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Giraffe Car Cam Plate

What is the reason that it is spring-loaded? and...

What would happen if it was rigid?

Reason for the questions is I'm thinking of modifying a piece of FasTrack to activate the bobbing head cars.  I had it in mind to keep it simple as possible and cut a slot in the roadbed of the appropriate length in which to insert a homemade activator cam plate.  I'm still kind of new to this O-gauge game and would prefer to not get a bad result from it not being sprung.

Pete

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I can't help you with your question about the original giraffe car cam plate, but here is a link to instructions on the Lionel web site:

 

Giraffe Car pdf

 

The third page shows the modified pieces that came with the reindeer car a few years ago to use the tell-tale with Fastrack. Unfortunately, these parts aren't in the system/available, but they might help you with some ideas for modifying your tell-tale to work with Fastrack.

 

I had an email correspondence with Mike Reagan a while back about getting parts for using the tell-tales with Fastrack, so he is aware of interest in the parts. Hopefully the next time Lionel produces an operating car with the tell-tale system, they are going to make extras of the parts for sale by the service department.

OOH, there's that China thing again!

 

        To answer the question asked as to why the cam is sprung - I was told it is due to the fact that the steam locomotives eccentrics hit the cam and if it was not spring loaded, it could crack or snap off the eccentric arm.  If anyone has another answer, I'm all ears.  Dennis M.

You could make a activator out of some brass tubing installed at the proper height to make the car work.  Using this method, you could make it as long as you want...I am thinking of doing this because the Lionel one when installed, catches on the front pilot of the GG1 and derails it...It is kind of odd that Lionel would make this and it won't work with all their engines...

 

Marty

I have several giraffe car activated sections (rails) on my layout, 5 in and out of tunnel portals on my mountain and on my bridges.  

 

The rails do not have to be fancy, sprung or flexible.

 

 

 

I use slats from an old broken window shutter, about 1 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick.  I cut the 1 inch height to what is needed to work the lever on the car and taper the edges to and from.  A piece or two of 3/4 x 3/4 inch x 1 or 2 inches is glued to the side to allow a screw or two to be driven into layout to hold the rail is place.  I slot the screw hole to allow movement in and away from the rail for adjustment.

 

The a giraffe car rail can be seen in the bridge below.  It is painted gray.

 

Charlie

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Last edited by Choo Choo Charlie
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