AI been working on the railroad

LEGO builder Zachmoe took inspiration from a classic mech model by Adrian Florea from over a decade ago, putting together his own spin on a railroad shunter mechanoid, but using some contemporary pieces and adopting a smaller scale. The result is a great piece of clanking robotics. You don’t doubt this rail-riding mech is strong enough to heft a shipping container on one shoulder, but it also has an undeniable character — it would surely give you a wave as it whizzed past. Those minifigure rollerskates certainly make for excellent eyes, but what caught my attention was the trailing clouds of dust sent up in the robot’s wake — a nice touch which creates a real impression of speed. I distinctly remember Adrian’s original model back-in-the-day, and it’s great to see his idea get such a cool modern makeover.

Model 17 Shunter Mech