Fx Bricks (Michael Gale) announces Fx Track system

[SD100]

@Ashi Valkoinen

Would you be willing to share a breakdown of your mechanism? I've got some of the switches and I've been searching for a way to motorize them, but haven't been able to come up with anything that low profile yet...

Thanks,

SD

[Ashi Valkoinen]

13 hours ago, SD100 said:

@Ashi Valkoinen

Would you be willing to share a breakdown of your mechanism? I've got some of the switches and I've been searching for a way to motorize them, but haven't been able to come up with anything that low profile yet...

Thanks,

SD

I'll share it soon as I'm progressing with the building of my station. There is a topik linked in my signature which I use to share all my MOCs, I'll post it there mid-February, based on the experiences collected at the event held 10th-11th of February.

[dtomsen]

On 11/9/2023 at 3:34 AM, dtomsen said:

My attempt at ballasting the P40 switch. It's a tough nut to crack but it's possible to do it nicely 



If using one layer of plates for the ballast instead of two like mine, Michael Gale's own solution is still the better choice tho.

Structural building render:

205 parts excluding P40 switch and ties

Edited January 18 by dtomsen

[Ludo]

Hi,

I just posted some pictures on my Flickr account of the P40 Left hand switch.

The gap in the module is to place a servo motor in it to command the switch.

The commandbar extention use a Technic Plate 1x6 (4262) and a Technic plate 1x4 (4263) placed on a tile 1x8.

Eventually, this can be replaced with a Technic Rack 1x8 (6630) or a Technic Rack 1x10 (6592) placed upside down.

One end connects to the switch with a Technic Pin 1/2 (4274), on the other side I placed a Technic Gear 12 Tooth Double Bevel (32270) to command the Technic Gear Rack.

 

I notice some mechanical stress when placing the ballasted switch to the MILS module. 

See here the principle of the command bar extention using the Technic Gear Rack.

 

[Ashi Valkoinen]

Finally I made a single R104 turnout using FX P40left switch and two pieces of FX R104 track. As peviously told, the incorrect alignment for this setup is so small, that the full R104 turnout can work and it is not necessary to use the tight R64P return curves. Of course, the track joints are little stressed, as they are not fully connected, but since tracks built in Holger-curves survived over a decade, I don't think it may damage the joints on long term.

20240204_115858 by Donát Raáb, on Flickr

[Arlo]

This system looks very interesting.  My trains run in an area where I need to get on a stepladder to change their batteries.  So, i'm very interested in using FxTrack to create a hybrid system, where my trains still run on batteries, but use a power pickup to recharge them from sections of the track that are FxTrack.  The holdup, of course, is that it looks like I have to either wait for FxBricks to make a power pickup or else build them myself.  Was looking at this guide for DIY Custom Power Pickups, but you need to find these particular size O-guage wheels which I've been unable to find, along with some other hard to find parts, and then you need a lathe to make a custom bushing!  So, not terribly likely.  

I guess FxTrack is currently only useful for people who currently have lego 9v trains with old metal rails.   I'll be waiting anxiously for a power pickup!  

[Phil B]

1 hour ago, Arlo said:

This system looks very interesting.  My trains run in an area where I need to get on a stepladder to change their batteries.  So, i'm very interested in using FxTrack to create a hybrid system, where my trains still run on batteries, but use a power pickup to recharge them from sections of the track that are FxTrack.  The holdup, of course, is that it looks like I have to either wait for FxBricks to make a power pickup or else build them myself.  Was looking at this guide for DIY Custom Power Pickups, but you need to find these particular size O-guage wheels which I've been unable to find, along with some other hard to find parts, and then you need a lathe to make a custom bushing!  So, not terribly likely.  

I guess FxTrack is currently only useful for people who currently have lego 9v trains with old metal rails.   I'll be waiting anxiously for a power pickup!  

I haven't done this myself, but you should be able to buy a broken 9V train motor, remove the innards, and use it to bring power to your PoweredUp/PowerFunctions batteries. There are guides on how to do this, but if you have even just a smidge of electrical engineering knowledge, this should be fairly easy to do.

[Luxibricks]

I'm building MILS Modules with automated P 40 switches. Is there a manual for ballasting available for R64 curves?

[Ludo]

12 minutes ago, Luxibricks said:

I'm building MILS Modules with automated P 40 switches. Is there a manual for ballasting available for R64 curves?

Hi,

I based my balasting on the one from Dennis Tomsen 

Note that this is for MODUVERSE, 1 plate higher than the MILS modules from L_Gauge.org

Top side

and 

Bottom Side

for the L-Gauge 'system' see my backside here:

I recomment the use of the 'plate 1x2 with door rail' as you can see in my picture to prevent the 'Plate 1x8 with door rail' to pop off.

Some of my R64P curves got the problem that certain  'Plate 1x8 with door rail' where popping up , others not.

By replacing them by 'Plate 1x2 with door rail' could I prevent this 'problem'.

 

 

[Luxibricks]

Thanks @Ludo for the instructions.

Here is the final result, 2 72 studs long MILS modules, each with a PU Hub, a L motor and a color/distance sensor. Everything will be controlled with BAP.

@michaelgale Are there any news concerning the release of R120 / R136 / R152 ?

 

[Modeltrainman]

@michaelgale, is there any update on the track leads/pickup wires?