Nelevation - an automatic smart fiddle yard

[GrahamB]

The layout is U-shaped and runs round the walls of the room
However, the fiddle yard cannot be any lower, there is a structure underneath it, so the lift will need to be mounted on to the baseboard

I've not seen it "in the flesh" yet, but surely, in order to access the top track the other ten tracks will be below baseboard level?

[Ben A]

I am not sure about why the height is an issue - the Nelevator would have your layout's name printed on, and is intended to display the trains at the same time.  If you actually don't want to see it I guess you could just have a higher backscene?

The layout is U-shaped and runs round the walls of the room
However, the fiddle yard cannot be any lower, there is a structure underneath it, so the lift will need to be mounted on to the baseboard

Ah, OK.  The Nelevator has to sit both above and below baseboard level.

cheers

Ben A.

[Dr Al]

Maybe I missed this, but how is it sealed against dust? Dust on trains (particularly modern superdetail models) is a major problem (risk of knocking bits off cleaning) which is a driver for some of us keeping our stock boxed when not in use. How does the Nelevator deal with that?

Cheers,
Alan

[Nelevation]

Maybe I missed this, but how is it sealed against dust? Dust on trains (particularly modern superdetail models) is a major problem (risk of knocking bits off cleaning) which is a driver for some of us keeping our stock boxed when not in use. How does the Nelevator deal with that?

Cheers,
Alan

Hi Alan

Its not hermetically sealed but with the covers on and trains stored in the top position (track 10) dust ingress is limited to entering through the portals or up from the underside. I have thought about adding a filtered fan as an option to provide a positive pressure down flow. More cost but possible.

[Dr Al]

dust ingress is limited to entering through the portals or up from the underside.

Could these areas be closed off when layout is not in use?

Cheers,
Alan

[Nelevation]

dust ingress is limited to entering through the portals or up from the underside.

Could these areas be closed off when layout is not in use?

Cheers,
Alan

Sure could. Nothing is impossible! All sorts of bells and whistles can be added. I'm going to welcome on board all comments from TINGS then we'll carry out a cost/feature/benefit analysis and decide what goes is included as standard and what is offered as an option.

Cheers 

Allen

[Dr Al]

Sure could. Nothing is impossible! All sorts of bells and whistles can be added.

Definitely worth considering IMHO, given that with 20 tracks users could have literally thousands of pounds worth of stock contained within.

I'm sure something could be rigged to pretty much seal it up when not in use without too much difficulty.

Cheers,
Alan

[Newportnobby]

I am not sure about why the height is an issue - the Nelevator would have your layout's name printed on, and is intended to display the trains at the same time.  If you actually don't want to see it I guess you could just have a higher backscene?

That's true, Ben, but not many of us have a backscene as tall as 500mm

it sits I believe 500mm below the base board and 600mm above, as the trains need to enter & exit the fiddle yard correctly, for instance if the train on road one (bottom fiddle yard) needs to exit then there would be 9 levels above it and if train 10 (top of the fiddle yard) needs to exit then the other 9 fiddle yards would be below the board.

Hope that makes a little more sense.

Paul.

I think it's the other way round, Paul - 500mm above baseboard level and 600mm below.

[Yet_Another]

I'm guessing you can only use this for storage in a fixed location. For exhibition layouts, or dismountable ones like mine will be, the stock would fall off/out if not kept vertical & moved slowly & not bumped.

[Buzzard]

For exhibition layouts, or dismountable ones like mine will be, the stock would fall off/out if not kept vertical & moved slowly & not bumped

I for one don't have a car that's got enough floor to ceiling space to put the elevator in vertically so I'd have to carry it horizontally and therefore empty of stock between house / clubhouse / exhibition.

If you could transport it vertically would you risk leaving it fully stocked with the state of the roads in some places, unless of course you drive at 5 mph?

[Ian Morton]

Can I put in a plea for the vertical separation to be able to accommodate electric locos with their pantographs raised please? Similarly US outline modellers with double stack containers and bi-level Amtrak cars will need a fair bit of headroom.

[Bealman]

In reply number 1 of this thread, I mentioned the late Peter Denny's contraptions that he built back in the late 70s and early 80s. Here they are:
[smg id=28915 type=preview align=center width=400]
[smg id=28914 type=preview align=center width=400]
He called the first one a 'gradient eliminator'. The man was indeed an inventive genius, but a close inspection of his electrical work reveals that the safety side of things would be frowned upon by today's standards! (Take a look at the transformer and it's mains cable on the right)

Photo acknowledgements: from the book 'Peter Denny's Buckingham Branch Lines Part Two 1967 - 1991', by Peter Denny; published by Wild Swan Publications, 1994 (ISBN 1 874103 21 6)

[Mustermark]

I saw this in person today. It is a very nice piece of kit; very elegantly designed and doubles as a display case with lighting. It worked really well and I shall be designing my final layout to include one.

They did say to sign up on the website so that they can get feedback and gauge what people want from the system (how tall, how long etc...).

i was very impressed.

[Nelevation]

Dear NGF

Thank you to everyone who came to see us at TINGS. I am completely staggered by the ammount of interest, smiling faces and positive feedback about the concept. We will definately be moving forward with the development so thanks again for giving me the confidence to take the Nelevator to market.

The next steps will be to finalise specifications and get a better idea on cost. I'm going to take a couple of days to go through all the comments and questions that you've raised and try and answer them all in a newsletter via the website. As indicated, our target cost is £600 for the base unit in self assembly form and fitting your own track. This is a target and we've got alot of work to do to get there but we're going to give it our best.

From the show it looks like we could end up with 2 variants. One longer (to take an 11 car Pendalino) 2 metre track length. One shorte 1 metre for branch line duties.

Anyway. thanks again for your support and I'll keep the forum updated on progress.

Cheers

Allen

[Northern Git]

I was most impressed with you working unit at the show but as I run modern image bulk trains what would be the longest length you could go too?
I am looking at a loco and 20+ bogie wagons be them hoppers, tanks or freightliner wagons.
The cost of a kit would be of great interest to me.