Subject:
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Re: A power rail idea
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:55:54 GMT
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Viewed:
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5675 times
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In lugnet.trains, Dave Curtis wrote:
> OK, so 9V is dead. Not a happy thought.
>
> Still, the engineer in me can't help but think about ways to work within the new
> regime. After 40 years of off-and-on model rail and toy train activity, the
> first thought that comes to mind is that anyone who thinks batteries will be
> sufficient in a display situation is delusional. On the other hand, a train
> system based on the new power function motors looks like it has some real
> opportunities for interesting loco models. Think big wheels, techic parts...
>
> So the real question is how to deliver power to the motors in a way that is
> upward compatible with plastic R/C track. A thought that comes to mind is a
> "power tile". A power tile would be one stud wide, and have two conductors, one
> running along each edge. It would be placed directly on either row of studs
> that is next to the (between studs) track center line. There would need to be a
> power pick up brick with three brushes, one brush picking up the power rail
> closest to track center, and two other brushes placed so that they pick up the
> "outside" power rail, one brush on each side of center so that it doesn't matter
> which side of center the power tile is on. (Only one of these outside brushes
> would be active at a time.)
>
> A simple track cross section, where | is rail, ^ is power tile:
>
> _|__^_|_
>
> (Forgive the ASCII art, I'm too lazy tonight to make fancy drawings.)
>
> Note that all reverse loop problems magically disappear, since the conductor
> closest to center is always the same polarity. It would also be easy to splice
> a DCC decoder in between the brush brick and the motor. This is upward
> compatible with plastic R/C track, since the power tile is simply an optional
> extra part.
>
> Issues:
> 1. Would need two sets of pick up brushes per loco to cross gaps reliably. Pick
> up brushes might be built into axle holder bricks.
> 2. Crossings and turnouts will need special power tiles with gaps. Or better
> yet, a new powered turnout that matches power tile standards.
>
> This is easy to prototype in a crude fashion. Of the many codes of H0 and N
> scale rail, there must be one that is about one tile tall. With epoxy, one
> could glue one rail down the center line, and glue on another rail one stud
> over. With a few snippets of phosphor bronze sheet metal you have pick-up
> brushes. Or, it could be prototyped by modding 1x8 tiles by adding strips of
> copper tape on each side, although copper tape may not last long. Maybe some
> brass L stock glued to a tile would work better.
>
> The profile of a 1 stud wide tile might not be the best profile for a power
> tile, something more trapezoidal might allow better brush tracking. In any case
> the tile can't get too tall without causing clearance problems with existing
> equipment.
>
> Anyway, just some random thoughts tossed into the public domain for discussion.
>
> -dave
Sounds like a new and improved 12-volt system. It does eliminate one of the
three problems that I felt the 12-volt system had; reverse polarity in
turn-abouts. The biggest problem the 12-volt system had was that it was never
avalable here in North America!! The other problem was that the power rails in
the center were not very realistic, but we're talking about LEGO so its not that
big a deal...
I've been wondering if center power rails would be cheaper and/or easier to
produce than metal tracks. If it is a worthwhile path, the next question would
be whether to make it to the old 12-volt standard or to the improved design.
New 12-volt compatible power components nearly 20 years after their demise, I'm
sure some of our Europeen freinds that still run that system would be thrilled.
Either way, I could press into service all that 4.5-volt track I still have
lying around!!
DA
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | A power rail idea
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| OK, so 9V is dead. Not a happy thought. Still, the engineer in me can't help but think about ways to work within the new regime. After 40 years of off-and-on model rail and toy train activity, the first thought that comes to mind is that anyone who (...) (17 years ago, 14-Oct-07, to lugnet.trains)
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