There is a special kind of LEGO ambition in deciding that your next project should be a near-3000-piece coach from a Dutch commuter train, and I respect it immensely. stijnjcd’s first draft of the NS Mat ’74 SGMm, better known as the Oersprinter, already looks like the sort of train build that lives or dies on proportion, and this one is off to a strong start. The front end has that wonderfully distinctive real-world profile, which is always the make-or-break moment for locomotive and EMU builders.
What grabs me here is the seriousness of the approach. This is not just “train inspired by a train.” It is clearly aiming to capture a specific machine, with the kind of shaping and layout planning that says the builder has already spent a lot of time thinking about fit, structure, and parts economy. And since this is only one of three coaches, there is something delightfully intimidating about the scale of the whole undertaking. Big rail projects always feel a little heroic to me, and this one has all the signs of becoming a beauty.
Build by stijnjcd on Flickr.
