Roller Coasters

[BigDumbWookiee]

Not a licensed product, but I think this has a lot of potential to be really cool:

http://rollercoasterfatory.myshopify.com/products/roller-coaster-factory

It's a LEGO compatible building set from Coaster Dynamix, makers of scale operating roller coaster models. Really cool stuff. I just wonder how big you can build the actual cars for the coaster. As you can see, in the example model, they've not put together any cars on the wheel trucks.

[dr_spock]

I started making a Friends coaster using the kit. The car uses two of the 6 sets of wheels in order for Mia to fit properly. Using minifigs, you could have one minifig sitting on each wheel set.

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[Jargo]

Interesting. A few questions: What material is the rail made from? How much give or springiness is there in it. I notice that it's got a split edge that you push the connectors into. How tight is that fit? Also, in your picture dr_spock, what exactly is going on with that massive circular saw blade and the jousting Friends?

[TGB]

I actually work on coasters as part of my job, so this is interesting to me. Could you post a closer up photo of the wheel carrier assembly? A coaster typically has three sets of wheels on each car, one set prevents side to side movement, the next limits its upward movement and the last would be the set it normally travels on.

Is it possible to do inversions with this kit and not have the train fall off the track?

[dr_spock]

Interesting. A few questions: What material is the rail made from? How much give or springiness is there in it. I notice that it's got a split edge that you push the connectors into. How tight is that fit? Also, in your picture dr_spock, what exactly is going on with that massive circular saw blade and the jousting Friends?

The rail is made from a flexible tubing material kind of like the Lego Technic tubing with a slot cut into it. It looks like the same size. It grips the connectors fairly tight. It is my "ride at your own high risk" Friend extreme theme park. Please sign the waiver first.

I actually work on coasters as part of my job, so this is interesting to me. Could you post a closer up photo of the wheel carrier assembly? A coaster typically has three sets of wheels on each car, one set prevents side to side movement, the next limits its upward movement and the last would be the set it normally travels on.

Is it possible to do inversions with this kit and not have the train fall off the track?

Cool. What type of work do you do with coasters? It is possible to do inversions without the train falling off the tracks. Here is a close up of the wheel sets upside down. There is a dog tooth underneath that you can use Technic chain links to pull up the train. I haven't tried that yet since I haven't received my order of Lego chain links.

Like real life coasters, you have to watch the forces you put on your brick built cars. It is possible to separate the car from the wheel set with too violent a turn. I sent Friend Mia to her death a few times. (You can cheat and use a bit of white glue to hold the car to the wheel set.)