Subject:
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Re: Cascades Mono Coupler Details Now Showing
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Fri, 8 Dec 2000 01:04:26 GMT
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Viewed:
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1200 times
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In lugnet.trains, John R. Clark writes:
> 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
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 about an axis just below the roof line.
Steve Barile has tossed into the mix a thought for pendularization(?).
I will respectfully let him bring that up here, publicly, if he so desires.
As a very preliminary design test, I have tried a simple ball-socket in place
of the vertically oriented 1x4 Technic axle that goes through the Technic
spring-brick. This concept didn't work. There just isn't enough freedom of
motion in the coupler to allow any tilt through curves.
Eric Brok pioneered the use of the Technic spring-bricks for close-coupling in
his Croc. locomotive. (At least that is my first recollection of its
publicized use.) Eric also developed a tilting Metroliner.
I'd love to see Master Eric take on the TALGO. Heck, I'd love to see anyone
take the TALGO on to another level of refinement!
Rick, if you do build a model of the Cascades, do you have a design for the
"gull-wing" car wheels? Also, the gull-wings themselves?
Best of luck! It is a beautiful train set from the photos I've seen. I just
read some more articles about it. I would love to take a trip just to ride it!
:-)
later,
James Mathis
>
> 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
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Cascades Mono Coupler Details Now Showing
|
| 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 (...) (24 years ago, 8-Dec-00, to lugnet.trains)
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