Subject:
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Re: Hypothetically speaking? the future of IR/RC trains
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Sun, 25 Feb 2007 03:58:12 GMT
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Viewed:
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3627 times
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In lugnet.trains, Ondrew Hartigan wrote:
> I’d like to pose a question that’s been bothering me lately. Since RC trains
> made they’re debut last year many issues have risen with the product in its
> current form. Mainly these are control and power issues but there are many other
> quirks as well. Since plastic track seems to be here to stay, Common sense tells
> me Lego is eventually going to kill off the 9v line. Knowing this, we as a
> community need to think about eventually converting to plastic rails. This also
> means now would be a great time to tell Lego what we need for plastic rails to
> work for us.
>
> This leads me to my question; given the current IR RC train line what changes
> do you see necessary for you to convert from 9v track to plastic track and why?
>
>
> Ondrew
A 9V track solution...
I have been wondering about the problem of the 9V track myself. As I understand
it, putting the metal on the track is very expensive for LEGO. And for some
other company to build metal track to this gauge, they would have a large setup
cost. But we are a motivated bunch. LEGO has already transferred some assembly
to the users that once was done in the factory (tires, heads, etc.), why not
also transfer putting the rail to the ties?
Specifically, select a rail stock that is commonly used by model railroaders
(i.e., it will be around for years to come) and start producing 2x8 ties
(sleepers) that clip on to this rail stock at the right gauge. LEGO could precut
the rail and prebend some of the curves. But since I am proposing off-loading
the work to us users, figuring out how to inexpensively bend rail in the factory
might not make much sense, in which case they could provide a plastic form for
at least the basic curve. This way, we could stick with the standard curves or
select another radius (oh wouldn't that be great for steam engines).
This solution would eliminate the current cost of putting metal on the tracks,
would bypass the set up costs another company would encounter to get the right
gaugue, and best of all it would be 100% LEGO.
Switches and crossovers would be a little trickier, but if LEGO also worked out
an inexpensive plastic clip to fasten a loose wire to the rail, the problem
would be mostly solved. These sections would require their own forms and maybe a
few special ties, and obviously the points, but nothing too complicated. Track
sections could be connected (and isolated) in the same way that the non-LEGO
model railroaders do.
Benn
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Hypothetically speaking? the future of IR/RC trains
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| (...) If I’m reading this right your suggesting changing the track system in it's entirety and replacing it with something similar to HO flex track. While in theory this is a sound idea it has 1 major flaw, children. Lego after all is a children’s (...) (17 years ago, 25-Feb-07, to lugnet.trains)
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