MAKING AUTOMOBILES + VEHICLES MOVE ON YOUR LAYOUT

[Anonymous]

My layout is still in the planning stages at this point, but one thing I know for certain is that I want to feature a lot of lighting and animation. [:)]

I want to devise a way to make automobiles/vehicles move around like the real things. I know Faller makes a system for this, but, while I like the logistics of it, I'm not too impressed with the selection of vehicles (all they seem to have is big trucks and vans--probably a function of the fact that each has its own independent motor, which seems inefficient in my opinion ). Also, they are mega-expensive and only available in HO. [:(] I’m currently leaning toward N scale.

I've also seen an article in MR where the guy used a wire system. However, this involved cutting a rut down the middle of the roadway and I'm not crazy about that, either. [:(]

I was thinking possibly of some type of magnet-driven system. Click the following link for a diagram ->

http://hometown.aol.com/chadinark/myhomepage/layoutcarmover.jpg

Magnets are what Faller uses for guidance. One big advantage of this system would be that it would require no cuts/ruts in the road. Possibly I could mount a small magnet on the bottom of a car that could follow a magnet or magnetic strip that was in motion under the road (which would likely be a sheet of styrene or similar material). The magnets would be driven by a conveyor-belt type system. I could have slow speeds for city scenes and a somewhat faster conveyor for highway scenes. The cars could be made to move in a circuit around the layout, or I could have them go in a tunnel and reappear on the other side of the layout (after traveling upside-down under the layout).

The cars themselves might have working axles/rubber tires or maybe only the magnet would drag along the road and this way the tires might not need to ever actually touch the roadway (they would just be really close). Just some brainstorming...

One drawback of this system is that I also wanted to have illuminated headlights/taillights on the vehicles; this would probably be much easier in the wire-driven/rut-in-the-road system because power could be routed to each vehicle through the stem that connects to the vehicle).

Any other ideas? Has anyone figured out a way to make cars move? [?] I'd appreciate any suggestions. My layout is only in the planning stages at this point but I figure this is something I would want to do from the ground-up.

[Anonymous]

There was a gentleman at Trainfest in Milwaukee (from Northern Wisconsin) with the magnet system for vehicles on a trailored N scale layout. Worked great and very realistic. He also had many other animated scenes. He was very creative and willing to share his construction techniques and ideas. Sorry that is all I have, but try looking him up.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MarkGS

There was a gentleman at Trainfest in Milwaukee (from Northern Wisconsin) with the magnet system for vehicles on a trailored N scale layout. Worked great and very realistic. He also had many other animated scenes. He was very creative and willing to share his construction techniques and ideas. Sorry that is all I have, but try looking him up.

Thanks for the info. Perhaps if you could tell me when this "Trainfest" was I could track him down. Where was it in Milwaukee? Do you mean that the guy was from Northern Wisconsin?

[Anonymous]

A trainclub that goes by the name of the Valley N Trakers goes to this show....they also go to the Titletown Train Show in Green Bay and have a track with magnet system much like you are describing and he showed me how it works back in 02...I don't remember the specifics, but it was cool...the show here in GB is the last weekend in April every year....Let me ask one of the guys who run the show if the N-trakers will be back...If one of the N-trakers is reading this, sorry if I slaughtered the name

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by irishbull

A trainclub that goes by the name of the Valley N Trakers goes to this show....they also go to the Titletown Train Show in Green Bay and have a track with magnet system much like you are describing and he showed me how it works back in 02...I don't remember the specifics, but it was cool...the show here in GB is the last weekend in April every year....Let me ask one of the guys who run the show if the N-trakers will be back...If one of the N-trakers is reading this, sorry if I slaughtered the name

Thanks so much. I located some info on the Titletown show and noticed that they were mentioned, however there was no contact infomation. I don't see any web site they maintain, either. Maybe with a little more info I can score an email address for someone in Valley N Trackers. I think the contact name is Rick Ohlfs. I emailed someone at the show so maybe that will help. I'll also look for that Trainfest on the web.

Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

I was looking at the diagram and noticed that you have no way for the cars to flip upside down. you could stick the cars directly to the conveyor belt and have that spinning around. I seem to remember in the I Love Toy Train video series cars directly attached to a roadway.

Another option is to put a road but no vehicles.[;)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cmdr.WedgeAntilles

I was looking at the diagram and noticed that you have no way for the cars to flip upside down. you could stick the cars directly to the conveyor belt and have that spinning around. I seem to remember in the I Love Toy Train video series cars directly attached to a roadway.

Another option is to put a road but no vehicles.[;)]

Yeah I should have completed the diagram a bit more. Here's a revised drawing:

http://hometown.aol.com/chadinark/myhomepage/layoutcarmover.jpg

My intention was for the road to run into a tunnel or somewhere out of site and then the cars would actually go upside down and under the layout and then reappear at another point (e.g. tunnel) across the layout. The road would basically need to be a thin sheet of plastic that curved around and went under the layout as well. Thanks

[Anonymous]

I was wondering if you considered putting your pully system on it's side? Instead of having the cars go underneather the layout, you could have the pulling system route through several other pulleys and guide your cars around most of your streets. Since you are already going to use styrene for your streets it would be just a matter of attaching magnets to the material being used under the styrene at various points where you want the cars picked up and carrier along.

I have been thinking of putting a system like this place on my layout as well, and also did not like the idea of cutting a rut done the middle of my layout. This rut system not would work any way because I would want the cars to be able to turn corners. However the magnetic system would be ideal. I'll let you know of my progress.

Maybe we could collaborate and come up with some thing.[:D]

Let me know.

Sherman

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by shackscs

I was wondering if you considered putting your pully system on it's side? Instead of having the cars go underneather the layout, you could have the pulling system route through several other pulleys and guide your cars around most of your streets. Since you are already going to use styrene for your streets it would be just a matter of attaching magnets to the material being used under the styrene at various points where you want the cars picked up and carrier along.

I have been thinking of putting a system like this place on my layout as well, and also did not like the idea of cutting a rut done the middle of my layout. This rut system not would work any way because I would want the cars to be able to turn corners. However the magnetic system would be ideal. I'll let you know of my progress.

Maybe we could collaborate and come up with some thing.[:D]

Let me know.

Sherman

Sherman,

Thanks so much for the comments. Yes, I had considered a sideways / vertical mount as well. You could do either/or, or a combination of the two, depending on your layout.

I'm trying to locate members of a group in Wisconsin called "Valley N Trakers" (may be trackers with a C) because they suppossedly have devised a magnet system that works well and looks good. If I find out more, I'll let you know.

Thanks again
Chad

[Anonymous]

in the 70's tyco made a slot car/rail crossing. it allowed one to interact ho trains with ho slot cars.

[Anonymous]

Hey, hate to bring up an old thread, but I was wandering if anyone made any progress. For my thoughts, check my post.

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10671

[Anonymous]

[:D]Yes, I have. [:D][:D]I have just begun to design my streets. Or at least the drawing on my layout of where the sidewalks are gaoing to have to be poured. I have made one crucial mistake. [:0]When designing my layout, at the time I had not thought about the moving cars, as such the area underneath my layout, which is all foam, will not probably support any type of long run for the pulley system. This is because I have to have a reliable way of attaching the system. Also, if I run the cars around the block, basically a square, what is going to hold up the square? (scratch that, I already figured it out).

Also the area that I am going to use for the automobiles is fairly small, which is actually a good thing given my scale (N). I will probably have to run a piece of thin luan under neath the layout so that I have something for the pulley system to attach to.

I had planned on removing some of the existing material from the top of the layout so that I could lay down sheets of styrene for the road system. This will of course be weathered to look realistic. It is thin and should prove to be the best way for good contact between the magnets.

As far as the cars turning the corner, I had planned on putting in the center of the street traffic lights, working or not, set on top of concrete when the cars turn the corner, the concreate would act as a bumber of sorts to streer the car so that it continues to face the proper direction.

On another note I looked into a system by a company for working traffic lights. I will add these only after I have been able to get this working. [:)]

This project is merely me wanting to see if I can get it done. My wife encourages me when I get these "spurts" of juices flowing. Don't let others discourage what you are trying to do, if you have an idea for something see it through. If is doesn't work, at least you can offer insight to others on where you failed to get it done and they may be able to pick up the torch and keep running with it. (I read your other post, Prickboy and the responses you got.)[V]

Maybe you should consider changing your profile name, it has a certain under tone to it.[:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

Sounds cool. I'm using HO scale so I don't know if I'll be much help. What I've experienced so far is that there is one major flaw with my slotcar idea. If I use a magnet strong enough to 'pull' a car, it just ends up jumping off the track and sticking to the bottom of the 'road' . Not to mention trying to slow the little buggers down. So a buddy of mine who's helping me with the electronics of making constant light for the locomotives (I'll explain later) suggested scraping the slot cars and using an old train. He said "that engine sure is hell heavy enough". So I through together a mock up, and he was so right. Plus the speed and momentum was so much more natural. Like I said before, I'm totally new so if this next bit is common knowledge, bare with me. The lighting on the trains varies with the speed of the train, so if you're going slow the light is way to dim. But with a small and cheap 'gadget' this can be fixed. Here's a link that describes how. 'Hope some of this helps.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/read.php?f=1&i=36980&t=36964

BTW, Prickboy is just a nickname I've had for years, nothin' meant by it. And thanks for the encouragement. If we want moving cars, by God we'll have moving cars[:D]

[Jetrock]

One way that I might try to have "moving cars" is putting motors in 'em and flanged wheels with fake "rubber tires" in front of them and run them down the track.

How can this make sense, you might ask? Well, my mainline runs down the middle of the street, using buried in-street track, so it was perfectly commonplace for cars to run down the mainline as long as there weren't any trains going by. So if I can whomp up a power unit small enough (probably from an old N scale loco) and a power transmission method that I can fit inside an HO scale car or truck, I can happily interfere with my railroad's traffic with errant cars and trucks!

Constant-lighting circuitry for model railroads is pretty common knowledge.

Replacing the slot-car concept with an entire buried level of track is downright baroque. You'll definitely have to have nice gradual curves (15" or broader) to accomodate the layout-within-a-layout and some means of gaining access to the hidden layout will be necessary. It still seems like an awful lot of work for a relatively minor scenic detail, but hey, more power to you...

[Anonymous]

Has anyone ever attempted in O scale using an N scale track system under the roadway, with an N scale loco pulling a car loaded with a magnet? The magnet could be positioned in such a way that it attracts a metal plate mounted on the bottom of the car above ( which would, necessarily, be of plastic for weight reasons). With turnouts, etc., being part of the N scale system
one could, possibly, manuever the car above in a realistic way. Also, O scale
may allow space inside the car or truck for a small, lightweight battery to power headlights and taillights.

[CBQ_Guy]

Also try joining and asking at the Yahoo! email group called Automation_and_Animation_of_Models at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Automation_and_Animation_of_Models/?yguid=154581698

[Anonymous]

Would velcro work instead of magnets?

[dand200]

I don't know if the MR article you were talking about was from the Feb 2004 issue, but the article on page 74 of that issue detailed a very high-tech and annimated layout in Germany. He had wires in the roadways but they were covered over. It is definitely worth a look even if it's not practicle.

[Anonymous]

Amphyrion I feel has the right idea. If your using foam (preferably 2") cut a trench and lay a "N" scale track layout under your streets. Have an "N" loco pull a flat car with a hunk of metal and place a magnet or magnets to the bottom side of your car( other way around it might cause flat car to derail) and cover with sheet styrene. You could do two loops around a city block to have traffic both ways. Then you could add flat cars to get more traffic or use them to space out traffic. Just a thought

[Anonymous]

Carpenter Matt's suggestion of foam sounds right. The street sections would have to be thin--and removable for maintaining the N system beneath. Also, would the cars and trucks be able to negotiate turns with rigid front wheels, or would something else be
needed, some kind of articulation? Do 1/43-scale slot cars have rigid wheels? And--I suppose the wheel-and-axle system would have to resemble that of slot cars and not simply be a wheel stuck on a metal shaft, because of the constant use involved. This
does get complicated....