Kato or Dapol catenary.

[jacowin80]

Hello, I am loking at adding some catenaty to my small layout as I have a few OHE trains and wanting thigs to look reasonably realistic.  I am not planning on adding wires and have been looking at the Dapol and Kato variants.  (maybe even Tomix?)  Has anyone any experiance on these items?  If so I would value your feedback.  Thank you in advice and sorry if I have posted in the wrong place.

[Railwaygun]

Kato catenary is designed to plug into the bottom of Kato unitrack. It is japanese outline but has single and double track ( and elevated adapters) available.

Details here

http://www.traintrax.co.uk/unitrack-gauge-catenary-c-28_30.html

I agree about no wires, but there is a number of threads here about a suitable thread if you search the whole forum for " catenary wire"

If you fit it makes track cleaning a nightmare, as well as preventing the Finger of God helping locos/ waggons back onto the track ( to follow the righteous path)

[njee20]

To continue RG's point, Dapol is UK outline (Kato really doesn't look British), but only plain line masts are available. They're designed to virtually be disposable - cheap and fragile.

If you use Unitrack and aren't bothered about it looking Japanese then Kato probably makes most sense. If you can accept just having plain cantilever masts then Dapol. N brass do excellent UK outline portals, but they need a bit of assembly, painting etc.

[Mito]

Haven't Peco recently introduced a range or catenaries?

[jacowin80]

Haven't Peco recently introduced a range or catenaries?

I think it maybe just in oo but will most definitely be having a look on the peco website, thank you for the tip.  I am liking the idea of the nbrass items but not to sure about all the work that goes with it, painting, bending etc (and definitely not soldering if that's involved as well!)

[daffy]

There are catenary masts available from Tomix, Greenmax and N-Train available. DM-Toys have a selection on these pages:

https://www.en.dm-toys.de/liste/search/Mast.html

Also, Gaugemaster show Vollmer masts etc , and others are made by the likes of Marklin, and Kibri.

I've posted this as you don't specify what country you are modelling, and hopefully others have personal experience of these types too.

[njee20]

Peco is OO, made by Sometfeldt and not a great likeness for any U.K. stuff.

[jacowin80]

There are catenary masts available from Tomix, Greenmax and N-Train available. DM-Toys have a selection on these pages:

https://www.en.dm-toys.de/liste/search/Mast.html

Also, Gaugemaster show Vollmer masts etc , and others are made by the likes of Marklin, and Kibri.

I've posted this as you don't specify what country you are modelling, and hopefully others have personal experience of these types too.

Thank you for the info.  I am modelling the north of England so definitely British outline.  I am still new to the hobby and looking for something that is relatively simple to set up.  I also will add that it maybe doesn't have to be 100% prototypical, just look good and be relatively easy to set up.  There just doesn't seem to be much info on the dapol catenary about and the one piece currently available does limit things a little.

[njee20]

Like so much Dapol stuff it's years overdue. They promised a full range, but we still only have the original cantilevers. I'd not hold out much hope for more! They're a good approximation, unless you have lots of complex multi-track sections you could get by with just those.

N-Brass portals are the most realistic I've come across for UK stuff, and you can choose registration arms, mk1 or mk3 etc.

[jacowin80]

Like so much Dapol stuff it's years overdue. They promised a full range, but we still only have the original cantilevers. I'd not hold out much hope for more! They're a good approximation, unless you have lots of complex multi-track sections you could get by with just those.

N-Brass portals are the most realistic I've come across for UK stuff, and you can choose registration arms, mk1 or mk3 etc.

I have been very impressed by the Nbrass website and have been creating quite a wish list.  Is the Nbrass catenary all relatively easy to put together, paint etc (sorry to ask if you have never used).  I don't mind spending time on it to get it right if it looks good.  It seems by the threads on dapols blog that they seem to have jumped ship to the oo catenary and a ditched N for now (maybe see it in 10 years time).

[njee20]

Yes, it is. You need the formers, and preferably a vice, but they go together nicely. You don't have to solder them or anything (although you can). A blast of Halfords primer is enough to finish them. The etched registration arms are more faff, but far cheaper than cast, and look reasonable in N. You could probably scratch build easily enough otherwise.

[Vonzack]

Another vote for the N Brass ones from me, they look the business.

[AndyRA]

Yes, the NBrass ones are fairly simple to put together. I fashioned the Registration Arms from off cuts of Telephone cable (from another current thread). Found I could paint them with Humbrol 64 matt grey without primer.



Andy.

[RailGooner]

Peco is OO, made by Sometfeldt and not a great likeness for any U.K. stuff.

So, is this N gauge Somerfeldt catenary offered by Blackwells equally unsuitable for UK outline?
http://www.blackwells-miniatures.com/n-gauge-catenary-system-c-34_167.html

[njee20]

It doesn't look like anything UK outline certainly. Expensive too. Sommerfeldt is good because it can be made to actually conduct, the wires are quite tough etc. Wouldn't be my choice for a largely cosmetic solution, there are cheaper more prototypical options.

No actual reason you can't use it though - it will fit.