Building a Pneumatic LEGO Train…

In this video i will (try) to build a LEGO train with a pneumatic engine strapped on it.

(Spoiler alert: It sucks)

[ManosLC]

Don't forget to turn on subtitles!

[brianpiper]

I would follow all the comments. Use a 90 degree offset for the cylinders and use a switchless or modified switch design. That combination means you will reduce shaking and not need a big flywheel. The train is an excellent original idea! Every other LPE seems to get used in a car. As you progress, you could add tanker cars to supply the air for the engine. Like how a real life train supplies air to tanks on each car for the brakes.

[Pyroteknikid]

The engine does not have much torque. You'll need to add additional gear reduction or make a more powerful motor.

[KohleCoke]

An idea I have is:

Make a depressed flatbed that holds the engine, then run a drive axle to the loco. You'd be able to add weight, and possibly shock absorbers to the flatbed. It may help a bit with the shakiness of the engine, as it's lower down and a bit more stable. It's a similar principle to a railroad slug in real life--except that the unit with the engine doesn't have any motors.

I'd also recommend using a pair of U-joints as a coupling between the loco and engine car, instead of the magnets!

[garrettmixon]

If you put a 90-degree crank offset vs. the 180 you have now, you won't have to start the engine by hand it will start by itself once the preasure is add still a very sweet Loco Great job

[brickblocksJ]

its a great concept, I think you need to make a it a diesel locomotive so you have room for a bigger engine, that way you can use a bigger piston or more cylinders I might try to build one on my channel, that would be a good build-off, to see who's is better, i think that would be fun. just let me know if your interested.

[sleeplessengineer]

I would recommend having the flywheel parallel to the direction of travel, I think if its perpendicular that is whats causing it to wobble more. Also I think you could get it to work with only the universal joints and no worm gear if you have less of an angle in the universal joints, because the more extreme the angle the more friction it will cause.

[ryanyoung]

Lay your pistons down so they're going with the length of the car. May be able to add to the other side for a boxer layout with the bigger pistons that way too. May have to use a chain to go from center of car to your drive shaft but it'll have a lot more power.

Also, smaller gears have more resistance. Putting those two 8 tooth gears in there was making things worse

[jessespruce]

Why not just have a generator that can power some lego 9v tracks? That way, you can have a much bigger engine.

[MarilynMananquil]

you should make a steam engine useing the air, make the rods move with the wheels

[joelharris]

It didn't suck to me, It was a great experiment in my opinion and keep trying on improve the technology for next time :)

[hadamana]

The comments on this video make me happy. Everyone is just trying to be constructive and help the build improve. Youtube needs more of this.

[JojoCat]

Not to be such a critic, I noticed 3 things wrong in this design.

1. Center of Mass is not Lowered enough.
2. Not enough Torque.
3. Small Flywheel.

[reble-liner]

Most if the power will be gone so I recommend adding a bit more engines or adding multiple a slow gear to a high gear so it is both fairly fast and has much torque

[sleeplessengineer]

The design of this is pretty similar to the CliShay locomotive, steam engine mounted to the middle of the frame and uses gears to power two trucks.

[jameschamberlin]

Maybe try 4 pistons with a 90 degree offset

[rimkaorrick]

I think some kind of turbine will work better with this

[thomaslouis]

I didn’t know there were others working on the same project idea this recent… maybe not as niche as i thought!

[lucasgrzybowsky]

I'm not an LPE engineer, but from I've already watched I think a switchless LPE should generate much more rpm, reducing shakes. Torque of course will be higher too. And the engine will be smaller. Try also build it in B4 - boxer generates less shake. Yo to all AFOLs.

[Tomdata]

The universal joints need to be 90 deg round from how you have them then the speed up and slow down ofvthe half shaft is balanced. Mind you that is a moot point for your 2 cylinder 180 deg engine.