I'm a transportation engineer from Hungary, and I thought I can give you some advises on how to make it better. The first and most important thing is to forget any material for wheels except steel. The area of the wheel-rail contact point is equal to the size of a bean, and because of this, a lot of force is compressed into this area. A well used and cheap solution is to cut car steel rims in half and use them as rail wheels. Secondly you may want to put brakes on the rail wheels, because if you hit a hill the braking power of the rear rubber tires might not be enough, as you are essentially rolling on polished bare metal. The third thing is also important: even though the railway is or seems abandoned, regulations, laws may apply to them and you don't want to get in trouble with the authorities if the catch you (a phone call to your local authorities may seem to be a good idea) Hope, I helped 🙂
You are very correct on the second and third count. As for the wheels, we used 8 inch castors which were rubberized with solid rubber and lexan backing plates and it was quiet, comfortable and we never derailed. We built 8 prototypes before we got it down perfect.
@@mobiltec he's a transportation engineer and is very correct on the 1st count. All trains and trams around the world use metal wheels. Even the Shinkansen trains in Japan which travel at speeds over 200mph have metal wheels. I respectfully suggest you don't know what you're talking about.
I’m of an age that is nipping at your heels. I’m glad that I can expect to still be engaged in a few more years. Never stop being excited seems like words to live by.
I’m just a lowly abandoned RR walker but I’ve often dreamed of a bike or e-bike powered RR car. I live near the abandoned Tillamook line. It’s a hundred miles long probably. Unfortunately, parts of the track are not passable because of washouts and alder trees growing in the tracks.
"The batteries fully charged! We could potentially go a hundred miles." "We've got one hour of daylight left." LMAO I love the enthusiasm. Cool contraption.
Don’t forget that the wheels need to be on a fixed shared axel where they both rotate as a connected pair which is what really takes advantage of the sloped wheel shape
I was under the impression that train wheels weren’t rubber because the train would either destroy the rubber instantly, or wear extremely fast. It makes sense that they would have to have some slip.
@@squishycrab6330 that is also very true. While there are many different materials they could use, it doesn’t change the fact that those materials will need a way to be replaced often and easily. They were experimented with on some trolleys and single unit rail vehicles but for trains they really are not worth it.
At the very least I would make a thick aluminum backplate for your wheels, the rubber may wear down and then you're screwed again. Making metal wheels would probably be better, but this is not my area of expertise. By the way, this was great fun, and your experience was infectious
Awesome ingenuity and fierce determination to overcome many hurdles. I'm an old man tinkerer and something maybe to think about perhaps use a good respiratory when mixing toxic chemicals and weld outside or with a good fan ESPECIALLY with aluminum, which is one hell of a neuro toxin. I battled cancer 7 years ago and should of taking better care on myself. Keep up your incredible project and keep being you, you're an inspiration!!!
It’s so funny I know so many people who just won’t do anything. They’ve never tried before and here you are in one video doing like 90 things for the first time ever and excelling at them. People really need to open and broaden their horizons.
Every where you bolted through that composite floorpan and body you really need to make sandwich plates for the inside... Make them as big as possible,use the widest fender type washers and bolt through them sandwiching the floorpan and body between the lower axles mounts and the inner sandwich plates to distribute the clamping force over as broad an area as possible... It'll make for a much longer lived attachment point as well as spreading the stresses out over as much area as possible rather than right around each bolt hole...,also,grease those pillar bearings often,and the wheels too will lessen rolling resistance and help them live longer...getting that front motorsickle wheel way up and out of the way will make for a much smoother and quieter ride while lessing drag...LOCTITE,always use LOCTITE on any fastener that it important especially those through the floor and body and pillow bearings..
When I was young I had a 1967 Plymouth and when I let some air out of the tires they would conform to the shape of the top of the rails. The width of the car was exactly the width of the rails. It was so fun we'd all get on top of the car. I only had to touch the steering wheel over road crossings.
This was a fantastic idea Here are some engineering suggestions You needed to attach a drill with eccentric weight to vibrate the wheel mold as you poured. Other than a Lexan disk with a kitchen vacuum bag attachment these are the most accessible ways to get the bubbles out of your polyurethane pour. Bolt thick oversized disks on the back of your wheels to keep the wheels on the track. You need a power conversion system and chain drive to your train wheels with a jack system to put down and pull up the original wheels & tires, but they are great for just moving the car around. You struggle too much and need a pair of stakes at the back and go in the ground so you can pitch it over more easily. A fold-up cow catcher to knock things off the track as you go would help. Oh, and you need a puppy...
The cone shape of train wheels is mandatory. The lip will just grind away really quick in corners. The smooth non grip cone shape is what keeps the train from staying on the tracks instead of going straight when it should be making a turn. As seen around 26:00 the cast rubber has enough grip to lift the vehicle up and over the track from friction against the ridge which is why it was derailing. That is also what your buddy is experiencing at 34:00 But like you said, you really need all metal wheels. You might be able to put like a rubber ring around them for a smoother ride but they are going to wear away really quick. If its all metal you might also be able to set off railway crossings that are still active :)
When I was a little kid my parents took a 1939 Ford Deluxe to the railroad tracks behind our house the Ford matched exactly so all you had to do is slightly let some air out of the tires and drive all the way into town and back having an sparkplug airpump to pump the tires backup it made a fun ride!!! 🤠👍
@@ownie6487 it is to allow them to go around curves, since the inner wheel will ride down on the cone, the outer will ride up therefore allowing them to roll different amounts (circumference) while both rigidly attached to the same axle (same 360 rotation).
Matt discovered your channel several months ago. I’m really enjoying watching your adventures, admire your can’ do spirit. I’m 75 years old recovering from multiple strokes and other traumatic injuries, not physically able to do many things.
S shows the difference between a new beginning channel and one coming from a rich family.. Most individuals takes years to learn how to GTAW .. he learn it in 1 night he says 😂😂😂 More then rich ..
7:55 I love what he says regarding his feeling smugly happy when re-using recycled/leftover bolts --- I always experience the same self-satisfied glow whenever I am able to use already-on-hand fasteners instead of buying costly new ones at the hardware store, in that it kind of vindicates my hoarder instincts. :D
Some suggestions - you can buy small steel rail wheels for factory trucks, they are the correct profile. You need some simple suspension with only 1-2" travel and where people make stuff like this they put all the weight on one side (like a motorcycle and sidecar) and put the rubber driving wheel on that side. It needs to be easy to reverse, go both ways or turn round or you have a long way back!
That "straight and then it bounces" thing around turns is called "hunting", or affectionately the "0-4-0 dance". It's caused by having a short, rigid wheelbase with solid axles. Once it starts, that's your speed limit; any faster and you risk damaging your wheels or even jumping the rails.
Great video! Wonderful adventure! I find myself wanting more details. For example, here are some questions. What is a pellow bearing? (pillow bearing?) Did you put plates or washers on inside of fiberglass frame to help prevent breaking the fiberglass? You removed the front wheel? Why did you move the rear plastic wheels to behind the rubber wheels? How did you adjust the height of the modified wheels (with flange) downwards to have even contact, and load the drive wheels with just the right force? What causes the noise and jitter? Wheels not round? What was causing it to go off the rails? Why does tying axles together improve going around curves? How long is battery good for? Did you have to clear downed limbs often? Cut trees or sage growing too high on track? Who is the owner of the track and did you just wing it or did you get some kind of permission to go on it? Why was there another set of narrower rails on the trestle? Who were those people who helped you flip it around?
I built 8 rail carts back in the late 70s. We first railed on Carrizo Gorge tracks. Then moved to the Eagle Mountain tracks. Back then there weren't many abandoned tracks to ride on so that's about all we did. Now there are abandoned tracks all over the country so I'm thinking of building another cart. I don't like the idea of battery power due to the weight involved. So it will again be a gas motor with a torque converter type of transmission. Just like the other ones I've built in the past. I see now that lots of people are building these things and there is even a kit out that you can purchase. I love the body on yours though...
I cannot understand the reasoning around battery power and weight. Its on rails and metal wheels so the weight does not matter, especially if you can build it with regenerative braking. Then even accelerating will not matter.
@@vallorahn It's transportation before and after the rails I'm talking about. Also just turning around or getting off the tracks to move past an obstacle like a boulder or where the tracks disappear for a hundred feet or so under the sand or around a trestle that has been washed out. I really got a chance to perfect our cart after 7 prototypes the final 8th edition was perfect. You'll see what I mean if you look at videos of rail carts on tracks in the Corrizo Gorge.
You should put the front axle on some kind of cam system so you can raise the wheels and make use of that single front wheel for turning around. I saw where another poster recommended a steel brake rotor. You would have to cut it down a bit but it would be better than the molded ones. Other than that, awesome job. I came just because it looked so cool and stayed for the whole video. Great work.👍
The point of the taper on the wheels is so that the outside wheels rolls on a larger diameter of the wheel around a corner. The taper is supposed to match the proper radius of the turns in the track.
Every single concern and thought I had about the wheels as you were making them you acknowledged at a later point. Well thought out and executed project especially for something experimental. I can't say I've seen a lot of rail car videos but this was the best of the ones I have!
The biggest thing people forget is that the wheels on a train aren’t actually connected to the train. The train sits on them and the weight of the cars keeps them in place along with the flange on the wheel.
yes, I asembled all sizes. The last 2 steps before paint was set the hyrail spring rate on a rail truck scale. Lower rear hyrail on track roll rear tires off scale, note the wt on hyrail axle. With both truck wheel and hyrail. Now now note wt with just hyrail wheel on scale. Rule of thumb 60% wt on rear drive tires, 40% on rear hyrail wheels with fully loaded truck. Last step, track test, spray black paint on front rail wheel flanges drive forward ontrack, ck wheel paint bare metal line should wear evenly both wheels. If not even adjust one forward or back in 1/16 till wear is even. Note light trucks use custom rims so all 4 tires are centered on rail and 40% wt rail wheel, 60% front tires and steering wheel center lock. On big gang trucks front tire never touchs rail all front wt on hyrail axle. A Fairmont 3/4 ton hyrail kit uses about a 10" cast wheel with rubber bonded to wheel but still has steel flanges. Also if your rail wheels fold up to stow you can drive to the rail, load on/off and reverse direction on turn outs. I think those skateboard wheels won't last too long, too much friction at flange and inside radious of rails. For a sharp bend on tracks heavy haul locomotives can grease inside radius on sharp bends. Sometimes they have a light truk set up to do only that. test before you do a long round trip😎
What's not to love about this guy? Just this one example @7:57 - 8:02 should be enough, I mean come... How often do you see that level of joy emanate, rise up, and burst out of someone like that? That is a benchmark moment right there, for sure. So I say: Keep shining and smiling because the world needs more of it. Thank you for sharing and salute you I do!
in the UK we tore up 1000s of miles of railway lines and sent them all to China and India, maybe the polymer wheels should have had a flange moulded onto them or maybe a steel flange retrofitted, keeping them as big as possible is best, America is great, you can go out into the wild and do just about anything and no one turns up to spoil your fun, great I love that
Pro Tip Here. Buy Mine cart wheels. Theyre Made Out of cast Iron and durable. Also theyre of course designed to work on Tracks. I bought 4 of them for 80 bucks total (20 a piece is a fair price). And theyre way way cheaper than railroad wheels cause theyre smaller and lighter. But do the Same job.
Love the show. Some great ideas. Three things I noticed. Some Bearings to reduce axle heat. Wheels need a lip on them to keep them on the track. Track is not always straight, so Front suspension needs a central mounting bearing to allow for crack turns. Looks like a lot of fun! Keep up the great work, and see you next time 💯
1) Weight is what keeps you planted to the rails. Making ultra light vehicles means that it will be ultra easy to push them off of the rails. 2) The flange on the wheels should be bigger. 3) Unsprung suspension like that is even more likely to cause random stuff like derailment. ... If I made a similar project, I´d probably go for full axles immediately instead of half-axles. And I´d probably go for bigger wheels in general. And then put the axle on a swing arm and put a horizontal spring and shock absorber (or a pair taken from a bicycle) between the axle and the solid frame. And use either steel wheels, or steel wheels with rubber rims, otherwise it´s gonna wear out rather quickly. Also, the steeper the conical shape of the wheel is, the less its gonna "jump" around the curves, but the more is the vehicle also going to roll axially even on a straight track. So an advice is to gradually increase the steepness of the angle. Make the wheels almost cylindrical on the outside, and a very steep cone on the inside. This way you´ll have a smooth ride on a straight track without the vehicle attempting to do a barrel roll sideways, and a smooth ride in curves without the vehicle constantly trying to jump off of that track. I may not be an engineer, but I´ve studied railway vehicles construction at uni for about a year and a bit, so maybe some of that advice will be useful.
What I would do is get another one of those vehicles and put it back to back and get some better wheels for the job. Then you would have the ability to drive the vehicle in one direction and then just get into the other end to go the other direction. Get some good lights and in between both vehicles you would have a box to put your gear in so you could go on a few-day journey and you could have all of your food and other things to be comfortable. This looks cool and fun. We need to see a video where you go on a longer trip.
Absolutely sensational! I'm in Britain and in the late 60s, a lot of our railway infrastructure was closed and dismantled. Why not make them all available to the public so they can build their own vehicles? (well, saying that, it occurred to me that once health & safety get involved, that won't leave much freedom for hobbyists to experiment.. rules! Why?)
Use the cart rims ,cut down centers so metal edges work as a guide to keep it on track. Use motorcycle spring shocks on rear guide wheel to keep tension. Rail wheels have a lip on inside edge to keep on track. Welding a steel plate on inside of rim and using rubber wheels will work.
When you're mixing things like eurethane, you should double mix it, meaning mix it in the container but then pour it into something else and mix again. The number one cause of a bad cast is unmixed residue clinging to the walls of the container
getting some good engagement on this one! you don't need me to tell you, but be thankful for the idiots that are just here to hate, and take the ACTUAL criticism into mind. all these comments helped get this vid into my recommended, this was a fun watch! looks fun as hell, keep doing cool shit!!
I don't think I've ever seen a more negative comment section holy shit. You guys did great and the fact you even got it working is fantastic! It looks fun, it's nice and compact, and it works, that's exactly what you set out to do, don't let these comments discourage you from making more crazy stuff! I love your sense of humor and your excitement and of course it's not like you're a crazy engineer so it's okay to make mistakes. The people in the comments may help but I definitely think some of them are some straight up assholes. Love it, keep up the work!
I love how you say "Babe just mustered up the strength of a small giant".... You call her "babe" on video. That's so sweet and cool. Also, you are SO close with the tapered wheels. That's what trains have. But you need and inner flange to prevent derailment. For this non-steel wheel design, you would need to add a steel flange to the inside. The flange can't be made of that epoxy it would break off. The flange takes rare but large forces. But awesome video. I'm subbed.
At the 16 min mark, You mention train wheels being angled or convex which keeps them straight on track. The reason is actually to do with going around corners, One wheel travels a further distance.
i love that "building a railcar for abandoned railroads" is a new meta on youtube lol. what about abandoned trolley tracks! where i live, there are random sections of trolley tracks from the early 1900's just in the road downtown. the city sold the trollies decades ago and literally never removed a single track. they just pour asphalt directly on top when they do road repairs for those parts of the road
Fun fact, make a fullt welded "absolutely square" sub-chassis, that simply bolts onto the upper fibreglass superstructure. Forget about "having the ground down with angle grinder and belt grinder wheels and MAKE THEM AGAIN knowingthat yur friend has a lathe, do them ALL at the same time, with at least a 3/4 inch HEIGHT flange, slightly bevelled by about 3 - 5 degrees. The treads do NOT have to be as sloped as you had them before, allowing a deeper tread to top of flange distance, as (even though the theoru=y of a cambered wheel, keeps a train on the tracks) actual on-track rail conditions are that often there is a variance between true can and twists that allows the cant to vary enough, to throw you, if the only thing you are relying on, is the dual cambers of both wheels, which if not ABSOLUTELY PARRALEL with the back axle, the front won't stay on the track & visa versa with the rear wheels, especially in reverse. So, weld BOTH axle blocks to a subchassis of steel, bolt THAT to the fibreglass upper superstructure, and NEVER hava tracking problem, ever again. BUT YOU MUST HAVE PROPER FLANGES, as they are "not" there for good looks, they have a specific job, and THAT is to keep the rail wheels "at gauge", which they cannot do if the flange faces are uneven, out of round, or not identically parrallel between both axles, I mean both axles must be absolutely parrallel to each other. Rely on the weight of the drven rubber wheels, to ONLY drop down onto the rail to "drive", as they are NOT THERE NOW, for suspension of the car (which only works on a bumpy gravel road). THE CART absolutely must be running on all 4 rail wheels, not the fronts and rubber drivers The drivers will be held to the rail by suspension pressure only, and should my I say, have a retraction system, whereby you can raise them slightly, whenever you wish to hand push thecart (without the rubber wheels causing drag). Have fun after that, knowing that the FLANGES also have another expremely important job, that if they are NOT "just inside gauge" but not deep enough either, you will NOT get past the turnout frogs of any switches.. The flanges work on BOTH faces, to travel between the running rail and the check rails - holding the wheels to whichever way the turnouts are set, such that the gap at the frogs cannot derail you.
You need to fab up a cart/ trailer..caboose...with 1 of hose caboose lights (F.R.E.D. aka fawquing red end device)... that you pull bhind. Maybe put extra batries in there...camp suplies for those over night suprise(es)...or eve soome jerrycans with gasolne an d set up a generator. You could charge up your bateries..maybe even on the go? Would be sick!
Word of advice for anyone using abrasive cutters.. DO NOT inhale the dust. Retired Fitter/Machinist here.. I found every job I was landing.. the previous Engineer had keeled over and died of a sudden Heart Attack. They had Steel Dust on their lungs.. that went into their blood stream.. and the tiny splinters of steel ripped up their heart valves so their blood stopped flowing.
Going forward take extra bolts and parts., a better jack and redesign more clearance in order to clear brush and obstacles. Fun video to watch. Go back to the drawing board and make your vehicle better. Great idea.
If I were you, I’d buy the actual train wheels and also build a trailer big enough to sleep on. I’d also includ some tools to help you lift that thing on and off the rail. Your back will thank you in the future.
This editing is actually really good. Nice and concise, but still adding the bits and bobs that add humor and shows progress. Glad that algorithm steered me to ya!
This is super fun, from an engineering point of view i want to point out everything wrong, but also just enjoy how bad engineering still basically gets the job done😊
Just a cool little piece of info, if you look at the side of the rails, they stamp them with a year, and lines, that tell you the date the rail was manufactured. The number of lines indicates the month. For example, 1997 IIIII would be May of 1997.
Run the rear drive wheels with no tires. May need to get some wide enough to basically create a flanged grip on the rails. It will also allow slippage. Which is necessary when being guided on a rail. Too much grip will allow you to de-rail. The slippage will cause the car to stay on the track. The poly guide wheels are probably fine. It’s the drive wheels that are causing your derailment. 👍🏽
Thats very cool, but looks a little heavy to pick up, and go around obstacles. At least need some large caster wheels on all 4 corners on jacks that can lift it off the tracks, and roll it around. Use steel guides to keep it centered to. They wont wear out after time.
Cool project and adventure. Thank you for sharing it with us. So neat, I noticed that spring frog when you went through the switch turnout there 32:59. Looks like it was siding, 34:41 where tracks came back to the main line. Then we see another spring frog. Pretty cool. Thanks again for sharing.
Just make it like the railroad repair trucks. They us hydraulic lifters with the track wheels and lower it down. That way you can travel in between train traffic.
My god, this looks like the most brilliant fun! Here in the UK, the general rule was that almost as soon as a line closed, it was lifted. A pity, as a mate of mine was great at building things, and we both loved exploring old railways, and I just know, had things been different, we would have built our own railcar, probably based on a Bond Bug. That trestle is amazing.
I must say that was awesome. The cameras you are using are great! What kind are they? The shots taken from the bike are so freaking smooth. The condensed editing was perfect! Kept things movin' right along without getting boring in the overall presentation. I hope you went and bought the steel wheels for your little jet job. That flange on those wheels is what helps keep the cars on the tracks. Did you happen to go ask a RR company if you could take a look at one of their utility service cars and how they have those rail wheels rigged to their service trucks and how they elevate the wheels up and down between running on the rail and then moving to the normal roads. Overall 10 stars for the presentation.
Maybe mount a sickle bar on the front with it's own electric motor or small engine. It would make short work (pun intended) of the weeds growing on the track.
Your flanges should probably not be polyurethane. They're "sticky" and want to climb onto the rail. Your flanges should probably be aluminum or steel. Won't try to climb onto the track. Carry a little spray oil (like WD40) with you to lubricate your flanges so they're not so loud.
If you did decide to buy a rail wheel, I suggest buying only one and then casting a mold in silicone. Then you can make replicas in your resin material for a more pleasant experience than metal on metal AND have a easy way to replace wheels that have been damaged.
I don't get why there's so much hate in the comment section. I thought the video was great! Yes, real train wheels would have performed better with less work, but you altered your failed attempts into something that works! People seem to have missed the part of the video that you mentioned the wheels, and also seem to have missed the part where the vehicle isn't a 10,000 ton rail car. Really interested to see what comes next!
Sadly, people will take any excuse to throw hate. The guy is learning as he goes, in my opinion, that makes the best videos, you get to see how not do parts, as well as the success.
Like yourself, everyone is entitled to state their opinion be it positive or negative; so as long as they aren't threatening to harm then all is acceptable.
The flange needs to be steep enough not to ride up the rail and position such that the flange on one side engages before the opposite wheel can fall off. Easiest would be to get some old mine cart wheels.
FUN....Man! This looks like a project worth looking into. Gonna check out the abandoned railroads in my area and might give it a whack. A great adventure.
Successful people are not people who never make mistakes, they are people who make many mistakes and learn from them, perfecting their strategy, their project, and themselves over time. Great video! Was a lot of fun to watch as I'm sure it was a lot of fun not to mention work to build. Good job and God Bless you!
Those tracks don't looked as though they haven't been used much, they're isn't much rust on the top of the rail meaning that it has been used 'recently' and relatively frequently, possibly. Wyle E. Coyote, super genius; I like the sound of that, Wyle E. Coyo...
The flanges are a belt-and-suspenders approach, but aren't the primary reason they stay on the rails. The tapered wheels are what keep trains on the rails, but also allow them to go around curves.
I was thinking his welds looked really good for learning TIG overnight, though he didn't go too close to them, but they seemed to hold up until the crash. I think TIG aluminum might have been to save the weight with the little cart
@@DonWRII some people are just mechanically gifted like that lol, i sharpen hockey skates and when I train new hires its clear who will take 1 hour to learn vs 10 hours to learn, probably exactly the same as welding.
A couple of thoughts; try salvaging some small diameter rail wheels from a mine cart or something similar, they will glide more smoothly than the rubber. Also you can try and build some kind of bushwhacker that juts a few ft in front of the car that can cut down woody shrubs and push branches away before they can get underneath. Lastly you can try building some kind of retractable turning mechanism that rests on the ties so you don’t have to literally pick the whole car up.
24:18 did that sanding pad spin? if it did you either didnt tighten the nut enough, or you have the nut flipped the wrong way. its a common error for those that are not aware that the nut has two directions. theres a flange on one side of the nut that only for discs that are thicker than (and including) 1/4 inch and its to keep the disc centered. for anything thinner, which I suspect your pad is, the flange needs to face outward so the nut tightens against the disc instead of flange to flange and letting the disc spin freely
So, maybe you already know this, but the taper of the wheels isn't really to center the car on the rails. It's how the outside wheels are able to turn faster than the inside wheels when cornering. So, if you get that angle right, your wheels won't wear as badly from going around the curves. And steel would definitely be a better choice, but skaters be skatin'...lol
Steel wheels are HELL to ride on. VERY bumpy, VERY noisy, UNLESS you fit a tyre of some sort. PU is best for that. It also gives some traction. Our rigs dont weigh 28 tons like a loco does. Bigger diameter definitely helps too.
I'm a transportation engineer from Hungary, and I thought I can give you some advises on how to make it better.
The first and most important thing is to forget any material for wheels except steel. The area of the wheel-rail contact point is equal to the size of a bean, and because of this, a lot of force is compressed into this area. A well used and cheap solution is to cut car steel rims in half and use them as rail wheels.
Secondly you may want to put brakes on the rail wheels, because if you hit a hill the braking power of the rear rubber tires might not be enough, as you are essentially rolling on polished bare metal.
The third thing is also important: even though the railway is or seems abandoned, regulations, laws may apply to them and you don't want to get in trouble with the authorities if the catch you (a phone call to your local authorities may seem to be a good idea)
Hope, I helped 🙂
Learned more from your comment than the video. Thank you very much!
Yes that helped alot.....👍
You are very correct on the second and third count. As for the wheels, we used 8 inch castors which were rubberized with solid rubber and lexan backing plates and it was quiet, comfortable and we never derailed. We built 8 prototypes before we got it down perfect.
@@mobiltec he's a transportation engineer and is very correct on the 1st count. All trains and trams around the world use metal wheels. Even the Shinkansen trains in Japan which travel at speeds over 200mph have metal wheels. I respectfully suggest you don't know what you're talking about.
I'm 80 years old and have wanted to take an adventure like this forever. I had to smile during the entire journey.
Hi Youngster, I'm 84 it made me smile as well. Do you think us two old farts could give them a run for thier money?
I'm 60 and can only make a sandwich. I thought only Leo BUSCAGLIA was that happy.
I’m of an age that is nipping at your heels. I’m glad that I can expect to still be engaged in a few more years. Never stop being excited seems like words to live by.
I’m just a lowly abandoned RR walker but I’ve often dreamed of a bike or e-bike powered RR car. I live near the abandoned Tillamook line. It’s a hundred miles long probably. Unfortunately, parts of the track are not passable because of washouts and alder trees growing in the tracks.
I’m 65, me too!
"The batteries fully charged! We could potentially go a hundred miles."
"We've got one hour of daylight left."
LMAO
I love the enthusiasm. Cool contraption.
All the puppies worked really well together on that puppy.
It's your wheels!!! Rubber grips too much and walks off. Metal wheels allows to slip
Don’t forget that the wheels need to be on a fixed shared axel where they both rotate as a connected pair which is what really takes advantage of the sloped wheel shape
I was under the impression that train wheels weren’t rubber because the train would either destroy the rubber instantly, or wear extremely fast. It makes sense that they would have to have some slip.
@@squishycrab6330 that is also very true. While there are many different materials they could use, it doesn’t change the fact that those materials will need a way to be replaced often and easily. They were experimented with on some trolleys and single unit rail vehicles but for trains they really are not worth it.
At the very least I would make a thick aluminum backplate for your wheels, the rubber may wear down and then you're screwed again. Making metal wheels would probably be better, but this is not my area of expertise.
By the way, this was great fun, and your experience was infectious
A metal band around the wheels would work. If possible to do that. Alot of nvh would be isolated through the wheels, making a nice ride.
Awesome ingenuity and fierce determination to overcome many hurdles. I'm an old man tinkerer and something maybe to think about perhaps use a good respiratory when mixing toxic chemicals and weld outside or with a good fan ESPECIALLY with aluminum, which is one hell of a neuro toxin. I battled cancer 7 years ago and should of taking better care on myself. Keep up your incredible project and keep being you, you're an inspiration!!!
It’s so funny I know so many people who just won’t do anything. They’ve never tried before and here you are in one video doing like 90 things for the first time ever and excelling at them. People really need to open and broaden their horizons.
YES 👍 👍 👍
Every where you bolted through that composite floorpan and body you really need to make sandwich plates for the inside... Make them as big as possible,use the widest fender type washers and bolt through them sandwiching the floorpan and body between the lower axles mounts and the inner sandwich plates to distribute the clamping force over as broad an area as possible...
It'll make for a much longer lived attachment point as well as spreading the stresses out over as much area as possible rather than right around each bolt hole...,also,grease those pillar bearings often,and the wheels too will lessen rolling resistance and help them live longer...getting that front motorsickle wheel way up and out of the way will make for a much smoother and quieter ride while lessing drag...LOCTITE,always use LOCTITE on any fastener that it important especially those through the floor and body and pillow bearings..
Build a trailer. Put it on the back so you will have sleeping quarters and a place to mount solar panels to recharge it.
That’s actually a good idea
When I was young I had a 1967 Plymouth and when I let some air out of the tires they would conform to the shape of the top of the rails. The width of the car was exactly the width of the rails. It was so fun we'd all get on top of the car. I only had to touch the steering wheel over road crossings.
This was a fantastic idea
Here are some engineering suggestions You needed to attach a drill with eccentric weight to vibrate the wheel mold as you poured. Other than a Lexan disk with a kitchen vacuum bag attachment these are the most accessible ways to get the bubbles out of your polyurethane pour.
Bolt thick oversized disks on the back of your wheels to keep the wheels on the track.
You need a power conversion system and chain drive to your train wheels with a jack system to put down and pull up the original wheels & tires, but they are great for just moving the car around. You struggle too much and need a pair of stakes at the back and go in the ground so you can pitch it over more easily.
A fold-up cow catcher to knock things off the track as you go would help.
Oh, and you need a puppy...
The cone shape of train wheels is mandatory. The lip will just grind away really quick in corners. The smooth non grip cone shape is what keeps the train from staying on the tracks instead of going straight when it should be making a turn.
As seen around 26:00 the cast rubber has enough grip to lift the vehicle up and over the track from friction against the ridge which is why it was derailing. That is also what your buddy is experiencing at 34:00
But like you said, you really need all metal wheels. You might be able to put like a rubber ring around them for a smoother ride but they are going to wear away really quick.
If its all metal you might also be able to set off railway crossings that are still active :)
When I was a little kid my parents took a 1939 Ford Deluxe to the railroad tracks behind our house the Ford matched exactly so all you had to do is slightly let some air out of the tires and drive all the way into town and back having an sparkplug airpump to pump the tires backup it made a fun ride!!! 🤠👍
You know why train wheels are angled? It’s so they can self correct. Having a flange would also greatly benefit you.
I thought it was so they could turn too
@@ownie6487 it is to allow them to go around curves, since the inner wheel will ride down on the cone, the outer will ride up therefore allowing them to roll different amounts (circumference) while both rigidly attached to the same axle (same 360 rotation).
@ownie6487 Yes. I should have specified it's to "self correct on turns" due to how the wheels work. The comment above mine explained very well.
Matt discovered your channel several months ago. I’m really enjoying watching your adventures, admire your can’ do spirit. I’m 75 years old recovering from multiple strokes and other traumatic injuries, not physically able to do many things.
Matt has definitely beaten life already and is just doing the side quests now
S shows the difference between a new beginning channel and one coming from a rich family..
Most individuals takes years to learn how to GTAW .. he learn it in 1 night he says 😂😂😂
More then rich ..
7:55 I love what he says regarding his feeling smugly happy when re-using recycled/leftover bolts --- I always experience the same self-satisfied glow whenever I am able to use already-on-hand fasteners instead of buying costly new ones at the hardware store, in that it kind of vindicates my hoarder instincts. :D
Some suggestions - you can buy small steel rail wheels for factory trucks, they are the correct profile. You need some simple suspension with only 1-2" travel and where people make stuff like this they put all the weight on one side (like a motorcycle and sidecar) and put the rubber driving wheel on that side. It needs to be easy to reverse, go both ways or turn round or you have a long way back!
That "straight and then it bounces" thing around turns is called "hunting", or affectionately the "0-4-0 dance". It's caused by having a short, rigid wheelbase with solid axles. Once it starts, that's your speed limit; any faster and you risk damaging your wheels or even jumping the rails.
You’re my favourite motorcycle/ fun vehicle stuff channel, you’re doing great stuff on this channel
Great video! Wonderful adventure! I find myself wanting more details. For example, here are some questions.
What is a pellow bearing? (pillow bearing?) Did you put plates or washers on inside of fiberglass frame to help prevent breaking the fiberglass? You removed the front wheel? Why did you move the rear plastic wheels to behind the rubber wheels? How did you adjust the height of the modified wheels (with flange) downwards to have even contact, and load the drive wheels with just the right force?
What causes the noise and jitter? Wheels not round? What was causing it to go off the rails?
Why does tying axles together improve going around curves? How long is battery good for?
Did you have to clear downed limbs often? Cut trees or sage growing too high on track?
Who is the owner of the track and did you just wing it or did you get some kind of permission to go on it?
Why was there another set of narrower rails on the trestle? Who were those people who helped you flip it around?
I built 8 rail carts back in the late 70s. We first railed on Carrizo Gorge tracks. Then moved to the Eagle Mountain tracks. Back then there weren't many abandoned tracks to ride on so that's about all we did. Now there are abandoned tracks all over the country so I'm thinking of building another cart. I don't like the idea of battery power due to the weight involved. So it will again be a gas motor with a torque converter type of transmission. Just like the other ones I've built in the past. I see now that lots of people are building these things and there is even a kit out that you can purchase. I love the body on yours though...
I cannot understand the reasoning around battery power and weight. Its on rails and metal wheels so the weight does not matter, especially if you can build it with regenerative braking. Then even accelerating will not matter.
@@vallorahn It's transportation before and after the rails I'm talking about. Also just turning around or getting off the tracks to move past an obstacle like a boulder or where the tracks disappear for a hundred feet or so under the sand or around a trestle that has been washed out. I really got a chance to perfect our cart after 7 prototypes the final 8th edition was perfect. You'll see what I mean if you look at videos of rail carts on tracks in the Corrizo Gorge.
Resilience is the sign of a good engineer. You weren't going to let little things get you down.
You should put the front axle on some kind of cam system so you can raise the wheels and make use of that single front wheel for turning around. I saw where another poster recommended a steel brake rotor. You would have to cut it down a bit but it would be better than the molded ones. Other than that, awesome job. I came just because it looked so cool and stayed for the whole video. Great work.👍
I was engrossed the whole time and your love for not only what you do but also life is abundantly apparent. Keep up the good work, you're doing great!
The point of the taper on the wheels is so that the outside wheels rolls on a larger diameter of the wheel around a corner. The taper is supposed to match the proper radius of the turns in the track.
Every single concern and thought I had about the wheels as you were making them you acknowledged at a later point. Well thought out and executed project especially for something experimental. I can't say I've seen a lot of rail car videos but this was the best of the ones I have!
The biggest thing people forget is that the wheels on a train aren’t actually connected to the train. The train sits on them and the weight of the cars keeps them in place along with the flange on the wheel.
yes, I asembled all sizes. The last 2 steps before paint
was set the hyrail spring rate on a rail
truck scale. Lower rear hyrail on track
roll rear tires off scale, note the wt on hyrail axle. With both truck wheel
and hyrail. Now
now note wt with just hyrail wheel
on scale. Rule of
thumb 60% wt on
rear drive tires, 40% on rear hyrail
wheels with fully
loaded truck. Last
step, track test,
spray black paint on front rail wheel
flanges drive forward ontrack, ck
wheel paint bare metal line should
wear evenly both
wheels. If not even
adjust one forward
or back in 1/16 till
wear is even.
Note light trucks
use custom rims
so all 4 tires are
centered on rail
and 40% wt rail
wheel, 60% front tires and steering wheel center lock.
On big gang trucks front tire never touchs rail all front wt on hyrail axle.
A Fairmont 3/4 ton
hyrail kit uses about a 10" cast wheel with rubber
bonded to wheel
but still has steel
flanges. Also if your rail wheels fold up to stow
you can drive to the rail, load on/off
and reverse direction on turn
outs. I think those
skateboard wheels
won't last too long,
too much friction
at flange and inside radious
of rails.
For a sharp bend
on tracks heavy haul locomotives
can grease inside
radius on sharp bends. Sometimes
they have a light truk set up to do only that. test before you do a
long round trip😎
What's not to love about this guy? Just this one example @7:57 - 8:02 should be enough, I mean come... How often do you see that level of joy emanate, rise up, and burst out of someone like that? That is a benchmark moment right there, for sure. So I say: Keep shining and smiling because the world needs more of it. Thank you for sharing and salute you I do!
in the UK we tore up 1000s of miles of railway lines and sent them all to China and India, maybe the polymer wheels should have had a flange moulded onto them or maybe a steel flange retrofitted, keeping them as big as possible is best, America is great, you can go out into the wild and do just about anything and no one turns up to spoil your fun, great I love that
Pro Tip Here. Buy Mine cart wheels. Theyre Made Out of cast Iron and durable. Also theyre of course designed to work on Tracks. I bought 4 of them for 80 bucks total (20 a piece is a fair price).
And theyre way way cheaper than railroad wheels cause theyre smaller and lighter. But do the Same job.
Love the show. Some great ideas. Three things I noticed. Some Bearings to reduce axle heat. Wheels need a lip on them to keep them on the track. Track is not always straight, so Front suspension needs a central mounting bearing to allow for crack turns.
Looks like a lot of fun! Keep up the great work, and see you next time 💯
1) Weight is what keeps you planted to the rails. Making ultra light vehicles means that it will be ultra easy to push them off of the rails.
2) The flange on the wheels should be bigger.
3) Unsprung suspension like that is even more likely to cause random stuff like derailment.
...
If I made a similar project, I´d probably go for full axles immediately instead of half-axles. And I´d probably go for bigger wheels in general. And then put the axle on a swing arm and put a horizontal spring and shock absorber (or a pair taken from a bicycle) between the axle and the solid frame.
And use either steel wheels, or steel wheels with rubber rims, otherwise it´s gonna wear out rather quickly.
Also, the steeper the conical shape of the wheel is, the less its gonna "jump" around the curves, but the more is the vehicle also going to roll axially even on a straight track. So an advice is to gradually increase the steepness of the angle. Make the wheels almost cylindrical on the outside, and a very steep cone on the inside. This way you´ll have a smooth ride on a straight track without the vehicle attempting to do a barrel roll sideways, and a smooth ride in curves without the vehicle constantly trying to jump off of that track.
I may not be an engineer, but I´ve studied railway vehicles construction at uni for about a year and a bit, so maybe some of that advice will be useful.
Anybody else realize how much he says puppies??😂
What I would do is get another one of those vehicles and put it back to back and get some better wheels for the job. Then you would have the ability to drive the vehicle in one direction and then just get into the other end to go the other direction. Get some good lights and in between both vehicles you would have a box to put your gear in so you could go on a few-day journey and you could have all of your food and other things to be comfortable. This looks cool and fun. We need to see a video where you go on a longer trip.
Absolutely sensational! I'm in Britain and in the late 60s, a lot of our railway infrastructure was closed and dismantled. Why not make them all available to the public so they can build their own vehicles? (well, saying that, it occurred to me that once health & safety get involved, that won't leave much freedom for hobbyists to experiment.. rules! Why?)
Use the cart rims ,cut down centers so metal edges work as a guide to keep it on track. Use motorcycle spring shocks on rear guide wheel to keep tension. Rail wheels have a lip on inside edge to keep on track. Welding a steel plate on inside of rim and using rubber wheels will work.
When you're mixing things like eurethane, you should double mix it, meaning mix it in the container but then pour it into something else and mix again. The number one cause of a bad cast is unmixed residue clinging to the walls of the container
getting some good engagement on this one! you don't need me to tell you, but be thankful for the idiots that are just here to hate, and take the ACTUAL criticism into mind. all these comments helped get this vid into my recommended, this was a fun watch! looks fun as hell, keep doing cool shit!!
I don't think I've ever seen a more negative comment section holy shit. You guys did great and the fact you even got it working is fantastic! It looks fun, it's nice and compact, and it works, that's exactly what you set out to do, don't let these comments discourage you from making more crazy stuff! I love your sense of humor and your excitement and of course it's not like you're a crazy engineer so it's okay to make mistakes. The people in the comments may help but I definitely think some of them are some straight up assholes. Love it, keep up the work!
Actually! Everyone's so negative. They did an awesome job. I thought it was sick!
I love how you say "Babe just mustered up the strength of a small giant".... You call her "babe" on video. That's so sweet and cool. Also, you are SO close with the tapered wheels. That's what trains have. But you need and inner flange to prevent derailment. For this non-steel wheel design, you would need to add a steel flange to the inside. The flange can't be made of that epoxy it would break off. The flange takes rare but large forces. But awesome video. I'm subbed.
At the 16 min mark, You mention train wheels being angled or convex which keeps them straight on track. The reason is actually to do with going around corners, One wheel travels a further distance.
Isn't it like, both?
@@markellii3093 Sort of, They needed a way to stop one wheel from skidding around a corner as train wheels do not have a differential.
i love that "building a railcar for abandoned railroads" is a new meta on youtube lol. what about abandoned trolley tracks! where i live, there are random sections of trolley tracks from the early 1900's just in the road downtown. the city sold the trollies decades ago and literally never removed a single track. they just pour asphalt directly on top when they do road repairs for those parts of the road
Never seen this channel but this guys positivity and just attitude is amazing and infectious.
Fun fact, make a fullt welded "absolutely square" sub-chassis, that simply bolts onto the upper fibreglass superstructure.
Forget about "having the ground down with angle grinder and belt grinder wheels and MAKE THEM AGAIN knowingthat yur friend has a lathe, do them ALL at the same time, with at least a 3/4 inch HEIGHT flange, slightly bevelled by about 3 - 5 degrees.
The treads do NOT have to be as sloped as you had them before, allowing a deeper tread to top of flange distance, as (even though the theoru=y of a cambered wheel, keeps a train on the tracks) actual on-track rail conditions are that often there is a variance between true can and twists that allows the cant to vary enough, to throw you, if the only thing you are relying on, is the dual cambers of both wheels, which if not ABSOLUTELY PARRALEL with the back axle, the front won't stay on the track & visa versa with the rear wheels, especially in reverse.
So, weld BOTH axle blocks to a subchassis of steel, bolt THAT to the fibreglass upper superstructure, and NEVER hava tracking problem, ever again.
BUT YOU MUST HAVE PROPER FLANGES, as they are "not" there for good looks, they have a specific job, and THAT is to keep the rail wheels "at gauge", which they cannot do if the flange faces are uneven, out of round, or not identically parrallel between both axles, I mean both axles must be absolutely parrallel to each other.
Rely on the weight of the drven rubber wheels, to ONLY drop down onto the rail to "drive", as they are NOT THERE NOW, for suspension of the car (which only works on a bumpy gravel road).
THE CART absolutely must be running on all 4 rail wheels, not the fronts and rubber drivers
The drivers will be held to the rail by suspension pressure only, and should my I say, have a retraction system, whereby you can raise them slightly, whenever you wish to hand push thecart (without the rubber wheels causing drag).
Have fun after that, knowing that the FLANGES also have another expremely important job, that if they are NOT "just inside gauge" but not deep enough either, you will NOT get past the turnout frogs of any switches..
The flanges work on BOTH faces, to travel between the running rail and the check rails - holding the wheels to whichever way the turnouts are set, such that the gap at the frogs cannot derail you.
You need to fab up a cart/ trailer..caboose...with 1 of hose caboose lights (F.R.E.D. aka fawquing red end device)... that you pull bhind. Maybe put extra batries in there...camp suplies for those over night suprise(es)...or eve soome jerrycans with gasolne an d set up a generator. You could charge up your bateries..maybe even on the go? Would be sick!
You have an engineer mindset and trying things yourself is the ultimate goal. You, sir, are awesome!
You should add a cow catcher to the front.
Would look cool. Plus it will protect the wheels from stuff on the track
Happy people aren't just fun to watch, they're a good reminder of where one's head should be in this life. Way to go, Matt!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Awesome ride. The wheels need strong metal flanges for a reason, there's a heck of a lot of strain on them trying to keep it all straight.
Put a bumper in front that cut through bushes😊on the track. Old steam locomotives had them. To protect your verhicle.
hey Matt, Im from the future and I strongly suggest thread locker on your bolts. Youre welcome
I don't believe he saw this comment before he took it out....no thread locker or lock washers....and bolts were up. 😬 Prices were paid.
Word of advice for anyone using abrasive cutters.. DO NOT inhale the dust. Retired Fitter/Machinist here.. I found every job I was landing.. the previous Engineer had keeled over and died of a sudden Heart Attack. They had Steel Dust on their lungs.. that went into their blood stream.. and the tiny splinters of steel ripped up their heart valves so their blood stopped flowing.
Buy train wheels
Lmao love it!! 😅😅🚂🚂
The reason train wheels are tapered is because they have a solid axle and the taper changes the speed of each wheel when going around corners.
i'm screaming "guide wheels behind the drive wheels to maintain traction when going in reverse"
Going forward take extra bolts and parts., a better jack and redesign more clearance in order to clear brush and obstacles. Fun video to watch. Go back to the drawing board and make your vehicle better. Great idea.
i wonder how many times he said "puppy"?
I love bros enthusiasm and how much he turns into a big kid when puppy gets going. Looks so fun!
If I were you, I’d buy the actual train wheels and also build a trailer big enough to sleep on. I’d also includ some tools to help you lift that thing on and off the rail. Your back will thank you in the future.
This editing is actually really good. Nice and concise, but still adding the bits and bobs that add humor and shows progress. Glad that algorithm steered me to ya!
This is super fun, from an engineering point of view i want to point out everything wrong, but also just enjoy how bad engineering still basically gets the job done😊
Just a cool little piece of info, if you look at the side of the rails, they stamp them with a year, and lines, that tell you the date the rail was manufactured. The number of lines indicates the month. For example, 1997 IIIII would be May of 1997.
Your wheels need to be pitched to 72 degrees. The wheels not only act to center but as differentials during curves
not true
THe irony is that those rims would have worked better than a wheel he made.
Run the rear drive wheels with no tires. May need to get some wide enough to basically create a flanged grip on the rails. It will also allow slippage. Which is necessary when being guided on a rail. Too much grip will allow you to de-rail. The slippage will cause the car to stay on the track. The poly guide wheels are probably fine. It’s the drive wheels that are causing your derailment. 👍🏽
Thats very cool, but looks a little heavy to pick up, and go around obstacles. At least need some large caster wheels on all 4 corners on jacks that can lift it off the tracks, and roll it around. Use steel guides to keep it centered to. They wont wear out after time.
Cool project and adventure. Thank you for sharing it with us. So neat, I noticed that spring frog when you went through the switch turnout there 32:59. Looks like it was siding, 34:41 where tracks came back to the main line. Then we see another spring frog. Pretty cool. Thanks again for sharing.
Your buddy missed an opportunity to say the steering is vague, but it still handles like its on rails!
Coolest abandoned railroad car I've ever seen on UA-cam! Awesome custom engineering / build!
Just make it like the railroad repair trucks. They us hydraulic lifters with the track wheels and lower it down. That way you can travel in between train traffic.
My god, this looks like the most brilliant fun! Here in the UK, the general rule was that almost as soon as a line closed, it was lifted. A pity, as a mate of mine was great at building things, and we both loved exploring old railways, and I just know, had things been different, we would have built our own railcar, probably based on a Bond Bug. That trestle is amazing.
I must say that was awesome. The cameras you are using are great! What kind are they? The shots taken from the bike are so freaking smooth. The condensed editing was perfect! Kept things movin' right along without getting boring in the overall presentation. I hope you went and bought the steel wheels for your little jet job. That flange on those wheels is what helps keep the cars on the tracks. Did you happen to go ask a RR company if you could take a look at one of their utility service cars and how they have those rail wheels rigged to their service trucks and how they elevate the wheels up and down between running on the rail and then moving to the normal roads. Overall 10 stars for the presentation.
Next add front debris removal blade, don't forget train air horn.
Easier solution; attach a wooden disk next to the big motorized wheels. Then the tyres become train wheels. Works great and is way more simple.
Maybe mount a sickle bar on the front with it's own electric motor or small engine. It would make short work (pun intended) of the weeds growing on the track.
YEAAHH GALVANIZED SQUARED STEEL !!!! 2:35
YEAHH
I went looking for this comment
Your flanges should probably not be polyurethane. They're "sticky" and want to climb onto the rail. Your flanges should probably be aluminum or steel. Won't try to climb onto the track. Carry a little spray oil (like WD40) with you to lubricate your flanges so they're not so loud.
If you did decide to buy a rail wheel, I suggest buying only one and then casting a mold in silicone. Then you can make replicas in your resin material for a more pleasant experience than metal on metal AND have a easy way to replace wheels that have been damaged.
2:34 galvanized square steel
THERE SHOULD BE A DRINKING GAME FOR THIS VIDEO. EVERYTIME HE SAYS PUPPY .................DRINK
hahahah
In this video everything else was a puppy except the dog
😅😅😂😂😂
I don't get why there's so much hate in the comment section. I thought the video was great! Yes, real train wheels would have performed better with less work, but you altered your failed attempts into something that works! People seem to have missed the part of the video that you mentioned the wheels, and also seem to have missed the part where the vehicle isn't a 10,000 ton rail car.
Really interested to see what comes next!
Sadly, people will take any excuse to throw hate. The guy is learning as he goes, in my opinion, that makes the best videos, you get to see how not do parts, as well as the success.
The gaps would probably be lot smoother with bigger wheels.
for next upgrades, solid rear axel, i feel this will help with that bounce you had as it wasnt straight, and proper train wheels
Crazy how much hate is in this comment section. Great job, thats so cool. Love the positive attitude
Like yourself, everyone is entitled to state their opinion be it positive or negative; so as long as they aren't threatening to harm then all is acceptable.
Coming from an old timer here it's good to see a young guy using tools and building $hit good job young man
The flange needs to be steep enough not to ride up the rail and position such that the flange on one side engages before the opposite wheel can fall off. Easiest would be to get some old mine cart wheels.
FUN....Man! This looks like a project worth looking into. Gonna check out the abandoned railroads in my area and might give it a whack. A great adventure.
In this video: kids discover rail transit is actually really great.
Successful people are not people who never make mistakes, they are people who make many mistakes and learn from them, perfecting their strategy, their project, and themselves over time.
Great video! Was a lot of fun to watch as I'm sure it was a lot of fun not to mention work to build. Good job and God Bless you!
Dude you're gonna wreck your back if you keep doing that. Seriously.
Those tracks don't looked as though they haven't been used much, they're isn't much rust on the top of the rail meaning that it has been used 'recently' and relatively frequently, possibly. Wyle E. Coyote, super genius; I like the sound of that, Wyle E. Coyo...
Steel wheels are a must
Fr
No idea what you where thinking going without flanges.. There is a reason why rail tracked things have them. 😅
The flanges are a belt-and-suspenders approach, but aren't the primary reason they stay on the rails. The tapered wheels are what keep trains on the rails, but also allow them to go around curves.
“I literally learned how to rig welding last night” dudes killing it
I was thinking his welds looked really good for learning TIG overnight, though he didn't go too close to them, but they seemed to hold up until the crash. I think TIG aluminum might have been to save the weight with the little cart
@@DonWRII some people are just mechanically gifted like that lol, i sharpen hockey skates and when I train new hires its clear who will take 1 hour to learn vs 10 hours to learn, probably exactly the same as welding.
not making fun of him but most used word in this video is “puppy”
I counted 14 times.
A couple of thoughts; try salvaging some small diameter rail wheels from a mine cart or something similar, they will glide more smoothly than the rubber. Also you can try and build some kind of bushwhacker that juts a few ft in front of the car that can cut down woody shrubs and push branches away before they can get underneath. Lastly you can try building some kind of retractable turning mechanism that rests on the ties so you don’t have to literally pick the whole car up.
24:18 did that sanding pad spin? if it did you either didnt tighten the nut enough, or you have the nut flipped the wrong way. its a common error for those that are not aware that the nut has two directions. theres a flange on one side of the nut that only for discs that are thicker than (and including) 1/4 inch and its to keep the disc centered. for anything thinner, which I suspect your pad is, the flange needs to face outward so the nut tightens against the disc instead of flange to flange and letting the disc spin freely
So, maybe you already know this, but the taper of the wheels isn't really to center the car on the rails. It's how the outside wheels are able to turn faster than the inside wheels when cornering. So, if you get that angle right, your wheels won't wear as badly from going around the curves. And steel would definitely be a better choice, but skaters be skatin'...lol
Ohh yeah! I think eventually I need to make 4 wheels all being the same size and taper
Steel wheels are HELL to ride on. VERY bumpy, VERY noisy, UNLESS you fit a tyre of some sort. PU is best for that. It also gives some traction. Our rigs dont weigh 28 tons like a loco does. Bigger diameter definitely helps too.
You should put a small solar power bank or gas generator on it for charging and over night trips/camping. Great Job btw
You should look into how roller coasters are kept on their tracks. It works for them.