Just for fun, see the train disappear in a tunnel, to reappear too many seconds later.
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/nstv/2013/03/vanishing-train.html
At train shows in Roseville, CA, I’ve seen a set up where one train enters a tunnel and a different train comes out the other end.
I don’t understand what the point is here
Good to see a video of someone who actually did this. There’s a published track plan (I forget where) for this.
Thanks for sharing
Paul
Woodman:
I think the point is stated quite clearly in the title for the thread -
“Just for fun…”
Personally I found it very interesting although as a model railroader I think the solution is obvious. There is a loop inside the tunnel which is angled to go below the layout surface at the maximum grade and minimum radius that the train will allow. The loop is just big enough to fit the whole train on. It is done in 3 rail O scale and the elevations, radii and clearances have been taken to their limits. O scale is capable of very tight radii and the engines are powerful enough to pull on relatively steep grades. The majority of cars are gons to keep weight to a minimum. To make it work things must be coming pretty close together inside that tunnel as the train makes its loop. The engine is barely missing the last car as it is coming out of the loop. The train is also operating at an optimum speed so that any tendancy for stringlining is offset by the inertia of the cars as they make the curve.
Anyhow, that’s my theory and I am sticking to it!
Zardoz - thanks for sharing.
Dave
Our club once built a mountain railway on a table tennis table. It was a loop to loop layout with three visible levels. The bottom reversing loop was entirely hidden. A train went into a tunnel and 30 sec later came out of the same tunnel in the opposite direction. The middle track was just a passing track where the two trains could cross between the upper and lower levels. The top reversing loop was partially hidden. A train would come out of one tunnel, cross a bridge over a canyon and go straight into another short tunnel before reappearing and curving behind a hill. The line then joined up inside the tunnel (ie the turnout for the reversing loop was inside the short tunnel.) So the train now came out of the short tunnel to cross back over the bridge over the canyon (but of course you didn’t see it go into the short tunnel).
Many people would stand and stare for ages trying to work out what was going on. To add to the confusion, 2 trains ran at once with a passing track between the two reversing loops. Trains popped in and out of tunnels everywhere.
They have a similar one at many of our local shows. Keeps people fascinated for quite a time.
I haven’t see the trackwork, but it must take quite a dive and then a climb to get back out.
Have fun,
Richard