Large Scale Central

G-Scale Funicular Garden Railway

Prototypes
#81

The funicular now has a reason for being. I’ve connected the upper station to a 104 ft. long (at 1:24 scale) suspension foot bridge that leads to the re-modeled Treehouse Complex. The two supporting cables of the bridge run through holes drilled in each plank, and are attached to steel disks on the station by magnets to prevent any damage to the station from a heavy falling branch or strong winds. If the bridge is overly stressed, it will automatically disconnect and protect the station. The other end of the cables are attached to the elevator boarding platform at the tree house with miniature turnbuckles for adjusting tension and extension springs to allow for slight motions. The stainless steel cables are the same 1/32" stainless steel cable used in the funicular. The tree house along with a restaurant, salon, gazebo and lodge now has a new Victorian elevator to travel between levels, and it really works!

see photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlcarmichael/

#82

John, I’ve been following along from the beginning, but I haven’t chimed in, except to add a song!, because this build, and your entire railroad, leaves me speechless. The imagination is out of this world and the execution is dead on.

#83

John;

The treehouse complex kind of gave me a Steam Punk vibe. I don’t mean that in a bad way either. I started firing the Crown Metal Products 4-4-0 on the Dry Gulch Railroad at Hershey Park when I was 19 years old, so I guess that officially makes me a Steam Punk (a very old one now!). Thanks for sharing your work.

Best Wishes, David Meashey

P. S. Second from the end of the photo line & getting up close with N&W J611 in May of 2015.

#84

John it has been a while since I peeked into your link here, and I still love how you think just a little outside the normal box. You have done a phenomenal job in creating a really fun model.

Thanks for sharing your great skills

Dennis

#85

Thanks for the heartfelt note Dennis. It just would seem so worthless if we couldn’t share cool stuff we’ve been working on. That’s why these forums are great- especially now that we’ve lost Garden Railways Magazine.

#86

John Carmichael said:

Thanks for the heartfelt note Dennis. It just would seem so worthless if we couldn’t share cool stuff we’ve been working on. That’s why these forums are great- especially now that we’ve lost Garden Railways Magazine.

I agree, John. You said it. I thought I’d express my agreement to gently remind Bob McCown how important his work on this site is to many of us, me included, which I think he already knows of course.

#87

Hi Mr. John Carmichael,

Your work is absolutely wonderful !!!

I had, by chance, previously come across a post of the VICTORIAN Elevator somewhere on the Web.

I absolutely love the VICTORIAN Era Architecture and Technology. ( So did Walt Disney. )

Possibly, you could find subcontractor work as a DISNEY Imagineer.

Thanks again for posting this !!!

Norman

1 Like
#88

Holy carp!!! That is one of the coolest layouts I’ve ever seen! It’s incredibly creative and imaginative, and well-made!

1 Like
#89

If you send me your email address, I’ll email to you a full size pdf copy of my original CAD drawing of my ABT switch. It’s also on my Flickr photostream. email: [email protected]

#90

Garden Railroading News has just published an article I wrote about my G-Scale Funicular titled: “Building a G-Scale Funicular Garden Railway” page 18.

See: Garden Railroading News 2022 #4 Jul-Aug, 2022 - Orangedox

#91

John, it was wonderful seeing your construction thread on your funicular.

It’s fantastic seeing it installed on your layout, with the lighting and surrounding terrain and buildings.

Big congratulations on your feat of engineering & construction, and your coverage in GRN.

Cliff

1 Like
#92

Thank you Cliff. I’m so happy you appreciate and like it. I can’t ask for more than that!