Funicular goods railway - help!!
Discussion
jamesc_1729 said:
Sounds fascinating. Definitely pics of house and railway please!
A winch is a good idea - they normally have a reverse which will give the controlled descent, certainly on 4x4 mounted ones.
Suspect you would need some type of ratchet system so that were the winch to fail, the carriage would not slide back down the tracks. Which might hurt.A winch is a good idea - they normally have a reverse which will give the controlled descent, certainly on 4x4 mounted ones.
Very keen to see pics!
Simpo Two said:
I was thinking last night about using water as a counterweight - add water to a tank in the other truck until it is heavier - water truck goes down, you go up - then let some out until it's lighter - water truck goes up, you go down. But you'd hit the buffers rather hard!
You mean like this 
voicey said:
It's a shame my old man had a heart attack a few weeks ago as he's retired and a bit of an expert in this area: Link to his book. I reckon he'd have loved to help you restore this.
If he decides to update his book I shall make sure he includes your railway!
Good luck with your project.
If he decides to update his book I shall make sure he includes your railway!
Good luck with your project.
Please (if I may be so bold) wish him all the very best from all of us at PH
Electric motors are simple bits of kit. What KW is the original motor? Does the motor need to run in forward and reverse?
If so you're easiest option might be a 3 phase 240v motor running through a digital inverter/ vfd. The digital inverter gives lots of control such a variable speed and braking. You get more torque from a 3 phase motor so it would suit this application well.
If so you're easiest option might be a 3 phase 240v motor running through a digital inverter/ vfd. The digital inverter gives lots of control such a variable speed and braking. You get more torque from a 3 phase motor so it would suit this application well.
Not sure what the KW of the old motor was as I don't have it anymore. I think it was just a standard motor (he says unhelpfully). It does need to run in both directions - I've just looked at inverters and they seem a good option given that the power source is single phase.
I have a couple of expert PHers who have kindly agreed to come over in a couple of weeks to have a look and to start to work out the best option. They will be far better placed than I to report on the technical aspects of the machinery/electronics etc. So watch this space!!
Thanks again everyone. I would be lost without this forum.
I have a couple of expert PHers who have kindly agreed to come over in a couple of weeks to have a look and to start to work out the best option. They will be far better placed than I to report on the technical aspects of the machinery/electronics etc. So watch this space!!
Thanks again everyone. I would be lost without this forum.
oliverhanmer said:
Voicey - sorry to hear about your father and hope he is on the mend soon. He sounds the ideal man for the job.
dickymint said:
Please (if I may be so bold) wish him all the very best from all of us at PH
House is very real... So I don't doubt the OP for a second... was going to look at it myself, but the additional costs for OH to get into work meant it wasn't worth it for her to move from central london out to there.
I liked the amount of space that was available for not a massive amount of money and the railway is why it caught my eye.
I liked the amount of space that was available for not a massive amount of money and the railway is why it caught my eye.
https://flickr.com/photos/127288954@N08/sets/72157...
https://flickr.com/photos/127288954@N08/sets/72157...
Hello all. Update as promised. There is good and bad news. Good news - I have recovered the motor - it's a flender himmel - see photos. It doesn't work still but it might make it easier to get a replacement. The gearbox (separated from the motor and in an earlier photo) is in tact and appears to be working.
The bad news is that the vast majority of the chain is beyond repair. It is so rusted that it crumbles and breaks without any pressure at all. See photos. It's all been removed. I actually need 140 metres of the chain as each track has chain looped from end to end. The track itself is fine.
There is a braking system at the bottom and top - see photos - which I've not tested electrically but mechanically appears to be ok, but no other apparent safety mechanisms other than relying on two sets of very strong roller chain not breaking at the same time and in the same place.
I've provided more photos of the track etc as well as the trolley that sits on the chain. I will build a box to sit on the trolley.
I also need to replace some of the railway sleepers supporting the track in certain places as they have rotted. There are concrete blocks at regular intervals too and they are sound.
So, it looks like a new chain, a couple of railway sleepers, a new motor and new electrics (switch etc) at first blush. I'll let you know more after the two expert PHers come over next Saturday.
Happy days!!
https://flickr.com/photos/127288954@N08/sets/72157...
Hello all. Update as promised. There is good and bad news. Good news - I have recovered the motor - it's a flender himmel - see photos. It doesn't work still but it might make it easier to get a replacement. The gearbox (separated from the motor and in an earlier photo) is in tact and appears to be working.
The bad news is that the vast majority of the chain is beyond repair. It is so rusted that it crumbles and breaks without any pressure at all. See photos. It's all been removed. I actually need 140 metres of the chain as each track has chain looped from end to end. The track itself is fine.
There is a braking system at the bottom and top - see photos - which I've not tested electrically but mechanically appears to be ok, but no other apparent safety mechanisms other than relying on two sets of very strong roller chain not breaking at the same time and in the same place.
I've provided more photos of the track etc as well as the trolley that sits on the chain. I will build a box to sit on the trolley.
I also need to replace some of the railway sleepers supporting the track in certain places as they have rotted. There are concrete blocks at regular intervals too and they are sound.
So, it looks like a new chain, a couple of railway sleepers, a new motor and new electrics (switch etc) at first blush. I'll let you know more after the two expert PHers come over next Saturday.
Happy days!!
longshot said:
2 things spring to mind.
What do they do with old motorbike chains?
Would you have to tell your house insurers about this?
Not sure I can see what risk it would add to the property (perhaps other than personal injury What do they do with old motorbike chains?
Would you have to tell your house insurers about this?
)But what do I know? I'm only posting this to get the thread on My Stuff for the updates!
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