murrayec Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Did you know India had a rather strange Monorail System in Patiala in the Punjab, pulled by mules? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patiala_State_Monorail_Trainways It was a mad looking affair with a single ground rail, double flange ground rail wheels and an outrigger wheel to balance the thing. Designed like this to save on cost and time in laying track, primary set up to move concrete from the works to site, when the building was complete they took up the track and installed it at the new site. Steam locos were brought in later which were stronger than a team of mules pulling five coaches rather than two for the mules! Thought I'd seen it all!..... The modeller could save 50% on the cost of the track!! Eoin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfield Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 I recall JHB171achill telling me he saw stock from that line 'in the flesh' at an Indian museum. Any photos JB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayec Posted February 18, 2016 Author Share Posted February 18, 2016 That wikipedia link has a photo and I read about it in 'Railway World' Feb 1962 of all places. It's got loads of B&W photos but I wanted to stick to the rules! Eoin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broithe Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 The modeller could save 50% on the cost of the track!! I wonder if the real reason they did it was to avoid modellers in the future arguing about the correct scale gauge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayec Posted February 18, 2016 Author Share Posted February 18, 2016 Broithe It's called 'NO Gauge'!! Looking at the photos in the mag, they show a picture with the passenger frame removed from the running gear, the deck is slung very low on the ground rail wheels. These wheels would stick up between the seats- imagine getting the seat beside the wheel.... crunch! Eoin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 I saw the sole surviving engine in steam in Delhi Railway Museum nearly forty years ago, and it's still there, though not workable any more. There is a carriage too, and I had a ride in it round a circuit of track (rail!) they have there. It was indeed a MOST peculiar thing - naturally the ride was somewhat rough, and that was with a "road" which was smooth. Where it originally ran, the road was a dirt road, anything but smooth. It would have been an extremely uncomfortable, and very slow thing to travel in. I have colour pics of it somewhere, in fact I may have old cine film of it in operation...must look.... Having said that, I wonder if any other IRM folks have ever travelled in an 0.3.0 on a railway with no gauge? Anyone here ever travel behind it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josefstadt Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Having said that, I wonder if any other IRM folks have ever travelled in an 0.3.0 on a railway with no gauge? Anyone here ever travel behind it? Sadly it wasn't operational when I visited the museum back in 1981. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 It was very much on its last legs when I travelled on it. The loco boiler was leaking like a sieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Holman Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 At the St Albans show in January, there was a chap showing progress on his Lartigue layout. Unlike the French layout [which just goes round in a scenic circle], this will be part of one of the terminus stations, complete with turntable points and so one. A frames for the track were very nicely etched and the whole thing looked very promising. He brought a L&B wagon to compare with my Sligo ones & it was surprising how big the former were. No loco to show yet, but it is a bold project that deserves to do well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayec Posted February 21, 2016 Author Share Posted February 21, 2016 Hi David Interesting, any pictures? It would be great to see Eoin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 When I can find my Indian pics, I'll post some of the Patalia State Monorail Trainway (to give it the correct title!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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