Ralston Steam Dragon
The Ralston Company's automotive roots stretch right back to the 1910's, but it wasn't until the late 1920's that the low-volume products offered really shone.
As the world was plunged into the Great Financial Apocalypse, and the oil fields were lost forever, many great automotive marques perished among the ruination.
One reason for the survival of the Ralston car company is found in native Finland, where coal mines and steelworks allowed the small-volume manufacturer to adapt their vehicle chassis to accommodate coal-fed steam boilers.
Seeing an opportunity, Ralston expanded into the production of near-luxury models, including the Steam Dragon, producing also a 'Public Car' version, as the existing fleet of gasolene-fueled taxi services were rendered obsolete almost in an instant.
Although there were a great many design details regarding steam-powered automobiles left to reinvent, particularly for mass-manufacturers, Ralston were able to apply the knowledge gained in the creation of exclusive automobiles to create a stylish and safe vehicle, in keeping with the sophisticated to age in which into which it was born.
This Lego miniland-scale Ralston Steam Dragon has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 95th Build Challenge, - "Designing the Ralston Legacy", - for the creation of land-based vehicles created in the steampunk style and alternative universe.
Ralston Steam Dragon
The Ralston Company's automotive roots stretch right back to the 1910's, but it wasn't until the late 1920's that the low-volume products offered really shone.
As the world was plunged into the Great Financial Apocalypse, and the oil fields were lost forever, many great automotive marques perished among the ruination.
One reason for the survival of the Ralston car company is found in native Finland, where coal mines and steelworks allowed the small-volume manufacturer to adapt their vehicle chassis to accommodate coal-fed steam boilers.
Seeing an opportunity, Ralston expanded into the production of near-luxury models, including the Steam Dragon, producing also a 'Public Car' version, as the existing fleet of gasolene-fueled taxi services were rendered obsolete almost in an instant.
Although there were a great many design details regarding steam-powered automobiles left to reinvent, particularly for mass-manufacturers, Ralston were able to apply the knowledge gained in the creation of exclusive automobiles to create a stylish and safe vehicle, in keeping with the sophisticated to age in which into which it was born.
This Lego miniland-scale Ralston Steam Dragon has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 95th Build Challenge, - "Designing the Ralston Legacy", - for the creation of land-based vehicles created in the steampunk style and alternative universe.