Body: <p>I'm currently working on a roller coaster MOC with a looping. I started physically building the MOC but quickly recognised that it is quite a mess to build something, tear it down rebuild it, etc. Another problem are handy bricks I currently do not own and therefore cannot build with. So I switched to BrickLink's <a href="https://www.bricklink.com/v2/build/studio.page" rel="noreferrer">Studio 2.0</a>.</p>
  <p>Here a rendered image to get a rough idea (the looping idea is not from me, but taken from <a href="https://zusammengebaut.com/das-ist-der-perfekte-lego-achterbahn-looping-60588/" rel="noreferrer">here</a>):</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/vFXtN.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/vFXtN.png" alt="Roller coaster MOC with looping" /></a></p>
  <p>Now, roller coaster cars do not have an engine, but get an initial potential or kinetic energy and then hopefully do their round.</p>
  <p>Is there any digital tool I can use test if the cars come through my track or get stuck in the middle or do I yet have to do trial and error in real-life?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-01-31T22:01:46.040Z
Comments.Text: My local LUG had unmodified Roller Coaster released by LEGO running constantly on  display. Even though this set has been designed and tested by TLG we began experiencing some issues by the mid of first day - mainly, cars were not reaching the chain lift. Longer we kept it running the further the cars stopped from lift. In our case the friction/wear became a key reason for these issues. Even if you will be able to test your track digitally it may not account for friction, wobbliness, surface level, batteries running less than max power, etc. I would test it in sections, with real bricks.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Alex
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-01-31T23:00:04.533Z
Comments.Text: OK, good points. However, if I digitally see, the car(s) won't come through, I do not have to try this part in real live. In the end, nothing comes over real live testing, but I think, it would help – if such this is available, though.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Spock
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-03-15T18:44:50.680Z
Comments.Text: I have found [this](https://www.myphysicslab.com/roller/roller-single-en.html) as a general simulator of roller coaster physics, but as @Alex says it is difficult to account for all of the variables of a real life construction. You would probably want a simulator that runs the whole track in order to take into account inertia and perhaps ideally one that works in 3 dimensions. Aside from trial and error, I might also recommend over-engineering so that you are guaranteed to have enough energy to complete the whole course.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ambo100
Tags: <building><software><tracks>
Title: Digital tool for roller coaster physics
UserDisplayName: Spock
ThreadText: # Digital tool for roller coaster physics
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-31)
  
  I'm currently working on a roller coaster MOC with a looping. I started physically building the MOC but quickly recognised that it is quite a mess to build something, tear it down rebuild it, etc. Another problem are handy bricks I currently do not own and therefore cannot build with. So I switched to BrickLink's [Studio 2.0](https://www.bricklink.com/v2/build/studio.page).
  
  Here a rendered image to get a rough idea (the looping idea is not from me, but taken from [here](https://zusammengebaut.com/das-ist-der-perfekte-lego-achterbahn-looping-60588/)):
  
  [![Roller coaster MOC with looping](https://i.sstatic.net/vFXtN.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/vFXtN.png)
  
  Now, roller coaster cars do not have an engine, but get an initial potential or kinetic energy and then hopefully do their round.
  
  Is there any digital tool I can use test if the cars come through my track or get stuck in the middle or do I yet have to do trial and error in real-life?
  
  **Tags:** building, software, tracks
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: My local LUG had unmodified Roller Coaster released by LEGO running constantly on  display. Even though this set has been designed and tested by TLG we began experiencing some issues by the mid of first day - mainly, cars were not reaching the chain lift. Longer we kept it running the further the cars stopped from lift. In our case the friction/wear became a key reason for these issues. Even if you will be able to test your track digitally it may not account for friction, wobbliness, surface level, batteries running less than max power, etc. I would test it in sections, with real bricks.  
  > **username_0**: OK, good points. However, if I digitally see, the car(s) won't come through, I do not have to try this part in real live. In the end, nothing comes over real live testing, but I think, it would help – if such this is available, though.  
  > **username_2**: I have found [this](https://www.myphysicslab.com/roller/roller-single-en.html) as a general simulator of roller coaster physics, but as @Alex says it is difficult to account for all of the variables of a real life construction. You would probably want a simulator that runs the whole track in order to take into account inertia and perhaps ideally one that works in 3 dimensions. Aside from trial and error, I might also recommend over-engineering so that you are guaranteed to have enough energy to complete the whole course.  
  
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  ## 0 answers
  
  