LEGO Unveils Stunning River Steamboat Model Celebrating Classic Americana

The new LEGO River Steamboat is a stunning set that offers a truly engaging building experience. The quality of a LEGO set is not only determined by its final look but also by the journey of its construction, and the River Steamboat perfectly exemplifies this. As you build, the process flows logically and organically, with each step building on the last. The ship's design features easily removable layers, allowing you to explore and appreciate the intricate inner details at every level. LEGO initially captured the adult audience with its modular buildings, and now the River Steamboat offers a similar modular experience on water, showcasing both unique and everyday details that come together to form a cohesive masterpiece.

LEGO Ideas River Steamboat

Priced at $329.99 at the LEGO Store, the River Steamboat hails from the LEGO Ideas line, where fans submit their original designs for community voting. If selected, the fan's concept becomes an official LEGO set, and they earn a share of the profits. Past successes from the LEGO Ideas line include sets like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Jaws, and Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon's Tale.

We Build LEGO Ideas River Steamboat

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The LEGO River Steamboat draws inspiration from the grand paddle boats that once plied the Mississippi River in the 19th century. Originally used for industrial transport, these steamboats transitioned into pleasure vessels for dining, gambling, and entertainment after being outpaced by steam engine trains and screw propeller boats. My wife and I experienced this firsthand during our honeymoon in New Orleans, where we enjoyed a riverboat cruise filled with dining, drinks, dancing, and jazz music.

This set is a dream come true for LEGO enthusiasts. It features a jazz lounge and a dining room, as well as practical areas such as a boiler engine room connected to the paddle wheel. Pushing the boat activates the wheel, and the pilothouse's steering wheel controls the rudder. The set also includes a kitchen and sleeping quarters for the crew, along with an anchor on a chain and adjustable boarding stages.

The construction process is divided into 32 bags, beginning with the ship's base, which houses the boiler room and a miniature nautical museum. Here, you'll find not just the boat's engine but also models of a piston engine, an aeolipile (steam turbine), and a Watt steam engine. Adjacent to the engine room is a compact kitchen complete with a refrigerator, stove, and sink. The ingenuity of LEGO design is evident in how elements like a hot dog bun from another set can be repurposed as an engine reinforcement here.

One level up is the main deck, home to the dining room and jazz lounge. The lounge, situated above the stern, is adorned with tiny LEGO accessories like drums, a saxophone, a microphone, and an upright bass. The elegant dining room features tablecloth elements, stylish chairs, and light fixtures that span both inside and outside the compartment. The walls are decorated with posters promoting on-board entertainment, including a stylized depiction of the A-Frame Cabin, another LEGO Ideas set available at Amazon.

The dining room is built separately and then integrated into the larger structure, creating a deck space where minifigures can enjoy the view. Interestingly, the set does not include any minifigures, which might be LEGO's way of emphasizing its display rather than play value.

Moving up, the crew deck includes sleeping quarters and a bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower stall. Above this is the pilothouse, where the steering wheel's connection to the rudder through all four levels showcases impressive engineering. This small mechanical effect is a testament to the meticulous planning and effort that went into creating it.

I'm captivated by many details in this set. The repurposed croissant accessory as white billowy flags, the clean white railings lining the decks, and the patterned tiles in the lounge that mimic rugs all contribute to its charm. Although the set feels more like 3,500 pieces, after appreciating its detailed rooms and spaces, you'll understand where those extra 500 pieces are utilized.

William Strunk's principle from The Elements of Style states, "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts." The River Steamboat embodies this philosophy; every brick serves a purpose, every element is aesthetically pleasing and functional, and each room contributes to the overall beauty of the ship. This is a must-see for LEGO aficionados.

LEGO River Steamboat, Set #21356, retails for $329.99 and is made up of 4,090 pieces. It's available exclusively at the LEGO Store.

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