doug72

Thanks, now downloaded the parts list OK which will help identify parts required especially the axles. OK when on the screen but when printed all the parts are out of step with the images, file does not like Mac OS 10.13.6 Tried as a zip file but still no joy.

Now building using available parts so will be multi-coloured ! Don’t have a large stock of studded parts so some special parts will required alternative solutions to be found & raid my grandson’s Lego box. The build will be SLOW & STEADY !!!!

I find following LXF instructions and the generated building guide can be very frustrating at times due to having to disassemble parts already built in order to add further parts at later building steps. Seems illogical way to build ! Also can be hard to determine the correct length of axles. Beams are OK as can count no. of holes. Is there a way to generate a parts list ? I much prefer PDF instructions which are much clearer and builds in a logical manner. Can LXF be converted to PDF ?

I tend to build either bag by bag or stage by stage. Then double check everything is correct before moving onto the next stage - saves a lot of frustration later if a part has been inserted wrongly or missed ! With the onset of ever bigger lego sets - its essential to check at every stage things are correct. Also with onset of arthritis in my hands speed building is not possible.

There are real mono rail trains that use more then one rail, some have three. One to support the train and for the powered wheels to run on, along with 2 side guide rails to prevent the train tipping. I have two excellent books on 19th & 20th. Cent. Mono Railways.

Scissors Lift - Ball Control Entry Gate: Now devised a satisfactory automatic ball entry control gate able to load 15 balls per train. It took awhile to get timing and clearances correct but now operating OK.

You need TWO different cables connected together, if connecting to the underside female port as shown in your first image. The PF cable (right) has both male & female connections at one end. The other end has a PF male connection with an old female connection on the other side. The old cable (left) has two plugs with both male & female connections. Don't know the part number.

Improved Scissors Lift Mark 2. Again uses a constantly rotating drive to raise & lower the ball carrying platform. Initially tried using a crank drive system but OK when raising but tended to drop when lowering due the low angle of the crank arm. Now devised a method using a crank BUT not directly connected to the scissor framing, instead a crank with a roller runs along the underside of the bottom row of scissor beams on both sides (see photo) The action is now very smooth without any sudden jerks or free fall. There is a short dwell when lift fully lowered to allow balls to load. A standard 3L crank arm proved to be too long so used four Lego Cams set at 2.5L radius (LEGO Technic Half Beam Cam (6575) Loading position: Transfer to train position: Close up of scissors lift mechanism showing cams used for crank arms. Timing: The lift uses a 24T / worm gear to raise & lower the lift. The train trip also uses a 24T / worm combination so timing for train departing was very easy to set. Train trip set to depart after balls have been transferred to train hopper. The train reverser uses a single trip lobe & modified to reduce the speed by using 12/20 gears in both the drive to train reverser & the scissors lift. In order to line up train track with scissors lift a gear train was required low enough to pass under the track to the drive the lift and to align train with the lift. It may be possible to make more direct alignment but train reverser would require further modification. Ball Loading gate: Not entirely happy with this as only loads a few balls per cycle. More work required to increase the ball rate. Video:

I agree, the Rough Terrain Crane uses 19 pce. I replaced many by 3L beam & 2 pins which I have plenty of, keeping the RTC ones for other possible uses, yet to be determined !

I too brought instructions on line recently and as with earlier purchases I waited for an e mail with the download link only to not receive one, so I checked the website to find the download and also as I thought the file wasn’t, downloading, I tried again only to find I had made two attempts. Found it’s best copy the file and save iti in a different location, JIC.

Change of plan - now working on a parallelogram linkage device, inspired by your curved rack lift except will use a double crank system to move it. See my GBC Train Swing Loader for a mechanism using curved gear racks on the GBC Train thread on Page 19 dec. 2nd. 2018

You could put an app on the smart phone that causes the excavator to pick up the phone up and crush it !!

Great work and some really interesting solutions & mechanisms. Has given me some ideas for a new GBC Train Module using curved gear racks.

Slightly off topic: I recently purchased & downloaded the PV Productions instructions for the GBC 30 Fun Factory built using parts from the 42082 Rough Terrain Crane, which I intend to build later when I break down the Rough Terrain Crane I recently completed. Meanwhile using the PV Productions instructions I have built the automatic vertical ball lift module - using available parts I have in order to see if it could be used for GBC Train vertical lift module. Now tested & it can driven by a standard GBC Train reverser and it does drive it OK, BUT very difficult to get consistent timing, due to the reverser unit dwell period which is not consistent. I have tried some MODs to overcome this, so far without success and I think arranging synchronising the train trip with the lift would be very difficult. I intend to use the structure of the lift but with some other way of operating it that keeps it consistent & able to be synchronised with a train reverser module. PS: The GBC 30 Ferris Wheel module looks to be a very interesting and complex build.

Thanks for that info, I won't be chopping up a 16/24 diff as I have several modified white 24T gears and I also found a Lego legal solution as shown on page 20.

Dumper timing once set should stay in sync. I spotted the train had stuck trying to exit the elevator to the dumper in your video. I had lots of the same problems the when using the Akiyuki version, hence the mods. The chocks are much simpler & easier to set on the worm drive version and is not relient on rubber bands or trips. You might be best to copy @Berthil version of the elevator which is faster for achieving the 30 ball / min. The counterweights system definitly helps. Re Auto point change over. Might be possible to use a Vee reverser but with two inputs from unloader & dumper via differential to select the drive to operate it.

Lack of parts to make for counterweight cylinders & string too short.

Counterweights are filled with UK 2 Pence coins & are a perfect fit at 26 mm diam.

See page 17 Oct 27th for counterweight images. I will take some closer ones & post them later. Doug

You are missing 3L XOX connector block as indicated by arrow in 2nd image. Here's two images showing my set up. There should be images of my counterweight system in an earlier post, i will check and post some closer ones later today. Doug

Is this what you are looking for ? See Akiyuki Project - page 66 - Nov 21st 20118 for a posting by @9v system showing a Ver. 1 train using an L motor.

Thanks, looks to be a good event. How did the elevator / dumper perform ? I see you had a bypass arrangment with an unloader in case of problems . Also viewed the videos that @RohanBeckett posted which shows your set up at the begining & end of the Saturday event.

Thanks - tried it and succesful. I only have short length of 2mm hose & not much of the small track treads. I found it best to not cut the hose to length before inserting by hand. Then cut to length & add the pin. Less harm to finger tips !! Don't think the mechcanical scissors lift is worth persuing , too many problems, so exploring another idea to transfer balls up over over the track.

A good contender

Looks good - hose into center track hole OK but how do you push a 2mm round hose into the retangular slots on the edge of the each track link.