Hi All,

I'm planning to model the American Steam era  ultimately with lots of horses, wagons, people, and small industries (such as coal delivery,  sawmill, shipwright's wharf, canal, lime kiln, and brick yard) being served by the railroad. Any links, photos or ideas on animation? The trains weren't the only thing that moved. I'd like to really WOW the visitors by making as much come alive as  possible.

Hi All,

Ideas, links or photos on animating a stage coach is exactly what I'm looking for. The stage coach delivered passengers to the railroad hotel. This railroad was built primarily for passengers to save travel time and was less arduous  than taking the stage on primitive dirt roads roads (especially in mud or snow).

 

Jim Henson had a lifetime goal of being able to have Kermit ride a bicycle.He did manage to do it in one of his movies.  I think a stage coach would be simpler.

 

Mr. Rogers (on TV) pulled the trolley along using clear thread (the TV people wanted to having go very slowly and could control it just outside of the view of watchers). They obviously hadn't discovered electric trains.

 

A stage coach powered in a way like slot cars should be fairly reliable and wheel tracks in the dirt could be made to blend in fairly well. Any other ideas?

- Mike

Hi Fritz

Thanks for suggestions. I checked out all of them. The Faller Car system seems like it could be adapted. I'm curious, do you need a smooth surface, like plastic, or can be run on something rough like dirt or ground foam (for horses and wagons)?

-Mike

 

Animation need not be high-tech (or even medium tech) to be effective.  We get continual comments on our man in the canoe who is going over the falls.  A light piece of fishing line tied to a rock in the stream, and he continually "tetters" on the brink of destruction.

 

You can see him at the very left edge just below center.  Canoe is from Michaels Craft Stores.

 

Check out the Book by Paul Newitt A Beginner's Guide to Creative Effects for your Model Railroad. Paul is a member of the Bay Area Garden Railway Society. This is a wonderful book.

Russ Miller

This site has an incredible range of animation projects, described in wonderful detail.  He's working in N scale, but there's no reason that the same things couldn't be done in G, and with a lot less trouble as well!

 

The White River and Northern Model Railroad 

I help to develop and run the Southdown Railway Company show layout and we have included a number of animated effects which can be seen in this video clip:

 

Where did you get the carousel?

 

thanks

 

Philip

Philip

 

The carousel is made by a USA company called Mr Christmas and I found this one on Ebay, but they are stocked be several dealers that I found on the internet. 

 

 

Thankyou for your question