Big Loops testing

[HoMa]

After cooming up with the idea to use just straight 9V track to build long, smooth curves I wanted to realise a full train layout which only uses such smooth curves and is suitable for long, 7-/8-wide trains. Now most of the work is done and we got the chance to test the layout in preparation for the upcoming LEGO Fanwelt http://www.legofanwelt.de/home/index_e.php in Köln, November 2010.

The layout contains 3 loops, one single track, one double-track, all powered with the 9V LEGO train system. The single and double track overlap so bridges and long ramps to go up and down are used. The single track has an incline ratio of 1 plate per 1 9V track element. The double track has an incline of 1 plate per 1,5 9V tracks. The inner loop of the double track uses 276 track pieces, the outer 282 track pieces.

The whole layout is 18 meter long and 6 meter wide.

The testing went very well, the smooth climbs and long curves all work very well. Each loop should have 2 or better 4 feeds for electric power from several speed regulators.

See some videos and pictures at: my Flickr gallery or visit us at the LEGO Fanwelt in Köln!

HoMa

[Pet-Lego]

That is one awesome suspension bridge, but what to do with all the curved track pieces that are no longer being used now?

I guess it's time to build roller coasters with lots of lego train track curves.

Again very nice layout especially with those trains, nice bit of realism.

[MightySlickPancake]

Only one other reply for this amazing peice i am astonished . I love it, the trains are superb the suspention bridge is epic and you have one thing all train fans envy - space . How long did this take you to make, to look like this now? hope there will be more .

Thanks, CB

Edited October 11, 2010 by crabboy329

[ZueriHB]

Only one other reply for this amazing peice i am astonished . I love it, the trains are superb the suspention bridge is epic and you have one thing all train fans envy - space .

QFT!

Really really nice!

I also like that you don't let the trains run at full speed, but at a more realistic one.

[Andy Glascott]

I just bruised my chin as my jaw hit the floor looking at this! It is simply amazing. The smoothness of the curves and the changes in elevation etc make this so much more than 2 ovals of track. Oh to have that much space.....

Andy

[prateek]

Wow. That is one smooth track. The suspension bridge is wonderful, but you should use thicker string so it doesn't snap

[HoMa]

Thanks all for your comments so far! The bridge was originally designed by Thomas Avery back in 2004 http://www.texbrick.com/model_whitebridge/index.html ... Thanks Thomas for this great bridge.

Space ... We only had the chance to use the room at our local church on a Friday and Saturday. A few hours of test driving were surrounded by 5-7 hours of set up and 3 hours of clearing everything away.

The full layout will be shown at the LEGOfanwelt event in Cologne in November.

Holger

[ZueriHB]

Thanks all for your comments so far! The bridge was originally designed by Thomas Avery back in 2004 http://www.texbrick.com/model_whitebridge/index.html ... Thanks Thomas for this great bridge.

Space ... We only had the chance to use the room at our local church on a Friday and Saturday. A few hours of test driving were surrounded by 5-7 hours of set up and 3 hours of clearing everything away.

The full layout will be shown at the LEGOfanwelt event in Cologne in November.

Holger

I wonder where you had this much space... but great tip, may ask the local school or church for temporary space ;)

[3D LEGO]

HoMa,

That is looking really good. It makes me want to build my own and see how long of a PF powered train I can build.

Though one thing bugs me... Why is the ICE3 running at slow speeds? Can we see a video of it running at full speed?

Sonst echt schön!

It is too bad DB decided to change the color scheme...

Es wäre schöner gewesen wann DB nicht entschieden hatte um die Farben zu ändern. Der InterCityNight wäre schöner gewesen mit Farben wie dieser Zug aus mein Heimstaadt, der Amtrak Cascades:

[SavaTheAggie]

Each loop should have 2 or better 4 feeds for electric power from several speed regulators.

And with Power Functions you wouldn't need to worry about any of that.

Looks great!

--Tony

[Freddie]

That is very, very nice. Make sure to shoot some first-person video too, when you're at Fanwelt!

By the way, you did endurance-test the power supply, right? That is, if you're using the standard power-supply, it has a tendency of shutting down after a few hours of driving, if you're using multiple motors or heavy trains on a big enough circuit. Your circuit certainly falls somewhere between the categories "large" and "immense", and by the look of the trains, they ain't light. Keep in mind, this is something I've noticed last weekend, using two motors to pull a 20-car (that is, mostly out-of-the-box cars) train on a simple "C"-shape 4,5mx1,3m circuit, with a single controller.

[lego9vtrainfan]

Wow, what a great layout!

As others have said, the change in elevation, the bridge, and the sheer size of the layout make this much more than two ovals of track.

I am curious how you made the electrical connections to the track over such a large area. Did you use some non-LEGO extension wires, and if so, how were they connected?

Again, great work and I can't wait to see photos from the public show in November!

LEGO9Vtrainfan

[HoMa]

I am curious how you made the electrical connections to the track over such a large area. Did you use some non-LEGO extension wires, and if so, how were they connected?

It was only testing ... I've used two speed regulators for each loop of track. Each speed regulator had 2 or 3 connections to the track using only LEGO 9V extension wires (all I got). Close to the black bridge and close to the non-elevated curve the power was feed to the track. This worked fine but I had to run from one speed regulator to the other all the time.

For the November show I will use some none LEGO extension wire to create multiple plug-ins of power and keeping all speed regulators close together. BTW, does anyone know the exact width of the LEGO 9V wires?

Again thanks for all the nice comments!

Holger

[Rijkvv]

Why don't you use the standard 9V wire between the power connectors and the speed regulator? Then you have an easy to use 100% LEGO solution.

The way of creating big loops with only straights is impossible for me cause of lack of space, but the version with curved pieces might work. Thanks!