PoNY Marine Shops Deliver Carfloater™ Prototype

In July of 2012 the PoNY RR Marine Shops proposed an operating carfloat service for interchange operations between pocket terminals. Today the Shops delivered the first working prototype for sea trials in the Port of New York.

Built using an old Metro Shelving TV cart, this first prototype of the Carfloater™ is manual drive with 4 large diameter swiveling rubber casters. The top portion that holds the car floats is constructed of lightweight pine 1x4s and oak 2x2 uprights, and it is affixed to the metal cart top with clamps. The upper portion is adjustable at the moment while the marine standards for the layout are being developed. The temporary float bridge at 149th (the white foam core) will be replaced with a Frenchman River float bridge that is to be installed "soon."

The large cart casters allow the float to easily navigate the carpet, and it is smooth enough that there is no fear of toppling the cars during careful movements at this point. A system for securing the cars on board needs to be developed. Later, the float carrier portion will be wider and modeled as harbor water, which will provide a place for sideways toppling cars to land instead of falling all the way to the floor. This prototype is designed to allow for up to a 36" long car float, and a locking mechanism will be developed during the testing period securing it for transfers.

All I need is a place for the Carfloater™ to sail back and forth to. In the operating scheme, traffic will be dispatched from Jersey City (this is a recent change from the originally planned modeling of Croxton yard) where there will be three lift bridges - no waiting! Jersey City could be thought of as a working staging yard, as this will be the main connection to the rest of the Erie and the United States. Until that is built, this gives me some push to start on the next pocket yard.

Sea trials are scheduled to begin later in the week and continue throughout the summer months.

Existing 149th car float slip.

An old Metro Shelving TV cart, some scrap lumber, screws and a few clamps are the only ingredients.

The temporary foam core float bridge is the only grade at the 1-4-9. A rail on the near track popped up from the ties shortly after installing and has been a rather rude bump while servicing floats. I'm looking forward to the new float bridge as much for eliminating the bump as for getting rid of the white foam core.

The existing car float landing is a piece of 1x4 cantilevered from the bench work providing a precarious perch for a wooden car float model. This 5 minute Jerry-rigged solution has actually worked pretty well.

The upside down float stand being drilled and screwed.

Two oak upright posts with a 1x4 serving as a car float pad. Clamps secure the posts allowing for height adjustment during sea trials and to the cart since this won't be a permanent member of the marine roster. The stand actually made a pretty good work bench while constructing the float carriage, so it may be re-purposed afterward.

There is a little warpage on the top piece simulating how the harbor can get a little choppy on windy days...

The existing float bridge track is laid to match the first float I acquired. You guessed it, this doesn't match the Frenchman River models' standards. Not sure if I simply can't use this nice scratch-built float anymore or if I try to modify it. My fear is that the eBay gods will be getting an offering at some point.

View from downstream. There is plenty of length for a three foot float.

Looking down the sights.

Overhead view of the 6-car scratch-built (by others) float. This is actually a pretty good size for the 149th street operations. Having 2-4 more cars to unload and load on a larger float might get tricky due to track lengths in on shore.

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Authentic PoNY Merchandise

Most of my railroad time has been constrained to the keyboard lately (it just works out that way sometimes), so to have some fun, I created an online merchandise store (see the sidebar to the right). New products will be added, but I already have some basic items up for your amusement. You might want to do this for your own model railroad! It is a great way to create the mise en scène of your layout and augment its identity, and it is just fun creating and wearing your own herald!

I've gotten the Olive color t-shirt so far, and it turned out pretty well. The graphic could be a little more vivid, but it probably would have more contrast on a lighter color shirt. Personally I like the softer presentation that this affords so that the graphic isn't too loud since it is large. After a couple of washings, the ink is holding up well and there was only slight shrinkage. The version with the smaller logo should be really nice and sharp on a white t-shirt.

The next order will be the Stone color distressed hats for my wife and me. I'll report back on those when they come in.

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PoNY Marine Shops propose working car float operation

Some doodles came in from the PoNY Marine Shops just before bed last night.

Something I hinted at a few posts ago was the desire to have an operating car float service for the PoNY, and late last night I received some initial sketches from the PoNY Marine Shops.

Much of the "staging" is going to happen via car float service since most of the layout will be comprised of isolated pocket yards. To get traffic to and from the different parts of the layout, it will be necessary to move car floats around just like the prototype situation in the harbor.

This may be a wild hare, but wouldn't it be fun to pilot those car floats to and from the different destinations?

The idea is pretty simple, but the execution may be a bit tricky. Calling on some experience in radio control cars, I bet I could get a pilotable car float and tug boat service working for about $600. Using the chassis from an R/C truck with modified suspension (a lot stiffer for the increased load) as the basis for a lightweight aluminum cart with a tug boat mounted on top of one and car floats mounted on others. The idea is to be able to steer the tug boat cart to the car floats, have it lock in place and push/pull the car float carts around to the different pocket terminals of the PoNY.

The tricks will be in the wheels of the car float carts that should function as omni-directional as possible to simulate being on the water. The tug boat cart will steer like a truck, which I think is fine. Docking will also be interesting, and some sort of mechanical capture system like a hitch assembly with an adjustable connection at the float bridge/car float possibly using magnets to hold things tightly while working the float. These could have power feeds attached in order to allow locomotives onto the floats (which did happen). Install a Dallee or similar tug boat sound system that is tied into the R/C, and viola! an operating car float service.

Lateral stability will be an issue when the tug and car float carts are separated, but when they are together, they will have a wide stance. Weight may be an issue for the R/C power system, but that should just be a matter of finding a hefty large scale motor and chassis assembly. I'm not too worried about this aspect, as the aluminum construction will make for a stiff, yet very light load for the drive system. Another potential sticking point is the car float wheels. It would be ideal to have large casters or wheels that are independent and easy to change directions with.Conceptually, large ball bearings that have totally free 360 degree movement would be best. This may take some searching for anything with these qualities.

So that seems easy enough, eh? I'll keep doodling and get some input from you all and my go-to engineering buddies here in town. I'm thinking I should build at least one other pocket terminal before tackling this so that it has someplace to go. I just have to decide which one as I am ready to try a Gatorboard and aluminum baseboard structure for easy deployment/removal and possible transport of the next yard around the house and to shows. Stay tuned for updates as this project develops.

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