What I wanted to do, but way better

[dudeface]

It doesn't run on track, but it's one of the best LEGO models I've ever seen, and there's a whole bunch more on this guy's channel including an Avery traction engine that actually plows! It's impressive how much power he managed to get out of this engine.

[drewzero1]

Wow, that seems pretty strong! I wonder how far it could get with a tender-mounted dustbuster?

[-steves-]

Wow, that seems pretty strong! I wonder how far it could get with a tender-mounted dustbuster?

I was thinking how long the cable would have to be on a large garden railway and what happens under bridges / tunnels

[Scrat]

Wow, that seems pretty strong! I wonder how far it could get with a tender-mounted dustbuster?

I was thinking how long the cable would have to be on a large garden railway and what happens under bridges / tunnels

Come on, think out of the box:
A leaf blower to power the loco which in turn is powered by a petrol generator on the second wagon.

[philipy]

Wow, that seems pretty strong! I wonder how far it could get with a tender-mounted dustbuster?

I was thinking how long the cable would have to be on a large garden railway and what happens under bridges / tunnels

Come on, think out of the box:
A leaf blower to power the loco which in turn is powered by a petrol generator on the second wagon.

Nothing new there... have you seen the adverts for the Nissan E-power?... has a battery and electric motor to drive the wheels... plus a petrol engine to generate power to charge the battery!

[-steves-]

Nothing new there... have you seen the adverts for the Nissan E-power?... has a battery and electric motor to drive the wheels... plus a petrol engine to generate power to charge the battery!

Strangely enough, that's how most cruise liners work too, except they use diesel engines to power the generators to charge the batteries to power the motors. Apparently not only is it more efficient, it causes less vibrations on the ship and prop shafts thereby giving a smoother ride for when people are trying to sleep

[dudeface]

You could use a battery operated portable vacuum which is what I believe Drew was referring to.

[dudeface]

Come on, think out of the box:
A leaf blower to power the loco which in turn is powered by a petrol generator on the second wagon.

Or just a non-kerosene-and-also-not-paraffin-because-they're-the-same-and-not-diesel-either-petroleum-distillate powered leafblower. (Autocorrect corrected it to leaf blower, then suggested leafblower, then put a red squiggly line under it!)
Unless the generator method is more efficient...

[drewzero1]

I suppose it could use a diesel generator to power an electric motor... That sounds familiar, somehow? Maybe there's a locomotive that did that somewhere.