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While I have been testing the On30 waters, trying to figure out if I want to change scales, I have decided to build some models just to see what I can do with On30. What got me interested in O narrow gauge was a book that a friend let me look at about the Mann Creek RR. I decided for fun to build a Mann Creek hopper just to see what it would be like. about half way through building the hopper I got the idea to make it actually work, with doors that open and close. Then I thought that maybe I could make it work hands free by making a mechanism that would open and close the doors. I had the idea to use a plunger type mechanism when pulled down the doors opened, but I could not design one that was simple enough to be repeted many times (if I decided to go this route) and open the doors far enough.
so far what I came up with was a T bar that had to rods that connected to the doors. When the T bar is turned it pushes the doors open, which is important that the doors are pushed open because I found that the coal is not really heavy enough to force the doors open on its own (as the coal empties there is not enough force or weight to hold the doors open). The T bar works great because it opens the doors wide enough and it is really easy to make. I used a spring clip to hold the doors shut. For now I just pressed on a C channel of brass connected to the T bar and placed another T bar centered in a test track. To open the doors I just spot the car over the T bar in the track, raise the T bar into the C channel on the car and turn it 90 degrees. But, if the hopper car is not spotted centered over the T bar in the rail the axis of the T bar on the car and the one in the rail are out of alignment and the car can move or tip or just not work right. precise spotting of the car would make it a tedious job and would get tiring. I want to make it so it only requires getting the car close to where it needs to be but it does not have to be exactly in a specific spot.
This might be a crazy idea but I tought of using a small motor and a worm drive to open the doors. I could use a DCC decoder to drive the motor (which I have plenty laying around once I switched to Tsunami decoders). The trouble I am having is that the motor needs to be small enough and slow enough that it is controllable. I also thought about using a small RC servo that I could rewire to a DCC decoder.
Anyone got any other good ideas. The goal is to keep it simple enough to be repeated and to use easy to buy parts. Cost is not too much of a problem because I would not need a huge amount of these cars if I was to ever build a layout of that used these cars. The nice part about using DCC and a motor is that as long as the car is over the dump pit it can be dumped. I could just use one of my spare UT1 throttles to dial up the car number and operate the doors.
so far what I came up with was a T bar that had to rods that connected to the doors. When the T bar is turned it pushes the doors open, which is important that the doors are pushed open because I found that the coal is not really heavy enough to force the doors open on its own (as the coal empties there is not enough force or weight to hold the doors open). The T bar works great because it opens the doors wide enough and it is really easy to make. I used a spring clip to hold the doors shut. For now I just pressed on a C channel of brass connected to the T bar and placed another T bar centered in a test track. To open the doors I just spot the car over the T bar in the track, raise the T bar into the C channel on the car and turn it 90 degrees. But, if the hopper car is not spotted centered over the T bar in the rail the axis of the T bar on the car and the one in the rail are out of alignment and the car can move or tip or just not work right. precise spotting of the car would make it a tedious job and would get tiring. I want to make it so it only requires getting the car close to where it needs to be but it does not have to be exactly in a specific spot.
This might be a crazy idea but I tought of using a small motor and a worm drive to open the doors. I could use a DCC decoder to drive the motor (which I have plenty laying around once I switched to Tsunami decoders). The trouble I am having is that the motor needs to be small enough and slow enough that it is controllable. I also thought about using a small RC servo that I could rewire to a DCC decoder.
Anyone got any other good ideas. The goal is to keep it simple enough to be repeated and to use easy to buy parts. Cost is not too much of a problem because I would not need a huge amount of these cars if I was to ever build a layout of that used these cars. The nice part about using DCC and a motor is that as long as the car is over the dump pit it can be dumped. I could just use one of my spare UT1 throttles to dial up the car number and operate the doors.
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