[CRS] Alweg monorail diorama [WIP] (finished)

[XG BC]

Hey guys,

many of you know my monorail. i did a diorama a while back showing the japanese hitachi alweg innuyhama rhine Park monorail in a japanese setting. i now decided to plan to expand the diorama to cover all the major alweg monorails. expect things like seattle, turin, disneyland and ofcourse the original test site in köln-fühlingen. just thought this is better as its own topic.

What was alweg?

alweg was a company founded by Dr  Werner Grenn to develop a new kind of railway, one without the traditional steel wheels and two rails. they built a test site in köln fühlingen (this area is now an artificial lake) in 1951, just a few years after ww2 ended, in a still war ravaged germany.  the first smaller scale prototype was unveiled in 1952. this prototype ran on a narrow concrete beam through banked curves at incredible speeds. they even demonstrated stopping the train in the steeply banked curves and starting it again to wow the audience and demonstrate just how capable their system was. after that they shifted the concept from high speed long distance to urban, commuting stuff. the first full scale prototype was unveiled in 1957. it was this prototype that walt disney and his wife supposedly saw when they did a trip to germany. that was the inspiration for disney to want this exact system in disneyland. the next step in history is the expo italia 61 in turin where a short Demonstration line was built. it featured sleek, rounded trains (a Nightmare to get right in lego). next was the seattle system which some of you might know in 1962. to conclude these where the only 3 alweg systems ever built by alweg except the test track in köln fühlingen of course.

Hitachi -Alweg

the japanese company hitachi partnered with alweg to produce monorails of the alweg type. the first one they ever built was the innuyhama rhine Park monorail in 1962. in 1964 they built one of the biggest monorail systems ever: the tokio haneda line. in 1970 the osaka monorail was built. at this time the original alweg company was dead. they could never get the big projects for their system sadly. the hitachi engineers managed to eliminate one of the flaws of alwegs system: the protruding drive tires which didnt allow for a completely flat floor. Hitachi produces monorails with this system till today.

The mocs (this will be updated as things are built)

so the first one is older and exists irl: the hitachi innuyhama rhine Park monorail

this is a 3-car monorail just like irl but my built version only has two cars to improve the way it drives as 3 are a traction issue especially through curves. also it is a little different due to changes in the design to facilitate auto reverse/stop and negotiating curves.

this is what it currently looks like.

next is the first module: japan

here is the turin train (shape is a nightmare to get right)

and here is seattle

the diorama is planned to feature a single track running through japan at one end through seattle, turin, disneyland and ending at the test site in köln-fühlingen. thats the plan currently. hope you guys like this idea and will add more pics to the history tomorrow.

today i added all the other modules (still empty and without any landscaping)

 

the diorama is in order of year of construction so köln test track first then disney then turin then seattle and then we are in japan where hitachi essentially took over the alweg systme after the companys closure. japan isnt modelled after a specific one just generally as there are many of them operating there (for example tokio haneda osaka etc.) although the train is modelled after the first one they produced. had to do a bit of trickery as the monorail has issues with it getting stuck on an inclines on ramp (can handle the incline itself just fine but not the transition, not yet atleast...). the deviders are supposed to represent the sky and are there to smoothly devide the different parts.

next progress: the original alweg test track in köln fühlingen.

 

you can see the smaller beam of the scaled down test vehicle and the larger one of the full size prototype. this is around 1958 as walt disney and his wife are looking at the monorail beam.

the control tower and shed has also been built as close as was possible because the pictures of it arent that great.

did i say previously it was getting stuck on a ramp? well not anymore: now my monorail can climb slopes. it was getting stuck previously due to the switch car resting on the motor car and the motor car pushing the switch car down a bit when transitioning from flat to slope. now i have made the switches sides smaller (i use a 1x4 technic brick on either side now instead of the technic frame) and have moved the switch further towards the wheels of the switch car giving it more "ground clearance" so to speak. see for yourself:

this is only a render but is built irl too. havent found the time yet to make a good irl picture. the other changes include a different structured roof to give back the rigidity i lost with the frame. essentially swapped the more rigid roof of the motor car to the switch car. changed the coupler of the switch car too as the newer style one is slightly less bulky giving more clearance. the buffers mounting has also been slightly altered and allows for more clearance now. i will change the other (currently digital only) models to this new undercarridge sooner or later.

now its turins turn: i built the artificial lake the monorail beam ran through (the beam is still there on this part of the total system including the station).

 

the building is the palavela or atleast part of it. it is rather difficult to recreate but you get the idea.

and now there is a disneyland monorail. it is the mk1 monorail. 

 

i am currently not 100% happy with the canopy design and the transition to the passenger cabin. needs improvement for shure but everything else looks good.

and here we have the köln fühlingen train that walt and his wife rode:

now we go along to the disney layout: it contains the people mover and the submarine voyage

incase anyone is wondering: yes the monorail track is supposed to be on the side of the submarine voyage with the platform for the subs being below the monorail station. i took some creative liberties.

and now there is seattle atleast the current progress of that:



 

it is modelled after the old now demolished station at pine street:

not complete yet still needs roof and floor of the model.

...aaand done. roof was a nightmare to make.

 

pretty happy with it, maybe will do a bit more detailing eventually adding other things like benches on the other side.

Edited June 24, 2023 by XG BC

[Darkkostas25]

Gorgeous monorail trains, with very lovely designs. Comfy scenery.
For Turin train maybe you switch some of the arcs/curve slopes with that roof part(beneath 2x3plate) switch for plate and 6 cheese slopes?

[Crazy bricks]

Looks great, the 4 wide power functions part is hard to pull off!!

[XG BC]

4 hours ago, Crazy bricks said:

Looks great, the 4 wide power functions part is hard to pull off!!

it isnt powerfunctions.the drivetrain is using a tower pro servo modded for continous rotation

[Feuer Zug]

Cool setup. I like the history lesson of this system along with the various designs you put together. The Japan scene is perfect.

[XG BC]

today i added all the other modules (still empty and without any landscaping)

the diorama is in order of year of construction so köln test track first then disney then turin then seattle and then we are in japan where hitachi essentially took over the alweg systm after the companys closure. japan isnt modelled after a specific one just generally as there are many of them operating there (for example tokio haneda osaka etc.) although the train is modelled after the first one they produced. had to do a bit of trickery as the monorail has issues with it getting stuck on an inclines on ramp (can handle the incline itself just fine but not the transition, not yet atleast...). the deviders are supposed to represent the sky and are there to smoothly devide the different parts.

Edited May 5, 2023 by XG BC

[XG BC]

next progress: the original alweg test track in köln fühlingen.

you can see the smaller beam of the scaled down test vehicle and the larger one of the full size prototype. this is around 1958 as walt disney and his wife are looking at the monorail beam.

 

the control tower and shed has also been built as close as was possible because the pictures of it arent that great.

[XG BC]

did i say previously it was getting stuck on a ramp? well not anymore: now my monorail can climb slopes. it was getting stuck previously due to the switch car resting on the motor car and the motor car pushing the switch car down a bit when transitioning from flat to slope. now i have made the switches sides smaller (i use a 1x4 technic brick on either side now instead of the technic frame) and have moved the switch further towards the wheels of the switch car giving it more "ground clearance" so to speak. see for yourself:

this is only a render but is built irl too. havent found the time yet to make a good irl picture. the other changes include a different structured roof to give back the rigidity i lost with the frame. essentially swapped the more rigid roof of the motor car to the switch car. changed the coupler of the switch car too as the newer style one is slightly less bulky giving more clearance. the buffers mounting has also been slightly altered and allows for more clearance now. i will change the other (currently digital only) models to this new undercarridge sooner or later.

https://flic.kr/p/2oCKLRn

proof that it can climb slopes 

Edited May 25, 2023 by XG BC
added video

[XG BC]

now its turins turn: i built the artificial lake the monorail beam ran through (the beam is still there on this part of the total system including the station).

 

the building is the palavela or atleast part of it. it is rather difficult to recreate but you get the idea.

[XG BC]

and now there is a disneyland monorail. it is the mk1 monorail. 

i am currently not 100% happy with the canopy design and the transition to the passenger cabin. needs improvement for shure but everything else looks good.

Edited May 27, 2023 by XG BC

[XG BC]

and here we have the köln fühlingen train that walt and his wife rode:

 

[elfprince13]

this is really lovely. do you have some pictures showing the actual method of locomotion?

[XG BC]

here you go:

https://flic.kr/p/2oCKLRn

for more details:

feel free to ask me anything if you want a more in depth explanation.

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by XG BC

[elfprince13]

Thanks!

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Beautiful monorail and even more beautiful modularity!

[XG BC]

11 minutes ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

Beautiful monorail and even more beautiful modularity!

thank you! next up will be either the disney scenery or seattle depending on how i am feeling. disney will be tomorrowland for shure, seattle will include the space needle (sized down in height and scale) and the museum of pop culture it travels through.

[XG BC]

people mover? people mover! this will be included in my disney layout.

 

[Darkkostas25]

On 5/29/2023 at 5:55 PM, XG BC said:

people mover? people mover! this will be included in my disney layout.

 

What a cutie!

 

[XG BC]

now we go along to the disney layout: it contains the people mover and the submarine voyage

 

incase anyone is wondering: yes the monorail track is supposed to be on the side of the submarine voyage with the platform for the subs being below the monorail station. i took some creative liberties.

[XG BC]

...and now there is seattle atleast the current progress of that:

it is modelled after the old now demolished station at pine street:

not complete yet still needs roof and floor of the model.

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by XG BC

[XG BC]

...aaand done. roof was a nightmare to make.

pretty happy with it, maybe will do a bit more detailing eventually adding other things like benches on the other side.

 

[Murdoch17]

@XG BC Have you thought about using parts 85941, 24593, or 6259 for the roof for the Seattle station? It would be a lot stronger (and cheaper) than what you have there with individual quarter-circle parts. 

Edited June 25, 2023 by Murdoch17

[XG BC]

thanks for the Suggestion. yeah havent looked into these. but yeah these would be better.

[XG BC]

and here is a full render of the whole thing. changed the roof to your suggestion aswell. @Murdoch17

other side:

total part count: 6661 parts. 

[Murdoch17]

Really nIce work @XG BC! I can't wait to see it in real bricks!