Gordon Bombay Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 This topic is to allow everyone to see the progress KICentral user; TrainDriver is making on his HO scale recreation of the former Kings Island Wild Animal Habitat/Preserve and Lion Country Safari Monorail. For those of you who don't know about the former attraction heres a little bit of info... In 1974 the park opened it's Lion Country Safari monorail which brought park guests up close with real wild animals in a one of a kind experience. KICentral user TrainDriver is a minister from Illinois who used to work at the park as a monorail train driver at the wildlife preserve. I'll let him introduce himself and bring you more up to speed on who he is, what he's doing, and about this history of the former attraction. ------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by TrainDriver on 12/26/07 at 10:18 A.M. OK, First things first. My basement was a mess. I was planning on cleaning it earlier, but work got the better of my time. So late Christmas eve I began working... and working... simply cleaning the basement! The first thing to arrive was te monorail itself: This is the 1988 Von Roll set that was sold in 1988 at the opening of the Sydney Monorail - not quite like the Kings Island version - so some modifications will need to be made. Next we need construction workers - so I hired a few: I'll post more later... Posted by TrainDriver on 12/26/07 at 5:18 P.M. Hi there! I'm back. Well, the construction workers got right at it and put up the "future site of sign..." So it's official - we're putting up a preserve. Currently the surface is 1/4" fiberglass sheeting sitting on three 2x2's on top of a table - I have instructed the workers to create a modular design, just in case this whole setup will need to be moved in the future. Here are the guys getting at it: Posted by TrainDriver on 12/26/07 at 5:33 P.M. What project doesn't have its setbacks? I started having a little trouble with the construction crew. I don't know if you've ever noticed how sometimes there is only one worker actually working at any given time - but I am noticing it about this crew. One of the workers is drinking, one is playing with a pick-axe, and another is lying down on the job! I'm spending big money for this!! We're about to have a little talk! Train Driver ------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubaman Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 I can't wait to see this complete! Good luck with it, Train Driver! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Those pics of the construction crew are a riot! They remind me of PA Dept. of Transportation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 TALKS ARE OVER! The workers are back to work! I'm allowing some of them to nap on the job (so I caved on some issues). Here they were able to get the box open and are working at getting the monorail out of the box: Here's a closeup: I've instructed them to set up a preliminary test run of the monorail. This picture is at the end of the day: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubaman Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 How long is the monorail track that you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 How long is the monorail track that you have? Thanks for your question! The track out of the box is just long enough to make an oval - that's why I bought more. I'm going to need to buy much more though. I'm trying to recreate a 100 acre preserve! I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money though until I knew how well this train runs. Truth be told, this is going to be a long-term project - because I'm not made of money, and the goal is to have seven trains running! I'm sure my construction guys will have it up and running tomorrow for it's first test. So be sure to check back! Train Driver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Theres a Logo I put together if you want to use it. It's looking good so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Theres a Logo I put together if you want to use it. :) It's looking good so far. I LOVE IT!! - Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Here is a preliminary - though not completely accurate - layout of the Wild Animal Habitat based on my memory of over 20 years ago as a train driver. If anyone from back in those days remembers something different or has more specific information, it would be helpful. This, along with the artwork shared by topgun, should be enough to make a better sign on the construction site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vortex Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Do they still make the Sydney Monorail ? I have the Walt Disney World Monorail Red train model. The only bad thing about it is runs on batteries and goes very slow. Keep up the good work on the model. I like what you have done so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Model Railroad Hobby Shops sometimes carry them, but I am pretty sure it is out of production. It was made by E-R(Eurorail) models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odettekitrigisele Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 I love the that you are re-creating the Monorail. It was a shame that Paramount took it away. My Mom and I rode that together and I have never forgotten it. An animal was on the track so we had to stop for awhile. I don't recall what animal it was, however it took it's time getting off of the track. LOL. The animals always had that look as if they were thinking "and what are you looking at????" Aaawwwww, so cute. I loved those days of Kings Island. I can't wait to see your finished project!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odettekitrigisele Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Do they still make the Sydney Monorail ? I have the Walt Disney World Monorail Red train model. The only bad thing about it is runs on batteries and goes very slow. Keep up the good work on the model. I like what you have done so far. I like your "Bat" picture. That's all I wanted to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Do they still make the Sydney Monorail ? I have the Walt Disney World Monorail Red train model. The only bad thing about it is runs on batteries and goes very slow. Keep up the good work on the model. I like what you have done so far. They are not making any more of those monorails, so please don't buy them all up (unles you want to make a donation to the Habitat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBeast Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Looks like this could turn out to be a really cool idea. I loved the monorail when I was a kid. It was the next best air conditioned ride next to Enchanted Voyage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 ^ Absolutely! It was worth the $$ just for the AC. The animals were just a bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Alright - I need some more help. I have some video here, but Image shack isn't being cooprative. What's the best way to imbed video? thanks, Train Driver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 www.youtube.com is the best way, you can create a free acount, then as long as your video is under 100mb and under 10 minutes long then it can be uploaded to there for free. I can host it on my server if its bigger than those and you dont want to reduce quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avatar Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Also don't forgrt to turn the HTML on in the drop down box under the post reply box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 The crew got the train up and running for its first test!!! Runs like a charm! Thanks for you help! It was the HTML piece that I was missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 ^That is awesome! I also didn't know that imageshack hosted videos which is cool to know. Train Driver do you plan to detail the trains in any way to make them resemble the KI trains? Also, how many trains will you run? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 ^That is awesome! I also didn't know that imageshack hosted videos which is cool to know. Train Driver do you plan to detail the trains in any way to make them resemble the KI trains? Also, how many trains will you run? A have to make a couple of assumptions: 1. I don't run out of money. 2. I don't run out of trains before I run out of money. These trains are kinda rare, and expensive. Assuming that 1 and 2 don't happen, my plan is to modify them so that they look as much like the original trains as possible. That means a couple of major changes need to be made: 1. These trains have 7 cars - the KI monorail had 9, so I'll have to buy enough trains to make that modification (there were 6 trains running in 84 - The seventh had been in a fire and wasn't running that year - but if I want to be as accurate as possible, I have to duplicate that also(!) I know my wife is reading this and is having a cow right now. 2. The bellows betwen the cars need to be modified, and I'm not quite sure how I'm going to do that yet... 3. The cabs also need to be reshaped. 4. The trains need to be painted the putty color 5. The all-too-important air conditioners have to be fabricated and placed on each car. I will also have to modify the track so that it looks somewhat like the track from that era - probably with paint - that will probably be a last modification - if at all. The train sets are over $100.00 apiece. So you do the math! Right now, I'm going to concentrate on the preserve - and buy the trains over time... Thanks for all your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 Even with just one train, no matter how "accurate" it looks, I think it is absolutely awesome what you are doing and can't wait to see the finished product. I have a bunch of left over figures and scenery that I no longer use from when I had a model railroad set. Could I mail you some stuff to contribute to the preserve? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Train Driver Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Even with just one train, no matter how "accurate" it looks, I think it is absolutely awesome what you are doing and can't wait to see the finished product. I have a bunch of left over figures and scenery that I no longer use from when I had a model railroad set. Could I mail you some stuff to contribute to the preserve? Everything is HO scale - so... anything that is that scale and that I can mold to make fit - absolutely!! I'm going to need a lot of people (of the HO scale variety). I'll create a permanent contributor list if anybody wants to help out with the project. Topgun1993 is first on the list for his signage contributions. I suppose you need my address? Should I give it to you offline? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 Sure thing, go ahead and PM it to me. I'll go through my train stuff when I get back from NJ if I have time before I head back to school. I should be able to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubaman Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Maybe I over read this somehwere, but what is HO scale? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Maybe I over read this somehwere, but what is HO scale? They are the BIGGER of the two most commonly seen sizes of model trains (the N ones are much smaller): .... Q. What sizes (actually scales) do models come in? The standard scales, listed in approximate order of popularity, are: HO1/87 (actually 3.5mm to the foot, or 1/87.1) N 1/160 (1/152, 2mm per foot in the UK) O 1/48 (but see below) G 1/22.5 or 1/24, or whatever the manufacturer decides S 1/64 OO 1/76.2 (4 mm to the foot, mostly used in the UK) Z 1/220 No. 1 1/32 TT 1/120 (common scale in the former GDR, only produced by Zeuke in Berlin) By design, this list only includes the common scales which most beginning modelers are likely to run into. There are many other scales and variations in scales (for example, OO is slightly different in the US but virtually nobody uses it here), but this is a list of _frequently_ asked questions, not an exhaustive (and thus difficult to read) compilation of every scale known to exist. From: http://www.modeltrainguide.com/index.php?m...9&article=1 You can learn a lot there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Train Driver is making more progress than the current owners of the monorail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 The train sets are over $100.00 apiece. So you do the math! I went to the Dayton Model Train Expo a few weeks ago and saw the ER Models Monorail for $168. I had been wanting one for well over ten years, but I knew I could turn to eBay and find them cheaper. While most of these Monorails on eBay go for around $110, I scored a deal on one just last week for only $80. Plus, I received a $25 Gift Card to eBay for Christmas, so I only ended up paying $55. Score! These ER Models Monorails are the coolest (and yours will be a lot "cooler" once you add the AC. Haha! Lame joke, I know.) After assembling my Monorail and seeing the size of the oval track, it's quite clear to me that your model of Lion Country Safari is going to be massive! It's too bad that the track isn't flexible, so you could bring it down to scale a little bit. I'm anxious to see your finished product. Good luck and have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 The train sets are over $100.00 apiece. So you do the math! I went to the Dayton Model Train Expo a few weeks ago and saw the ER Models Monorail for $168. I had been wanting one for well over ten years, but I knew I could turn to eBay and find them cheaper. While most of these Monorails on eBay go for around $110, I scored a deal on one just last week for only $80. Plus, I received a $25 Gift Card to eBay for Christmas, so I only ended up paying $55. Score! These ER Models Monorails are the coolest (and yours will be a lot "cooler" once you add the AC. Haha! Lame joke, I know.) After assembling my Monorail and seeing the size of the oval track, it's quite clear to me that your model of Lion Country Safari is going to be massive! It's too bad that the track isn't flexible, so you could bring it down to scale a little bit. I'm anxious to see your finished product. Good luck and have fun! Well, ya'll should be able to make and shape track by hand with some tools. I'd venture to say even to create track if you speak with some of the hobbyist's out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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