Getting started with monorail (how bad an idea is this) . . . .

[Breakdown]

I'm not sure whether to consider myself lucky or unlucky since I have an addictive personality.

I know the basics. The three sets 6990, 6991 & 6399 and some of the aspects that make all of them unique.

I also know that Mono means one and rail means . . . . (wait for it) . . . . . rail.

I managed to land a second-offer for $75 on a really mixed bag on e-bay. All of the baseplates for airport 6392, instructions for 6395, 577 and a whole bunch of other stuff.

4 long monorail turns, 9 long straights, and one extremely short straight, and a bunch of stands for the monorail. I also got at least one (I think two) of the baseplate bogie things to build the monorail on the 6990 instructions, random pieces from the set, & the 9V battery box. There's a couple of things that I'm obviously missing off the hop. The first is the motor (currently bidding on one on E-bay) - wish me luck! My winnings are currently at my US warehouse so I cannot really view them (might have to wait till mid-May) I obviously want a couple of those pieces to stop or reserve the train in the interim and then afterwards some incline tracks and switches (all of which will be expensive).

Is there anything that I need to know right away?? Other than the fact that I might want some old-school light grey 1 X 4 plates stat???

Kind of patiently waiting to see what I do have in this oddity lot, there's a chassis from model team, another from Technic, the car carrier and the supports for the raceway 6395. Windup motor, pull-back motor, weird plane wheels, a police boat?? By far this is the single most screwed up lot of lego that I've ever purchased. I've put the link below if you want to check it out (guy who won had zero feedback and didn't pay, hence the price discrepancy, I should mention that the pics of the guy's socks haven't led me to fall in love with him.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-lego-set-pieces-monorail-boat-power-station-futuron-books-accesories-/221737792641

[cei]

You've done really well with that haul - the monorail track alone is worth more (9 long straights!), let alone the supports and train baseplates. You've also picked out the important parts you'll likely need - but ensure you get a good motor, not one that is on its way out.

I love my monorail. I've got the Airport Shuttle and Transport base, then a still MSIB accessory track pack that I haven't ripped in to yet, then a bunch of bricklink'd track.

[9v system]

I'm anoyed I wasn't able to get this stuff. All Lego want me to do is by there stumped power functions system. Lucky for me I'm still able to get 9v motors and some 4.5v motors.

[davidmull]

I'm anoyed I wasn't able to get this stuff. All Lego want me to do is by there stumped power functions system. Lucky for me I'm still able to get 9v motors and some 4.5v motors.

Power functions is the way forward get with it :)

[Artanis I]

Good luck, the motors have become really scarce all of a sudden, I was going to buy 2 more but someone(s) all but cleaned out Bricklink in recent months.

[Breakdown]

How do the motors break exactly? How might I want to avoid abusing mine??

Is it the motor itself?? Or the spindle thing at the bottom.

I've also taken an interest in the long coupling on the motor vs. the short ones.

[Artanis I]

I've also taken an interest in the long coupling on the motor vs. the short ones.

As in "what's the difference"? The short one was the original format, the longer one gives the train more flexibility for corners & ramps.

[mrfuture]

The Long cuplings also make more space for the newer "Mindstorms 1.0" style cabel. insted of the 2x2 plate connector that is hard to find.

I also started out collecting parts for the monoirail on the e-bay. Plan was to just buy the required part and build my own train.

All failed and ended up with just a bunch of supports. But got my hands on a 6990 set later on. So i have been buying track parts on Bricklink.

[Nacho]

How have you found the monorail then? I am looking at getting 6399-1: Airport Shuttle once I can find a decent set at a decent price. (In the UK)

I am looking to mod the train with my own carriages, I assume that's possible?

Is there anything else I should look out for when getting into monorail? Anything I should be aware of?

Thanks

Also, I know we are stuck with the motor for this but can we use power functions to power and control it?

[THERIZE]

How have you found the monorail then? I am looking at getting 6399-1: Airport Shuttle once I can find a decent set at a decent price. (In the UK)

I am looking to mod the train with my own carriages, I assume that's possible?

Is there anything else I should look out for when getting into monorail? Anything I should be aware of?

Thanks

Also, I know we are stuck with the motor for this but can we use power functions to power and control it?

I don't have monorail myself but i think only the middle motor is needed for powering. I have seen emerald night as a monorail so i think modding is possible.

[RTZX9R]

The middle carriage houses the motor vertically. It is connected to a 9V battery box in one of the carriages using a traditional 9V LEGO wire connector .

In regards to using a PF batter box - I believe there is a 9V PF battery box

but the connections appear to be different

so you may need to modify something to get the power to the motor.

I would also look at the space monorail sets if you plan to modify the scheme - they are generally cheaper than the airport monorail and the color scheme may be more adaptable too.

Edited June 9, 2015 by RTZX9R

[Nacho]

Thanks, just saw the emerald night video. Shows you can do quite a bit with the monorail.

You're right about the price of the space monorail sets, they seem to be a lot cheaper than airport. I suppose it doesn't really matter which set I get as I'll be changing most of it anyway.

[Breakdown]

Should probably update this thread.

The $75 win that I got had 5 straights, 2 ups, 2 downs. I have to wait for months to get it because it was down at my US warehouse.

My Christmas happened in late Novembuary.

At home I had assembled a double 6990 loop with a near complete vehicle, with only two mono-switches in Octobuary.

Back to November . . . . . I had a near 6991 lot that I won for approx $160 on E-bay, what appeared to be a 6347 lot that was just over $100, and then impulse kicked in and I grabbed a buy it now lot for $199 that was the trains from 6991 & 6399 along with countless other things that had nothing to do with either set, only small track sections and nothing else monorail.

So . . . . . . fast-forward to now.

In the next few days I'm going to be uploading a video of me attempting to use all of my monorail parts that I can simultaneously. I think that it's something to look forward to.

[davidmull]

How do the motors break exactly? How might I want to avoid abusing mine??

Is it the motor itself?? Or the spindle thing at the bottom.

I've also taken an interest in the long coupling on the motor vs. the short ones.

[Brickthus]

Power functions is the way forward get with it :)

This monorail system was started by Masao Hidaka; I developed the engineering to recreate all the functions of the 1990s monorail and push out the limits.

No more track obsolescence, faster trains, multiple curve radii, more reliable points, 90-degree crossing possible, 8-point station-throat junctions on a single servo, longer hills, helical tracks.

So far I've done a Space theme with Classic Space and Blacktron trains. I plan to add Futuron and maybe M-Tron or Ice Planet later.

Anyone struggling to get the previous monorail pieces should have a go!

Mark