This station is stationary.
All cables pass/start/end here.
This station can be mentally divided into two sections.
Section one: This section is based on a 15x15 M (Lego size not metre) base construction.
The tension wires are mounted on the corners of this “foundation”.
There are two NXT motors mounted upside down in the bottom. They are linked together and drive a geartrain connected to the wheel that holds the pulling cable. These mechanics pull up the pulling station. The cable exits the station trough a 1x1 M small hole to prevent the cable from getting next to the wheel when rolling up. A large landing-platform is elevated above the motors. The attraction station lands on this platform. The axle from the attraction station is pushed in during landing to open the barriers. A plate - with sponsoring of wabra’s road service :-) - is mounted on top of this platform to push axle in. A nicely designed V12 engine is mounted next to the motors. (This station needed to be as heavy as possible, because else it would lift itself). There is a weight mounted on the other side of the section.
Section two holds all of the vital braking equipment. The braking motor is mounted vertically. It drives a geartrain that rotates a construction that has a fixed wheel on every side. The brake cable runs between these two wheels and when the construction rotates, the wheels give traction to the cord, slowing it down. The rotation sensor is also mounted in this section.
A ladder goes up to the control panel where the control + emergency brake levers are positioned. The station is connected to a multiplex plate using a cord to prevent the station from tilting, when it is towing up.
Pic 1:overview
Pic 2: overview (note the ladders)
Pic 3: tow gear train
Pic 4: overview compartiment two
Pic 5: controll platform
Pic 1: view from the back (note the veery big weight).
Pic 2: landing platform with motors underneath
Pic 3: Emergency brake (US sensor)
Pic 4: braking system (note the ladder to the control platform
Pic 5: rotation sensor
This is the station that holds the passengers
This station is mobile. It can go all the way up to the upper station with assistance of the pulling station. It can go down without assistance.
The braking cable passes here.
This station probably is the most beautiful one. It is designed to give 16 minifigures the time of there lives. This station is based on four rows of four seats with a sturdy back, connected together very strongly. In the inside square eight fixed axles are used to prevent the station from splitting in half when braking (kinetic energy, look it up).
A very strong (much stress) construction holding the braking and towing mechanics is connected using four connections for spread pressure. The safety barriers are connected on two spots with axles. These axles are connected to one central axle sticking out at the bottom. When this axle hits the plate of the base station, it will be lifted, opening the barriers.
Pic 1+2: landed, barriers open
Pic 3+4: towing up
This station is mobile.
It can go up and down using the pulling cable with assistance of the base station.
This station is designed only to pull the attraction station up.
The pulling cable passes here.
This station is based, once again, on a 13x13 M construction. A self closing/opening hook is hanging under this base.
How it works, when the station is lowered, the connection point of the attraction station will push the hook open, and the hook is balanced on a way it closes again when it is passed the connection point. When the station is pulled up, the stick that is connected to the hook will be pushed away by the upper station construction, opening the hook.
Four pieces of metal are connected at the corners to make the station heavier – else the hook will just lie on top of the attraction station in stead off clicking around it.
Pic 1-3 overview
pic 4. towing
pic 5. released
This is an important station for most of the cables (it is the base for many necessary “wheels”).
This station is stationary.
All cables start/end/pass here.
This station is connected to the ceiling with a hook and a very strong piece of cord. It is stabilised using four “legs” with a rubber top.
The station has two wheels inside to guide the towing cable, and three wheels to guide the braking cable. This station needs to absorb very much power when braking or towing.
I needed to create very smart constructions to successfully do this. The two constructions pointing out to the side, holding the brake wheels, are fortified using levers. These levers are connected together using a very strong connection. Like this, the levers will push in two directions, against each other, causing all pressure to be diverted into the very strong , fixed centreconstruction. Two of these systems are used. If you look at the right side, you will even see levers pushing against levers pushing against the centerconstruction.
This system puts really less pressure / resistance on the axles.
Pic 1. overview
Pic 2. counterweight
Pic 3. stabilizer
Pic 4. connection
When the prototype of the pulling station (hook not perfectionised), the prototype of the attraction station (heavier, less strong) and the prototype of the upper station (only tow wheels, no brakingwheels) and the base plate of the base station (13x13 m plate with nothing on it except a connector for the tension wires) where complete, I decide to give the upper station a test. I manually pulled the pulling station and attraction station up, but I wasn’t paying attention, so I accidently pulled it all the way up, making it fall down, via the tension cords. The consequences where catastrophic, the attraction station smashed into the “base station” so brutally, that the attraction station was smashed into pieces, because of the heavy lug on the cords, the weak cord (I don’t use that sort anymore) holding up the upper station, broke, making the upper station fall down to! (Minimum damage). Minifigures where ripped in half! The crash site was gruesome.
Fortunately: crash test dummy’s where used.
to the mods: i didnt deleded the corrupt picture because i edited it so i doesnt brake the rules anymore.
Thanks for looking!
--Dino_Martino--