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funicular railroad examples?

Howdy folks,

So, I've been "playing with trains" on and off for most of my life, always thinking, hey if I had about $10,000 I could do *this*, or if I had the skill, I could do *this*. Anyway, I've had trouble finding a starting point to build up those skills without spending money I don't have. Maybe I've found it.

I'm thinking a smallish module that models the Monongahela Incline in Pittsburgh, PA pre-1935 (with the 10' gauge frieght incline still intact). OK, so I'm going to start a layout without a real train? There's a mainline (and at the time, the P&LE hq) at the base of the hill and another than runs under the incline. I'll probably loop the mainline around the mountain just to keep a train running and add the station and connections later.

I'm assembling measured drawings of the buildings, cars, hillside contours and track support structure. I think I can handle this - It may not look perfect the first time around but I can live with that for now. What I'm mostly worried about is the powerplant.

So far the only example of a funicular I've been able to find is the LMRG Incline Railway System on Rob Paisley's site

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Helluva site, and it looks like a workable/adaptable design, but I'm curious about any other ways there might be to accomplish the same task. Any suggestions?

I'm particularly worried about how to support the gears. I'm going to have to slow this motor way down. Prototype travels about 6mph. I've honestly never done any model-sized gearing.

CrC

Reply to
Chris Collins
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Have you seen the models made by Brawa? They're in the Walthers catalog.

Kind of expensive, but pretty much what you're after, except that their version uses a gauntlet track for passing in the middle. Still seems as if it should be adaptable. They sell some of the items separately too.

Jim

Reply to
Ctyclsscs

For the motor, you could use a 'reduction gear' motor. Also called a 'gearhead' motor.

Reply to
Frank A. Rosenbaum

Gearhead motor huh? So, that's why I couldn't find many speed reduction gearboxes online, they're sold with the motor and called gearhead motors. Thank you very much - it helps to know what to call the thing you're looking for.

Any supplier recommendations? A quick search turned up a few online shops, but none I'd heard of before.

Reply to
Chris Collins

All Electronics has a bunch of inexpensive gearhead motors:

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I've bought stuff from them before without any problems.

Reply to
mobrandt

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Reply to
Joe

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