Can someone explain how they work? I understand that the horse heads bob in and out of the windows, but how are they induced to do so? Gears? Cams? Rubber bands?
Thanks!
Mitch
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The horse heads are mounted to a beam that runs almost the entire length of the car. It sits on a pivot in the center. The motion of the car causes the beam to swing and bob. There is no other mechanism.
Ah! Splendid. Many thanks!
Mitch
Yes, and they go way back.
So far back my Sister got me back into Model railroading by sending me a yellow one from our youth. I'm all Command control and lean more to Hi Rail now, but I still run that car now and then.
The image below shows all the internal parts that make it work. The pivot (middle part) is mounted vertically with the wide end plugged into a mounting hole in the bottom of the car frame. The pointed end is what the pivot arm (bottom piece) is mounted and balanced on, and the horse heads are clipped into the pivot arm ends.
So it basically just uses a simple pendulum effect for action. Most of the action of the heads moving in and out is accomplished going in and coming out of curves.
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