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My second Monorail ceation, features two connected loops with two Monorails and a single station.  

Datasheet:

Completion date: 21/03/2011
Power: electric (Power Functions) / 9V (Monorail)

My second Monorail creations takes advantage of two types of newly purchased Monorail pieces: monoswitches and track points. While the latter work just like typical railroad switches, the monoswitches are part of Lego’s ingenious Monorail control system. Basically, the monoswitches are sections of regular tracks with two bumpers added on sides. The bumpers can be set in one of three positions by rotating an easily customizable knob on the monoswitch, and they work by hitting contact switch on the motor of any Monorail driving through the track. It’s a very convenient system which lets to stop the Monorail or to change its direction without need for any external wires nor for routing power through tracks. The Monorails carry their power supply with them, and the monoswitches can be inserted into practically any point of the track. The only downside is the inability to control the Monorail until it reaches some monoswitch.

With the monoswitches at hand, I have focused on recreating as much of the original Monorail system as possible. Therefore no remote control is used – both Monorails use motor connected directly to the power supply; the smaller Monorail uses an old 9V battery box used in the Monorail system as well as in the older Trains systems, and the larger one uses the Power Functions rechargeable battery, merely for the lack of second 9V battery box.

The two Monorails are very different: one is just a slightly modified copy of the Monorail from the Lego 6399 Airport Shuttle set (originally red & white), because I always wanted to own this set as a kid, and because I wanted to study the way it combines beauty with simplicity. The other is made to appear as a military vehicle, with 6-studs wide cars, the first one looking similar to a fighter jet, and the second one carrying a mysterious cargo which uses old fiber optics system for lightning effect. It’s more interesting technically than the ‘civilian’ Monorail: there is a 8878 rechargeable battery in the first car, connected to a 9V motor in the second car. The motor drives the fiber optics attachment, and there is an additional connection made to deliver power to the attachment itself and to the Monorail motor.

The track layout consists of two loops (one level, the other running on three levels of tracks) connected by two track points, in a manner allowing to redirect Monorails from one loop to another. I have equipped both track points with a system of green/red lights, which indicates which track is currently switched. System includes two interconnected PF switches and the lights change automatically as the track point is switched.

Finally, there is a single station with tracks on both sides and two monoswitches integrated into it to make Monorails stop. While the station is very simple, I have added a large array of lights to it, looking to create some interesting light effect. There are two different ‘types’ of light used: white PF LEDs are directed at tracks, while old 9V tiny light bulbs provide warm yellowish glow on the station’s platform. I think the resulting effect was worth trying, and I’m happy with how it was captured on the photos.

I was happy with most of the solutions applied here, except perhaps for the Monorails themselves. It seems they’re both very far aesthetically from what Trains builders can achieve, and it will be a challenge for me to create more sophisticated and more realistic bodies for the cars.

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