Menards Rocket Launch Pad Install

I think it looks great! nice solution to a common problem!

I don't like the way you mounted it, It doesn't look right to me. Just my 2 cents.

Excellent!

It's like Apollo 13, sometimes you need to fit a square peg in a round hole. Excellent idea and execution!

Thanks to all for the positive (and negative) comments

taken at the USAF Air and Space Museum in OH. Most of the 1/4 scale model was 3D printed.

@AlanRail posted:

taken at the USAF Air and Space Museum in OH. Most of the 1/4 scale model was 3D printed.

Impressive . . . but, does it have exhaust 'steam', or can you fit one on a single flat car?

[Sorry, Menards is apparently still in the lead in the "fantasy rocket" category . . . ]

Steve--

It's just a dumb static model.

I guess the USAF just could not fit the real one in the museum.

One of the best museums I've ever had the privilege of visiting. Many hangars of pure awesomeness.

And the USAF Museum at Wright Patterson has this on display outside, near the parking lot. The real deal missle laucher in a boxcar. Lionel's was a little shorter...

Chris

LVHR

Nice work Richie!  IMO, vertical variety adds interest to a layout.  Thanks for sharing your solution to fitting this model into a tight space.

@AlanRail posted:

It's just a dumb static model.

I guess the USAF just could not fit the real one in the museum.

Oh, I disagree -- it's a *very fine* static model, and nicely illustrates why a true "O scale" Saturn V rocket model is just not in the cards for any hobbyist-scale layout! My tongue-in-cheek comment was just intended to poke a bit of fun at the Menards critics who denigrated their offerings for not being "true to scale" . . . as though that were actually practical!

Thanks for the pics, and kudos to the museum for finding a way to display a model of the Saturn V in all its vertical glory. The only 1:1 scale version I've seen in person was flat on its side, in sections, and it's just not the same.

@AlanRail posted:

taken at the USAF Air and Space Museum in OH. Most of the 1/4 scale model was 3D printed.

1/4" scale, dont think a 1/4 scale model would fit in there

@Steve Tyler posted:

Oh, I disagree -- it's a *very fine* static model, and nicely illustrates why a true "O scale" Saturn V rocket model is just not in the cards for any hobbyist-scale layout! My tongue-in-cheek comment was just intended to poke a bit of fun at the Menards critics who denigrated their offerings for not being "true to scale" . . . as though that were actually practical!

Thanks for the pics, and kudos to the museum for finding a way to display a model of the Saturn V in all its vertical glory. The only 1:1 scale version I've seen in person was flat on its side, in sections, and it's just not the same.

It was over 36 stories tall . that puts it well over 8' , a little tall for most layouts.  The abbreviated version looks just fine

@Richie C.

Nicely done given the limited space you had to work with.  A great solution to the on/off issue as well.

@Richie C. posted:

One thing I don't like about the structure is that there's no on/off button and I don't want all the lights flashing and smoke billowing out all the time and it's a pain to plug the wall wart in and out all the time, especially where the wall wart is underneath the layout, so I bought a wireless wall switch and outlet and plugged the wall wart into that. Now, I can just push a button on the edge of the layout and the accessory turns on and off when I want.

Even better, you could replace the wireless switch with an Alexa-connected switch, and use an Echo or similar Alexa device to start and stop the Saturn V display by voice command, including changing the lighting or initiate other actions.

I have a similar setup on my layout to turn the lights and power to the layout on and off, and initiate separate "routines" (as Alexa calls them) to initiate and end a simulated thunderstorm (note: the video below was shot before I added voice control, but illustrates the kinds of things that can be invoked by voice command during normal layout operation):

Just had to add some audio (may need to crank the volume up).

@Richie C. posted:

Just had to add some audio (may need to crank the volume up).

Nice!

Do I correctly assume you've added the audio track separately, and arranged to have it triggered and play each time the model is activated? I didn't recall seeing anything in the Menards promo about a built-in audio component. Random thought: you might want to consider adding a motion detector to trigger the whole display when anyone approaches its location.

Incidentally, it's good to see Menards has chosen to use the ultrasonic transducer mist to nicely emulate the vapor we're used to seeing cascading down a rocket prior to launch, which always seems to form around any liquid-fueled rocket's frigid LOX tank, rather than seeking to emulate the exhaust and/or the plume of steam from the water cascade protecting the launch pad. Based on my experiments with a similar device, I think it could have done a reasonable job emulating the exhaust, but IMHO the mist works much better streaming *down* the rocket than it would have jetting out from the base.

Steve on Cattail Creek - No, it's a simple audio recording card available on the big A for around $10. I've used them in the past for different vignettes around my layout (farm animal sounds near my farm display, gas station sounds near my gas station, etc.). I got one that was slightly more expensive this time because it uses a rechargeable battery (via USB cable) rather than the flat "button" batteries which I dislike. Some I've used have a microphone to record your own sounds or pick up sounds playing on a device like a computer or mp3 player, but this one directly records mp3 files, so it's like transferring mp3 files to any other device.

I was able to obtain three mp3 recordings off the 'net (the initial ignition sound, the lift off sequence and the moon landing statement) and combine and edit them into one mp3 recording to download onto the recording card. It uses a simple button to play, which I mounted next to the switch which starts the rocket launch pad lights and smoke and I just press the button once the smoke starts to build up. It stops automatically after the last recorded sound.

The cards also have light or motion activated variations, but I chose the button. Some variations also come with a small AAA battery box. I had to cut, splice and solder the small wires from the button in order to run it through the layout edging and place the speaker near the launch pad, but that's no big deal for me.

I saw your post about using Alexa and connected switches and I've considered it, but that would mean buying a device and switches, which weren't cheap the last time I looked. As always - more than one way to skin a cat.

@Richie C. posted:

Steve on Cattail Creek - No, it's a simple audio recording card available on the big A for around $10. I've used them in the past for different vignettes around my layout (farm animal sounds near my farm display, gas station sounds near my gas station, etc.). I got one that was slightly more expensive this time because it uses a rechargeable battery (via USB cable) rather than the flat "button" batteries which I dislike. Some I've used have a microphone to record your own sounds or pick up sounds playing on a device like a computer or mp3 player, but this one directly records mp3 files, so it's like transferring mp3 files to any other device.

I was able to obtain three mp3 recordings off the 'net (the initial ignition sound, the lift off sequence and the moon landing statement) and combine and edit them into one mp3 recording to download onto the recording card. It uses a simple button to play, which I mounted next to the switch which starts the rocket launch pad lights and smoke and I just press the button once the smoke starts to build up. It stops automatically after the last recorded sound.

The cards also have light or motion activated variations, but I chose the button. Some variations also come with a small AAA battery box. I had to cut, splice and solder the small wires from the button in order to run it through the layout edging and place the speaker near the launch pad, but that's no big deal for me.

I saw your post about using Alexa and connected switches and I've considered it, but that would mean buying a device and switches, which weren't cheap the last time I looked. As always - more than one way to skin a cat.

Yeah, it sounds like you considered the same variety of devices and packages I researched when I added my camping sounds motion detector. The bundle I ended up with came with a triple AAA-battery pack, but also can be powered through a micro USB port, which I did for the same reason. Like yours, mine also allows you to add your own MP3 files, either through the USB or on a micro SD card.

All in all, I think you chose the simplest option in having two buttons, especially since you have a reason for a differential activation! One of the knottiest recurring problems for me is getting different devices to activate together, or in sequence, especially when the supply voltages and/or activation methods differ.

As to Alexa, the price increment to install it is surprisingly low. If you go for an earlier-gen refurb'ed Echo (as I did when I added a second device near the train layout), you can usually pick one up on sale on-line for $30 or less (here's one example offered by Target), and Alexa-compatible plugs are usually much less than $20 each, especially if you buy them in packs (here's a four-pack offered on Amazon Prime for $20). If you already have Internet-connected home wi-fi, the Alexa service and app are free, and the above hardware will enable you to remotely control a number of model train-relevant actions by voice commands. Currently, I have set it up to turn the power to the main layout on and off, start and end a thunderstorm emulation on the main layout, and start, stop and reverse direction on my secondary layout. Alexa-controlled devices are available that could be used to control almost any electrical on-off operation, and at least in theory, potentially even more fine actions using a microprocessor-mediated interface like inexpensive Arduino models and compatible peripheral boards, such as the ones I used in the thunderstorm simulation shown in the YouTube video above.

[Note: FYI, the links above are just quickly-Googled random samples -- I have not used nor do I endorse the products, nor do I derive any benefit from promoting them! You have been cautioned . . . ]

One feature of the newer wireless switch I installed to turn on the launch pad (as opposed to the older one I have that turns an LED light on underneath that part of the layout where I have a small FT loop for my grandson set up) is that the center "button" section is actually a removable, smaller rectangle that fits into a magnetic center of the larger switch plate, so that it can be pulled out and operated remotely as long as it's within range of the wireless connector. It comes with a small lanyard so you can walk around the whole playroom and activate the launch pad from anywhere.