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Attended the Rocky Mountain TCA show this afternoon and saw the next greatest innovation for my layout. The company is AUTOMOTION FX. The cars are under their own power and are steered by a link hooked the front axle and follows a guide wire embedded in the roadway.

I am trying to attach a couple videos, I hope I did it correctly?20200308_133431

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BTW, this show is only getting better each time. I used to do this show when I had my train store. While there is a high percentage of HO and N, there is a lot of O of all periods and some Standard Gauge and G selling there. Even if you don't buy anything the sheer amount of operating layouts will take you all day to look at.

This is indeed very cool. However, when I imagine owning this system, the fatal flaw appears to be charging the cars. After the novelty wore off, I can't imagine bothering except when a special guest was coming.

Maybe it will eventually be possible to use wireless cell-phone charging technology to allow the cars to charge automatically when parked.

Art Lites posted:

...They are working on RR crossing but have to design to work with many types of track.  They hope to solve this soon.  

Having cars automatically stopping at grade crossings will be a head-turner.  Having multiple cars queue up at grade crossings without fender benders will be a jaw-dropper.  

If any hard-core DIY'er can't wait, and wants to be a trailblazer in the O-gauge world to solve the grade-crossing "problem", please post as such in the Electrical Forum and let the games begin!    

hello

i have begun to build my automotions road system so far i have the gas station stop set up and working correctly. i had it running almost 2.5hrs not stop it it works great. next i will be adding the 2nd lane and a side road going through the middle i will post a video soon. the battery's last a long time and the charge time, i do not know have not timed it. the 2.5 hr running last night they didn't need a charge and did not slow down. Jay at automotions is great to work with. he will answer your questions and do what he can to help. i recommend this system to anyone that wants to have moving cars on there trains. i have yet to run the trains my only concern will it effect the cars if there is two much vibration. i have it set up with standard gauge trams and o gauge trains. will update when i run the trains.

kevin

       

At $100 per car and about $5.00 (avg) for track, it could get pricy. It is very cool and especially so that it's in our scale. Unfortunately, they can't negotiate a 90 degree city street intersection. And of course those are the kinds on my layout. I have some real estate that open and could support a highway… You could get a decent set up for the price of an MTH diesel locomotive.

Sweet! Especially for those who are in the beginning stages of building a layout. Not sure how practical this could be for those who have a "completed" layout or are in the final stages of major scenery and detail. But then again, if you like the journey more than the destination this would be great.

This could easily turn into a model vehicle layout with a train running through. There are some that already do this with slot cars but now a new age and added realism, like the Faller system, in model vehicle layouts. As if I don't already have enough projects to do on the layout, lol.

Dave

Put the little people in the cars - then they will move !!!     Trainman2001 - did you watch the video posted by Engineer-Joe ?  Some of the turns made by the car were pretty tight I thought. 

I have some of the cars I got from the same people (very nice by the way) so I just ran downstairs to see how tight a circle I could get and have the cars run reliably.  I did a circle with a 11.5 inch diameter and they ran perfect.  Then I did a circle with a 10 inch diameter which is the smallest the steering would allow and the car would leave the circuit.  My circle might not have been perfect as I quickly threw it together for the run. 

That brings me to the next item.  You don't have to use the pre-made track which can get costly with a large layout.  They do sell special wire that comes in 33 foot lengths and you can free form your roadway like I just did and that costs like .50 a foot.  The wire sells for $18.00 for a 33 ft roll.  I purchased it from the same people.  You are supposed to cut a small groove in your surface ( and yes they sell a special tool that cuts that groove) and you only cover it with paint. 

You can also add magnets and reed switch sensors on certain cars only to make events happen which really puts it over the edge - similar to what Lionel is doing.  OK - time to stop rambling.  Give them a try - its fun !       JP

 

 

 

 

 

 

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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