Whatzit?

[webenda]

I agree with Murph; an integral electric/telegraph pole. I should have made one for my station build, but I skipped it. They look a bit squirrelly

I would say Murph is wrong and Healey36 is half right. It is not for electricity but for telegraph lines.
The tree is used for three or six telegraph lines coming into the station.
Note the telegraph office on the right side of the building.

But, since you agree with Murph and the telegraph is an electrical device, I change my mind, Murph got it right first.

Three or six telegraph lines? Early telegraph systems required two wires, one for current in and one for current to return to the power source. Therefore, it might be for three lines. In 1839 Steinheil in Germany demonstrated 'earth return.' Soon after only one wire was used for each telegraph line. In that case, the thing is for six telegraph lines.

Some interesting pictures...


Many telegraph lines were needed before multiplexing was invented.


When those telegraph lines got to a big city a lot of operators were needed to send the messages to the person or business it was attended for.


The early telegraph system used by railroads in the USA only required only one line. Every station along the way was on the one-line party line.

[E7]

I would say Murph is wrong and Healey36 is half right. It is not for electricity but for telegraph lines.
The tree is used for three or six telegraph lines coming into the station.
Note the telegraph office on the right side of the building.

But, since you agree with Murph and the telegraph is an electrical device, I change my mind, Murph got it right first.

Healey is the only person to mention telegraph. He gets my vote! A kitchen range is also an electrical device, and by your logic that answer could win. In every picture you post thereafter, the theme is TELEGRAPH. Nothing personal, but faulty logic. (opinion)

[healey36]

The consensus of the European toy train books I have is that this is for telegraph (which, as Wayne states, makes sense). Here's one on eBay, priced reasonably :

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274851647227?hash=item3ffe6f4efb:g:OmYAAOSwtTxg3OIe

Looks easy enough to make one from a few ceramic repro insulators, some stiff wire/rod, and a bit of ornamentation cut from some thin aluminum or tin.

[webenda]

The consensus of the European toy train books I have is that this is for telegraph (which, as Wayne states, makes sense). Here's one on eBay, priced reasonably :

US $245.00

[E7]

PS: Wayne, some excellent illustrations ala Telegraph equipment. Some old school charm there!

Rich

[webenda]

I have never seen sparks coming from the center of the wheels before. What could cause it?

Whatzit?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I suspect that errant electrons are in play....

[E7]

Spontaneous Driver combustion!

[robert.]

[Mitch]

I have never seen sparks coming from the center of the wheels before. What could cause it?

Whatzit?

Since the engine appears to be sitting on 3 rail track, the center rail would be voltage, the outer rail the ground. My initial thought was a short to voltage but then I thought, wait a minute, that would knock out a fuse.
I'm going to say that the wheel carrying ground is loose on the axle, ergo the intermittent sparks at different spots around the center pin.

[Mitch]

Very clever; the 3rd eyeball in the center of the head to make it look like a birds eye. Can't tell if subject is man or woman but looks like some type of ballet pose. I believe it to be a man as the bone structure of the right knee and left calve seems to large to be female. But after the 4th look, the facial features look female.

[E7]

I read Mitch's post and then was able to pick what appears to be the right? arm. That extremity doesn't appear to belong to any kind of bird.
Blind in one eye, and can't see out of the other!

[webenda]

Very clever; the 3rd eyeball in the center of the head to make it look like a birds eye. Can't tell if subject is man or woman but looks like some type of ballet pose.

I couldna see anything but a parrot. Good eyes, Mitch.

I had to look it up. The artist is Johannes Stoetter. Now that I can see the female model, I canna see the parrot.

[webenda]

I am delighted to see you back on MTJ, Mitch.

[Mitch]

What about the sparks?