Hello all,
Is there such a thing as a train elevator? I think my trains need a lift.
I remember reading about one in MR a long time ago… My collection is at home (5 hrs from college), so I can’t look through them.
John Armstrong in “Creative Layout Design” has a drawing for a dehydrated canal lock, which could raise an entire train from one layout level to another. Don’t know if anyone ever built it.
Enjoy
Paul
Thanks for the information. I will do some looking in these places and see what I can find. Will keep you posted.
Thanks
Iain Rice’s book “Small, Smart and Practical Track Plans” describes what he calls a “cassette”, basically a manually removable, straight, enclosed section of track. You could use this to manually change from one level to another, or maybe automate it somehow.
O Gauge Railroading Magazine Run 195 August 2003 has an story on a train elevator with diagrams. This system is in use on an O gauge layout and is a proven system . It look like it could be use for other scales.
Model Railroad Planning 2001 has the story on the train elevator. It’s called “Going up”
BNSFNUT
Would there be any way you could send me a copy of that artical? Or where on the net I might find it? Thank you.
Thanks puckdropper For that information. I will sure check it out.
Sorry to join this discussion late but I just had a similar idea. There is an article in RMC October 1979 p85. It is actually a vertical staging yard but would work as an elevator as well. I thought that this might be a useful idea for my layout. I have a hidden yard in another room (the basement utility/furnace room); the line then climbs steeply and circles back over the yard to rejoin the main line in the train room but I don’t like the way that I have had to work around the appliances. I could also eliminate the steep climb by having access at two levels.
I would like to know if anyone has had any actual experience building a train elevator, particularly the RMC “Train Eater” from 1979. Lessons learned or improvements would really help. Thanks.
How 'bout that “Ro-Ro” unit advertised in the back of MR?
I’ve see some.
My idea for a train elevator was to layout a yard likeTony Koester has as one of his staging yards. It is a semicrcle of curved track at equal intervals of spacing. Mine would be laid out on 2 1/4’ spacing from center to ocenter in HO to clear long equipment and engines. I’m thinking of using a platform lift with a hydraulic foot pump to raise it. It is made like a two-wheeled dolly, but has small casters on the front Or maybe using a small scissors lift. I have one that is used on bikes and ATV"s I got at Wal-Mart for $99.95. I have a few modules that connect to my train room to extend my mainline. These are on casters and i’m going to make this unit movable on casters similar to them.
Hello all,
Is there such a thing as a train elevator? I think my trains need a lift.
I remember reading about one in MR a long time ago… My collection is at home (5 hrs from college), so I can’t look through them.
John Armstrong in “Creative Layout Design” has a drawing for a dehydrated canal lock, which could raise an entire train from one layout level to another. Don’t know if anyone ever built it.
Enjoy
Paul
Thanks for the information. I will do some looking in these places and see what I can find. Will keep you posted.
Thanks
Iain Rice’s book “Small, Smart and Practical Track Plans” describes what he calls a “cassette”, basically a manually removable, straight, enclosed section of track. You could use this to manually change from one level to another, or maybe automate it somehow.
O Gauge Railroading Magazine Run 195 August 2003 has an story on a train elevator with diagrams. This system is in use on an O gauge layout and is a proven system . It look like it could be use for other scales.
Model Railroad Planning 2001 has the story on the train elevator. It’s called “Going up”