Culvert Loader Question

The owners' manual explains that the loader will not work unless the infra-red beam is broken to prevent unintentional operation. It is a safety feature.

 

If your 'S' gauge car breaks the beam, the accessory will operate.

 

Larry

At 6:25 of the video you can see the beam in operation. perhaps you could glue a figure to the ladder of the gondola or add a non-prototypical brake wheel high enough to brake the beam on the side. maybe a bulkhead-you need something high enough to break the beam.

Or maybe raise your S gauge track for the loader.  Fill in the track recess, of the accessory, with wood and lay your track over it...might be high enough to reach the beam.

How bout just drilling a hole and lowering the beam in the loader..

How about just a piece of black electrical tape over the sensor on the building side.

These are over engineered anyway. I don't recall a big problem with the postwar versions being operated without a car there. The lights on the beam will always be on, but just use a on/off switch when the accessory is not in use.

Thank you all.  This was very helpful.

 

--Rocco--

I still have one question for someone who may own one of these.  I see how the Infra-red works but can someone tell me how high up the hole for the Infra-Red is?  I have a feeling that an American Flyer Gondola should be tall enough to break that beam especially if I am using Fastrack.  From the video it looks to be about 2 inches off the ground (before you put down track). But it is hard to tell.  

 

Thanks

 

--Rocco--

RD and Chuck, The other half of the beam detector is in a pylon next to the trackside tower. The lights on the tower blink when the beam is broken.

 

 

Raising the track sounds plausible. Don't you think the buildings will look too large?

 

 

 

That is Bachmann HO easy track.

Moonman,

 

The picture of the Chessie Engines shows a O gauge engine and an HO Engine on HO track, not an S Gauge Engine on Fastracks. 

 

I measured an American Flyer Gondola on Fastrack with no loads and it stands 2 1/4 inches tall.  So my question still is how high up is the hole where the Infra-red beam is.

 

Also you brought up that the new version is Command Control.  Does that mean it will not have the Infra-red beam?

 

As for the building design, they easily could work for S.  I only would have to change the O gauge figure out for an S gauge one.

 

I hope someone can tell me the hole height.

 

Thanks

 

--Rocco-- 

The command version, which I have, also has the IR detection.

Thanks, guys, grabbed the wrong photo in my haste.

 

GRJ, how high is the sensor from the track?

The 3rd post down shows the location. Just a visual guess, without raising the track level, the S gondola won't be high enough, even with the culvert ramp. 

Here's a page from the culvert unloader manual (they're available online on Lionel's website.)

 

 

It appears all one has to do is block the IR beam. 

 

I guess the only other consideration is would the magnetic pick-up come down low enough to catch a pipe.

 

In spite of what Lionel says, it seems with a little trial and error shenanigans, the culvert accessories could be made to work with Flyer.

 

Rusty

I called Lionel and even they could not tell me how high up the Optical Sensor (Infra-Red) is from the ground (Pre Track).  It looks about 2 inches but I can't be certain by the pictures.  A Flyer Gondola on Fastrack is 2 1/4 high.  I could use a ramp to raise it a small amount if needed but if the sensor is 4 inches off the ground that would look ridiculous.

 

--Rocco--

 

Mine is stashed away in the box right now, but my recall is it's about 2" above the base.  I can't believe the Flyer gondola is that much shorter than the O-gauge one.

I have the recent Bethlehem Steel loader/unloader set...those sensors are only 1" above the metal base.  Should work fine for you.

 

Using FasTrack, those beams are in line with the tops of my 3 rail truck sides .  Sorry, I don't have any S scale items to show how it looks with the accessories.

Thanks all for all your efforts and help.  i am going to order the one from the 2015 catalog.

 

--Rocco--