New Monorail

[Brickthus]

Please see this topic

This is a new sustainable monorail system using basic parts for infinite tracks and Power Functions for power and control.

Mark

Edited December 17, 2012 by Mark Bellis

[Brickthus]

I've updated the pictures of the new monorail.

I now have straights, curves, 2 types of hills (48M x 5 bricks high and 80M x 10 bricks high) and a flat crossing working well.

I have built at least enough track to replicate the 6399 Airport Shuttle monorail set.

Mark

[Rijkvv]

Nice work on the crossing!

I would love to see a modern update of the legendary 6399. I tried to build a monorail as well (also inspired and based on Hidaka's one) but failed and haven't made a new attempt yet.

[Brickthus]

Another update to the monorail pictures, now with a heart-shaped circuit.

Developments:

- I added a bit to the curves, so they are now 38M long when straightened, for a more accurate 48M radius to the track centre.

- The crossing has been updated so it works better. Train progress is not impeded at all, even if it occasionally jumps over a returning folding track section at particular speed settings.

- I've now implemented the start/stop system of the original monorail by adding a sliding piece to a standard straight rail so that it pushes a slider on the train and changes the polarity of a PF pole reverser switch. The IR remote control is still available as well.

- The layout now has tracks on top of each other - a concept that needed to be proved for any large layout ideas to work. Some of the curves have few-plate rises too, to check that spirals can be done - 4 plates per curve would be needed for a full helix to work. It is now possible to go for the world record of 362.5m with this system, as long as you get at least 40000 1x2 plates, 22000 2x2 tiles and 2x2 plates and 8000 2x8 plates!

Now that I have many different track piece concepts working well, I might have a go at points and crossovers, something Masao Hidaka has shown on LEGO CUUSOO, as well as improving my train! With points and crossovers there is some point to having more than one train!

Mark

[kieran]

What's the build time for a straight section on average now you have made quite a few?

[Electricsteam]

I saw an old blue era monorail in one of the old idea books. It explains pretty much what I am trying to build fo a steam monorail I am trying to build.

[Brickthus]

What's the build time for a straight section on average now you have made quite a few?

When I have gathered the parts, it takes about 20 minutes to make 9 32M straights or 4 curves (half a circle).

Since the parts are mostly 2xn plates, I have ice cream boxes and freezer bags with most sizes of them handy for my railway.

I soon ran out of blue parts after making the four blue curves but I had the black parts in quantity!

I made some text instructions for the basic track pieces.

Mark

[kieran]

When I have gathered the parts, it takes about 20 minutes to make 9 32M straights or 4 curves (half a circle).

Since the parts are mostly 2xn plates, I have ice cream boxes and freezer bags with most sizes of them handy for my railway.

I soon ran out of blue parts after making the four blue curves but I had the black parts in quantity!

I made some text instructions for the basic track pieces.

Mark

Thanks Mark, the instructions are very clear as well.

Kieran