You really can't appreciate a tool like the Pace until you've used one. It's easy to dismiss - "it's just another adjustable-temperature soldering iron." "There are tons of others that are half the price." Etc. But if you do a lot of small component soldering - like soldering wires to pads on a decoder, or soldering wires to a 603-sized surface mount LED; or soldering a 1/8-watt chip resistor to a small piece of circuit board (or directly to a wire!), the Pace is incomparable. My father-in-law, a master carpenter, taught me that for truly high-quality work, you must have the right tool for the job. He is absolutely right. There are some things for which only a table saw will do; others require a mitre saw and still others a jig saw or band saw. Yes, you can often "get the job done" with a different tool, but the job will never be as precise, neat, or easy to accomplish. If you do small component soldering, the Pace is the right tool. John C.
Kobo Custom MP36PH locomotives decorated in New Mexico Rail Runner. View attachment 211702 For some reason, some of your models look familiar. Oh yeah, I went to Santa Fe in 2018, by train.
By the time I was looking for it, was sold out everywhere at retail prices. But was able to find one remaining in stock from modeltrainplus for $60 shipped.
You will have a tough time with this, unless you can find just the right gearbox! So I opened the cableway/tram set last night and the motor doesn't work. Opened it up and there was a wire missing from the + battery terminal, soldered one in and it worked. I managed to take a look at the mechanism, there are several gears, a flywheel, and a clutch. So when the gondola reaches the end stop, the parts work together so that the cable reverses direction automatically. Therefore, the same gondola always remains on the same side, just goes back and forth.
I don't think it's that difficult. I have tons of tiny micro R/C servos. I just bypass the controller board and use the gears and motor in it. I can adjust the speed by adjusting the input voltage. As for the gondolas reserving, I'm thinking a continuous loop to make it simple. No need for reversing circuitry or mechanism. Attach them to the rotating line and they go around in circles like a real lift.
I am reminded of the saying that there is a prototype for everything but I have never seen nor heard of suspended cable cars rotating at the terminals of their runs. This is usually seen in operations such as ski lifts but not with larger capacity cars. Various reasons for this. One of them being that time is needed to allow passengers and freight to disembark or load. Very hard to do with a system with high capacity cars unlike a ski lift where only one or two passengers are loaded or discharged. Usually suspended cable cars, like incline railways, are a back and forth operation wherein the weight of one car acts as a counterweight to the other car. This reduces the power needed to operate the system.
Here's the famous PEAK2PEAK one from Whistler Mountain: Regardless, we are not building a prototype cable car lift system. We are only simulating a visual as the main focus would be the N-Scale trains. Just having cable cars going up and down would be a big attraction as it is. I don't think the public would realize whether it's a roundy round or up and down system.
Back in my HO days...mid 80s...we lived in a house that had a 12x20 shed out back. My sons and I built a decent sized HO layout in it. In one corner we built a hugh mountain. It went clear up to the 8' ceiling in that corner. We thought about a tram going up to the top. We where also into RC cars in those days. We experimented with RC motors and old motors out of VCRs. I dont remember what we ended up using...but...it was a continuous roundy roundy tram system. It was pretty awesome !
Like I said, "I am reminded of the saying that there is a prototype for everything . . . " and Usually suspended cable cars, like incline railways, are a back and forth operation wherein the weight of one car acts as a counterweight to the other car."
She didnt care about what was out in the shed. She was just happy the boys and I enjoyed multiple hobbies together. If I was energetic enough I would search thru numerous photo albums and boxes of old photos to see if we have any old Polaroid photos from those days.
Thinking on it some more...I believe we used 10 pound monofiliament fishing line and used old spools from that line... https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51rQoKhYI5L._SX300_.jpg ...one attached to the motor and one freewheeling one at the other end. Something like this... http://p2.la-img.com/227/23602/8393759_1_l.jpg I see at least one place has the cable cars... https://www.reynaulds.com/products/Brawa/6562.aspx So it looks doable... I just dont need anymore 'Projects'...LOL
See what you guys started !!! Now you have me thinking I could take out the water tower in one back corner and take out the celltower in the other corner and put in a scenic tram system back there.. Geeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzz...... Maybe more later in my THERR RV rebuild thread...carry on.
Also grabbed one of these due to lack of them in the market. Will have to spend the weekend on it. Oh well.