Large Scale Central

Gimmie a Brake!

Operations
#21

Add a washer to the middle of an axle. Drill holes around the edge. Stick bits of string through the holes. Add a bead of glue to end so that when dry, the string can’t pull out. Trim length by trial and that other option to create drag by the string on the truck frame and bolster. This is a speed activated centrifugal brake … A brake Shoe could be adapted to provide a smooth surface for different ‘expanders’.

I like automatic brakes for known areas, my mind wanders… deep in ponder and who knows?

John

#22

Randy, your idea for an electromagnet type brake has one slight issue that I can see right away. Most of my metal wheels are non magnetic. The only wheels that I know are magnetic are the ones on my AML boxcar.

#23

Good Point David. As you say I think it’s only a slight issue though, since to my thinking I’m not looking to equip every car with braking power, just a caboose and since I’m an EBT modeler a combine or two. So with this in mind it’s easy to get around. Just buy a good set of solid steel wheels for those cars.

As a side, I did go up and investigate my current inventory. All of my Accucraft 3 bay hoppers and one Rich Yoder were very magnetic but the Bachmann rock hoppers hardly had any attraction at all. Humm, Who knew? … Oh, David that’s who ! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#24

Search for brakes used on gas r/c trucks like the Traxxas Tmaxx. It uses a driveline mounted disc and two brake pads that are applied via servo and released using two small springs.

#25

When I was a youngster I had a RC plane with magnetic brake on the nose wheel, worked very good as I recall. I used to run the fuselage less wing up and down the street in front of my home. This would be easy to effect, easy to control intensity, and could be done with R/C too.

https://www.google.com/search?q=magnetic+brakes+rc+plane&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-SearchBox&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CCcQsARqFQoTCICIzLing8gCFckyiAodgIkK-Q&biw=1536&bih=770#imgrc=_

Michael

#26

i am missing a very proven and simple idea.

the kind of brakes small trailers for autos have.

when the drawbar is pushing against the hook of the car, with it’s rear end it presses against a mecanical brake.

the biggest disadvantage, that i see for this idea, would be that every car in the train needs one.

edit:

https://www.google.com.py/search?q=Auflaufbremse&hl=de-PY&gbv=2&prmd=ivns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAUQ_AVqFQoTCNeAk_P2g8gCFYKyHgodpd8GEQ

#27

Korm, not really. The British 1:1 trains ran with brake vans for many many years. The brakes vans had brakes, the cars didn’t.

#28

You know what hell occurs when you have one car with a draggy wheel set, so that tells us you only need one or two cars to have the brake set-up. How about have a mechanism attached to the truck that has hanging brake pads, that is activated by a weight sized for the grade in question. When the train starts down the grade, the weight falls toward the front of the truck and applies the brake keeping the slack out of the train. When the consist levels out the brake unit is released automatically. This would be simple enough to add to several cars, if needed.

#29

I don’t have any ideas that haven’t been covered, but I’m watching with great interest as I suffer from surging on my down grade. I like the electromagnet approach. I’m wondering if just subjecting the outside diameter of a ferrous wheel to a strong magnetic force would retard the rotation. For me R/C control wouldn’t be an issue. I have extra channels on my Tx and the receivers I use are cheap. I’m thinking about building up a test bed to try some ideas on.

#30

My only thought on an auto system is if its on the last car its not going to set the brake until the weight of the train is already over the hill and the surge has already started. So first it’s going to bunch as it crest the hill then stretch causing alot of draft force. Enough to break something? Probably not but under right conditions it will point out any weak links.

#31

Andrew Moore said:

You know what hell occurs when you have one car with a draggy wheel set, so that tells us you only need one or two cars to have the brake set-up. How about have a mechanism attached to the truck that has hanging brake pads, that is activated by a weight sized for the grade in question. When the train starts down the grade, the weight falls toward the front of the truck and applies the brake keeping the slack out of the train. When the consist levels out the brake unit is released automatically. This would be simple enough to add to several cars, if needed.

I was thinking along these lines too. I though a 6 inch length of tube with a big steel ball in it. A leaver attached to the brake system blocking each tube end. no need for R/C or to even think about it. Hum, but that could take some fun out it. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#32

This thread died too soon, and deserves another look.

Do you have any updates, Kevin?

As I re-read this thread, it occurred to me that instead of using string, as Kevin suggests, some thought might be given to using leather, in the form of a leather boot string. It could be kept moist with a periodic application of Neatsfoot Oil. I remember my grandfather using leather to replace the brakeshoes on his Model T when I was a kid. He said the leather worked as well as those “store bought” things, and anyway, he had a lot of leather.