The Little LaFayette That Will (Hopefully)

My name is Lachie and I've loved trains all my life.
Recently, this Bachmann 4-2-0 LaFayette arrived in the post.

Looks nice, doesn't it? Don't grow too fond of it because I'm using it for what could be my biggest model project ever. Can you guess what it is?

That's right, It's Tillie from the 1991 Direct-to-Video 30 minute adaptation of The Little Engine That Could. What's that, You've never seen it? Let's fix that right now! Better than the CG one, isn't it? Anyways, This isn't my first attempt at making Tillie. My first attempt was in late 2013 using some card paper, oven baked clay and a spare HO bogie. Here it is next to my Bachmann Thomas.

"It looks alright" You might say, and I may agree with you but personally, I think she's about the size of the pyrotechnics budget in a Micheal Bay movie, WAY TOO BIG! I like to think that she would be at eye level with Thomas. But as you can see in the picture below...

...the LaFayette is about the right size to be made into Tillie. It won't be easy but I'll try my best. And just for the heck of it, Here's the old Tillie next to the soon to be new Tillie.

Parts from the old model may be reused if possible.
Wish me luck!