Author Topic: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet  (Read 4120 times)

Offline mklotz

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Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« on: August 10, 2012, 04:33:51 PM »
I'm willing to bet that most of the members of this forum had a model train layout in their youth.  I know I did.  I imagined all sorts of wonderful things I could add to it and spent many happy hours designing the engineering details to accomplish these things.

Well, unlike me, the Germans have followed through on their imaginings and have the layout to prove it. Take a look.  It will blow your mind.

http://tinyurl.com/8yzay95
Regards, Marv
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Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2012, 05:22:53 PM »
It will blow your mind.

Love it! Well done video too. Very entertaining.
Thanks Marv!
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Offline mklotz

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2012, 05:51:06 PM »
The miniature vehicles do not ride on a track as the trains do.  Each one has batteries and motor on-board and has sensors that allow it to follow lines painted on the surfaces on which it runs.  Thus, the software can direct any vehicle to go to any location serviced by a path.

Interestingly, the vehicle can detect when its batteries are getting low and, when this happens, it drives behind the scenes to a charging station.  This station has stalls with copper walls spaced slightly less than the width of the vehicle.  When the vehicle drives into the stall its rear view mirrors contact the copper walls and receive the charging current. 

The airplanes taking off and landing on the runway attach their undercarriage to two "dowels" that rise through a slot that runs down the middle of the runway.  By adjusting the extension of these  dowels the plane can be made to pitch up or down.  At the end of the runway is a slit curtain painted to look like a cloudy sky.  The plane "flys" into this curtain and disappears behind the screen where it is redirected to the landing queue.  A similar screen at the other end of the runway allows landing planes to "appear in the sky".
Regards, Marv
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Offline arnoldb

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2012, 07:23:07 PM »
Thanks Marv  ;D - besides being stunning, it brings back some really great childhood memories!

Quote
I'm willing to bet that most of the members of this forum had a model train layout in their youth.  I know I did.  I imagined all sorts of wonderful things I could add to it and spent many happy hours designing the engineering details to accomplish these things.
Does making "model" trees from steel wool, wire and coated in rattle-can paint with some sawdust sprinkled on count? - And "landscape" scenery and tunnels made with chicken mesh and
papier-m?ch? ? - Thinking back my creations were abominable  :Lol: - but at least it was fun and kept me busy.   

 :cheers:, Arnold
Building an engine takes Patience, Planning, Preparation and Machining.
Procrastination is nearly the same, but it precludes machining.
Thus, an engine will only be built once the procrastination stops and the machining begins!

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2012, 07:29:49 PM »
Faller has an HO scale car system that runs in a similar manner. (Perhaps it's what they used?).
Also in N-scale.

I've often thought of doing a rail/car system using that once I retired.
Expensive though.
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Offline mklotz

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2012, 09:17:06 PM »
What I don't understand is how the control room maintains "contact" with each of the hundreds of vehicles and how it communicates the path it has chosen for them to them.  Separate frequency miniature radio transceivers are possible but that sounds expensive and over-the-top.  (Of course, who are we, worrying about how many threads show above the nut on a stud, to raise objections to over-the-top ideas?)

One possibility, I suppose is a software controlled LED (perhaps infrared) in the path line before every line branch.  As the vehicle approaches, the computer controller turns the LED on/off to signal right/left turn.  But how does the controller track the current position of all those vehicles?  It's a delightful miniature engineering problem.  I can think of several possibilities.  With confined paths, a dead-reckoning solution is possible.  Maybe judiciously placed bar code readers in the roadbed which report each vehicle that passes overhead.  As I said, I enjoyed designing stuff for my youthful trains as much as running them. :)
Regards, Marv
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Offline steamer

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2012, 12:14:29 AM »
Hey Marv,
Encrypted RC is pretty common today....

Dave

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Offline steamer

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2012, 12:52:12 AM »
Just watched it Marv....3.5 million Euro into the airport alone!

Money appears to not be a problem!

Dave

"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline Maryak

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2012, 02:38:47 AM »
I really enjoyed the lady of the night in the upstairs window and the small section I will call, "If this Van's rockin, don't bother knockin." Just my perverted eye for detail at work  :slap:

Best Regards
Bob
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Offline steamer

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2012, 10:49:54 AM »
 ;D

Yup noticed that too......

Dave
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Offline Admiral_dk

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Re: Miniature Wonderland - Ausgezeichnet
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2012, 12:34:26 PM »
Quote
Just watched it Marv....3.5 million Euro into the airport alone!

Money appears to not be a problem!

Well it's one of Hamburgs major tourist attractions - perhaps the biggest .... So a little extravagance to attract even more people, might be money well spend.

 

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