Monorail from 'Thunderbirds'

[matthew_teevan]

A like to do artwork for imaginary 'what if' model kits. But it being Christmas, my mind went to train sets and thought it would eb fun tio imagine a train set based on the ultra cool Monorail trains seen in Gerry Anderson's 'Thunderbirds'. 

I imagine a system with a very smooth, free running train. Magents in each of the support arms controlled by the power controller to are switched on to attract the train, pulling it forward. then automatically switch off as it gets close and the next one would switch on maintaining ithe train's momentum forward. The train itself would have no weighty motors or electronics like the traditional railway engines and would swoosh along! In the artwork I've imagined this unique 'propulsion' being called something natty like 'magna-motion'. Just a bit of fun... but come on Hornby, turn this dream into the real thing. Like Jeff Tracy said, sometimes a dream is just like the real thing.

[CORKY.]

@ MA, to mis quote a line from a favourite film of mine, "you're a very naughty boy". Quite apt for the time of year. There is a guy on ebay who does this... prints pictures of your favourite coaches, sticks them on a box and charges £12.50, great minds...or is that your day job ?

[96RAF]

It looks like it could be cobbled together from a blue pullman or HSTs.

The drive system could be a body mounted motor linked to the rail drive wheel by an elastic band through the roof mounted hanging bar.

The rail would be a simple H beam extrusion on its side with the support arms glued to the top of the rotated >H.

Power to the rail could be slot car style copper tape on the >__|__< of the H.