Bauer Gravity Railway

That is very cool.

 What is the diameter? How much elevation is there per level? 

  I've never really seen anything like it outside of Joe Rampola's Automated Mine shaft with the little Snoopy car .

Hello 

the overall depth of the unit is 36" ...diameter of track about 26"   with 6" height between rails 

 Thank you kindly Carey.

 I had read the ad and thought that looked larger than the 16" diameter the ad claims. Looks like someone in the ad dept. forgot the difference between radius and diameter.

 One day, I'll have to try a copy of this idea with the tons of old track I have.

Using a bit less grade of course, since track isn't superelevated for curves like that clockwork track is..

Carey,

 Very nice. Do I understand that you are in possession of one of these? If yes, where did you find it? I never saw anything like it before.

Tom 

Hello Tom 

Yes I confess to owning the Bauer ......truth be known I have two ......  the big (3) loop version as shown .... 2 loop version ..not shown .... If you are interested in the two loop version send me an email / smoke signals 

I bought these at York ....   I know of 2 other of the 3 loops version and one of the two loop out in the free world ....so it would be a very small convention if all owners got together ..... they are neat ...and a fun action packed piece for the layout ....which is where my 3 loop version will spend it's time ......

Cheers Carey 

Hi Carey,

I looked for your email, but it is not in your profile.

Whoa! What a nice gesture. I am trying to downsize (well, not really downsizing as much as limiting more purchases) at this point in my life and as you pointed out they take up some real estate, so I should probably pass on it. Most likely, I will regret it a month from now or maybe even the second after I post this! Thanks though!

Tom 

Carey, I got one of these "gondolas" in an assortment last week. Thanks for identifying the track it goes to. Funny how only two of the wheels have slotted axle holes to negotiate the turns.

Jim,

  Could you take a picture of the car wheels when you have time and post it?

Tom 

CAREY: Tres cool, as usual! THANK YOU for sharing your exotic models with us mere mortals!  ☺

I want to emigrate and come live in Careys basement ... I will be good I promise !

Fascinating Stuff as always Carey and like some of the german Technofix I have this brings a smile to my face

Gravity is something used to great effect by some of the early manufacturers and the implimentation of it is sheer genius , for a small bit of effort ( or clockwork) you get a bigger net visual result ...

40 years later ...

MNCW posted:

Jim,

  Could you take a picture of the car wheels when you have time and post it?

Tom 

here are a few close-ups of the "gondola" including the patent date for this style. This version of the car looks more like two benches facing each other. Only one journal is slotted on each axle and on opposite sides to allow the car to negotiate turns. 

As you can see from the video, earlier cars had a continuous side panel and one of the patent photos shows another version of the car with front and rear benches instead for two facing each other. 

Got this car as a throw-in to a cheapo box lot. Took me a while to find out what it was, the patent date was no help, but I remembered this old post from a few years back. 

Jim,

  Thanks for posting. I've never seen that before! Very smart.

Tom  

After watching the Facebook video I am impressed. A skill toy and model railway all in one. Hmm may have to make a Hornby version.. 

Hello all ...Bauer made these for several years with different suppliers of track ... and perhaps cars ...   if you look at the ad from 1928 ..the car looks like your newly found car 

the later units occupy a smaller foot print ... basically a circle combining the tower  ..where as the early models the circle is removed from the tower ...  fun toy   no doubt survival rate was low .   Cheers Carey

PS;  I do have two Bauers  so if someone needs one let me know 

Carey,

 I sent you an email.

Tom

Fascinating. But I'm not why do you say they take up a lot of real estate? Isn't the footprint basically the track diameter, 26", plus the tower.  This is about the size of  a simple loop of O gauge track with no straights. 

Notice that on the external loop version, the towers have the two smaller corrugated roofs on either side of the tower. The attachments for the roofs are part of the uprights. The tighter set does not have room for the additional roofs.

real estate fora toy is important .... you set it up in the middle of the floor ..play with it ..now you need to move it ... if you try and pick up the bigger ones tower outside of loop ..the whole thing will collapse ..... the smaller one with tower as part of loop up you go ...or at least a much better chance for the Bauer to see another day ....  

think like a parent ..not a collector 

Cheers carey 

Hello all ..I had fun setting up the two Bauers .... tall and not so tall .....both the early version with tower outside of loop ..both with Ives track .....one with 3 loops and one with 2 loops ...same floor plan / foot print ...  the shorter one is illustrated above in the 1925 ad... all track is Ives and numbered as well as supports ...there is one way to set it up .. only one   you just have to figure it out ...

  so here for your visual excitement two Bauers 

Cheers Carey