Railfan Technology > GoPro Hero "On-Train" Mount?

For my fellow videographers with GoPros - what mount do you use if you're mounting a GoPro (or even a different action camera) to a locomotive? There are a few places that are willing to do this, and I want to have something that can be both discreet and can be mounted somewhere safe on the train. I'm already looking at the Blackout Housing to blend in - do you guys use the normal flat adhesive mount that comes with the GoPro? I'd rather not use something that will damage the locomotive or paint. Thoughts?

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

If you might be a railroad operating employee this use would be against FRA electronic devices regulations.

fbe Wrote:
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> If you might be a railroad operating employee this
> use would be against FRA electronic devices
> regulations.

I'm not, but thanks for the reminder.

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

If you are taking video from the inside looking out a window, use the suction cup mount and hide it behind the curtain. Make sure to change the settings so that the red recording LED and the blue WiFi LED are turned off so you don't get the reflection from the window. Hiding it behind the curtain will minimize reflections from inside the car.

gsnyder Wrote:
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> If you are taking video from the inside looking
> out a window, use the suction cup mount and hide
> it behind the curtain. Make sure to change the
> settings so that the red recording LED and the
> blue WiFi LED are turned off so you don't get the
> reflection from the window. Hiding it behind the
> curtain will minimize reflections from inside the
> car.

My apologies for not making it clearer in the original post. My thoughts are more along the lines of mounting it on an exterior surface of the locomotive. Whether it's tucked a bit out of sight to catch the rods in motion, along the side of the locomotive, or even on the front towards the pilot.

If I'm doing any kind of in-cab shot, it will be back and elevated to see the crew shoveling coal in (if steam), pulling back on the throttle, blowing the whistle (or horn if a diesel), and such. So it wouldn't be in anyone's eyeline.

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

If you use a standard GoPro waterproof housing that came with the stock mounts, it is such that they can simply be zip-tied to any available spot without any special mount. I've been able to mount mine to posts this way.

stormhighway Wrote:
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> If you use a standard GoPro waterproof housing
> that came with the stock mounts, it is such that
> they can simply be zip-tied to any available spot
> without any special mount. I've been able to
> mount mine to posts this way.

My concern lies more with the fact that I'd be mounting it to a moving train - and I'd want it to be as secure as possible...

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

I know this isn't a GoPro but might give you a start if you're thinking of something similar.
10+ years ago I used a Manfroto clamp to mount a 3 lb. video camera to the hand rails of a locomotive.

Ryan Wilkerson
Fair Oaks, CA

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Mount the camera on a flat car, with 2-sided carpet tape, and push the flat car with the locomotive. Just make sure it doesn't hit any line-side objects.

ratchet Wrote:
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> Mount the camera on a flat car, with 2-sided
> carpet tape, and push the flat car with the
> locomotive. Just make sure it doesn't hit any
> line-side objects.


A good idea for a model but I think the original poster is asking about 1:1 scale. I guess if he could talk the crew into pushing a dedicated flat car, that would work too! :-)

Ryan Wilkerson
Fair Oaks, CA

RyanWilkerson Wrote:
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> ratchet Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Mount the camera on a flat car, with 2-sided
> > carpet tape, and push the flat car with the
> > locomotive. Just make sure it doesn't hit any
> > line-side objects.
>
>
> A good idea for a model but I think the original
> poster is asking about 1:1 scale. I guess if he
> could talk the crew into pushing a dedicated flat
> car, that would work too! :-)

Indeed, I'm thinking more on a 1:1 scale. :D

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

RyanWilkerson Wrote:
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> I know this isn't a GoPro but might give you a
> start if you're thinking of something similar.
> 10+ years ago I used a Manfroto clamp to mount a 3
> lb. video camera to the hand rails of a
> locomotive.

Ryan, thanks for the info and picture. I do have a "clamp" of sorts, I was looking at and thinking about other options too, including being able to mount it to a flat surface somehow on the locomotive. I want to make sure, before I adhere something, that no residue would be left, and paint wouldn't be ripped off in the process.

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

Hi Jim,
I was surprised how much vibration there was when I was doing the cab ride. I'm not sure how that might affect adhesion but it's something to think about. I had to really tighten down the clamp to resist loosening during the trip.
Make sure you post the results here of whatever you end up doing!
-Ryan

bigjim4life Wrote:
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> Ryan, thanks for the info and picture. I do have
> a "clamp" of sorts, I was looking at and thinking
> about other options too, including being able to
> mount it to a flat surface somehow on the
> locomotive. I want to make sure, before I adhere
> something, that no residue would be left, and
> paint wouldn't be ripped off in the process.

Ryan Wilkerson
Fair Oaks, CA

RyanWilkerson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Jim,
> I was surprised how much vibration there was when
> I was doing the cab ride. I'm not sure how that
> might affect adhesion but it's something to think
> about. I had to really tighten down the clamp to
> resist loosening during the trip.
> Make sure you post the results here of whatever
> you end up doing!
> -Ryan
>
> bigjim4life Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ryan, thanks for the info and picture. I do
> have
> > a "clamp" of sorts, I was looking at and
> thinking
> > about other options too, including being able
> to
> > mount it to a flat surface somehow on the
> > locomotive. I want to make sure, before I
> adhere
> > something, that no residue would be left, and
> > paint wouldn't be ripped off in the process.

Yeah, that's part of what I'm thinking about as well - which would have more video vibration - a clamp, or something directly adhered to the locomotive?

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

You might consider a mag-mount designed for mounting antennas on cars. There are some really powerful ones that have 3 or 4 magnet spread out over about a square foot area. As one of the advertisements say, “ Once it's on, it's difficult to get it back off!“ There are also the smaller ones with magnets of 4” to 6” that are made to hold antennas with about the same wind resistance of a GoPro plus the additional torque of the antenna in the wind. You would need to find one with a ¼”-20 thread mount if possible but usually they come with a 3/8”-20 threads or one of the popular antenna mounts (NMO, SO-259, or SMA.) You might have to disassemble part of it to modify the mount. The SMA would be the easiest to modify followed by the SO-259 mount due to the size of the hole in the base. Additionally, you could mount a tripod head to allow you to align the camera more precisely.

There are several outlets for these but if you don’t know where to look, they might be hard to find. I’ll give you three links.

MFJ http://www.mfjenterprises.com/ They have antenna parts but it’s hard to find the mag-mounts on the on-line catalog. You might call them for assistance. You could download their catalog and find the mounts on page 67. http://www.mfjenterprises.com/catalog/mfj/MFJ_2017_Ham_Radio_Catalog.pdf

Giga-parts https://www.gigaparts.com carries all of the MFJ products plus products by other manufacturers. Again, it’s hard to find the mounts on their catalog.

Ham Radio Outlet. http://www.hamradio.com Go to the search. http://www.hamradio.com/search_advanced.cfm Chose Antenna Accessories, Mounts/magnetic. Then click Search at the top of the page.

Hope this is helpful.

John

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Can you site the article in the fra code book? or are you just speaking,on generalizations?

ENGINEER MIKE HERNANDEZ
Diamond Bar, CA

1locoeng Wrote:
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> Can you site the article in the fra code book? or
> are you just speaking,on generalizations?


I'd be interested in how it reads too. As it applies to setting up a device and just letting it run unattended, it seems like that would fit the spirit of the rule (to not be distracted by using electronics while working).

Ryan Wilkerson
Fair Oaks, CA

I believe that only applies to "crew members" - of which I am not.

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

I have used the standard GoPro suction mount (it states "This industrial-strength Suction Cup mount is proven at speeds of 150+ mph and engineered for stability and a broad range of motion") on the outside of windows & sides of passenger trains, at speeds of up to approx 50mph, without any issue at all.

1locoeng Wrote:
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> Can you site the article in the fra code book? or
> are you just speaking,on generalizations?

Personal electronic device restrictions are covered in the CFR under Part 220 here...

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6c8bd5f242173cec2670d5dd5a3ca11f&mc=true&node=pt49.4.220&rgn=div5#sp49.4.220.c

But as stated above, this applies to operating crew members.

Also, most railroads have much more restrictive rules covering electronic devices than required by the CFR.