[WIP] Lego monorails. [Custom Rail Systems (CRS)]

[Digger of Bricks]

Check out this LEGO Ideas project that was submitted this morning! 

LEGO Ideas - Sky Shuttle - Airport Express by fc3sunfire

Here's his demonstration of it in motion:

 

[Evans]

This is a very good inspiration for MODing the Bricklink monorail Skyline Express! I'm now more tempted to get it.

[fred67]

1 hour ago, Evans said:

This is a very good inspiration for MODing the Bricklink monorail Skyline Express! I'm now more tempted to get it.

Ok, so you're not the first person I've heard call it a monorail.  It's not a monorail.

[XGBC]

i think i have solved this problem now. now we have a extra thread for rollercoaster based trains so nobody posts coaster based trains in our monorail forum anymore.

XGBC

Edited February 5, 2019 by XGBC

[Evans]

2 hours ago, fred67 said:

It's not a monorail.

Of course it's not a monorail, as isn't the Lego monorail system from 1986-94, it's a language abuse.

Besides that, it's a good thing to see many light-rail shuttle-type transport systems revive with these rollercoaster parts, it's an easier system to start, and later enter in the brick-built (real) monorails.

[fred67]

OK, I know it's just nit-picking now, but the LEGO monorail was a monorail because it has a single (mono) rail.

[XGBC]

I could further nit pick that the lego monorail isnt an actual monorail because the vehicles arent wider than the track of it. See also: http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/WhatIs.html

XGBC

Edited February 5, 2019 by XGBC

[Toastie]

On ‎2‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 11:40 PM, Hanso said:

I have added a color sensor to the Lego Mindstorms EV3 Monorail train. It is now able to determine its position on the track, e.g. it can stop automatically for a switch or at the station. In the test setup, the train runs at speed 50. At the yellow marker, it slows gradually down to speed 25 and stops at the red marker. After 3 seconds, the train accelerates gradually to speed 50.

Very, very nice!

On another thought: When the EV3 PBrick is "just" reading color sensors - then a PuP Hub, connected to @Cosmik42's software (see TrainTech Forum) should do the same, right? Because then the size of the train could be >much< smaller.

When the EV3 does other more autonomous things, than that will of course not work.

All the best,
Thorsten  

[Hickernator]

One thing I am thinking of attempting in the future is an overhead monorail, where the train runs underneath the track. Would be a challenge but would look awesome. Sort of like the Pacific Atlantic Monotrain in Thunderbirds.

[Hanso]

On 2/6/2019 at 12:14 AM, Toastie said:

Very, very nice!

On another thought: When the EV3 PBrick is "just" reading color sensors - then a PuP Hub, connected to @Cosmik42's software (see TrainTech Forum) should do the same, right? Because then the size of the train could be >much< smaller.

When the EV3 does other more autonomous things, than that will of course not work.

All the best,
Thorsten  

I don't know about the capabilities of the PuP Hub, this might be a similar (yet smaller) solution suitable for us. But since the rest of the layout is already working with approx. 15 EV3 bricks, we probably will stick to this hardware. In addition to that, the software architecture is now setup with the intelligence in the brick and the PC application for the overall state handling. I didn't read the article of Cosmik in detail, but as I understand, this is different. The biggest advantage of our architecture, is that we can test the different parts without the PC application. That makes integration a lot easier. Nevertheless, thank you for the tip. And who knows, maybe in the future ;-).

Best, Hans

Edited February 9, 2019 by Hanso

[XG BC]

i have a new idea for a 4 wide monorail car but i dont really know how to make a motor car

https://www.mecabricks.com/de/models/BLvGWNwkvGy

if anyone has got ideas feel free to share them

XG BC

[Alpinemaps]

On 2/4/2019 at 12:47 PM, Digger of Bricks said:

Check out this LEGO Ideas project that was submitted this morning! 

LEGO Ideas - Sky Shuttle - Airport Express by fc3sunfire

Supported!  That's very nice.  I'm glad the submitted got permissions from JK Brickworks.  I knew I recognized that set up.

Very similar to what I'd like to set up for some sort of small fairground ride.  Very neat!

[Masao Hidaka]

I replaced Power Function with POWERED UP for the switch rail.
And then I made the adapter for POWERED UP's controller. So I can operate two motors at a time by only one hand.

 

[XG BC]

nice!!! i especially like your technic construction of the remote

XG BC

[ElectroDiva]

On 2/1/2019 at 1:00 PM, LegoMonorailFan said:

So cool! I love the logo as well!

I'm not sure if I've already posted this, and maybe a lot of you have already seen this, but  @Masao Hidaka posted this awhile ago, and I just thought it was so cool!

 

This is ingenious! Such a simple, elegant solution to avoid having to use stacks of separate batteries

[XG BC]

hello guys i ve finaly made it i now have a fully 4 wide monorail for masao hidakas rail system

http://images.moc-pages.com/user_images/139047/1551203939m_SPLASH.jpg

here you can see the underside better:

http://images.moc-pages.com/user_images/139047/1551203939m_SPLASH.jpg

If you have questions or want a mecabricks file please quote me or send me a pm

XG BC

 

[XG BC]

i ve now created a mecabricks file for my monorail motor:

https://mecabricks.com/en/models/Dp2llJ1q2MV

XG BC

[FerRory]

Thanks to @djm and @Masao Hidaka I was able to make my own monorail. Still a lot to do!

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by FerRory
Added credits to Masao Hidaka

[Longhorn]

@XG BCWhat wheels and tires are you using in your monorail motor?

[XG BC]

@Longhorn im using this for a tire and a combination of half bushings, a bushing and a 3L lego technic axle. for the wheels. but be careful to slide the tires a bit closer to the middle to prevent the sides of the tires rubbing against the 2x2 brick.

Here is a photo:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/145736297@N05/32437195337/in/dateposted-public/

there are also some digital files of the wheel in detail

Instructions 

Hope this helps and have fun building the 4 wide masao hidaka compatible monorail.

XG BC

[mrfuture]

A Small update on my second version of my custom monorail running on 12V. Actually it is an idea (i presume) from Reier Pyte. Who is in my LUG
At my first event in 2014, he had a hanging monorail. Then the idea was born to  try to make one that run on the track.
One total failure in 2016, made me go back to the drawing board.
The recent version is more stable than its previous one ever was. So it looks like it going to work. 
We talking about making a system out of it.  Here is an early picture of the train.

 

Edited March 16, 2019 by mrfuture

[Hanso]

I've made a first prototype of a switch for my EV3 monorail, click here for the full article.

 

[Hanso]

Completed the first motorized version of my switch. Please let me know what you think of it.

 

Edited April 24, 2019 by Hanso

[FiliusRucilo]

9 hours ago, Hanso said:

Completed the first motorized version of my switch. Please let me know what you think of it.

 

This is a really cool mechanism. :-) Thumbs up!

[FiliusRucilo]

During my easter holidays i've done some preparations for the next exhibition in June.

Just a little test if the monrail yard and the modular bridge elements i've build during winter season fits for layout and trains.  

The complete yard has a lenght of 11 building plates wich make a last 2.81m in total.

I've build 4 of these bridge elements. You can combine it to a two way brindge with 2x2 elements and a lenght of 1.5 meters or a one way brindge with al lenght of 3 meters. There exists also 4 portals to give the bridge a perfect entry.  

The clou of the elements is, if you detach the monrail track you can use it with regualr trains. I've used railtracks for stabilzing the construction. ;-)