How to Electrify a railroad

[Green_Elite_Cab]

here is a close in shot of the signal arm. it isn't much more than 7 scale feet of brass angle pieces, but thats how it is on the prototype. More photos should start popping up over the next few weeks as i get back in gear. my workspace is totally clear now and ready to build more Catenary structures.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Nothing to exciting yet, But i cut poles and cross beams for two more bridges, the pole are shown in the below photo. I did begin to add a transmission arm on the right hand pole, but i do not like how it looks, i may have to cut a larger piece. Luckily, they are cut the same length as the other transmission arms, so i can unsolder and re-use them.

When i get this bridge and the second bridge built, i can hang wire between the 4 existing sections.

[Gary S]

Love the work in this photo. Great solder work, and the insulators are perfect. When I view this thread, I just shake my head at the amount of effort you're putting into the overhead supports. Terrific! One of these days I need to experiment with brass and solder - maybe I will make the handrails for my bridge that way.

Great work, GEC!

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Love the work in this photo. Great solder work, and the insulators are perfect. When I view this thread, I just shake my head at the amount of effort you're putting into the overhead supports. Terrific! One of these days I need to experiment with brass and solder - maybe I will make the handrails for my bridge that way.

Great work, GEC!

yeah, the overhead supports i'm detailing to the max now while they are being built, because later on it won't be easy. I figure its probably also a good idea to put the detail in, since these are going to be right there on the outside and visible, not to mention they are about the only thing on a catenary system people can "see" (i find that wires jumble people's eyes).


as for making bridge handrails, that would actually be a VERY good way to learn. I know up here, the PRR has these tubular handrails, and all they would be are brass strips bent like an upside down U to make the fenceposts, with wire in between the U at the top and mid levels.

all you'd have to do is make a jig to pump out the fence posts, and then tin the inner surfaces where the hand rails will go, lay the wire, add heat, and boom. done.

[ac_catenary]

GEC
Ive thinking about how to respond to your turn out catenary problem and this is how I would deal with the solution.
There are some rules in catenary construction
1. Always put a pole at the begining and end of a curve.
2. Poles are closer together on curves.
3. In inclined catenary theres always a transition span between tangent and curved track
4. The messenger wire in inclined catenary appears straight while the trolley wire is curved

Take a look at this diagram... taken from a larger 3d plan of my layout. I design all my catenary on the computer before I build it .. Take note of the transition sections at the begining and end of the curve.



usually there arent any turnouts where theres inclined catenary. If there are turnouts the catenary is simple and 90 degrees above the track. The catenary is curved or aligned with pull off wires on smaller poles. I managed to get around the switch on a curved tricky situation using a triangular bracket attached to a wire off a pole to make a divergent inclined catenary wire to create the wire crossover junction above the switch.. If you can understand that
heres a picture


a close up of the bracket is better seen here - top left

[ac_catenary]

Heres some samples of simple pull off catenary at curved switches .. usually slow speed .. inclined is for faster speeds.. so usually no turnouts unless you want a wreck





similar to the bracket I made .. termination detail

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I think i saw a similar situation at sunnyside yard, towards the wash rack, but i can't get a good picture of the box catenary. The catenary was anchored on the second pole away from the turnout, but they first go out and are pulled aside at the bridge just before the turnout, putting them in alignment for the turnout. the catenary here is inclined, and like i said, the only problem is i can't find any pictures of the rest of the turnout.

Here is an example of how i think i can pull this off. THe blue wire will be the main wire, while the red one is the diverging. I'll add a triangular pull off, just like the ones in your photos, and that will pull the red wire to the side so that it is at the right angle to approach, and so it should all work out.

the only thing i'm not clear on is how the box catenary goes together (the deflectors as they call them in those PRR plans you linked to me). would they also be slanted like a parallellogram? or would the catenary straighten out?




in an unrelated note, that transmission arm i made above is too short, gotta add a couple feet to it, so i'll just unsolder these, straighten them out, an use them for the other pole.

[Steamtrains]

Hhmmm....I see the web, but not the spiders....Where do they "hang out"..??

Seriously...You're to be commended for the effort you're putting into this. Most of us have trouble with just the rails....

[e-paw]

[ac_catenary]

I think i saw a similar situation at sunnyside yard, towards the wash rack, but i can't get a good picture of the box catenary. The catenary was anchored on the second pole away from the turnout, but they first go out and are pulled aside at the bridge just before the turnout, putting them in alignment for the turnout. the catenary here is inclined, and like i said, the only problem is i can't find any pictures of the rest of the turnout.

Here is an example of how i think i can pull this off. THe blue wire will be the main wire, while the red one is the diverging. I'll add a triangular pull off, just like the ones in your photos, and that will pull the red wire to the side so that it is at the right angle to approach, and so it should all work out.

the only thing i'm not clear on is how the box catenary goes together (the deflectors as they call them in those PRR plans you linked to me). would they also be slanted like a parallellogram? or would the catenary straighten out?

.

Hey Cab

I think your plan looks good except I think you might have to add another cat structure maybe a small two track bracket. I dont think you will be able to incline the inner tracks with just 3 structures . The messenger wire for the inner track would have to be practically over the outer track . actually I would alernate small and large catenary structures. A full structure at the start of the curve, a small 2 track bracket next, then a full structure and so on
Ive seen this done on the Chestnut Hill West and the Media/west chester line here in Philly both two track lines with sharp curves.
The same happens at Gap PA

Im not really sure about the deflectors I know the area your talking about in sunnyside yard .. I thought i had pictures
but I dont.

[ac_catenary]

Just remembered Overbrook station PA is an interlocking on a curve ! The details are there !

[Green_Elite_Cab]

How about that, didn't know about this spot.

Sure enough, bent cross-bracing! just ahead of the lead pantograph on this Silverliner IV set

[Steamtrains]

Holy smokes..!! I just revisited this thread and noticed that AC Cat's pictures are of a layout..!! When I browsed through it the first time around I thought for sure they were pics of the real thing...

[P5se Camelback]

Holy smokes..!! I just revisited this thread and noticed that AC Cat's pictures are of a layout..!! When I browsed through it the first time around I thought for sure they were pics of the real thing...

Steamtrains, you need to pay a visit to the man's layout page! I grew up there, first in and then outside Philly, and took the train into and back out of town every day of my freshman year at Philadelphia College of Art and I'm here to tell you ... this guy has NAILED the 30th Street Station scene as well as it can be done!!

[Gary S]

Holy smokes..!! I just revisited this thread and noticed that AC Cat's pictures are of a layout..!! When I browsed through it the first time around I thought for sure they were pics of the real thing...

Amazing photos. I too had to look several times and still wasn't sure. In the first pic, the mantle in the upper left finally gave it away. In the second, it was the switch machine. But I am still amazed by those two photos. The lighting and shadows seem right, and the background haze gives the right feel too. And all the work on the wiring... awesome.

Both of you guys with the overhead wiring are doing great. I commend your dedication!