Would it be possible to design a cable propelled rail system such as a funicular railway or a system such as the BART Oakland Airport Connector using LEGOs?  Has anyone had success in doing so?
 Also included are the cable cars of San Francisco as long as they are moved by a cable.  

could the roller coaster tracks work for a more modern cable system?

How about roller coaster tracks and carts (since they have the little peg to attach to the links at the bottom) and sections of links connected to a motor to pull them? The creator expert roller coaster had that to bring the carts to the top, it should be possible to do the same for flats and curves. 

could the roller coaster tracks work for a more modern cable system?

The creator expert roller coaster uses a chain to pull the carts up the inclines which would work on any straight track. That set uses wheels to push the sides of the carts around curves. The chain kind of works like a cable car but without holding onto a cable like San Francisco cable cars. Watch a couple of the videos on Set 10261. You'll see how it works

I’ve seen some videos on the set as it does have the most of that type of track out of all the other sets.  It could work well for a funicular system on a slope or and a straight section

Take a look at this cable hauled logging tramway. It would be a real challenge to replicate in Lego.

https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/discover_history_explore_nature/history/allagash/tram.shtml

36 minutes ago, Doug72 said:

Take a look at this cable hauled logging tramway. It would be a real challenge to replicate in Lego.

https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/discover_history_explore_nature/history/allagash/tram.shtml

With the separated rails from the12 volt era, it could be done 

It would just be a little complicated 

Here's another one that would be cool to implement in Lego, the Bowes Rwy of NE England. Wikipedia and YouTube of the last day of operation (look at all of that running with the trains, I bet a lot of limbs were lost in the operation of that line)

13 hours ago, Greenstar said:

Would it be possible to design a cable propelled rail system such as a funicular railway or a system such as the BART Oakland Airport Connector using LEGOs?  Has anyone had success in doing so?
 Also included are the cable cars of San Francisco as long as they are moved by a cable.  

could the roller coaster tracks work for a more modern cable system?

It has been done before in LEGO GBCs where a ball car is loaded and pulled up a rail incline and dumped.

Regular train tracks may work better than coaster tracks if your system is not a straight line.   The wider space between the rails would allow more room for the cable guides in the curves. 
 

3 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

Here's another one that would be cool to implement in Lego, the Bowes Rwy of NE England. Wikipedia and YouTube of the last day of operation (look at all of that running with the trains, I bet a lot of limbs were lost in the operation of that line)

Not far from where I live. There were many such railways in NE England, all now gone. There is a working museum at Springwell, Tyne and Wear where demonstrations are held on a short section of line that still exist. The  remainder has been converted in to cross country cycle route and has some Very steep step climbs.

Incline profile, showing why cable haulage using gravity & stationary engines was required. Its now a very challanging cycle route. Steepest section 1:15

Edited April 21, 20204 yr by Doug72

2 hours ago, dr_spock said:

It has been done before in LEGO GBCs where a ball car is loaded and pulled up a rail incline and dumped.

Regular train tracks may work better than coaster tracks if your system is not a straight line.   The wider space between the rails would allow more room for the cable guides in the curves. 
 

That’s good to take note of

it would take up more space for such systems to be made

I think if you're looking at trying something like this, 12v grey rail will be the key. With stock modern track, the fixed ties will make things extremely difficult. But you could leave a trench between old school grey rail to house the mechanics and wire run.

The idea reminds me of ER0L's slot car system, though obviously yours will be on rails as well.

 

1 hour ago, TJJohn12 said:

I think if you're looking at trying something like this, 12v grey rail will be the key. With stock modern track, the fixed ties will make things extremely difficult. But you could leave a trench between old school grey rail to house the mechanics and wire run.

The idea reminds me of ER0L's slot car system, though obviously yours will be on rails as well.

 

Yeah, I know there’s one company that makes modern LEGO compatible rails that are separated from the ties

Here’s a cable propelled system that switches cables at the end of the line in Oakland California 

this system would be neat to build in LEGO bricks