rails and wheels

What scale are we working in here? Is the problem that your robot is too lightweight for standard 4' 8.5" rail gauge, or what? Do you have to run through switches? What's the tightest curve radius you have to handle?

John Nagle

--Check out the catalogs from Linear Industries and Bishop Weiscarver. You maybe want to use some of this sort of thing; i.e. something like a carnival roller coaster that has wheels both above and below the rail.

Thank you for your reply.. Robot is light weight and only 24" wide, so I cannot use the standard

4'8.5" gauge. I have to design my own gauge, rail profile and wheels. Its going to be a straight track with no switches involved. Any suggestions for rail profile for 4" flanged wheels?

thank you but I cannot design it as roller coster because I cannot accomodate another two wheels to guide the vehicle. Iam thinking it to be like a miniature version of std. rail car...

Powerfull Magnets in close proximity with each Rail will prevent lift-off...

----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ashley Clarke

I worked on one project where we used C-Channel as the rail. The open part of the C-channel was on the inside of the track, and the wheels rode inside the C-channel. Also, there were a total of 6 wheels. The extra pair were adjustable in position, so that we could assure a tight fit... Below is an ASCII illustration showing a side view. The size of the wheels are illustrated too small, in reality each wheel almost filled the interior of the C-channel.

Adjustable wheel | V ===================== _ ( _ ) _ ( ) ( ) =====================

Note that in the project I worked on, the wheels were not powered (the trolly was driven by a belt). And, the speed was considerably less than 40 mph.

I think there are mutliple possible methods of doing this. There are existing, off the shelf, systems for gantry cranes from McMaster. (see

and search for trolley) Most are for I-beams, and perhaps they are adaptable to your situation. I also know there are also systems which fully trap a round pipe... they may be better for your system.

Joe Dunfee

I worked on one project where we used C-Channel as the rail. The open part of the C-channel was on the inside of the track, and the wheels rode inside the C-channel. Also, there were a total of 6 wheels. The extra pair were adjustable in position, so that we could assure a tight fit... Below is an ASCII illustration showing a side view. The size of the wheels are illustrated too small, in reality each wheel almost filled the interior of the C-channel.

Adjustable wheel | V ===================== _ ( _ ) _ ( ) ( ) =====================

Note that in the project I worked on, the wheels were not powered (the trolly was driven by a belt). And, the speed was considerably less than 40 mph.

I think there are mutliple possible methods of doing this. There are existing, off the shelf, systems for gantry cranes from McMaster. (see

and search for trolley) Most are for I-beams, and perhaps they are adaptable to your situation (by turning the system upside down?) I also know there are also systems which fully trap a round pipe... they may be better for your system.

Joe Dunfee

I worked on one project where we used C-Channel as the rail. The open part of the C-channel was on the inside of the track, and the wheels rode inside the C-channel. Also, there were a total of 6 wheels. The extra pair were adjustable in position, so that we could assure a tight fit... Below is an ASCII illustration showing a side view. The size of the wheels are illustrated too small, in reality each wheel almost filled the interior of the C-channel.

Adjustable wheel | V ===================== _ ( _ ) _ ( ) ( ) =====================

Note that in the project I worked on, the wheels were not powered (the trolly was driven by a belt). And, the speed was considerably less than 40 mph.

I think there are mutliple possible methods of doing this. There are existing, off the shelf, systems for gantry cranes from McMaster. (see

and search for trolley) Most are for I-beams, and perhaps they are adaptable to your situation (by turning the system upside down?) I also know there are also systems which fully trap a round pipe... they may be better for your system.

Joe Dunfee