Funicular goods railway - help!!
Discussion
Hi. This is my first post so please bear with me. We have moved into a house on the side of a hill. It has 90 steps from the street level to the house. The previous owners had installed a funicular goods railway to bring up shopping and other stuff or to lower garden waste etc to the street level. The railway no longer works and we are keen to get it fixed. The motor is beyond repair and the electrics (running from a single phase) are also ruined through water ingress. The two chains that sit inside the tracks and which, powered by the motor, control the trolley up and down the hill.
There are, it seems to me anyway, two options;
1 - replace the motor,electrics and chain and start again - I'd need someone to do that for me so in addition to the hardware there would be labour costs too
2 - buy a mains powered winch but, whilst I can see how this works bringing the trolley up the slope, I'm not sure how they work in controlling the descent of the trolley down the slope. There are loads of winches on the market at differing prices depending on load capacity etc but I can't get my head around which one would be best if any of them.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the above or alternative suggestions. I've been scratching my head on this one since we moved in a few months ago so any help would be gratefully received.
Thanks very much and sorry for the long message.
There are, it seems to me anyway, two options;
1 - replace the motor,electrics and chain and start again - I'd need someone to do that for me so in addition to the hardware there would be labour costs too
2 - buy a mains powered winch but, whilst I can see how this works bringing the trolley up the slope, I'm not sure how they work in controlling the descent of the trolley down the slope. There are loads of winches on the market at differing prices depending on load capacity etc but I can't get my head around which one would be best if any of them.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the above or alternative suggestions. I've been scratching my head on this one since we moved in a few months ago so any help would be gratefully received.
Thanks very much and sorry for the long message.
You can get a mains powered winch (including remote control models) which will do what you require - but the limitation may be in the drum size - if you need a long cable you need a big enough drum to fit all the cable on. Machine mart do a very wide selection. They are powered both in and out, so don't 'freewheel'.
My concern with one of these would be longevity - it sounds like you might be using it a lot, and a good one could cost several hundred. You might be better off getting an industrial motor and gearbox for longer service life, but it would mean more use of professionals to wire up etc.
The advantage of the winch is that you could easily do a diy install - just plug in and go.
My concern with one of these would be longevity - it sounds like you might be using it a lot, and a good one could cost several hundred. You might be better off getting an industrial motor and gearbox for longer service life, but it would mean more use of professionals to wire up etc.
The advantage of the winch is that you could easily do a diy install - just plug in and go.
Thanks this is all very helpful. I'm in Caterham, Surrey. The railway is 35metres so the drum will need to be pretty large. I've been quoted just over £1200 for a suitable sized winch and rope from a specialist lifting company.
I've not ruled out getting a new motor but with that comes the cost of new electrics and a new chain - it's rusted through lack of maintenance - so that's 70m of chain, a new motor and electrics and someone to install it all. The winch is probably cheaper all in - I reckon I can get a decent one for less than quoted - and it will be easier to fit and to maintain in the future.
I've also thought about the counter balance idea but wasn't sure based on what I have in place how that would work.
I'll get some photos up ASAP.
Thanks again.
I've not ruled out getting a new motor but with that comes the cost of new electrics and a new chain - it's rusted through lack of maintenance - so that's 70m of chain, a new motor and electrics and someone to install it all. The winch is probably cheaper all in - I reckon I can get a decent one for less than quoted - and it will be easier to fit and to maintain in the future.
I've also thought about the counter balance idea but wasn't sure based on what I have in place how that would work.
I'll get some photos up ASAP.
Thanks again.
Thanks again everyone. It's still lashing it down so difficult to take any decent photos. I've looked at motors and reckon I can get a standard single phase one for about £200. That needs to be wired in with a two way switch. I then need 70metres of roller chain in order for the motor to drive the trolley up and down. No idea how much that costs. I'd definitely need professional help with that option. A winch seems easiest and I could fit that with some help from a friend - are they all mains powered? Most seem to be intended for fitting on 4x4s and presumably run through the car's battery....? I looked at windlass. They look really cool but couldn't work out how they'd fit with what I have in mind but that is probably my ignorance. Stair lift! Interestingly some one else on my road has installed a full lift but I think that's a little OTT for me. Could someone recommend a suitable winch? - there are hundreds out there.
I think that a winch with wireless remote sounds sensible - I just need to work out how the trolley would fit on the tracks if it's not relying on the roller chain to pull it up and down - the trolley fits on to the chain at the moment. I think I just need to attach small wheels to the trolley to fit into the runner where the chain is.
I'll send photos when this damned rain stops but thanks everyone for your help. It's much appreciated.
I think that a winch with wireless remote sounds sensible - I just need to work out how the trolley would fit on the tracks if it's not relying on the roller chain to pull it up and down - the trolley fits on to the chain at the moment. I think I just need to attach small wheels to the trolley to fit into the runner where the chain is.
I'll send photos when this damned rain stops but thanks everyone for your help. It's much appreciated.
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