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This is awesome, can’t help but to think moving the coffee machine would have been far easier though 😂

so satisfying to see efficient engineering saving you so much time and effort

I think a sawzall locomotive is just what this project needs😂

The fact that you managed to get the vernacular system working without spilling the coffee is absolutely astonishing. I am a model train enthusiast but I have never seen anything like this before. There do exist restaurants across the world where the food gets delivered by trains and I have been to them, but this is a different level. More trains please.

As an engineer I understand solving the problem the hardest possible and most expensive way because of the rule of cool. A normal person would just buy a second coffee machine for upstairs.

I have a suggestion, i can imagine that the coffee is a bit cold after that 2km drive. Why don't you put the coffee machine on the train? Always a hot cup when it arrives :D

Absolutely amazing!

As a railwayman of 36+ years and a signalman (signaller these days) since 1992, I absolutely loved this video. I’ve always loved trains; I was a spotter as a kid and I had a model railway in the loft of my old parents house (courtesy of my late father). I guess it was the obvious career choice.😅😇😄 Needless to say this video took me back and you’ve put a huge grin on my face. Thank you very gladly. Trains rule!💯😎 All the best. Simon

I want one! 😄

Absolutely love this, and would love to see more! An idea to improve the balance of the coffee cup wagon might be to 3D print an in-scale tanker wagon to hold the coffee. Theres a type of tank wagon aptly called a TEA wagon that is long and on bogies, making the ride smoother and more stable, with a lower centre of gravity over a longer base. The only issue is the infrastructure at each end of the line would have to be remade. Perhaps a funnel at the Coffee Maker to fill the tanker, and a tap at the bottom of the tanker to empty into the cup at the other end of the line. or a Hopper wagon, same principle but fully open at the top so filling would be easier. EDIT: A HAA style Hopper wagon might be better overall, but longer and on bogies to accommodate the full espresso shot. And perhaps an inward-curved lip on the top to minimise potential coffee loss from the sloshing at stops and starts.

Projectair the king of the model railway

As a model train enthusiast, very well done. Love seeing some of the older Hornby models too. I would love to see more train related videos by you!

A very cool solution to a problem but let me ask you the obvious question: Why not move the coffee machine to your office?

Great project James, it looks like you unlocked a lot of new skills too! Can you imagine if you had to consider the payloads of the bridges, the steel strength the ground works involved and signalling etc, it's puts into perspective how how complicated our train systems are.

This is the evolution of childhood fantasy. I love it.

Video helped rediscover my love for trains👍🏾

I love that this seemed like a better idea than moving the coffee machine upstairs.

You should just make a 10 hour long video of all your beautiful building montage’s on here because I love them

Thank you for creating inspirational content for kids that doesn’t have the “lad vibe” you are on the allowed KZfaq list for my 10yo. Who with people like you and Mark Rober is getting more interested in engineering than pranks. May the monetisation gods bless you!

you really are a true engineer! Instead of just buying a new machine or moving it you spend weeks to have the coffee come to you

this is great! As a model railway/railroad enthusiast, this is amazing!

I actually really enjoyed this! I think that more train related projects would be very very interesting knowing your projects! Cheers!

More trains more trains. Yes way more awesome train builds.

I did this with tomy and orange squash when I was a kid, and this is so satisfying to watch - like a grown up version!

You've built pretty much every trainset kid's dream... A track spanning the whole house! Only thing I would add at the end (if you end up magnetising the cup and the carriage) is some sort of servo to "clamp" the carriage to the rail so you can pick it up without dislodging the train. You never know, an unexpected variable like that can throw code for a loop lmao

I think a center-depressed flat car would help quite a lot in the center of gravity and clearance issues you were having with the coffee staying on the cup! I know they are typically only used in America, but perhaps its worth a shot?

so glad you put the coffee label on the thumbnail cause i would have never realized..

Solving a simple problem by adding complexity 101. Looking forward for the next one.

Excellent work James. Would definitely like to see some more train-related projects!

Imagine having enough money you can do this stuff, that's living the life right there. I'll stick to keeping my kettle on my desk and a jar of nescafe, but it was entertaining all the same.

very cool, you should keep automating model trains

Yes James! I know this one took a lot of effort.. from the engineering to the coding.. you sir are a wizard. How about a coffee takeaway service done by a drone? 👀🤣

"Espresso Express"

Would love to see a train turn-table used in your next build.

"You light weight....!!!" Did this with an LGB in 2003, installing it into an internet cafe we hacked LGB's early digital control software to allow gamers to post orders from the their machines and have the train deliver it to the machines around the main room. First floor over looking the street, we took out pains of glass in the front windows, to run a side line ran on a shelf outside then back in again. It did require making a few holes in the buildings interior walls to run between rooms. The stair solution was class, well done Sir.

James May did something like this in one of his TV shows. "Man Lab" not totaly automated but it was around his shop to deliver stuff. he didn't have to go up stairs though and your solution is pretty cool

I love how all this can be fixed by having a coffee machine in the office but this way is way more fun.

What a ripper project! Keen to see more trains!

Wow. How Interesting.

Alternatively, you could just put the coffee machine in your room

MUCH better idea than just moving the coffee maker! Engineering? YES.

“Most useful railway” gets me giddy 😊😊

I would have lost my marbles with excitement if I saw this thing as a kid, I loved building train bridges with whatever stuff I could find

this was like a childhood dream of mine aswell

Cool, One of my childhood thoughts was to creat something like this, while playing with my train....You nailed it!

Very much a Wallace and Gromit solution. Good job!

Yes, do another train related project please!

Wow! That's very cool, also very satisfying.

Me and my son would love more train projects like this!

This sounds so massively useful, especially since it's hot in the kitchen here any time it's hot outside, not because there isn't central AC, but because they don't turn it down much and so I have my own window AC. Of course, I'd also have to work out a way to get the train through the door without letting out all the nice, cool air or, more importantly, letting in all the hot, oppressive air from the rest of the house.

This is like a Rube Goldberg machine for model trains, in doing something so overly complicated to accomplish a simple task

Another way this video could have been done is by placing your coffe machine closer to you!

Wow very well made video!!! Love it!!

Sure! We would love to see more train videos. From Mike in San Diego, California, USA.

HANDS DOWN THE COOLEST WAY TO GET A COLD CUP OF COFFEE

You have a Fowler 3F Tank Engine! (Now this comment is of no interest to anyone but me, but my brothers and I had one when we were kids in the 1960s; the model, not the real thing.) Great work. A quick and easy-to-implement way to transport coffee; one of life's major problems.

A couple suggestions. First, 3D print a cup holder car. That will be much more reliable. Second, you can avoid the stairs by doing a continuous spiral of track down the side of the stairs. Far less moving parts. ;)

as a railfan, this is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

I love trains and coffee and I approve!

This is super cool

These people deserve the best jobs.

Always nice with a morning cuppa:D

This is actually pretty cool for an automated coffee system, I like it.

Reminds me of the second Wallace and Gromit film 🧰

HAH, that is awesome, love it!!! -Ken

The fastest solution is having the coffee machine right beside the desk! hahahaha. But I love the genius ideas and engineering! That was awesome and I’m jealous I’m not having a house like that. … shhhh… I would’ve make up stuff like this too !!! Hehehe! Thank loved train sets and scalextric cars and tracks. Great job!

In the late 1950s and early 1960s when I was a kid, there was a restaurant in Van Nuys (Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley) called the Van Nuys Choo Choo. Food was brought to the tables by electric train. The trains were big O gauge and could carry whole meals. No computer control in those days, but a person operated the system and people in the kitchen poured coffee and put food on plates and plates and cups on railcars. My mom took me there for my birthday once.

What you just did marvelous mate...make more of it..the projects

for the next video i would love to see a motorised round plateform so the train can be turned around and face the 'right' on its way back :)

this is a fun project! a few notes though: open cup going over live wires is terrifying. you could 3dprint a tanker car. using the tanker car idea would allow you to pull the train up the stairs like a roller coaster - reducing complexity and space needed, as well as being more stable and safe.

Your use of servo motors to interface between different circuits is hilarious. I guess you work with what you know. 😂 Cool project. That bridge is crazy. Making everything line up must have been really tough.

If you fitted gimbals to the truck that carries the cup, you could take the whole train straight up the funicular section while keeping the coffee level.

Nice job! Yes, more train videos

I like train-related projects.

That's really cool and creative.i dreamed of alternative Railway's. I love coffee and Railway's. I always dreamed of a bling bling train with lots of lazers and fun effects..

This is my literal dream railway!

Next up! Guy builds a coffee pipeline out of PVC pipes, to transport his coffee from his house to his garage! 😀

Pretty cool! Instead of sticky stuff on the bottom of the coffee cup, a mold of the bottom half of the cup so the cup could sit down in it, maybe would have been more ideal.

We need to see a collab between you and Mark Rober would def be awesome to see

Very, very clever! Thanks for a great video.

A clever train of thought!

I love that the thought to bring the coffee machine upstairs next to your room just... never occurred to you. Nope. Build 100m of track and block off all the walking space in the whole place.

This was truly awesome! Now if only you could get it to cook and bring you food!

Yes more train projects please

So cool ! We want to see more ! Thanks.

We NEED more train content

THE most superfluous method of getting a cup of coffee/espresso. Wouldn't have it any other way... well maybe a stop for some milk/cream... what the heck, a station for some some sugar, to boot. All aboard The Cafe Espress!!! (using the term espress (express) loosely here) Keep up the fun content. :)

Love it. Very epic way to get coffee 😆

Personally these train projects are fantastic! Something about this style of video with trains just seems awesome!

Awesome, loved it. Trains are great

Many years ago, when I was in 3rd grade (I’m 76 now), my dad took me to a small cafe in Wheaton, IL where the patrons seated at the horseshoe-shaped counter had their orders delivered on flat cars pulled behind on O gauge locomotive. The track ran along the back edge of the counter passing through small portals to enter and exit the kitchen.

More trains please. This was very interesting to watch. Loved it

YES!! MORE TRAIN CONTENT!! 🚂 Here are some ideas: 1. Have the train pick up and lay down it’s own track so it can drive as long as an onboard battery will allow. 2. Find a way to steer a train sliding across ice like in The Polar Express movie.

Legos are one of my favourite engineering tools, they’re so easy to integrate into manufactured parts like 3D printed or lazer cut stuff and they even have RC and programmable systems. Not to mention the base power functions motors are super easy to re wire for making wire extensions or using them with arduinos or even Lego’s programming systems (NXT and EV3), I’m super glad to see someone using this major tool in a creative and fun way

As a train fan since 5 and an engineering student now I love this video

I mean, probably a good idea to use a really small glass like one of the ones used for ice cream.

Great Job Bad News Tho You're Not the First One to come up with this Idea . Back when I was a kid ( 65 now ) Still plays with trains There was two TV shows " You Asked for It " and the original " Ripley's Believe It or Not " They covered Two Different episodes of Train Layouts Both layouts were Lionel trains ( modified ) One layout started in a guy's Workshop that ran into the house and the kitchen The other guys lay out started in the Basement going outside running around the house and the backyard with an optional Short Line to the kitchen and back to the Basement Both trains had modified cars Flat cars with cut plates for passing through tunnels ( holes in the walls ) and bridges Working tanker cars with working miniature valves on the bottom For Soups and hot coffee The only thing is they didn't have the Technologies we do today They used either an intercom or a mock-up Station Master phone And the wives made the meals put them on plates and filled the tanker cars with either coffee or soup But basically only the soups that were used in the modified tanker cars with tomato soup So it wouldn't clogged valves And the Gondola cars were used for carrying crackers ( USA ) / biscuits ( G B ) Both husbands out in their perspective areas would have large coffee cups for both coffee and soup

More trains!

Amazing Man you just blocked the stairs to bring your coffee to your room