Big Alice (Engine)

The Engine also known as Big Alice was the propulsion method of Big Alice. Big Alice was a propulsion method of a secondary supply train of the same name. The Engine was a perpetual motion machine that propelled the train forward with the use of hydrogen gained from the snow outside and without any obvious need for maintenance. The secondary function of the Engine was that of a powerplant for car bogie-motors and on-board batteries. As such, the speed of the train was directly tied to its power supply.

History

Big Alice was the prototype of the Eternal Engine. It was built by Wilford Industries and stored at its compound in Chicago. After construction of Snowpiercer, she was delegated to a secondary role as the Engine for the secondary supply train of the same name.

Big Alice later derailed at New Eden due to the rough track conditions.

Technology

The Engine has a Booster that could increase its speed.

Wilford had a dimmer installed in The Engine

The Engine also has a airlock on the left side, that allows breach personnel to conduct breaches and walk on the ground.

Interior

There are two control rooms, the main one at the front and a secondary one at the back. The main control room has a armored door and the secondary one has a certain.

In a clockwise motion the interior consists of a couch, a kitchen with a bar surrounded by shelves with statues, the door to the Engine, a bookcase and a dining room table with a chandelier in the secondary control room alongside a closet and display case with swords built into the bottom of a fold out bed, a desk with a microphone to the intercom alongside a red phone and a record player in a drawer, a bathroom with a bathtub and shower, a shelve, two chairs and a table inbetween with a dimmer switch.

The interior also has a dimmer and is filled with various pantings, artworks, statues, masks and other items.

Exterior

Big Alice is large and boxy similar to a modern diesel locomotive. It is also ridiculously large compared to it's train cars, rather than being flush to the profile like Snowpiercer. There is a airlock on the left side. On top of the Engine there is one large spotlight directly above both cockpits as well as two smaller ones below the cockpits and two small ones on the sides of the front. There also appears to be walkways with railings on the front sides of the Engine.

Appearances

Season One

994 Cars Long

Season Two

Trivia

Big Alice was a push-pull type engine with the ability to go forward and backwards at apparently the same speed. This is contrary to the Snowpiercer Engine which is a pull-type engine with the primary ability of pulling its cars behind it.
Big Alice was powerful enough to push the entire train of Snowpiercer completely powered down for a short time and push the entire train of Snowpiercer with it's brakes on, because it had more torque (and when it had the momentum) and power Snowpiercer without the Engine.
In the front cockpit, Alexandra Cavill overhauled a panel and upgraded the interface on the second revolution.
The front cockpit has 2 whiteboards.
Both Engines were built with a comms panel for communication (the panel in Big Alice is a red box on the wall, in the secondary control room), but there was a flaw in Big Alice that was fixed on Snowpiercer: if two wires were swapped, Wilford wouldn't know if his comms were on or not. However, Miss Audrey failed her mission and defected.
The Engine has a brig. There’s also a phone near it.
There is a secret way into the Engine by a hatch, in the floor, in Wilford's closet.
A whistle can be heard blowing in the beginning of, The Time of Two Engines.
The public address system was connected to Snowpiercer’s at some point, presumably after Wilford took control.
Wilford hosted book club meetings in the Engine. Which he used to find the original thinkers (among the ones he saved in his cull).
Among Wilford's paintings are Caesar 1875 by Adolphe Yvon and Napoleon Crossing the Alps. Both were famous conquerors.
The front cockpit windshield, was cracked by Josie Wellstead with a Pneumatic breach pike.
Following the defeat of Wilford, Big Alice's Engine appears to be left abandoned for the most part with the Engineers working solely from Snowpiercer rather than on both trains. Which means the systems of both trains, were connected at some point.
In Born to Bleed, Andre Layton and Zarah Ferami move into the Big Alice Engine for protection after Pike tried to kill Layton. After Pike's death, they move back to their carriage on Snowpiercer.
In A Beacon for Us All, Layton, Bennett, Zarah, Liana, Till and Josie flee to Big Alice's Engine after Melanie Cavill seizes Snowpiercer's Engine.

Gallery

Big Alice at the end of season 1
Big Alice departing Chicago
Outside
Outside
Outside
Passing by the Forbidden City
Big Alice hunting the Pirate train
Approaching the old trestle bridge
Big Alice derailing
Cockpit Interior
Secondary Cockpit
Big Alice CGI
Cockpit Blueprint
Behind the scenes Cockpit Interior

References