]

Go Team Mueller!

Can more track be laid?

[Hines (Bill)]

We stumbled across the Steampunk Festival at the National Railway Museum in Pt. Adelaide a few years back. It’s reportedly a regular event.

This might be a source for ideas for the team.

Adelaide Steampunk Festival

[Eric_Mueller]

All the kids enjoyed the inspiration, especially that double-tracked behemoth, @Cliff_Jennings !

O.S. finished his boilers, trimming off the excess wood. He has plans for making the boiler interior (apparently part of the aesthetic), then turning-to on a cab, stack, external piping, etc. I am not clear - nor did his words clarify - the way this will set on the old 10-wheeler chassis.

Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Busy afternoon on the lanai, with all three projects getting some attention.

O.S. plans to make an interior for each wood clad boiler. He grabbed scrap foam and a hot knife and created what he calls a “firebox.”

Pipes and coal pile will apparently be applied to this, it’ll get paint, then he’ll slide it into the boiler. A clear cap will allow you to view the interior and, I gather, is consistent with the genre.

Oh, and speaking of genre, this will be a late Republic / early Empire Roman steampunk locomotive complete with battering ram. He and O.D. conferred and agreed to this.

I am lost. Excited, but lost…

Eric