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Monorail Mk1

April 10th, 2011 Leave a comment Go to comments

My first Monorail, featuring a single large loop with two simple stations.  

Datasheet:

Completion date: 09/03/2011
Power: electric (Power Functions)

The LEGO Monorail system, which has been surprisingly discontinued in 1994, has been my childhood dream. It was only recently that I realized that I can still make it come true, as the prices of Monorail pieces are relatively affordable, and in some cases they are actually cheaper than their LEGO Trains counterparts. So, I started gathering Monorail pieces as fast as my budget allowed.

My first Monorail creation features a simple loop with two basic stations, with major portion of the track elevated. The Monorail itself has been fitted with the LEGO 8878 rechargeable battery and a Power Functions IR receiver, making it fully remote-controlled, but taking up almost the entire space inside one of the cars. I have also fitted this car with headlights. The other car was entirely taken by minifig-sized seats, and could open up on one side. One of the stations also included lightbar-like thing to illuminate the Monorail from below, but the effect turned out to be barely visible.

If you are curious about the detail of LEGO’s ingenious Monorail system, take a look at these diagrams:

monorail1.png monorail2.png

I intend to continue developing my Monorail network (I’m still missing track points and monoswitches), and to release Monorail MOCs every now and then, some of them probably using the Monorail’s original 9V power supply, making them not remote-controlled. It’s going to be a peculiar line of constructions, as they have fixed propulsion system, no suspensions, and their dimensions are hard to calculate (if we include tracks). Still, I’m sure I will enjoy it, and a little variation from the usual trucks and tanks won’t hurt.

Photos:

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Video:

Categories: Monorail Tags:
  1. Sariel
    April 20th, 2011 at 13:51 | #1

    @Sam
    That sounds like what’s happening to my room right now 🙂

  2. Sam
    April 20th, 2011 at 12:28 | #2

    A good first start. This was pretty much me half a year ago with LEGO 12v trains. It starts as a couple of rail pieces and a small track, next thing you know you’re whole living room is gone and you’ll be trying to jump over it all as you walk through…

  3. Sariel
    April 19th, 2011 at 21:25 | #3

    @T.F
    BRICKLINK.COM

  4. T.F
    April 19th, 2011 at 19:32 | #4

    Where have you got the Railroad tracks from ???

  5. Sariel
    April 17th, 2011 at 19:22 | #5

    @T:F
    Use English.

  6. T:F
    April 17th, 2011 at 19:16 | #6

    Wo hast du die schienen her

  7. Mike
    April 13th, 2011 at 14:51 | #7

    @Sariel
    oh well. Looks like you’ll have to make do with a multi-level monorail system.. 🙂 It seems fun, it’s strange why Lego hasn’t come out with any more sets..

  8. Sariel
    April 12th, 2011 at 21:37 | #8

    @Mike
    Nope, the shape of tracks does not allow that.

  9. Mike
    April 12th, 2011 at 18:45 | #9

    from the camera’s viewpoint the whole thing looks like a roller-coaster ride. Saaaay… can you build a roller-coaster with it, i mean is it possible?

  10. Mike
    April 12th, 2011 at 18:41 | #10

    some train driver you are.. the passengers are waiting while you’re having fun! 🙂

  11. Andy Dannelley
    April 12th, 2011 at 17:43 | #11

    Outstanding! I am looking forward to more of your monorail creations. The monorail system appears much smoother than the LEGO train systems.

  12. Sariel
    April 11th, 2011 at 14:37 | #12

    @Marq
    Silnik, podstawy wagonów, tory i wsporniki pochodzą z zestawów Monorail, kupowałem je osobno.

  13. Marq
    April 11th, 2011 at 13:56 | #13

    Działa, jeździ zróżnicowani pasażerowie i super wystraszony maszynista . Trochę ponura niemniej jednak bardzo fajne daję 8/10. Mam tylko pytanie ten silnik i tory to twój projekt czy gotowy set z nową kolejką?

  14. Sariel
    April 10th, 2011 at 23:35 | #14

    @Alessandro
    “Session” by Linkin Park.

  15. April 10th, 2011 at 22:42 | #15

    Hi Paul, great job! May IO ask you who is the soundtrack from? You always manage to get interesting songs as background .. thanks!

  16. Sariel
    April 10th, 2011 at 20:34 | #16

    @lewis
    No, I doubt he would enjoy it… unless some food is provided with the ride, of course 😉

  17. lewis
    April 10th, 2011 at 20:18 | #17

    it’s good to see ‘of topic’ creations like this one, i never really knew about the lego monorail system i’d only herd of it. it runs quite smooth as well. has Lucius had a ride?

  18. David Luders
    April 10th, 2011 at 14:28 | #18

    Your minifig Hazmat workers inside the monorail transformed the waiting passengers into minifig skeletons! I like your two excellent pictures that explain how the Lego Monorail system works.

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