Looxcie camera experiments on the C&W

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I watched this last night on my TV. It's even bigger on the big screen.

[davefoxx]

Mark,

Thanks.  This allowed us to see your fantastic layout in a new light.  The video did not seem to make any hidden flaws apparent (like many videos do considering the new vantage point), except for inside that tunnel!   

However, is there anything you can do to redesign the sled, so that it is not visible in the video?  That was sort of distracting to me.  Otherwise, bravo!

Oh, and kudos to thinking of allowing the sled to rest on the rails.  I wouldn't have thought of that.  Clearly your trackwork is flawless, since the sled doesn't catch on switch points or crossings.  By the way, while you're running the video around the layout, you're also cleaning your track at the same time.  Maybe you should have made the sled out of 1/8" Masonite.   

DFF

[pwnj]

Amazingly fantastic! You know, if you sliced off about a half inch of that flat car deck on the front, you probably wouldn't see it in the video anymore.   

[Puddington]

I'm taking up rug hooking.................

Just fantastic Mark...... really; no words !

[mark dance]

Amazingly fantastic! You know, if you sliced off about a half inch of that flat car deck on the front, you probably wouldn't see it in the video anymore.   

Yes, but then the car - or more correctly the sled - wouldn't work!  .  It is really just a thin, folded strip of 0.02" styrene glued to floor ends/bolsters cut from an MDC box car.  It took me maybe 15 minutes to build and another 15 minutes as I played around with bolster washers for the height eventually settling on letting the thing slide directly on the rails.  The styrene comes in and out of view as the car flexes.



I had thought to mount a cut-off nose from an old CP Tuscan/Grey Atlas GP38 to the front so that the view was looking through the window, and I mocked this up, but I am not really inclined to put much more work into this.  Right now it is for insert videos and an experiments .

But I do appreciate all the great comments.  Maybe I will rethink further investment of time.  The camera is great now I know how to use it...another tool for the arsenal.


As to the inside of the tunnel, nope, won't be further scenic'ing those! My 7 year old did suggest putting a Yeti inside it as a surprise - though I think Sasquatch is far more appropriate!
md

[peteski]

A single-axle wheel-set in the front should work (instead of a standard dual-axle pivoting truck).  Maybe with a 28" wheels?  Just like the ones used on European boxcars (or on that Atlas TOFC car - don't recall the proper name for it).  That would considerably shorten the front platform. You could also paint the platform flat black. That would be not as visible.  Or if you go all the way, you can take the unit apart and rearrange the internal components...