A protoytpe for everything??

ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.


Gee Whiz!.......when you think you've seen everything.....then the ancient Ireland ballybunion mono-railroad pops up from out of nowhere. Good one!:)

Mike
 


D&J RailRoad said:
Wellll, they had to try it to prove it was a dumb idea.
Click to expand...

I've been thinking for many years about making something like that in an elevated rail w/a modern diesel & modern pass. cars, but never took the time to do it & then I found an HO scale Monorail set made by ER Models & forgot about that idea.:rolleyes:
 
They have rebuilt a small section of track and have a new locomotive and rolling stock although the loco is diesel but I believe designed to be convertable to steam at a later date.
http://youtu.be/RikSdJOuSNg

I too have the ER models Monorail !
Colin.
 
Now, U got me interested again w/that new video. Might have to build something like that before long. Would be a fantastic challenge & I'm always up for a complicated challenge.:D:):eek:
 


With how much it's wobbling, I think the center rail's doing most of the supporting, with the sides of the ridge just sort of guiding it.

Thanks for posting. :)
 
RW&C said:
With how much it's wobbling, I think the center rail's doing most of the supporting, with the sides of the ridge just sort of guiding it.

Thanks for posting. :)
Click to expand...

A monorail with training wheels like a childs bike. What an amazing piece of film history as well as rail. I wonder if they supplied sick bags for motion sickness. What about the stairway up and over the track at the end of the split carriages and the grade crossing drawbridge.

Whoever designed it was determined to be different 'cause no way could you justify a system like that on a cost basis over conventional 2 rail. You often hear "Only in America" when something weird and wacky comes up but "F'shure and begorra, only in Oireland" for this one.

(doesn't make me feel so bad about a few of my box cars that do the same wobble without cure)
 
The idea came from North Africa where a raised rail was used to carry loads in a similar way to pack animals- the original did not use side rails so was probably more wobbly than the Irish line.
The designer was named Lartigue and was French and had already built a line in France before the Ballybunion line.
There was a similar line in the USA which carried minerals i believe somewhere near Death Valley.
If you want a wierd "monorail" how about this one.

http://youtu.be/ry1UgYmIHCk

Or this one, I was near to this a couple of weeks ago but it is on a private site so did not see it.

http://youtu.be/o30FDVe92fY

Regards, Colin.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.




Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Back
Top