Funicular Modeling

[Paul M]

Currently under way, is the reinstatement of part of one of the lines, as a tourist attraction. Cars are already restored. I'm just waiting for some zealous regulator to come along and stuff up the authenticity by insisting that they install flashing turn indicators on the cars, and that they paint the ends of the cars hi-viz yellow !

View attachment 277246

Mornington car 111 under restoration some 10 years ago, now.
You'd think that Gav has a 'thing' about Cable Cars (I'll save my San Francisco work for another thread drift).

You're probably right, and I bet there's someone out there who thinks even the number is offensive

 

[Gavin Sowry]

You're probably right, and I bet there's someone out there who thinks even the number is offensive

Think 999, 911, 000 etc. Our Emergency number is 111.

 

[John Carmichael]

Hi Gavin:

I think it's perfectly ok that this thread has drifted (temporarily) into cable cars. Cable cars are so similar to funiculars that comparisons between them are inevitable and welcome. I believe I once mentioned earlier in a thread how a modeler could modify my funicular design to make a faux G-scale cable car. It would not have a grip line like the real ones because there is no conductor on board to operate a grip, but it would appear that it does if the cable is hidden slightly below street level as in San Francisco.

Thanks mucho for all those photos. The old restored #3 cable car in the museum is simply precious! And thanks for confirming the track arrangements and wheel designs. I still don't understand why they didn't put the stations equidistant apart which caused one car to stop in the tunnel. Do you have any theory or knowledge about that quirk?

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Hi Gavin:

I think it's perfectly ok that this thread has drifted (temporarily) into cable cars. Cable cars are so similar to funiculars that comparisons between them are inevitable and welcome. I believe I once mentioned earlier in a thread how a modeler could modify my funicular design to make a faux G-scale cable car. It would not have a grip line like the real ones because there is no conductor on board to operate a grip, but it would appear that it does if the cable is hidden slightly below street level as in San Francisco.

Thanks mucho for all those photos. The old restored #3 cable car in the museum is simply precious! And thanks for confirming the track arrangements and wheel designs. I still don't understand why they didn't put the stations equidistant apart which caused one car to stop in the tunnel. Do you have any theory or knowledge about that quirk?

As the line was designed, and built, as a 'proper' line, station spacing didn't matter. It was only after the clowns turned it into a Funnicular that the stopping arrangements were upset. There is very little open land available for stations, so they were put in so that they weren't on viaducts, or in tunnels.

 

[John Carmichael]

Garden Railroading News has just published an article I wrote about my G-Scale Funicular titled: "Building a G-Scale Funicular Garden Railway" page 18.

See: Garden Railroading News 2022 #4 Jul-Aug, 2022 - Orangedox