there is a car on the other auction site. There is no trip or tell tale with it. Can a trip be fabricated or do you need the original.
thanks Tstark
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Yes, you can make you own (and some of us actually prefer to do this) out of either plexiglass, wood, plastic or foam. I've made mine out of both wood and from foam (12"x18" 5mm thick) that can be found at hobby / craft stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels.
In making your own, you can make them longer (for a more prolonged duck down action than the Lionel one) and you can make them blend in better with any layout scenery. I have also made a shorter one to use beneath the structure of the "Maintenance" or "Cop/Hobo" chase car, so that the giraffe ducks quickly going beneath this.
Made one for Fastrack from aluminum tubing.
Pete
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Thank you Pete, just the type picture that I needed. Tstark
Yes, I at one time had one just exactly like what Pete showed. With any type of these, they need to be far enough away from a curve so that a locomotive will run straight along side it.
I had one near a curve, which I didn't want to change the location. I found some locomotives were hanging up on the metal giraffe trip, so I made one out of foam, mounted to the layout surface with self-adhesive foam. So instead of having a locomotive step ride up on to the trip, now it just hits the foam and it moves back since it is flexible.
Now, I'm using 027 curves on a small layout where space considerations are at a premium. So your results will vary.
David from Dearborn (Musicalcraft) has some videos on YouTube of his plexiglass made trips. He also modified the yellow trip mechanism on the giraffe, so reduce interference with locomotives and trip - and also so he could use his self-made trips on curve tracks. He did an article on this in one of the other train mags.
His video was made I believe before he made the modifications to the car itself. But this might inspire you....
My Article on how I added the giraffe car trip appeared in the November 2013 issue of Classic Toy Train Magazine. I used clear plexiglass and hot glued it to the bottom of tubular track. The article shows the dimensions for 0, 027 and Fastrack as well as how to lower the height needed to trip so that wide engine will not hang up. I have used this technique through tunnels and under bridges and even on the inside of curves.
Dave or Pete,
Can you provide me with list of materials and instructions?
Thank you.
A how-to for the Fastrack giraffe car activator can be found HERE.
I don't like Fastrack but a guy wanted to know how to use the activator with it and that's what I came up with. I actually prefer David from Dearborn's activator, so you might want to try and scrounge up a copy of the magazine he mentioned above.
Pete
