Fred Writes: This is my first attempt at the famous Erector Ferris wheel from the 8 1/2 set box art. This model has actually been assembled for 5 years. Each year I want to rebuild it with some improvements but I never seem to have the time. I used 12 of the MN base plates to form the base instead of a piece of plywood, next time I think I will use only 6. I made the 4 passenger baskets per the Erector book, but I want to try to make something that looks more prototypical, either an enclosed car with a door, or an open seat with a lap bar to secure the passengers. I also want to have six or eight passenger cars instead of just four. I also used some of the yellow painted 10 inch straight girders that I had. It looks so good to my eye that I am in the process of painting additional straight and curved girders so that I can construct the entire rotating wheel in yellow parts.

The biggest problem with this model has been getting it to work! The cotton string that I used just slips over the pulleys so I put several rubber bands on each pulley, which gives the string the grip it needs. Then I tried doubling the string because a single strand would stretch and slip after a few minutes of running. Someone told me to try fishing line, I may try that next year. Another improvement I have in mind is to add lights, I need to get going on my homemade version of the Gilbert Illumination kit. By the way, I run these models for several hours at a time. My wife and I host several large parties at Christmas time with anywhere from 20 to 60 people, and the Lionel trains and Erector models are going nonstop the entire time.