baard

Eurobricks Citizen
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Posts posted by baard

  3. Posted

    Hi

    It helps to remove the yellow part and modify your switch mechanism, then you will get more room for any overhang. Look for posts on how to modify switches and you will see many examples.

    Good luck!

  6. Posted

    baard, have you tried your solution "out in the open" or do you only use balasted track that always gives you enough room to hide the big gear and motor?

    Yes, but I also don't like the visible gears, so for a couple of my switches sits a house over the little motor. The obvious disadvantige of any solution that is built above landscape is that it looks bulky and has to be built quite close to the track, thus eliminating the possibility of overhanging trains and cars.

    I have also tried the "spear" solution where you don't have to modify the switch at all, but use a minifig spear to push on the little moving piece of the switch (I don't have good name for the part on the switch), but again, the motor that you have to use will have to be hidden somewhere.

    I will defenitely look into the pneumatic solution you have posted, as this for a small area can be a viable solution. If you elevate your track at least 1 brick, you will also have room for the tubing.

    In conclusion, I think that my layouts in the future will always be built a couple of bricks above baseplate, at least where there are switches. This is of course brick demanding, but hey, then you can add small slopes and gradients that in the end will make your layout look more real. After all, earth is not flat :laugh:

  8. Posted

    Nice idea.

    As far as I can see from your pictures the pneumatic cylinder turns a technic liftarm that moves an 8 tooth cogwheel on a rack that moves the switch?

    I have found that motors do the same job as long as the rack can be held in place (it is merely resting on top of the switch) by the 8 tooth cogwheel. If you have space underneath your rail, the motors can be hidden. I guess you could do the same with the pneumatic cylinder. Have you tried using the small pneumatic cylinder?

    See my Flickr for a motorized version (rails are mounted 2 bricks and 1 plate over the baseplate):

    point automatization

    point automatization

    Point automatization and modification

  10. Posted

    This approach is also a bit interesting because it allows us to made some of the more exotic track pieces without having to worry about making 70,000 of them. Double outside slips, double crossovers, Wyes, 22.5° crosses, 45° crosses, odd-length straights, you name it. If I can model it, I can build it.

    It defenitely is. Nice work!

    Does the plastic come in several colors, or do you have to paint it afterwards?

    The price you mention, is that for a finished product? If it is, I am very interested in buying.

  11. Posted

    Generous and brave, letting the kids play with your trains!

    I do not let kids play with my trains at shows. Moving trains are always fun for them to watch anyway. Once I made a crossing inside a tunnel. This of course created a lot of interest because the trains did not come out of the expected openings in the mountain. At one show, a kid was laying in front of my layout (as this was close to the floor) for a couple of hours :laugh: .

    I must admit that exhibiting non-moving MOCs is far more relaxing on the exhibitor, but seeing the light in kids eyes is of course rewarding in itself.

    Good luck with your next show!

  13. Posted

    Thanks a lot for sharing. I saw many awesome ideas on your MOCs. I might borrow some of them in the future.

    Anytime. I lurk around this forum all the time and get a lot of inspiration from others. Selander from Sweden was the first builder to use a linear actuator under the train to retract the magnet as a decoupling mechanism for instance, I just refined the idea to fit smaller spaces.

    Thanks for sharing your model, I like your shunter :classic:. Happy building!

  14. Posted

    Decoupler, here it is. Flip around my Flickr, then you can see my version of a Norwegian SKD 226 shunter. I use the small 9V battery box with a cable conversion, and 2 M motors. Because of the decoupler mechanism, the propulsion of the train is only on two wheels. The same goes for my version of a class 8 Diesel chunter, where I have made a video of the decoupling. See links

    Diesel shunter Skd 226 to show decoupler mechanism as well as PF receiver placement

    Decoupler in action