Steam Rides Train Set LEGO Ideas Project Review

Overview
As the title indicates, this project by IsaacSmithLego, centers around a small steam engine. The goal of this project is to portray a classic steam engine similar to the Emerald Night with additional features such as a station as well as a signal and signal house according to the project page.

Appeals of this Project
From the start, this project has a very nicely rendered cover image, which makes it stand out among the many other projects in LEGO Ideas. I really like the size of this steam engine. It is very small and compact when compared with some of the other steam engines that LEGO has made in the past. The level of detail on this, from the gold stripes to the brick-built ladders to the handrails is very appealing. I especially like how the holes are covered on the sides piece 6222 at the front of the engine. It turns what would be somewhat of an eyesore and turns it into another level of detail. The colors used on the engine complement each other very nicely, from the dark red, to black, to dark gray, even to a little bit of the normal red color, and then it is all capped off with the gold stripes.

The coach is a good size for this engine. It is not too small, but it is not too large. It uses some common elements to create a very sophisticated appearance for what is most likely a just a standard coach car. I really like the use of the 1x1 round tiles on the roof of the car, providing some texture and creating a nice pattern. This train also has the option to incorporate LEGO's Power Function features, which is very attractive, as this provides another option for children as they play or for a collector to use as they display it running through their layout of a small town or countryside.

The inclusion of the platform station adds a nice touch, and offers another playability feature, and is also very aesthetically pleasing with a good balance of colors and textures. It reminds me of the old platform stations that might have been seen at a country stop for a real steam engine many years ago. The functioning signal is a great addition to increase the playability of the project, and it also looks great with the signal house behind it. I like that the control of the function is placed inside/behind the signal house and is not just a lever on the signal pole. This helps create a crisp, clean appearance while still allowing for great functionality.

Areas for Improvement
There is really only one area for improvement from my perspective. Although the option to include the Power Function system is nice, I do not like that adding it takes up the whole coach car. If there were some way to integrate the Power Function feature while using less than half the coach (ideally not in the coach car at all), that would be much more appealing to me as it would still allow for minifigures to be placed inside the coach while the train is running. However, with a build of this size, I do not see much of a way around this problem without a major redesign, and I would not want that as I think the steam engine looks great as is.

Conclusion
From one end of the train to the other, and from station to signal house, this is a fantastic project that offers great playability, and great aesthetic value. I think this would make a wonderful set if it reaches 10,000 supporters and passes the Official LEGO Ideas Review process. To see more pictures and to offer your support, you can click here to visit this project on LEGO Ideas.

The photos and review are used with the permission of IsaacSmithLego.