Working Test Car

[Rico]

I just dug out an old test car I made some years ago as I was laying some track and thought I'd show it to the world. Okay, it's not too pretty but it does the job. In fact, I took it down to a train club once where everyone had a good laugh untill they saw how it showed all the imperfections in the trackwork!

The first photo shows the car going around a new curve on a grade.
The dial on top rests on a third truck that is weighted and passes thru slots cut in the car. The slots allow the shaft to travel one side to another, showing slight varients in track work. Usually there is grid paper under the dial to show where the curve needs tweeking. The car also has tuned trucks with IM wheelsets for a nice smooth ride.

The second photo has one of the side plates removed to show the third truck. A look at the double ended level above shows a two percent grade, the first line being zero and last being four percent.

The last photo shows the level and the position of the dial. Like I said, nothing pretty, won't win any awards... but hey it works great!
I was planning to do another unit with working lasers on a buggy someday, maybe this winter? Well, let's finish the trackwork first!

 

[CanuckMark]

Hey I like that dude! Especially the level with the grade markings - may have to do something like that as well.

Mark

 

[Selector]

What a great idea! Thanks for sharing it with us. A video would be super.

Thanks, again.

 

[kjd]

who made the 25 tonner and how does it run?

 

[jbaakko]

who made the 25 tonner and how does it run?

The 25 tonner is a Grandt line one, I have one also, but I managed to kill the gearing so mine is dead right now.

Rico, that is about the COOLEST test car I've EVER seen. Would it be too hard to a how to an building one? I think I might want one myself.

 

[Myowngod]

Sign me up for one, also. I really like the grade markings on the level. That could come in handy. I don't grasp the pointer thing on top, thought. If you could get a video of that thing in action it might clarify some things. Try using Youtube.com or Photobucket.com . They both work well for sharing vids.

 

[Rico]

re: test car

Yes the loco is from Grandt Line, I had to have one as I own the real thing. I also killed the original GL drive, so it now is powered by a truck from an old Bachman 44 tonner. Runs not bad until it hits an insulated frog.

As for the dial on top, when the car enters a curve the needle swings out to stay with track center. On a good curve the needle is steady, a bad curve has the needle jumping side to side. That's where the grid paper comes in to keep track of the movement.

The level is actually from another invention of mine which I may be patenting yet. I do plan to sell similar levels with seperate styrene mounts in a two pack for the model railroad world soon.

I'll see about a video, we have slow dial-up here so will take some patience!

 

[OldGettysk]

Looks like a very fine invention you got there !!

 

[NickB]

Very cool idea there, I would definately be interested in seeing how it was put together.

 

[Alcomotive]

Very interesting....beats some of the gizmos that Micro-Mark has.....