Realistic working model

Efficiency is achieved by having a rigid structure and, at this scale, very free- rolling wheels. Our model has rigid track(unlike Faller Big Dipper) and a strong track/tie/spine relationship. Getting away from machined parts and going to molded components gives us a lighter train that will negotiate the elements with less stress on the supports and track. The train will have eight cars so overall weight will still be sufficient enough to maintain momentum yet not deform our structure. We should know more next week as we will have some key pre-production components to play with. We will update this thread as we have more info.

Any plans to offer parts for those whom want to kit-bash or scratch build a coaster?

Jim Wolgamuth

It has now been a couple of months since we've last heard about this project...is it still moving forward, or has it run into some problems? I am still very much interested in this opportunity...

Kev

Good call, Mr Doom--I considered resurrecting this topic a few days ago.

Definitely am interested in hearing of any progress that may have happened. I wish them the best of luck with this project.

Hello all. It's great to see the interest for our project. It is moving along at a rapid pace. We are waiting on molds to be completed at this time. We MAY attend Nocoastercon in Chicago in January to debut the prototype. We will gauge interest and take orders for late winter or early spring delivery. This is assuming all goes as planned (so far so good). I hate to keep saying this, but man this thing is so cool! The few people who have seen it are blown away by the realism. My partner on this has done the majority of the design work and he is VERY good. I will be happy to answer any questions that I can.

Wow! This sounds amazing! I would like to know about this Nocoastercon in Chicago. Where is it, when is it, and whats it about? Thanks! Sounds great. Umm...O ya, right now how tall and long is this model? Thanks again!

Chuchurezni.

Whats the best way you can describe what the coaster will be able to do? Will it be all pre-fab parts? And what is the track design nearest to as far a what we can see in the industry.

Nocoastercon is an ACE event where everyone gets together in the winter to discuss anything rollercoaster related. Some people display items,books, memorabilia, etc. As I mentioned above, our model is a scale replica of a B&M inverted. All the components will either snap or screw together. As of now there is no glueing. The standard kit will be around 3 feet tall, but we will sell additional track and support pieces so you can build an infinite number of layouts as tall or as long as you want. Just today I received some key components from the molder. The project is slow, but we are trying to get it as close to perfect the first time as we can. Each train will have 48 wheels! There are tiny bolt patterns on the support connectors for detail and the frame, seats,wheel covers, and shoulder harnesses are very close to scale. Just think... an eight car train with large road wheels, smaller side wheels and upstop wheels serpentining through a heartline in O gauge.

Please post a pic ASAP. PLZ...just a taste...all this talk is killing me.

This will be perfect for my O guage layout. I want to put a small amusement park at the end of the rail line (I just purchased a Pirate Ship ride and Ferris Wheel made by Lionel and I am looking for the Swinger ride) and I need a center piece ride for the park. A B&M inverted would look really cool setting along the perimeter of the park with the other rides around it.

Keep up the good work Jack R.! Best of luck with your project.

I just talked with my molder and the trains will be completed by the middle of December. There is still a lot of work to do, but this is a big step. I may post some pictures soon, but the only cars I have are rapid prototype models and they don't look as good as the molded ones will. Still, the structure looks great and the track is very realistic. Maybe I will take pictures of just the structure and track. We'll see.

I'm working on a controler including a block system. It will be for a model railroad system but will be very simular to one I could put in a model roller coaster.

The basic concept behind it is there are several contact switches that will cause a given block to become occupied. There will be a tripper on the front of the first car that will contact the switch. If the next block is occupied and the setup trip switch is enguged, then the power will be cut to that block. The locomotive's have worm gears so when power is cut, the wheels lock up and the train stops quickly. As soon as the next block is clear, the setup clears and the train starts moving again.

There is another set of switches and trippers used to clear the blocks. They are in the very begining of the next block. The tripper is on the back of the last car and clears the block after the train has left it.

To expain it in two sentances. The train will move to the next block only if it's clear. If it's not, the train will hit a sensor that will stop the it untill the next block becomes clear.

In order to hold a occupied block or setup I need latches. A relay latches by putting a normaly open switch in parrelel with a normaly open relay contact and have the relay coil in series with the two switches. There will also be a load (light bulb) in series witht he circut. When you push down the button the light goes on. This also excites the coil closing the contacts giving a secondary current path. When you let go of the button, the light will stay on because the contact is closed allowing current to still go throught the coil keeping it closed. Untill something stops that cycle, the light or whatever load you have on it will stay powered.

The problem is relays are rather expensive. Transistors on the other hand are cheap. I tried to make a latch with transistors but failed. (any insight on how to make it work will be appreciate) Right now I'm thinking about minimizing the number of relays by using transistors or something else to replace it's function whenever possible. The minimum that I see at this stage is 3 relays per block and I will have 4 blocks. That will be 12 relays which will easily be $60+. For about $20 I can get all the transistors I need to do everything else and even latching if I find a way to do it.

Basicly, if I spent 4 times as much money I can lessen the number of headaches this gives me.

As for the circuts, I've got all the basic concepts worked through with relays. I haven't got into little details such as resistor values and other componets since I'm still reserching options.

After I get all this figured out, I probably will move onto someting harder. Roller coaster model blocking. So many headaches when things don't work, so much joy when it all comes together.

As for the controls, I found some nice chrome LED holders. I'm going to have one big control panel full of buttons and lights. (better than the real thing :)

We already have plans for a trim break/station section of track that can be used to run multiple trains. This will be an option, as will miniature people, and a miniature video camera. That's the fun of it all...adding more track, a camera, multiple trains, etc. It keeps everyone interested!

I landed on the idea of using mangnetic reed swtiches.

They have two contacts inside of a glass tube. When a magnetic is present the two contacts are attracted to it but wind up contacting each other. Using this it would be possible to make a block control system.

I made a few test circuits with relays and successfully created a single block controller. I used a switch to indicate the ‘next’ block status and a push button as an input for the block setup sensor. It worked. The way I have my controllers drawn up is after a setup when the next block becomes clear, the setup will be reset.

A roller coaster model, it would be difficult to control brakes. I guess you could use a sensor to set off a loop positioned in the proper location to stop the train. If the train stopped in a brake before the station, it would stop in a different place than if in came in hot. This could be overcome by more powerful brakes but that might look unrealistic. Magnetic brakes to retard the trains before the regular brakes are a possibility; tiny rare earth magnets are available at radio shack. I saw various copper pieces at a local hobby shop. This is something I want to test. Back on that later.

Here's a thought, why not make some kind of electric rail like on railroad models rather than leaving it to gravity. It could still be modular and the train would move when it's on. Also you could make the rail shut off *temporarily* or just run on less power during the ride to simulate slower speeds. To simulate the physics of the ride properly you could have a processor under the station that could hook up to a computer or laptop via link cable and in a program, the computer could take a map of the layout of the coaster and present it in RCT format on your screen and you could test it with simulated gravity and the processor would remember the speed, acceleration, etc. Also while in RCT format you could you could control block braking, loading and unloading processes (without little people though), and trim brakes. The processor could remember all this during a circuit of the ride. Ths would all be uber expensive though of course, but heck I'd buy it.

Jack R do you have a website yet?

*BBBBUUUUMMMMMMMPPPPPP*

woa-pardon moi...

Any more word on these new model coasters, or did it just straight up and go ka'put?

WHERE ARE YOU JACK R!!!?

I think you'll be hearing something very soon... but it's not up to me to say.

I'm right here and next weekend you need to be in Chicago at Nocoastercon if you want to catch a glimpse of what everyone will be talking about. We will debut the model at this event and may even take pre-orders. I'm sure there will be plenty of pictures soon. Hold on tight...it's coming!