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 Posted - January 29 2011 : 4:22:54 PM
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I have been cleaning out obsolete inventory at work, and looking at some old 4 inch fan guards and long aluminum stand-offs, I had a wild idea to make a hi-tech high-speed rail structure of a futuristic type. This is an 18 inch section I've completed so far. I've got to buy 4-40 all-thread rod, which Lowe's carries, but only about 10 3-inch pieces per store so far. If I could find 1/4 inch pieces already pre-made, that'd be great. I'll have to look online for those, I guess. Here's what it looks like already -
Not sure how long I'll make the section(s), I may limit them to 3' each, then make an interface column. Right now, it's just an idea. No possibility of running normal-sized HO trains, they're too tall, the opening is only 1.5 inches in diameter. This is strictly a Turbo-only railway. Gonna look wilder than a Monorail system if I get it done. 
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 4:40:52 PM
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 real cool & you better find me a TT Freight set sometime also  Please?
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 4:52:56 PM
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quote:
I'll keep an eye out for one, Ben. Of course, I already have one.  Next show is in two week(ends).
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 4:57:37 PM
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Awesome looking idea!
~ Dave
They're ALL toys
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 5:40:06 PM
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That's pretty cool. A while back I was thinking it would be fun to make a mini-layout (or a full-sized one) using nothing but turbo trains. There would definitely be lots of room for imagination when it came to buildings, scenery, etc. I wonder if those clear plastic hamster tubes would be big enough for a TT?
Keep us posted on where you go with this :)
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 5:44:36 PM
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| yay thanks AMC IF you does keep track but send me train, buildings & accesories
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 5:46:36 PM
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I was looking in Lowes and Home Depot today, cleaned Lowes out of 9 all-thread 4-40 rod, I need some 1 inch radius round stock cut in slices longways. I found some 4' long 2-inch diameter wooden poles, I could make a jig for a table saw or flip my circular saw, and cut 3 or four side wedges off it, to make a roadbed that would fit inside which the track could lay on. I searched both stores, looked at doorsill plates, and any other possibility of premade rounded roadbed, but found nothing usable today. I will look online to see if I can find anything pre-made that might be used for internal roadbed. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 5:50:42 PM
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how about some T shape metal OR better yet  some old Erector sets fot the Ts! You know to make it a elevated railway?
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 6:35:02 PM
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quote:
The problem with that is it takes up too much of the inner circle space vertically. Or, you meant that to REPLACE my hi-tech tube railway? No, T's have been done, I want Tube. There's only about 1/4 inch or less clearance between the top hoop and the TT roof with just the track itself. So the roadbed is going to have to sit down as low as possible in the inner circle to clear. I figured a slice of a 2" diameter wooden pole would work perfect, if the slice is JUST the right size to hold the track width-wise, and not be too high. But I haven't found anything like a side slice of a cylindrical piece of wood to use yet. Or metal. Or plastic. That's FLAT on top for the railbed. A T-shape wouldn't be shallow enough, unless the trunk in truncated enough in the middle. I'll keep looking. I don't even know what to CALL the shape that's a third of a side of a cylinder side. Moon? 
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 6:45:05 PM
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Cool Jerry - Like it
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Posted - January 29 2011 : 7:50:07 PM
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| love to see a video of it when its done.
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Posted - January 30 2011 : 08:35:22 AM
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How neat!!! I love it!!!
I bet you could find some nice acrylic tubes as well- you know, have some portions frame supported and some that were enclosed- to mix it up.
So many possibilities...
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Posted - January 30 2011 : 11:42:50 AM
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quote:How neat!!! I love it!!!
I bet you could find some nice acrylic tubes as well-
So many possibilities...
Originally posted by JohnnyKane - January 30 2011 : 08:35:22 AM
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Funny you should mention that. My wife had a catalog of plastics, and found another website with acrylic tubes, www.tapplastics.com , that have them - but at $6-7 a foot for the 2-inch diameter, that's more than I want to spend right now. Would be near perfect, too! I'll stick with the enclosed metal tube framework for now, and maybe later can do the "hamster tube" style.
The OTHER problem is, can I make a curved section? Not sure how I'll do that yet. Will take some engineering to get the curve radius just right,and how to attach the standoffs at an angle to each other. I'll cross that bridge, or elevated tube structure, when I get to it.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
Edited by - AMC_Gremlin_GT on January 30 2011 11:47:16 AM
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Posted - January 30 2011 : 2:01:48 PM
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quote:
Funny you should mention that. My wife had a catalog of plastics, and found another website with acrylic tubes, www.tapplastics.com , that have them - but at $6-7 a foot for the 2-inch diameter, that's more than I want to spend right now. Would be near perfect, too! I'll stick with the enclosed metal tube framework for now, and maybe later can do the "hamster tube" style.
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â January 30 2011Â :Â 11:42:50 AM
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$6-7 a foot?
Ok- yeah, I can easily see how this would not pass the cost test right now!
quote:
The OTHER problem is, can I make a curved section? Not sure how I'll do that yet. Will take some engineering to get the curve radius just right,and how to attach the standoffs at an angle to each other. I'll cross that bridge, or elevated tube structure, when I get to it.
Jerry
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GT - January 30 2011 : 11:42:50 AM
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Yeah, that is a tough one....
Perhaps you could use a barrel (or rim perhaps too!) or some other known, round surface and then bend your lines around it. You might need a torch to heat them up at first- I don't know... but where there's a will- there's a way.
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Posted - January 31 2011 : 10:43:06 PM
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quote:
The OTHER problem is, can I make a curved section? Not sure how I'll do that yet. Will take some engineering to get the curve radius just right,and how to attach the standoffs at an angle to each other. I'll cross that bridge, or elevated tube structure, when I get to it.
Jerry
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â January 30 2011Â :Â 11:42:50 AM
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Have a solution if you're willing to modify your design. Simply use track. Layout the track as per your design. Weld/Glue/Solder/Attach the rings right on top of that. You could then flip it over and do the other side. When done, cut out all the plastic ties. You might want to do it where the bottom side of the rails get fastened to the rings. Of course either way you'll have to get a few ties out of the way when you're attaching. Just a thought.
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Posted - January 31 2011 : 11:09:13 PM
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...The OTHER problem is, can I make a curved section? Not sure how I'll do that yet. Will take some engineering to get the curve radius just right,and how to attach the standoffs at an angle to each other. I'll cross that bridge, or elevated tube structure, when I get to it.
Jerry
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â January 30 2011Â :Â 11:42:50 AM
[/quote]
Jerry, That is Way Cool, Man. The Hamster tubes are a good idea as well but may get a little pricey, unless you could find some at a closeout store or something. as far as making curves, maybe the thing to do would be to rent a conduit or pipe bender for a day from a rent-all place, that way you would be able to bend to the radius you want. Good luck with that, look forward to seeing the finished product. Guy
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