Playmobil R2 track

[Polarblair]

So I've been a little frustrated with the single radius of the playmobil RC track. I do have some R1 LGB and playmobil track kicking around but its not very child friendly with my 2yr old middle child still kneeling on and walking all over the track. So I'm having a shot at printing my own. The straight track sections I've made so far have been a direct drop in replacement with the snap locks working well too.

I've found that one track segment will still just about fit on my ender 5 plus. I'm just using cheap PLA to keep the costs down as the track is in my workshop. This means I also dont have to worry about water ingress and blowing the track apart by freezing in the open infill within the print. I still need to do some real world testing to see if water retention is actually an issue. Anyone that has tried to print a cup out of PLA will know it doesn't hold water all that well. Maybe it drains out as quickly as it seeps in? I'll need to find out.



For now this helps me with my layout. We will know more in 12 hrs. I think its high time to convert the ender 5 plus to core XY

As I'm a bit impatient I've also split each track section into another two segments so my other printer can help.
I just need to design a couple of bowties to the underside to lock the join together.

 

[playmofire]

What have you based the larger radius Playmobil track on? As I found in my early days when I was making track plans for Playmobil RC track with a program which didn't have Playmobil track on it, LGB R1 and Playmobil curves are not the same radius, the Playmobil curves being a smaller radius.

 

[PhilP]

If you can come up with a larger radius, and get the geometry correct, you will be onto a winner..

PhilP

 

[Polarblair]

What have you based the larger radius Playmobil track on? As I found in my early days when I was making track plans for Playmobil RC track with a program which didn't have Playmobil track on it, LGB R1 and Playmobil curves are not the same radius, the Playmobil curves being a smaller radius.

Ah, good to know. I figured the most reliable way was to ignore everything else and base it purely on LGB track standards. so went by this:

https://www.lgb.com/fileadmin/media/lgb/produkte/produktinformationen/LGB_Gleissystem-Info.pdf

Its not too late to change though. I was initially going to go for LGB R1 but this looked quite close to playmobil and I fancied a larger radius.
R3 is going to be unlikely. R2 just fits a single track length on the ender 5+ 350x350mm bed (diagonally). At that point it makes sense as the bambu lab printer can quickly smash though two half sections in less than half the time it takes the ender to complete a single track. But going up to R3 I would need to do half track sections on the ender and probably split it into thirds on the bambu lab.
I could of course fit more than one track on each bed per print but given the length of print time its not really worth it and would only save on the time it takes to remove a print from the bed and hit the go button again.

The much more sensible route at that point would be to use some track adapters and just get brass track to work with the plastic track.
But I dont have any brass track beyond LGB and playmobil R1 so this works out cheaper for me using PLA filament.

ASA would be necessary for outdoor use but it suffers the same issue that ABS has with shrinkage. Looking at two straight track sections, one in ASA and one in PLA, the ASA print is just over is approx 1.5mm shorter.
I dont think this would make much of a difference but I'll happily be corrected.

 

[Polarblair]

If you can come up with a larger radius, and get the geometry correct, you will be onto a winner..

PhilP

Do you mean going larger than LGB R2 or are you saying larger than the stock playmobil plastic track?
I could in theory do any custom radius without any extra work but I assumed it would start causing problems if I didnt stick to a known standard.

 

[playmofire]

Ah, good to know. I figured the most reliable way was to ignore everything else and base it purely on LGB track standards. so went by this:

https://www.lgb.com/fileadmin/media/lgb/produkte/produktinformationen/LGB_Gleissystem-Info.pdf

Its not too late to change though. I was initially going to go for LGB R1 but this looked quite close to playmobil and I fancied a larger radius.
R3 is going to be unlikely. R2 just fits a single track length on the ender 5+ 350x350mm bed (diagonally). At that point it makes sense as the bambu lab printer can quickly smash though two half sections in less than half the time it takes the ender to complete a single track. But going up to R3 I would need to do half track sections on the ender and probably split it into thirds on the bambu lab.
I could of course fit more than one track on each bed per print but given the length of print time its not really worth it and would only save on the time it takes to remove a print from the bed and hit the go button again.

The much more sensible route at that point would be to use some track adapters and just get brass track to work with the plastic track.
But I dont have any brass track beyond LGB and playmobil R1 so this works out cheaper for me using PLA filament.

ASA would be necessary for outdoor use but it suffers the same issue that ABS has with shrinkage. Looking at two straight track sections, one in ASA and one in PLA, the ASA print is just over is approx 1.5mm shorter.
I dont think this would make much of a difference but I'll happily be corrected.

If you make up a half circle of Playmobil plastic track, then you can work out a suitable radius for your larger radius track to fit in with the original Playmobil one.

 

[Polarblair]

If you make up a half circle of Playmobil plastic track, then you can work out a suitable radius for your larger radius track to fit in with the original Playmobil one.

I'll do that. I already noticed some difficulties even sticking with the stock pieces when trying to have a tandem line. Will see where R2 gets me with my current layout. I should probably determine the Playmobil radius and bring the whole thing into CAD.

 

[PhilP]

Do you mean going larger than LGB R2 or are you saying larger than the stock playmobil plastic track?
I could in theory do any custom radius without any extra work but I assumed it would start causing problems if I didnt stick to a known standard.

Everything LGB make, will go round their R1 curves.. - Which as you have noted, are a larger radius than the standard Playmobil curve.

I think what you need to come up with, is the geometry to create two concentric circles of track, with the necessary pieces to allow the use of standard Playmobil points, to go from one circle to the other.

I *think* this would allow you to create most of the common track formats you would want? - I guess you can 'play' with the curves in CAD, to see what is possible?

PhilP

 

[curtis]

I was going to make the same suggestion as Phil. It's actually how I start with alignments in track plans on the computer (I'm currently tinkering with an N-Gauge loft layout plan).

Unrelated, I wanted to say although I've never had Playmobil, I've been hugely impressed with the things you've been tinkering with and printing. I'm really enjoying following your progress and looking forward to see what you come up with next. Great work.

 

[Polarblair]

Everything LGB make, will go round their R1 curves.. - Which as you have noted, are a larger radius than the standard Playmobil curve.

I think what you need to come up with, is the geometry to create two concentric circles of track, with the necessary pieces to allow the use of standard Playmobil points, to go from one circle to the other.

I *think* this would allow you to create most of the common track formats you would want? - I guess you can 'play' with the curves in CAD, to see what is possible?

PhilP

The points had given me pause for thought. Of course no points are available other than in playmobil's tighter radius so any link between the two tracks would need to use them. I dont plan on making my own R2 version any time soon. A way around this would be to use the required spacer. I saw a thread on here where someone had printed custom length short track to make up the difference on multi track layouts due to being stuck with playmobil's single radius.

Phil made me think so in the middle of writing this I went away for a quick sketch. I haven't measured the radius of the playmobil track and the only info I could find for it was from a review on here someone did of the newer yellow playmobil diesel set.



I'm happy to see I haven't wasted my time. Its all workable and one of the straight track custom pieces could be gotten rid of simply by shifting the R2 outer ring to the left. I want points on both sides of the oval and you could even get rid of the custom straight track between the points by shifting the R2 track towards the inner playmobil track.

However, shifting the R2 oval down may be better for the space I have. Not least because it gives more space between the outer and inner track on the bottom of the oval. While tinkering I have to bear in mind to design around the kids and make sure they have space to get in and play.



To be clear I'm not suggesting this as a layout - just playing around with whats possible. What I really need to do is draw up my current layout and see how the R2 curves impact it.

The R1 track is just shown for comparison. I think it only leaves 20mm measured inside edge to inside edge of the rails so obviously wouldn't fit as drawn.

 

[Polarblair]

Hot off the press!

Few things in life give me as much joy as getting correct tolerances.



This is with no cleanup at all. You can feel the join on the inside of the rail but the tiniest bit of sanding would make that disappear.

I was worried the split rail would have lots of issues and be inferior to the full length rail still printing on my Ender 5+ but the speed and superior print quality more than make up for any extra faff.

You can see the recess for the bowtie lock. I might honestly not even need it given how securely the two halves lock together but a little insurance won't hurt.

 

[Polarblair]

I was going to make the same suggestion as Phil. It's actually how I start with alignments in track plans on the computer (I'm currently tinkering with an N-Gauge loft layout plan).

Unrelated, I wanted to saw although I've never had Playmobile, I've been hugely impressed with the things you've been tinkering with and printing. I'm really enjoying following your progress and looking forward to see what you come up with next. Great work.

Thank you Curtis! I'm waiting on a filament delivery currently so I'm designing lots of projects simultaneously so I'll be ready when it arrives.
More is definitely coming!

 

[playmofire]

Thank you Curtis! I'm waiting on a filament delivery currently so I'm designing lots of projects simultaneously so I'll be ready when it arrives.
More is definitely coming!

AnyRail track planner includes Playmobil RC track in its library if the track planner you are using doesn't. A free download is available although it does have a limit on the amount of track you can use in this form in planning a layout. You can't actually join the two different types of track together, but you can align them up as if they are.

In case it might help, here's a scan showing how Playmobil RC, LGB R1 and LGB R2 compare.

 

[Polarblair]

AnyRail track planner includes Playmobil RC track in its library if the track planner you are using doesn't. A free download is available although it does have a limit on the amount of track you can use in this form in planning a layout. You can't actually join the two different types of track together, but you can align them up as if they are.

In case it might help, here's a scan showingView attachment 318667 how Playmobil RC, LGB R1 and LGB R2 compare.

Hi playmofire, that's pretty handy thanks for the tip. I downloaded some software a while back but it looked a lot less user friendly than this does. Will give it a go.

 

[playmofire]

Hi playmofire, that's pretty handy thanks for the tip. I downloaded some software a while back but it looked a lot less user friendly than this does. Will give it a go.

I bought the full version some years ago. Support is good both online and by email.

 

[Dan]

The electric track powered playmobil set I have has LGB R1 curved track in the box.

 

[playmofire]

The electric track powered playmobil set I have has LGB R1 curved track in the box.

Yes, but here the topic is the RC track.

 

[GAP]

Pardon my ignorance but Playmobil track appears to be 45mm guage am I correct?

 

[Polarblair]

So tried it on the current layout and it worked great! I'll post pics when I get a chance. Currently building steel frame workshops in the Highlands of Scotland to help fund this newly acquired habit which I can naturally stop anytime I want to....... I just don't want to.

I don't have time at the moment to redo the whole layout so had to print a 70mm straight track to complete the circuit but other than that it's working well.

Ive made some adapters to join the old brass track to the plastic track now so I should dig through my childhood stash and extend the circuit even more!

 

[Polarblair]

Pardon my ignorance but Playmobil track appears to be 45mm guage am I correct?

As far as I can tell the plastic track is exactly the same gauge as the original playmobil brass track and is interchangeable with LGB track.