Wow!! I just saw the video on ModelRailroader.com of the working HO scale container crane. Does anyone know of something similar in N scale. I am just starting to design my first big layout in N scale and would love to incorporate one of those into it.
Thanks
You N-scale guys really should contact the manufacturer (Heljan) about making these things in N, if you think that some of you might buy them. If they can create a bigger market by "downsizing" their model, it might help reduce the cost for everyone.
Not my era, but those really are pretty cool accessories. My guess is they would sell a ton of them at $100, but very few at $750. On the other hand, that might be a better business model - make less on each item, but sell so many of them that you can make a bigger profit. (Remember when pre-recorded VHS tapes first came out? They were like $80 a piece. Then someone started selling them at $20 (Disney, I think) and found the sweet spot in the market.)
The same basic mechanical linkages could be used for a large magnet loading scrap metal, or a coal bucket. Once again, they could spread the development costs over multiple projects and get the costs down, so more people could afford the products, and everybody wins.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
SgtToe wrote: Wow!! I just saw the video on ModelRailroader.com of the working HO scale container crane.
Wow!! I just saw the video on ModelRailroader.com of the working HO scale container crane.
Where at?
Click on the picture of the model at www.walthers.com and select your video format.
There is another video on the MRR site, but you have to be a subscriber. Here is a link
http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=1020
If they do make it in N scale, don't look for it to be lower priced. Much like the turntables - the 90 and 130 foot models are the same price, as is the N scale version. The cost is all in the electronics, not in the plastic that makes up the shell. That container crane is essentially a DCC system plus 2 or 3 locos with decoders.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I looked at the manual, which they thoughtfully provided through the Walthers site. There are 3 separate motor functions, raise/lower, rotate and traverse. It appears that the overall crane is not powered, but can be positioned manually. (See below. I was wrong on that. Sorry.) There are also two functions - lights and electromagnet.
But Randy is right - this comes with a limited DCC system of its own. To me, they could really bring the cost down if they would just bring out the motor wires and power leads to the lights and magnet. For most users, fascia toggle switches would suffice for running this crane, and those who want to use DCC could add it themselves.
They have taken advantage of DCC in their power routing, which I suppose runs up through the rails. This eliminates the need for cables to the individual motors, and allows you to manually roll the whole thing down the tracks. With the wiring you'd need to control everything on DC, you'd have to have a multi-wire cable connecting the base to the tower, but I don't think that would bother too many people if it brought the price way down.
MisterBeasley wrote: I looked at the manual, which they thoughtfully provided through the Walthers site. There are 3 separate motor functions, raise/lower, rotate and traverse. It appears that the overall crane is not powered, but can be positioned manually. There are also two functions - lights and electromagnet.
I looked at the manual, which they thoughtfully provided through the Walthers site. There are 3 separate motor functions, raise/lower, rotate and traverse. It appears that the overall crane is not powered, but can be positioned manually. There are also two functions - lights and electromagnet.
Not sure what you're talking about here. According to the video, the entire crane can run back and forth on rails in the base, the carriage can move from side to side, the head can raise and lower, plus rotate, all with the remote control.
I didn't see anything in the instructions about being able to move the whole crane along the tracks. I don't have one of these, so that's all I'm going by. Of course, I might have missed it. To me, it looks like rolling it down its tracks is a manual operation. Maybe I'll watch the video again and see if they move it by remote control. Stay tuned...
OK, I stand corrected. The whole structure does move along the rails by remote control. That does make the control issue a lot more complex, and probably forces you to use DCC. Maybe what they should do is provide one without their own DCC system for those already running DCC.
Unfortunately their model looks very European to me. The cranes here in Southern California are simpler and do not have to swivel the container around to avoid the supports. It's a basic lift move over and down all within the supports. They never go to the outside of the supports.
It would be nice if Walthers would work with Heljan to develop an American prototype. The best would be to have it undecorated in a basic color like yellow, orange, etc...but come with road specific decals you can add. Of course it would cost the same amount, but I bet several club layouts and well to do individuals would more then likely gather the funds for one.
Also notice how much noise the mechanism makes on the MRR video, you never hear any sound in the promo video
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website