Project Segway – Designing a Camera Mount

(Occasionally, other events do occur and so I will from time to time go off-topic to discuss another railroad related project or event that is going on currently – we will get back to our regularly scheduled programming…)

I will get back to the Moffat Plan, but other things have been going on while I have been thinking about options. One of those "things" was a project that sat on my desk since my surgery in March. I found it and figured it was time to get it finished.

The task was to design a mount for a camera board into an HO-scale E-unit for the Central Model Railroad and Historical Association.

The Camera Board next to the HO scale E-unit shell.

Since the unit is unpowered, there is a lot of internal space. In fact, the board fits nicely inside the shell. However, the camera is the small circle on the black component on the left end of the pig tail on the board. The key to the mount is to provide a means to control the direction in which the camera is pointed while allowing the board to be secured within the engine.

Progression of the design.

I took some measurement, and drew up a simple mount, which I then printed using a consumer grade Da Vinci 3D printer and PLA filament. The first design was a simple block, which fit well enough, but caused interference with the plastic glass parts used in the model for the lighted number boards and the porthole windows. The second generation design provides a better slot for the camera, as well as enough space for the number boards, but the fit was too tight for the porthole windows. The third design provided ample space for the entire assembly to slide into the body shell. 

The camera board mounted on the mount. Eventually two screws and standoffs will be added.

The 3rd generation design fit nicely into the body of the locomotive. From the fit of the mount, it looks like the camera lens will align with the logo on the nose of the engine. 

The camera mount placed in the shell of the locomotive. 

Even from the nose, the mount is virtually invisible within the locomotive.

The locomotive reassembled.

The locomotive and mount have been returned to the club where the shell will be modified for the lens, and the locomotive placed into service on the layout. Soon, we will have videos of the trains touring the layout.

Cameron Turner