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Hmm weekend,
That just might be the last "toot" we hear out of Tooter. There had to be some sort of rope/pulley system to help cars down that hill...otherwise they never would have negotiated the curve at the bottom.
-Art
No doubt you've already realised this but using the crank from a cheap bicycle would be perfect. If you wanted to get real fancy you could even mount the rear set of cogs + derailleur from a mountain bike to simulate notches and maximize your tractive effort!
No doubt you've already realised this but using the crank from a cheap bicycle would be perfect. If you wanted to get real fancy you could even mount the rear set of cogs + derailleur from a mountain bike to simulate notches and maximize your tractive effort!
Yep. This is an old logging railroad in the Pacific Northwest. There would have been a VERY large steam donkey engine at the top to pull the log cars (and an occasional locomotive) to the top of the grade.
The rails are prebent to the desired raduis. They run them through adjustable rollers. The steel is pretty stiff, and would be very difficult to bend by hand.
Wow you're really going to town on this one!
So looking at the rails I'm thinking there are inside and outside curved sections.
Are you staggering your joints or making panel track that can be moved later?
If it can be moved I need to know what time you get home from work.
Everything will naturally end up being staggered just from the curves being the same length. The tracks are fitted by lossening the screws to allow one rail to slide in the ties till it meets up with the adjoining rail. Staggering does make for smoother transitions, even though it's more difficult.
If it can be moved I need to know what time you get home from work.
That's a dilemma... I like to move things around and try them out to see how they'll work, but the tracks are not move friendly. So I'm going to lay out single rails and let them lie for a while until I'm sure of the right of way, because final installation will involve a lot of excavation and grading as none of the yard comes anywhere close to being level... it just looks flat from up above.
The undercarriage on the little pull car is all done...
The spring retainers are in and trusses between the axles are installed. The drive mechanism is awaiting parts on order. The drive roller on the pull handle will tension the chain. Next, will be to build a seat which will also serve as a MOW toolbox for carrying rail assembling tools and hardware.
Be happy to...
I'll also post videos here when there's enough track to run a car. the man who sold me the rails and ties told me that there's a lot of the enjoyment in building the railroad, and I'm finding that to be true.
I've been totally taken in by this little bit of "real world reailroad" experience... planning the right of way, the feel of the heavy steel rails, attaching the ties, bolting the rail section plates together, designing and building a rail vehicle, the clackity clack of the steel wheels rolling over the joints of the tracks. It's all quite a profound experience, and I'm revelling in it.
