Camera car

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jwwhite

Wishfull thinking...

Don't get me wrong, these video clips are way cool, and lots of fun, but if only we could devise a way to link the camera to the leading truck so it swiveled into the curve the way a rider would turn their head into a curve...

Thanks for the great images!

I thought the same thing. I just purchased the same camera and I was planning how to make a special car that would turn the camera into the corner. I will post how it works out when I get the camera, my guess in a week or so.

[nobullchitbids]

For those still using batteries, you could simply mount a string of 1.5 v dry cells in a "work train," one or two batteries per car trailing the camera. This will lower the center of gravity so that the cars won't wobble or tip. If using metal couplers otherwise insulated, it might be possible to wire the battery clips to the couplers to effect the necessary connections from one pole (you would need a return wire or other conductor to complete the circuit back to the last car).

[jwwhite]

Wishfull thinking...

Someone, (perhaps Disney?) once did a study on why conventional film/video of roller coaster rides from the perspective of the rider weren't particularly satisfying. As it turns out, what was lacking was the natural instinct of the rider to look ahead to where they were going. In other words, to swivel their heads ahead of the curve to anticipate what was coming next. Once the camera operators started to swivel the camera into the curves, the darmatic impact was much greater.

Don't get me wrong, these video clips are way cool, and lots of fun, but if only we could devise a way to link the camera to the leading truck so it swiveled into the curve the way a rider would turn their head into a curve...

Thanks for the great images!

[Anonymous]

That Gadgettom camera looked pretty neat.

But the forward view at the front end of the train - in that hi-cube - looked like a low flying aircraft! :)

I really like the hobo view.

Rob

[tcf511]

Thanks Terry. That is very cool.

[scubaterry]

tcf511 - gadgettom.com has video only or vid and sound on his web site. He has put them in a 40 ft boxcar and has three views, engineer, hobo (out the box car door) and conductor. Check out the videos on his website. I plan on getting one soon.
Terry

[MisterBeasley]

Viva Waldovia, Governor! Adding the additional running train in parallel gives a lot more activity to the video.

[pcarrell]

That is simply too cool for words!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Governor

The 'Now Showing' video at Waldovia is of our 2003 layout and is a short clip using the wireless cam:
http://www.ospreyweb.myby.co.uk/wsr-miscpics/waldovia-current-video.wmv

It will be available for a few days. Grab it while you can [:D]

Now we're cooking with gas! That is very nice.
See what some scenery can add to the clip? [:)]

What type of camera are you guys using?
The image quality is great and you seem to get very little interference.
I also like the sound FX you put underneath.

[selector]

I think I would secretly like one of those camera cars ('course, now it's not so secret...dummy), but my tunnels are...um...weird. They have a bluish glow and a funny, smooth interior that looks like stacks of, I dunno, plastic foam, or something.

I guess I'll have to look at mashed paper egg cartons and see if I can't make them look more natural. More work. Always more work. [:D]

[Anonymous]

The 'Now Showing' video at Waldovia is of our 2003 layout and is a short clip using the wireless cam:
http://www.ospreyweb.myby.co.uk/wsr-miscpics/waldovia-current-video.wmv

It will be available for a few days. Grab it while you can [:D]

[dave9999]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Kyle S.

QUOTE: Originally posted by dave9999

Nice job on the camera car. I will be looking into this... Great, now I have to detail the inside of
my tunnels. Thanks alot![:D] Dave

I know. Just when you thought you're almost done.. [;)]

I guess it's true what they say... A layout is never done. Of course, mine is far from
done. Good luck, Dave

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dave9999

Nice job on the camera car. I will be looking into this... Great, now I have to detail the inside of
my tunnels. Thanks alot![:D] Dave

I know. Just when you thought you're almost done.. [;)]

[dave9999]

Nice job on the camera car. I will be looking into this... Great, now I have to detail the inside of
my tunnels. Thanks alot![:D] Dave

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tcf511

It sounds to me like there might be demand for some pre-built HO camera cars. I like the idea of hooking one up to a decoder that you could just turn on and off. Does anyone know of any dealers who are selling them as a unit in a car or dummy engine?

When you model in HO, it should be a breeze to put one together yourself.
In N scale, it's a bit more tricky.
I am surprised that with the advent of these tiny cheap cameras, riding your
layout from the perspective of an engine still isn't that common, concidering
how much wiring is already needed in a layout.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

Interesting topic and gratifying results. Thanks for sharing your hard work...and pleasure.

Thanks, I appreciate it!
Now imagine the videos from a layout that already has some scenery on it..

[selector]

Interesting topic and gratifying results. Thanks for sharing your hard work...and pleasure.

[tcf511]

It sounds to me like there might be demand for some pre-built HO camera cars. I like the idea of hooking one up to a decoder that you could just turn on and off. Does anyone know of any dealers who are selling them as a unit in a car or dummy engine?

[MisterBeasley]

The train camera will be in the front of one train (or in the back, if I run it the other way.) The subway is a loop which mostly runs around the outside of the layout, so I've got 2 stations which are open-sided. The loop breaks out above the surface for a short run where it gets away from the board edge. Then, there are a couple of turnouts which lead to ramps up to the main level.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MisterBeasley

Kyle, thanks for the video clip. I'm building subways, and I'm really agonizing about the lighting. For now, it looks like my walls will be styrene sheet rolled over with a thick hydrocal mixture with a paint roller, then sprayed with gray primer. That gives me walls with some texture and structure, but not much weight. What are your tunnel walls made of?

I haven't lined my tunnels yet. What you see in the video is the rigid foam I used
to build my mountain. It's obviously highly reflective.
Since you're building a subway, what are you means of observing your trains?
A train camera and/or stationary cameras in the tunnels?

[MisterBeasley]

Kyle, thanks for the video clip. I'm building subways, and I'm really agonizing about the lighting. For now, it looks like my walls will be styrene sheet rolled over with a thick hydrocal mixture with a paint roller, then sprayed with gray primer. That gives me walls with some texture and structure, but not much weight. What are your tunnel walls made of?

[Anonymous]

Update:

I added two 3mm bright-white LEDs to the car.
Although I still need some extra ambient light to get a good exposure, it does
help when going through a tunnel.
I added a DCC decoder to turn the lights on and off.



Video clip: http://nscalers.com/clips/tunnel_and_lights.wmv (490KB)

Kyle.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HoosierDaddy

Until I read this thread I thought that a camara car would be a nice, but expensive toy that maybe one day I'd consider. Now, I expect that I'll have a camera in hand within a week. I had now idea that the price for these things were as low as they were.

Love the videos Kyle, especialy the latest with the great soundtrack.

HD

Thanks, I'm glad you like it!
It really is a lot of fun and doesn't cost that much.
I just have to find some time to work on my scenery one of these days.. [:)]

[HoosierDaddy]

Until I read this thread I thought that a camara car would be a nice, but expensive toy that maybe one day I'd consider. Now, I expect that I'll have a camera in hand within a week. I had now idea that the price for these things were as low as they were.

Love the videos Kyle, especialy the latest with the great soundtrack.

HD

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,

For your enjoyment, I put up another little clip for this Memorial Day weekend.
It is available in 2 different sizes, for dialup & broadband access:

Dialup: http://nscalers.com/clips/roundtrip_128.wmv (1.4 MB)

Broadband: http://nscalers.com/clips/roundtrip_512.wmv (5.5 MB)

Enjoy your weekend.

[Leon Silverman]

If you want to go back to a 9-volt battery, try a rechargeable Nickel-Cadmium (NI-Cad). They do not have the run time of an alkaline, but they are also lighter in weight. This should have the effect of lowering your center of gravity.

[ukguy]

Well guys, after reading this thread I couldnt resist, so I went on ebay and got me one of these NEW colour wireless cams and receiver for $15.50 !!! the shipping ($16.99) cost more than the camera !! Man I didnt realise how cheap these things had gotten. Now I cant wait to try it out.

Have fun & be safe.
Karl.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mcouvillion

Pennsy58,

I've got two pinhole color cameras, one mounted inside an engine powered by DCC, the other still loose, powered by two 9V batteries in series. I usually mount this one temporarily in gondolas. I noticed your camera has a lens, which explains why your focal point is down the track a ways. The pinhole lens brings everything into focus right up to the camera, and it has decent peripheral vision, too. I have tried white LEDs to no avail. My engine's headlight is a white LED that is as bright as a flashlight, and I can;t see a thing in tunnels with it. However, I can see with infrared LEDs! You and I can't see the light from these, but the pinhole camera does. Try one of these with one of the white LEDs and see if your vision improves in the darker areas.

I'll try to get a video together soon of an actual layout, and then post a clip.

Mark C.

I envy you that you can model in a scale that allows you to put a camera inside an engine - nice!

As far as infrared LEDs are concerned: I know that they are used with night
vision cameras, but those are usually only black & white (I have some in my backyard).
I don't think that the image from a color camera would be that great if you use
infrared LEDs, since infrared has a totally different light spectrum then normal daylight.
This might only work in black & white. But it might be worth a try.

[Pennsy58]

Never thought of that. Gonna have to give it a try.

[mcouvillion]

Pennsy58,

I've got two pinhole color cameras, one mounted inside an engine powered by DCC, the other still loose, powered by two 9V batteries in series. I usually mount this one temporarily in gondolas. I noticed your camera has a lens, which explains why your focal point is down the track a ways. The pinhole lens brings everything into focus right up to the camera, and it has decent peripheral vision, too. I have tried white LEDs to no avail. My engine's headlight is a white LED that is as bright as a flashlight, and I can;t see a thing in tunnels with it. However, I can see with infrared LEDs! You and I can't see the light from these, but the pinhole camera does. Try one of these with one of the white LEDs and see if your vision improves in the darker areas.

I'll try to get a video together soon of an actual layout, and then post a clip.

Mark C.