Tired of shoveling snow? There are always creative solutions to be found, and while this particular solution isn't exactly practical, it is fun to watch. And hey, if you have a bunch of Lego train tracks and a little bit of snow to clear, this could be your ticket to clearing sidewalks with minimal effort.
Behold the Lego train snow thrower, coming to you courtesy of the Brickcrafts YouTube channel. Yes, the title of the video calls this a snow plow, and there's certainly a bit of plowing taking place here. Without that little three-blade propeller spinning at the front, however, this scale-model choo choo wouldn't get very far in the deep snow. And by deep snow, we mean more than three inches, judging by the size of the train. We weren't kidding when we said it wasn't very practical. But Lego projects are built because they're cool, not practical.
That is, it's not practical unless you shrink down to Lego size. Then it becomes very effective, able to clear snow nearly as tall as the train. The design is relatively straightforward, with the thrower powered by a small motor. As the train moves forward, snow is flung out of the way. In theory, anyway.
The first attempt at clearing snow didn't go too well. The guard around the thrower was clogging up, and a gap between the thrower and the front of the train also proved problematic. With some modifications (notably removing the guard), performance was improved but tossing heavy wet snow wasn't easy. In other words, it worked exactly like most real snowblowers.
To properly gauge the design's effectiveness, a second test was conducted in lighter snow found at higher elevations. That's where this little-engine-that-could got to work. With the assistance of a second pusher engine, the thrower easily cut through deeper snow. Again, not exactly practical but hey, enjoy the simple things in life.
Or, you could always get a radio-controlled Mercedes Unimog snowplow and clear the walk from your living room.
