Track to guide rolling wagons that sits on top of floor (can't screw into floor!)

Kentel

Member
Hi everybody,
I'm trying to make 2 square wagons track up and down the stage in a straight line. I want the movement to be really clean, with no wavering from the casters.
I can't screw into the floor of our hired venue so I'm looking to make something that sits on top.
I can't afford to totally resurface the floor with maso.
So far I just thought of building a kind of railway track with sleepers to keep 2 track lines parallel. But I'm wondering where the castors fit...are they inside the guides or outside? Is there some kind of flange?
I've also been looking into Unistrut + trolly wheels but hoping there's a cheaper and simpler way.
I'd appreciate anyone's advice on making a straight track that guides casters and sits on top of the floor without being attached!!
 
Initial thoughts:

If it only tracks US-DS in a straight line the easiest way is to put it on fixed casters; schedule some time with your stage hands to practice the maneuver so it stays on its line.

I have a problem with the railway idea because it needs to extend way down stage and be there the whole time. Don't know what your design looks like but it sounds like a huge tripping hazard since you can't afford to build the deck up flush with it.

Another thought would be to rig the unit like a parallel on a drafting table, using aircraft cable to keep the wagons from getting squirrelly. Less visible and lower profile than a railway but again, still a big hazard to have running rigging along your stage....
 
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Just a random thought: maybe you could attach a "lazy tongs" sort of arrangement to the back of the wagons and some attachment point offstage. When pulled out, the lazy tongs would extend and keep things fairly well in line, while being out of the way when retracted. Care in construction would be required to make a smoothly-operating system; I might try using inexpensive 608 skate bearings in all the pivot points.

Fixed casters are a fine idea, too, and simple and straightforward. A bit of care in attachment would allow you to use a circular arc rather than a straight line path.
 
I'm a big fan of using Angle so the corner sticks 'up' . weld tabs every couple feet and use v-groove casters to track. Same problem mentioned by @bobgaggle though, trip hazard. Beyond that I agree with using 4 fixed casters.
 
What other scenery pieces are around this platform? How tall of a platform do you need? How big are the wagons? Are they 2x framed, or some other method?

My thought would be to make an MDF false floor big enough to cover the US-most and DS-most extremes of the platform, plus a bit for a step up. Two layers of 1/2", screwed together on site, with a groove cut on the top layer for a knife in the platform to guide. Bevel the edges of the MDF floor and paint. Add some skateboard grip tape to the underside, and combined with the weight of the MDF, I doubt it would move.
 
How long is the run? If this is a one shot in a rented or borrowed venue, just use fixed casters. If you're planning on a long run get more serious with the design--and get a bigger budget.
 
Wow guys this is so helpful! I just joined this website last night looking for answers and didn't expect so much feedback!

Some more context:
We are setting the play in traverse; audience on both sides. The two wagons are two stage stages which the director wants to use together as one unit at some points, and as seperate units at other points. In some moments they will drift apart as part of the action.
All staging happens on the platforms so the trip hazard is not a worry! I don't mind the look of 2 tracks running parallel to the lines of the audience.

Today I'm really into the idea of V-groove castors on a track,
Same thinking as Van. Although Van, I don't quite understand your idea of using Angle and tabs?
I'm looking at products sold for heavy sliding gates.

But wondering how to lay the track and get it to stick to the concrete floor. Interested in DRU's idea of skateboard grip tape! Or a heavy duty double-sided tape...

My concern with simple fixed castors is that they won't move in a straight line when pushed and pulled with manual labour.
Given the stages are basically the only scenery, I want it the movement to look purposeful and well-executed!
 
If all the action takes place on the trucks, then you could build a very shallow square U-section, with a wooden base and slightly raised edges, and use fixed castors. Make the U slightly wider than the distance between the castors and sit the trucks in the U, or slightly narrower and sit the trucks over it. In fact, if the trucks sit over it, you could just have a box section that they straddle, which might be more aesthetically pleasing, and hide the castors with set.
 
given your reply it seems like train tracks are the way to go. @Van can correct me but the tabs are typically there to screw the angle down to the floor, so the screws don't interfere with the caster running over the angle. In your case I think you'd just make them really long railroad ties that hold the two tracks together.

I'll add that you don't really need 2 tracks. You can get away with v casters on riding the angle on one side of the platform, and regular fixed casters riding on the floor on the other side, height adjusted for level. Now you don't have issues with the unit binding on the track if the spacing between the tracks isn't perfect. But then you'd have to find a way to keep the one track in place the whole time... maybe you screw it down to a layer of mdf like @DRU said and carpet tape it to the concrete floor? That could work if the floor is polished, not so much if its rough. Strike may involve some goo gone so maybe that's not a good idea o_O
 
Maybe build a long, fairly low box as your "track". I'd use sandbags or other weight inside the box can keep it in position securely. The platforms then would have a matching wide notch cut out of their lower portions, and wheels inside arranged somewhat like on wooden roller coasters: one set vertically to transfer the loads, and some side friction ones facing horizontally to keep things lined up. The side friction wheels don't need to be super heavy duty since they don't bear any weight. Obviously the track box needs to be appropriately strong where the weight bearing wheels roll; one simple way to do that would be to have the sides of the box be e.g. 2x6's and run the wheels centered over them. The rest of the box is there to keep them in place and looking nice and not really structural (though doubtless someone will at some point walk on it).
 
There is another variation of the V-casters on an angle iron track that is frequently used for camera dollies which use pipe on sleepers for a track and carriages with skateboard wheels in pairs pointed in to ride the pipe.
DollyTrack.jpg
 
If skate wheels get used, go for something softer on the A durometer scale, 78a, 80a are your softer longboard or "filmer" wheels, up to about 97a being considered "soft" for rough street terrain. The 99A and above are for the people who are hucking themselves down flights of stairs...fakie.
60mm and above for size.
Buy decent bearings, but you don't have to fall for the ABEC rating shell game that permeates skateboarding retailers -I mean, I love my Bones Swiss Bearings, but regular ol' SKF's or GMN's do the same job for a fraction of the cost. And make sure you get the spacers to go in between the bearings, and the washers too.
 

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