MODEL MAKING FAQs

A scratchbuilt model does not have to be 100% accurate. Your main goal is to get something running consistently, so you need to experiment with various materials. As with many things, you'll get what you pay for, so using tougher materials will ensure a longer life on your model. If you are set on building your own, one of the best ways to learn simple coaster building tricks is to obtain the SPACEWARP models....available on e bay. Those kits are extremely simple but teach you a lot. That is how I started. Also...if you have Rollercoaster Tycoon and NoLimits simulators for computer....notice how longer coaster trains react different than shorter trains. Sometimes if a train is too short, it won't make it all the way around. A model will usually not reach the next hill unless it is lower than the one before it (unless it has a lot of speed). Thus, I usually don't make first drops go all the way to the ground. The main thing you need to consider on an operating coaster or ride is how much $$$ you have to invest in it, and how much space it will take up. The larger the coaster model, the better it will run and easier it will be to find parts to build it.

FOOTERS: 2mm thick foam circles, punched with a hole punch (perfect size for H.O. scale), can be quicky and cheaply made. Gray foam sheets at a craft store, and punch away! They have a realistic surface to them, and look great when glued under your supports. Wooden dowels are also great for this, but be sure to wrap them in masking tape before cutting to prevent splintering. You can then tie several together and cut at once with a hacksaw or Dremel on a bandsaw.

STRUCTURE:Usually basswood strips are used for wooden coasters, and plastic or metal tubing for steel coasters. Plastic tubing is available in many different types and sizes, so that can easily substitute for dowel rods. It's up to you. Keep in mind that it's hard to connect round edges to each other in such a small scale, so because of this, some modelers use basswood structure since it is easily glued and flat sides hold together better. With a cylindrical sander you can create concave areas in tubing where it would attach to supports. For woodies, create each bent (a cross-section connecting two parallel support posts) based upon drawings and measurements. Then simply position each one, connecting with horizontal strips (cords). Lastly add diagonal strips to provide stability, and give it that "X" look. Study different coaster manufacturers, because each one builds structures differently. For areas with high forces, especially curves, add extra bracing, and angular "batter braces" that give it that triangular look from the end.

RAILS: If you choose to make your own track, then be sure to check with a plastics supplier for different materials. Plastruct is fine for some areas, but you may find that it isnt flexible enough for rail....the real small diameter is ok, such as 1/8", but larger diameter bends harder and needs to be heated. It is best to get ABS or butyrate plastic for the spine, which has to be heated and shaped, but once it cools it is hard as a rock and serves very well. Plastic bendable styrene strips by EVERGREEN or PLASTRUCT for wood coasters (MUCH easier than soaking and trying to bend wooden strips), and plastic tubing or metal rod for steelies. Note that hollow tubing is very easy to use, and staples (for crossties) puncture them easily. You'll also want metal rail joiners that fit inside the rail ends for each section. If you are doing a long model, think about building it on separate boards that will hook together. Then simply have the rails meet flush with each other and pin together.

CROSSTIES: The big expense for model coasters is making the crossties. I've seen people make their own molds (see www.http://www.modelrollercoasters.com) and I've also seen people cut their own......it is time consuming no matter how you go about doing it. Wooden coasters use square wooden beams that help keep the track in gauge, so I just use strips that are about half the size of the posts used in the structure. For steel coasters, you should already know which type of track you are building depending on the train design. If your wheelsets guide along the inside of the rails (like Arrow coasters) then use U-shaped staples from a hardware store that attach to the outside of the rails. If the wheels wrap around the outside of the rails (like Intamin, B&M or Schwarzkopf), then just use straight staples or rods that push into the tubing.This holds fairly well, but may need glue depending on how much stress it encounters from the train passing over it (bottom of drops are high stress areas).

WHEELS: Wheels are the hardest area since you need lots of them and they all need to be identical. A model reacts to even the tiniest bit of interference when it's running, so you need to make sure you have wheelsets that are very reliable. Look at Chris Brewer's site and see how he took railroad wheelsets (which by themselves are VERY fast and reliable), and attached them under his homemade cars. That isn't 100% realistic, but it works. I use high speed bearings which will allow me to make larger and more realistic coaster trains. These are expensive (@ $10 each or more) but well worth it since they roll better than anything else and fit perfectly onto a set of axles made from dowel rods or tubing. You should get the kind that spin for several seconds when you flick them with your finger. Just stop by a bearing distributor and see if they carry them. If cost gets too great, just use these for your road wheels and then use something less expensive for the guide wheels. If you are doing a fairly large model (track gauge of at least 2” wide) then I strongly suggest trying to make a complete wheel carriage for the coaster train that will have a road, guide (inside or outside) and upstop wheel to lock the cars to the track. This will allow you to do any kind of hill or inversion without worrying about the train flying off the track.

TRAINS: I scratch build these from Evergreen plastic styrene sheets. Some people use basswood sheets too, which look realistic on a larger wooden coaster train! The cars can be hooked together with string (on smaller models) and on ones that are large enough, I strongly recommend a LEGO ball & socket joint or universal joint (a joint that allows articulation from side to side and up and down), which can be purchased through their catalogs.

CHAIN: Delrin black plastic link chain available from Walthers, which can be purchased with sprockets as well. This chain is unbelievably accurate in look and operation! I attach an IHC carnival motor to one of the sprockets at the base of the lift.

GLUE: Unfortunately, Elmer's glue and hot glue are not the best choice for a model, unless it is extremely small and made of cardboard! I use JB Weld or cyanoacrylate (CA) which comes in different thicknesses, and bonds quickly to wood, plastic, and some metals. This is available in hobby shops, and can be set even faster by using an accelerator spray. Epoxies are great and less expensive, but take longer to set than CA. If your model includes metal, soldering is recommended, or try this amazing product at www.coolchem.com, which bonds to anything (wood, plastic, rubber, metal) instantly, and in some cases appears stronger than CA. Be sure to use ventilation for all heating/gluing applications, and if indoors, have a fan running.