PlaymoFriends

General => News => Topic started by: AgeOwns on October 06, 2021, 18:48:20

Title: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: AgeOwns on October 06, 2021, 18:48:20
I am in love with the Back to the Future III advent calendar. It's lovely! Now I need to clear some more shelf space to fit all the fun backdrops.

Anyway, the train wheels snap on just fine, but they do not automatically fit on playmobil train tracks.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51533639210_df0cefcafe_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mvRnwS)playmobttfiii_14 (https://flic.kr/p/2mvRnwS) by Andy Jones (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrstinkhead/), on Flickr

So I put two track pieces side by side and interlocked the ties, like a zipper, and the distance between the left rail lines up with the left rail on the other track, so much so that if you had a lot of parallel track lined up, it rolls smoothly!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51558400071_bb2c3524bc_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2my3h5g)tracks_01 (https://flic.kr/p/2my3h5g) by Andy Jones (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrstinkhead/), on Flickr

Here's another angle
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51558400011_142282731e_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2my3h4e)tracks_02 (https://flic.kr/p/2my3h4e) by Andy Jones (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrstinkhead/), on Flickr

But for displaying on your shelf, just get two pieces of track next to each other, and it'll rest on it just great! You can't even tell in the top photo that there are two rails there. But it works!
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: Rasputin on October 06, 2021, 20:34:47
Nice hack , I was really hoping it would have fit with out cutting the car in half
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: tahra on October 06, 2021, 21:50:38
Gnome: see, you can replace the regular wheels with train track fitting ones

Collector: but they don't fit the train tracks.

Gnome: ... there are train tracks?!


Seriously, how is this even POSSIBLE?!
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: StJohn on October 06, 2021, 23:37:33
Seriously, how is this even POSSIBLE?!

I think you are being a little unfair on Geobra. Playmobil trains and cars do not match in scale: a car can hold two passengers next to each other, and so does a train, even though in reality the latter accommodates four. Trains are simply too small, so it shouldn't surprise that train tracks are too narrow for a DeLorean.
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: Rasputin on October 07, 2021, 04:43:24
Gnome: see, you can replace the regular wheels with train track fitting ones

Collector: but they don't fit the train tracks.

Gnome: ... there are train tracks?!


Seriously, how is this even POSSIBLE?!

 :lol:
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: tahra on October 07, 2021, 07:52:14
I think you are being a little unfair on Geobra. Playmobil trains and cars do not match in scale: a car can hold two passengers next to each other, and so does a train, even though in reality the latter accommodates four. Trains are simply too small, so it shouldn't surprise that train tracks are too narrow for a DeLorean.

Well... fix it. Make the train wheels wider on the inside (leave space for it on the original - wait, that'd imply they knew there were train wheels to fit..)

I bet the talented people at the kw 3d section could sort that.... so, why can't they?

We are talking of a company that makes something not work with what was there before because.... because.
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: GrahamB on October 07, 2021, 08:19:33
Nice hack , I was really hoping it would have fit with out cutting the car in half

You could cut the tracks in half though!

I don't remember much about the BTTF films, but was it not a lucky coincidence that the car fit on the train tracks anyway? Or was there some engineering needed?
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: AgeOwns on October 07, 2021, 13:23:17
Yes, it was a lucky coincidence that the DeLorean fit. They were ready to either show Doc engineering wider axels or just not show that it didn't fit and leave it to the magic of hollywood. But it legit fit on the tracks!
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: Rasputin on October 07, 2021, 17:15:20
You could cut the tracks in half though!


But then the train wouldn’t fit. I’d like the Delorian to actually be able to go round and round on a diorama
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: Oliver on October 07, 2021, 20:38:05
Well... fix it. Make the train wheels wider on the inside (leave space for it on the original - wait, that'd imply they knew there were train wheels to fit..)

I bet the talented people at the kw 3d section could sort that.... so, why can't they?

We are talking of a company that makes something not work with what was there before because.... because.

I presume this is a standard mould they have for the DeLorean - so it would require re-designing the mould, for a handful of people who would want to do this trick.
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: tahra on October 07, 2021, 20:42:40
I presume this is a standard mould they have for the DeLorean - so it would require re-designing the mould, for a handful of people who would want to do this trick.

No idea it would be a handful of people - I am actually out of those  :P  - not a BTTF fan here.. (though I like the movies)

It's just.. lame. There is worse, of course, but...
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: Rasputin on October 08, 2021, 03:52:08
I would hope they would have a master plan when they are designing these sets . Weren’t the movies all released prior to the production of the playmo sets ? Just some proper planning ahead of time would/could have been incorporated into the design

Oh well , still love the car and sets Geobra made
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: AgeOwns on October 08, 2021, 05:37:24
Seriously it wouldn't be that hard for Playmobil to create tracks that have double rails (4) and fit both the original Old West Train and the DeLorean.

Anyway, I was just trying to provide a quick and easy trick to display the DeLorean with existing track.
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: Rasputin on October 08, 2021, 19:20:51
The display hack you did certainly looks great and is quite easy

Thanks again for sharing
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: GrahamB on October 08, 2021, 19:48:37
Yes, it was a lucky coincidence that the DeLorean fit. They were ready to either show Doc engineering wider axels or just not show that it didn't fit and leave it to the magic of hollywood. But it legit fit on the tracks!

That's a great piece of trivia. I didn't find that on IMDB. Mind you, I didn't look. :-[
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: AgeOwns on October 08, 2021, 21:02:12
Haha, I have watched every piece of DVD extra and documentary and have several books with behind the scenes stories, I don't recall where I learned it :)
Title: Re: EASY display hack for BTTF III train track wheel DeLorean... I got it to roll
Post by: GrahamB on October 09, 2021, 08:54:34
The BTTF films are widely regarded as movie Classics, so there is a lot of interesting info. available about the making of them, something I too find very fascinating.

I found this on IMDB trivia for BTTF3:

"The Delorean's wheels are conveniently located for riding on railroad tracks. The car's track width is 62.6", and the front wheels are 6" wide. The standard gauge used on U.S. railroads is 56.5""

Mind you, I don't really understand it...  Does that mean the centre lines of the wheels are 54.6 inches apart? A diagram would help!