Model Train Journal

The time has come to electrify one of my main lines. For starters the catenary will not be electrified to actually run the engines. Here’s what I’ve got so far, these single poles look nice but run $28 a piece. A tad pricey.


A fella a ways back made me a few of these, but not sure if prototypical. But should be cheap to reproduce.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Maybe overkill but look at this book http://www.heritagetrolley.org/Electric ... Richey.pdf

Starting on page 550.

Dan, I appreciate it. But that made my head hurt!

Jon, I don't know how many you need, but I have a box of these:



Here they are in the 1990-91 House of Duddy catalog:



They may be originally an Ed Alexander design. PM me if interested. I will make you a good deal.

Jim

I remember speaking with Ed at a couple of TCA shows way back when. He would have track and catenary set up and would be running one electric or another. He was responsible for the MicroEngineering code148 flex. If you looked on the back of the ties, it was stamped "House of Duddy" Not sure if it is still so since it was reacquired by ME, but if it is, it would be a nice tribute to Ed that it remained.

Rich

If I started stringing the stuff around it would be called caNTenary.

Jim, those poles look interesting for sure! Do you know how tall they are? This afternoon I’ll get a measurement of my GG1 on the track with the pantograph raised to see if they’ll work!

Rich, LOL! Planting the poles will be the easy part. Stringing then is going to be hideous!

Jon,

You've given me a migraine just thinking about it!

Rich

2railjon wrote: Planting the poles will be the easy part. Stringing then is going to be hideous!

Usually the very last thing you do on a layout since that wire thereafter will get caught on anything and everything........

I see these are made in 36 inch lengths. My poles will probably be spaced closer then that. So would I cut the centers out to shorten them and solder? Inquiring minds need to know!

Or I guess I could order the Type 2-0 so I wouldn’t have to worry about the suspended ends lining up with the poles.

Jon -- I got your PM. I will have to measure these for height when I get home tonight. My thought was one could always put them on "concrete" (wood) footers if they needed to be raised.

Jim

Jim, great minds think alike! We’all compare measurements this evening.
I found a source for insulators:

Ok, with the pantograph fully raised on Old Rivets the height is 6 inches.

Jon -- the poles I have are 6-1/4 to the bottom side of the cross-arm. You would have to either use that double-wire straight catenary or raise the poles by putting them on blocks, as previously discussed.

Jim

I will never do this, but imagine how smooth your operation will be? Sliders seem to keep better electrical contact - smoothest locomotives around here have track sliders.
I do like electric locomotives - just not wild about actual operation beyond the test phase.
That may be the best GG1 model ever. I had one here for a week. Nice!

And I really like those express cars. Philadelphia & Reading!

Jim , thank you for checking on the pole height! Let me get this CUT P1 assembled and check it’s pantograph height to see if they’re both similar.

Bob, Scott did a great job on the GG1’s but they require a lot of tweaking to get them running smoothly. I still need to upgrade the two Chinese can motors to Pittman’s. I just need to dig out the article I think John Sethian did on his GG1 to order the right motors. Also the catenary will not be powered. It’s strictly for show.