Super Hokuto Tilting Train: A LEGO® creation by Fogtod the Engineer : MOCpages.com

Super Hokuto Tilting Train

Rate it

Add a comment

Zoom in

A functional (just about) Lego City style tilting train capable of carrying minifigs.

About this creation

My second big train project. A tilting train. Chose the Japanese Super Hokuto because I think it looks cool and a little unusual.

Colours aren't quite right, but that was a necessity due to parts availability, but I like the white sides.

Tilting mechanism is obviously fundamental. The aim was to have a Power Functions train with space for minifig passengers on top of the tilting mechanism. So the tilt has to be kept in the lower part at the level of the bogies.

It's quite simple. The rear bogie has a fork which connects to the bottom of the carriage to swing it left and right as it turns. The carriage is held on two arms which swing in such a way as to create a notional pivot somewhere above the mechanism. I think it's how the European tilt trains work.

At each end of the carriages the main body has a smooth circular shape on which it slides from side to side. This turned out to be quite important to help take the weight correctly and avoid stressing the tilt arms too much.

How well does it work?

Take it too fast around corners and it's liable to derail. Likewise if there's a junction or something near a bend. So you need to take it carefully around the bend (yes I'm aware of the irony).
I made a few mods to improve it so that it doesn't derail so often. This was essentially making the bogies longer so that they were able to provide a larger force to tilt the trail before derailing, and lowering the battery compartment as much as possible in the engine.
(The three detailed pictures above are of the original short bogies. The effort to tilt the carriages, especially the engine with the battery box, created a large force that the short bogie couldn't sustain. But added length has definitely helped.)

It's a little jumpy, not very smooth going into the tilt.

Derails at the end... :-(

Comments

Add a comment

I like it

Gabor Horvath

August 23, 2012

Wow! Very nice train! And the tilting mechanism is a simple, but very clever idea! Great work!

I like it

James Kontoules

November 26, 2011

You've outdone yourself on this one! I never thought a tilting mechanism could be incorporated into a functional Lego train. Excellent job!

I like it

Steffen Rau

November 26, 2011

Brilliant! This is the best solution I've seen so far to build a LEGO tilting train. And its overall design is great! This is very inspiring.

I like it

Nick Barrett

November 26, 2011

Genius! The best ideas are usually pretty simple, but it takes an engineer to think of them.

I like it

DeTomaso Pantera

November 26, 2011

Wow that's really cool! Anyone would think you're a train expert! love the video and the fact the carriages tilt independently. I have no idea how you did that! Have you seen my new Mercedes MOC? It's my first creation that incorpoates technic.

I like it

Nimdian T.

November 26, 2011

Nice tilting function!

By Fogtod the Engineer

Add to my favorite builders

people like this. See who.

1,069 visitors
6 comments
Added November 26, 2011

«	Trains (3)

You are at the end of this folder.