Dawnblazer Sucks - A Lighthearted Overly Niche Look at Locomotive Design in Dawntrail

[Enkidoh]

As a train enthusiast myself, it's more believable than those things Garlemald was using (those locomotives resembled streamlined steam locomotives with 'Baltic tank' engine wheel arrangement (4-6-4T), and yet... there was no connection to the wheels from the outside cylinders (it was missing the connecting rod from the valve gear to the driving wheels), and the front bogie had it's own cylinders to boot ('booster' engine perhaps?), and worse, as shown by the example inside Tertium Station... they were actually really diesel-electric locomotives (cereleum-electric?)! As in, no boiler, but a full diesel-like engine with cylinder heads and an electrical generator - to the point the 1st Legion were using it to power the aetheryte and lighting inside the station!

And then there was the carriages of the 'Runaway Train' that had derailed... which seemed to be missing some wheels on the carriage bogies! (Although I guess you could say that the train did derail, the carriages probably lost some wheels in the accident). So yeah, just train wrong on all fronts!

The 0-2-4 wheel arrangement (or at least locomotives with a single large driving wheel) incidentally was quite popular in the early years of steam locomotive development though, and is perfectly useful as long as there is enough weight for adhesion, so the Tural example isn't necessarily out of place.

I wish the Ul'dahan trains were shown, something tells me that they'd be even more crazier!

[crowwww]

As a train enthusiast myself, it's more believable than those things Garlemald was using (those locomotives resembled streamlined steam locomotives with 'Baltic tank' engine wheel arrangement (4-6-4T), and yet... [...]

And then there was the carriages of the 'Runaway Train' that had derailed... which seemed to be missing some wheels on the carriage bogies! (Although I guess you could say that the train did derail, the carriages probably lost some wheels in the accident). So yeah, just train wrong on all fronts!

About that... I was thinking of discussing the Runaway Train in another thread, but I do have some insights on that. You're right, this is a Just Train Wrong thread, but for me the Dawnblazer is just too close to pass off as fantasy gwahaha!
Anyway short version:

• It's pretty difficult to get good reference images from the Tower of Babil, I'll have to look a bit more closely later on - I'd actually forgotten about that part until you mentioned it!
• Same with Tertium, although those were modified into living quarters - if the Legatus was in the engine's cab that must've slipped past me.
• If the EW Lv84 Mining Leve "Training Up" is anything to go by, 'The Runaway Train' has been scavenged for parts if not by the Garleans then certainly by the Ilsabard Contingent!
• I do recall being intrigued by the use of side rods on The Runaway; and it got me wondering if they took some level of inspiration from the Swiss' Krockodil, at least insofar as it being an electric loco with side rods and a sloped nose.

The 0-2-4 wheel arrangement (or at least locomotives with a single large driving wheel) incidentally was quite popular in the early years of steam locomotive development though, and is perfectly useful as long as there is enough weight for adhesion, so the Tural example isn't necessarily out of place.

That didn't come up in my research; could you show me some references please? My main gripe is that it's the single driving axel without any pilots to support it, which goes back to my impression of it being a backwards Kei truck :P

Literally any other combination of 6 wheels would be better I feel, or even an 0-4-0! - No really, this thing is so damn unbalanced to look at I can't stand it! XD

I wish the Ul'dahan trains were shown, something tells me that they'd be even more crazier!

I feel like they'd be not too dissimilar to what we see out of Twine on the First; purpose built mining carts propelled in the local fashion. The use of cog rails is interesting enough though.

While it's used for transporting supplies and sneaky scions between Castra Centri and Meridianum, I don't recall seeing the XIVth Legions' train either?