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

[Paperinik77pk]

Nice one!!! Sincerely I prefer the inverted T-rail models (like the  ones you're creating)  - they are closer to trains and for some very, very deep psychological reason I like them more!

Yesterday evening I tried to play with monorails a bit - focusing on blue/grey era rails (in this case they are grey, but I will use the blue ones):

It is very simple - four 4x1 bricks and a curved rail - simple and cost effective. Geometry is the same as 4,5v/12v tracks, so it is a bit limited. I think switches should not be a big problem, using bricks, tiles and some pivoting parts.

Now the bogies:

Very similar to the ones already proposed on this thread, only a bit smaller.

This is only a mockup of the chassis only to see how it works - the powered one will be at the center of the whole train, but I'd like it to be a complete car instead of a central motor, so I can use the weight of the battery to have better traction. 

 

[Trekkie99]

Hey @Paperinik77pk! Very cool! I also have some old blue train track (very fragile) so if you come across any road blocks, I can join in and help out. 

 

[Trekkie99]

BTW, how many hear still use Brickshelf? Also, how many hear regularly browse Brickshelf?

I for one rarely browse Brickshelf, and out of curiosity decided to simply put "monorail" in the search engine. 

I ended up finding a couple of CRS that I'd never seen before, and I thought I'd share them. 

 

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=105581

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=104230

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=8216

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=203663

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=23858

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=99142

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=276421

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=66034

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=532583

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=457807

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=429610

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=424683

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=560144

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=410706

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=409466

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=416298

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=447614

Hope you enjoy looking thru these as much as I did!

Cheers

LMF

[Paperinik77pk]

@LegoMonorailFan personally I use Brickshelf a lot! It still is great  

It seems the blue era rail system is vastly implemented...it means it works fine .

 

 

[Paperinik77pk]

Here below I post two renderings of the body I want to create for my monorail. I made it very basic and very inexpensive.

It is inspired by the iconic french Aerotrain, model S44. I know the front windscreen color is a bit odd , but in all photos I found it was yellow and I liked it this way (it seemed a distinctive detail to me). I think I'll put a single large center wheel, powered by a 9v motor (or PF, we'll see what better fits inside. The two bogies made yesterday should keep this thing on the track.

The Aerotrain was designed to only move in one direction,and so this is,  so it will need a sort of turntable or track loop ad the end of the line. I still have to think how to create external side mirrors (which in the real S44 are very small - how they could resist at the speed of 200Km/h?)

Tomorrow I'll see what I have in my parts and what I need to order. Bye!

Edited February 16, 2018 by Paperinik77pk

[Paperinik77pk]

On 2/16/2018 at 2:11 PM, LegoMonorailFan said:

Hey @Paperinik77pk! Very cool! I also have some old blue train track (very fragile) so if you come across any road blocks, I can join in and help out. 

 

I'm not satisfied by the stability of the Aerotrain - the rail system you are using uses a 2 studs-wide rail, while mine is relying on half-stud...it ondulates too much. Plus, the central wheel must be too wide and I do not have room for gears - I have to rethink the whole thing 

[supertruper1988]

Hey @LegoMonorailFan

Is there a consensus for a curve radius pattern and track spacing for this system? I have a bunch of bricks and would like to go about building some track parts to maybe display with a lug soon. 

If there is no consensus then maybe a minimum curve radius? 

[Trekkie99]

1 hour ago, supertruper1988 said:

Hey @LegoMonorailFan

Is there a consensus for a curve radius pattern and track spacing for this system? I have a bunch of bricks and would like to go about building some track parts to maybe display with a lug soon. 

If there is no consensus then maybe a minimum curve radius? 

There aren't any restrictions for a maximum track spacing or curve radius. There is however a minimum restriction for track spacing, and for curve radius depending on the monorail design used.

For track spacing, a minimum restriction of 8 studs is sufficient. This will leave at the most two studs between the two passing monorails. However depending on the design of the monorail(s), this spacing distance may be insufficient on curves. If you don't plan on testing before the LUG, or if other LUG members plan on using your track to display their own monorails, increasing the track spacing from 8 to 10 studs should resolve any problems that may arise during the show, before they happen. 

As for minimum curve radius(es), like stated previously, it depends on the monorail design.

For the Masao Hidaka monorail design, I recommend a minimum curve radius of 31 track links per 90°. (Fun fact: 31 monorail track links correlates perfectly with Lego's official train track radius!  )

As for my own monorail design, (this one) it can take curves half the length Masao Hidaka's design can. 15 track links per 90° to be exact. 

So depending on which monorail(s) you design, will depend on how small your track radius(es) can be. 

If you wanted you could have an inner track circle with a radius of 15 links per 90°, and an outer track circle with a radius of 31 links per 90°.

Hope this helps. 

Regards

LMF

[LEGO Dog]

The suspended monorail works well but requires a lot of maintenance.

[Trekkie99]

8 hours ago, LEGO Dog said:

The suspended monorail works well but requires a lot of maintenance.

Have you built it yourself and found this to be so, or were you wondering on what maintenance is required before, during, and after running the monorail?

The only maintenance I find most notably necessary is making sure the track and the traction wheels on the monorail are clean of dust to ensure optimal running conditions. 

Any questions or insight you may have, please feel free to share. 

Cheers

LMF

[FiliusRucilo]

I've build a signal box for my Monorail switching points. 

You can watch a litte movie at flicker (Click on the image)

 

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by FiliusRucilo

[Trekkie99]

17 hours ago, FiliusRucilo said:

I've build a signal box for my Monorail switching points. 

You can watch a litte movie at flicker (Click on the image)

 

 

Sweet switch tower @FiliusRucilo!  Would work great for a LUG display. 

 

[djm]

Here's a first look at my build of a CRS monorail. Like others, I found the original Masao Hidaka design too unstable. I've combined @LegoMonorailFan's motor-between-carriage approach and @FiliusRucilo's bogie and applied it to build a model in the style of Masao Hidaka's livery.

The switches are reversed engineered of Masao Hidaka's design. The triggers and NXT program are my own doing.

In a couple of weeks our LUG has a LEGO display. That will serve as a good test of whether there are any design issues. I know of one at present with the trigger which (assuming the parts arrive in time) I believe I will have addressed.

Subsequent to the dsiplay I will update the trigger design document, make the program available and publish the building instructions for my monorail train. I have building instructions for the switches too but have been unable to contact Masao Hidaka to gain his permission to make those instructions available, so they will remain unavailable until I hear from Masao Hidaka.

Regards,

David

Edited April 23, 2018 by djm
typo

[Trekkie99]

Wow! That's an awesome layout and an awesome monorail @djm! Can't wait to see your further progress.  

[FiliusRucilo]

The Frog Prince - A Monorail using boogies and the "Middle-Motor-Boogie" as introduced by legomonrailfan.

A little movie you can find here: Frog Prince at flickr

 

Edited April 29, 2018 by FiliusRucilo

[Trekkie99]

  Fantastically adorable @FiliusRucilo! I love it!  

[ronlmitchell]

New to the forum but already see some familiar names and builds!  Hey all!

[Trekkie99]

7 minutes ago, ronlmitchell said:

New to the forum but already see some familiar names and builds!  Hey all!

Hey Ron! Welcome to Eurobricks! 

[ronlmitchell]

2 hours ago, LegoMonorailFan said:

Hey Ron! Welcome to Eurobricks! 

Thanks!

 

[djm]

On @Mark Bellis's LEGO Ideas Monorail project, Mark has posted an update about creating stress-free curves. Looking at Mark's image, I have done a bit of digital experimentation and came up a variation derived from Mark's picture, using the following approach for curves:

At the moment this is primarily a digital experiment. I presently only have enough of the 3x2 plates

to assemble four sections. The four sections seem to hang together well enough to warrant further investigation. I've placed a BrickLink order for some parts and, once they have come through, will see whether or not this approach has sufficient merit to explore further.

Regards,

David

 

[Trekkie99]

Thanks for posting this @djm! This design is so cool because it's like flexible track for monorails!

[Brickthus]

12 hours ago, djm said:

On @Mark Bellis's LEGO Ideas Monorail project, Mark has posted an update about creating stress-free curves. Looking at Mark's image, I have done a bit of digital experimentation and came up a variation derived from Mark's picture, using the following approach for curves:

...

David

 

See the latest curves in my second update 

Where you have a black peg, substitute a blue axle pin with the axle uppermost.  The black peg would foul the round tile but the axle pin does not.  For legal building the peg has to remain uncompressed at both ends; 4 plates in a 5-plate-high sandwich does not allow that.

Mark

[Paperinik77pk]

On 29/4/2018 at 8:14 PM, FiliusRucilo said:

The Frog Prince - A Monorail using boogies and the "Middle-Motor-Boogie" as introduced by legomonrailfan.

A little movie you can find here: Frog Prince at flickr

 

Lovely monorail with a vintage touch!!! Nice job!!!

[djm]

5 hours ago, Mark Bellis said:

Where you have a black peg, substitute a blue axle pin with the axle uppermost.  The black peg would foul the round tile but the axle pin does not.  For legal building the peg has to remain uncompressed at both ends; 4 plates in a 5-plate-high sandwich does not allow that.

Hmmm, I hadn't thought about the end of the pin remaining compressed before (and thus causing stress and therefore being "illegal") but you raise a valid point. So I reflected some on the possibility of a non-stressed solution and came up (digitally) with this:

which joins together thusly:

As I said, I've only built this digitally but I think the vertical friction pin should be adequate enough to both provide the flexibility for a curve while holding the shape of the curve.  The horizontal friction pin may provide an option to allow a slight bank in the curve.

(Edit)

And here is a digital bank-less (unbankable?) version:

David

Edited May 2, 2018 by djm
Added bank-less image.

[Greenstar]

This is a nice project

I did something similar on Lego ideas but it is about to expire

I will post it again though

You should post your design and I will support it