Hello! I am brand new to this forum and very excited that I found it! I will soon be starting the construction on my first permanent O gauge layout and I thought it would be awesome if I added a variation of the animated highway that was featured on Lionel's D-63 display layout. I am hoping that someone has information or pictures on the mechanism that moves and turns the vehicles around at either end of the highway. As I recall, one end of the highway is hiddened in a mountain and the other end is hidden in a group of skyscrapers.
I've been collecting Lionel, MTH, K-Line, Williams and Weaver trains for 15+ years. And I'm an active subscriber to CTT for about 18 years. I am very excited to finally be able to run my trains on a permanent layout.
I am pretty handy and have created many temporary Christmas Village layouts in the past (check out my YouTube video "Juniors 2010 Christmas Village" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJdQB9fBzrA&list=HL1346461063&feature=mh_lolz ).
I hope someone is able to provide some information on Lionel's animated highway.
Sincerely,
stjr
Welcome stjr.
I can't help you with your question but bet someone on the forum can and will.
I would like to know if you made those pillars on the elevated track in the video or purchased them? I like them a lot. That is a very nice layout in the video. Great job there.
Tks,
Kev.
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
Hi Kev!
Thanks for the warm Welcome! The pillars.....you are going to laugh! They are 7 inch plastic wedding cake pillars that are made by Wilton! I cut and super-glued 1/4 inch 2" x 2" masonite squares to the bottom for a base and to add stability. I then cut and super-glued 1/2 inch plywood 2 1/2" x 2 3/4" rectangles to the top of them. I used 1/2 inch plywood so that there was something "stout" enough to screw the tracks into. The dimensions of the plywood rectangles are a little larger that the overall length and width of the two metal ties at a track joint.
The nice thing about these pillars was the overall height. The pillar's overall height with the base and top was the same height as a 1 x 8 (I think it's a 1 x 8; the width is actually 7 1/4") with 1/2" plywood on top; 7 3/4" tall overall! And each level or layer of that Christmas layout was made with 1 x 8's with 1/2" plywood on top. So it all worked out. I wish I could say it was by design; because it wasn't. It all worked by accident.
Hope this helps!
I remember a layout in an issue of CTT with the cars that moved between the mountain and the skyscraper. Perhaps they list D-63 in their index?
If I had to guess, the mechanism is probably similar to a 3444 cop and hobo car. The cars could be attached to a loop of film that is turned by gears on each end. The gear on the idler end would have a spring to provide tension, and the stationary side would be attached to a motor or vibrator.
I think making one with some sort of mechanism that used a very thin road surface and some strong magnets would be pretty cool. It would eliminate any slots or poles . It would require the cars to be lighter weight and very free rolling though.
Sorry I couldn't help more,
J White
Hello J White;
Thanks for the idea of checking the index; that's great idea. And I agree; there are several approaches that I could take to creating the moving roadway; like the film loop and use of magnets. I'm thinking there's significant experimentation in my future. But's that's what a lot of model railroading is all about (and is part of the fun).
There was another YouTube video that showed a moving roadway where the entire roadway was a wide belt (like a fan belt); and the vehicles were attached to the roadway. At either end were two very large pulleys that the belt wrapped around. I guess the pulleys had to be large otherwise the vehicles attached to the belt would either come off or stop the belt from moving. And there would have to be two belts; each moving it opposite directions.
I like the magnet idea; Dept 56 has had a lot of success with that approach. I'm still hoping there are other's who might have seen the Lionel approach (fingers crossed).
BTW....anyone interested in seeing my layout plan? If so, let me know and I will post it.
It wouldn't be an exact replication but you might be able to achieve the same results using Supertstreets which was started by K-Line and continued by Lionel.
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dougdagrumpIt wouldn't be an exact replication but you might be able to achieve the same results using Supertstreets which was started by K-Line and continued by Lionel.
And now made by / sold by "Williams by Bachmann" as E-Z Street.
Rob
Hello DougDaGrump and Rob;
Ya know.....that's probably going to be the easiet way to go. I do like the "vintage" look that the Lionel highway would've provided. But sometimes the easiest answer is also the best answer. And E-Z Streets would provide me a bit more flexibility and added operability too.
Nice suggestion....completely missed that solution. Guess I was a bit "blinded" by my goal.
Thanks!
A few links to D-63 talk, images and video.
..........Wayne..........
In Roger Carp's "Lionel Display Layouts You Can Build" (C 2000) there are a handful of pictures of both finished layouts and also of them being built in the display department. Unfortunately none of the photos show the mechanism. However on page 92 of that book it says "...towering about the tracks at one end are futuristic skyscapers and an enormous mountain at the other. An elevated highway connects the two, with toy automobiles moving back and forth thanks to an electrified pulley."
If I had to guess, I'd say there are pins attached to the Plasticville cars (Lionel had an arrangement with Bachmann Bros.) which pass through a slot in the road and connect to either a belt or a cable hidden under the roadway. Guessing again, I'd say the belt idea would make the most sense. You could attach "pockets" to the belt and if you had flat pulleys with a low profile flange the mechanism should operate well.
BTW, Welcome Aboard!
Becky
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
I have a D-63 that is waiting to be restored. The highway is a very simple setup. It is nothing more than a chain wrapped around a sprocket at each end. One sprocket is connected to an electric motor. The chain has some pins that stick up from it through a groove in the roadway. There are small plastic cars that just slip over these pins and get pulled along.
I got it .
Hello Fred!
Thanks SO much for the reply. A chain on sprokets...it couldn't be simpler!
Hope this shows up correctly, first post to web site. I have a D-63 layout I'm restoring for a friend. The highway is simple and beautiful for 1952 imagination. There are two 3" pulleys separated by 7' using a 3/8" v-groove belt. The belt is handmade using a metal staple to close the loop. Ten metal studs are riveted onto the belt where the cars attach. They stick up about 1 1/4". There is a simple geared AC motor attached to the underside. Overall it is 8' long with several layers of wood and trim to achieve the final look. My pillars are wooden tapered legs. I have several nice photos I'll post once I figure out how this all works. Easily shows how to recreate the whole thing.
My problem with rebuilding the layout is the owner is missing almost all the buildings but the lower yellow one the highway was anchored too. Was wondering if someone has dimensions of all the buildings and/or scanned jpeg images of the cardboard windows. Would hate to recreate the wheel if someone has already done so. I know there's another D-63 thread out there and some YouTube videos that would help me if I do start from scratch. Thanks all.
If you are thinking about the magnet route, computer hard drives utilize very strong rare earth magnets. I have been able to make one move through a 1' table! You have to work a little to get them out, but they are strong! I guess you can probably buy them too. lol
http://www.kjmagnetics.com/
Mike
VA RR, Any pics of the D63 roadway? Really interested in details of the mechanism (pulleys and how attached, motor type, pics of staple etc) Hope you are still outthere on this site!! Would love to get a chance to talk with yiou as well as I repair and restore lionel dealer displays and layouts and am trying to write an in depth article on them with details and photos-Thanks! Rick
One of my friends had the layout with the highway. Boy did it make noise when the highway was turned on.
Hey Fred, glad to hear it!! I look forward to seeing pics on the construction of the roadway (details of assembly, motor details and construction). I have been trying to recreate some of the components of this the roadway in particular-Rick Lyons
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