You know this little un-powered cable cars?

[weekendrailroader]

Why not power them... with a cable!
I built this in about an hour, from concept to reality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEBMYwcJKYw

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

That's not too hard with a 'cable' above the track. How about one beneath the track?

 

[weekendrailroader]

That's what I'm working on next. Just have to get it below the level of the rails.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Getting it to go around curves will be the real tricky part.

 

[cct70]

Neat idea, and very doable I think to put that rig under the track. Will just have to get a little creative, but itching to see what you come up with next!

 

[weekendrailroader]

Found a plank from an old dresser drawer that had a groove in it, which just so happened to be just about the right gauge for HO track. Glued some rails to the edges of the groove, and put some stripwood in between the rails, leaving a gap in the very center. Made a cable car "grip" with a strip of masking tape which is connected to the old audio tape. Put some construction paper on either side for a "street". The car runs fine with this setup. Of course, in the final setup, masking tape wouldn't be used and nor would construction paper.

What do you guys think? I'm not planning on putting in any curves. This is just going to be a background detail, perhaps a portable diorama.

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=24559&stc=1&d=1296795255

 

[weekendrailroader]

Here's another angle.

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=24560&stc=1&d=1296795415

 

[Capndick]

That's a cool idea..I have a couple of those..one is powered, don't run it because I'm all DCC.
Dick