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Subject: 
Re: Cascades Mono Coupler Details Now Showing
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Fri, 8 Dec 2000 00:29:57 GMT
Viewed: 
672 times
  
WOW!!!! As one who put in a good 20-30 unsuccessful hours trying to get the
funky-shaped engines, the sweeping colored stripe, and the crazy monocoupler
right, I stand in out front, ovating your accomplishments!

I moved to Washington state a little less than a year ago, and the first
time I saw the Cascades train was in real life (not a photo), and it nearly
took my breath away. I just stood there gaping. It's an amazing looking
train. I worked and worked to make a reasonably facimile, but got only as
far as a very rough prototype. It's been sitting in a box, because I wasn't
willing to give up on it, but now I can finally break it apart and just copy
yours (respectfully, of course!)!

Really, great, great, great, great work. If anyone doubts my sincerity, I
challenge THEM to come up with a monocoupler that is so close to the
prototype. That thing gave me fits.

Thanks James, for sharing this. It's really amazing.

Rick Clark
Member, PNLTC


In lugnet.trains, James Mathis writes:
To anyone interested in the details, I have now photographed the spring loaded,
close-coupled, shared mono-axle, coupler (wheh!) I use in my Amtrak Cascades
model.

The roof line on each adjacent passenger car is 26 studs long.  This appears to
max out the articulated throw in the coupler.

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=2060

The mono coupler is connected to each adjacent passenger car by means of
Technic friction pins.  The Cascades train set is now *very* easy to assemble.
Uncoupling of the wagons is pretty easy, too.  Just pop off the roof, then push
the coupler out of the Technic friction pin "holes".
It took several iterations of the coupler design to get it "user-friendly", but
I am now very pleased with the ease of use and the durability.  I have run this
train set for nearly one hour with no derails nor spontaneous uncouplings.

The coupler connect to each adjacent wagon does take up a fair amount of space,
but that is due mostly to the spring brick.  The consequence is that each
passenger wagon only holds 3 minifigures centered at a window.  If I moved the
seats to the center of the cars, then I could put in another seat to get 4 figs
into it.

I think this Cascades train set could easily accommodate at least two more
passenger cars.  It is a long train (for me) to begin with, but two more cars
would look a little more appropriate.  I would add some more cars, but I'm out
of parts necessary to do so.  I have no clue what the length limit might be
before it derails going through 180 degree curves or greater.  ????

I've posted the details of the monocoupler in case anyone else might like to
try it out.  I'd be curious as to the result if anyone tries it out.
The monocoupler really produces a nice uninterupted look to the train set on
long straights. And, the low center of gravity of the cars could make for a
full-throttle train if one makes lower-slung locomotives (unlike the Cascades
locomotives I modeled).

later,
James Mathis



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Cascades Mono Coupler Details Now Showing
 
(...) I'm glad you like it. You are certainly welcome to copy the design. No issues. But, I encourage you to disrespect it ;-) Afterall, my design does not TILT! The TALGO is a pendular train, as you may know, and I believe the passenger wagons tilt (...) (24 years ago, 8-Dec-00, to lugnet.trains)

Message is in Reply To:
  Cascades Mono Coupler Details Now Showing
 
To anyone interested in the details, I have now photographed the spring-loaded, close-coupled, shared mono-axle, coupler (wheh!) I use in my Amtrak Cascades model. The roof line on each adjacent passenger car is 26 studs long. This appears to max (...) (24 years ago, 6-Dec-00, to lugnet.trains)

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