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In lugnet.robotics, sjbaker1@airmail.net writes:
> I got my son a Lego Train set for Xmas - and have been trying to figure out
> how to build a Mindstorms robot to run on Lego train track.
>
> * The Train motor isn't much use since it picks it's power (and hence
> speed and direction) from the track.
> * The other wheels that come with the train have non-Technics axles so you
> can't power them from a Mindstorms motor.
> * I can't find any other Lego wheels that will run on the train track without
> derailing at the drop of a hat.
>
> Someone must have solved this...but how?
This is a recurring topic in .trains and the consensus seems to be that a
mobile RCX brick requires either that it is battery powered (not great for
battery life), or that you do surgery on the motor. The surgery that needs
to be done is well documented (it's very similar to what you need to do to
install DCC inside a motor).
Essentially you have to open the motor up and break the connection between
the power pickups and the motor. However since there is only one power
connector on the motor, you have to bring the power OUT FROM the pickups,
(or IN TO the motor), a different way. (this isn't required for DCC since
you can mount the DCC unit inside the motor housing)
Using an RCX EXTERNALLY to control locos on the track, on the other hand, is
well documented and is done all the time. See in particular Zhagrong Zhang's
site, who has probably the most complete collection of writeups on this topic.
Do some searching in .trains for the various links you need if this isn't
enough of a clue to go on.
A motor unit that has two power connections and an arrangement to allow
power to be taken out from the wheels, routed elsewhere, and then routed to
the motor has been asked for and the tooling changes to do it, while not
easy, are not as hard as some things that might be wished for.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Mindstorms on RailRoad?
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| (...) I don't mind that the RCX is battery powered - I want to make a robot that happens to run on rails rather than some long running train that happens to have an RCX onboard. I don't really want to use the train motor at all (modified or not). (...) (23 years ago, 27-Dec-01, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Mindstorms on RailRoad?
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| I got my son a Lego Train set for Xmas - and have been trying to figure out how to build a Mindstorms robot to run on Lego train track. * The Train motor isn't much use since it picks it's power (and hence speed and direction) from the track. * The (...) (23 years ago, 27-Dec-01, to lugnet.robotics)
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