Double track catenary - current UK outline

Pengi · April 17, 2012, 07:02:33 AM

Considering adding some masts but looking for double track - any advice on where to get them? Are the Japanese masts similar to the UK? Not sure I am going to do this as I will need loads.

Adam1701D · April 17, 2012, 07:37:20 AM

Generally, single masts either side of the line are used on double track. You normally get the big headspan structures over 3 or 4 track sections.

Pengi · April 17, 2012, 08:18:00 AM

Thanks - I think it will prove too expensive to do it as I will need a lot of packs of 10.

edwin_m · April 17, 2012, 08:26:54 AM

Never used it myself but N Brass do a wide range of brass etches for catenary of several types. Dapol do (I think) only one in plastic which represents a common type of single track mast, but most layouts will need at least a few non-standard ones as well.

Many people in N omit the wires as they are virtually impossible to see and unless made very overscale are also very fragile. Others have used fishing line or "invisible" thread very successfully. On any of these the pantographs need to be fixed just below wire height, as trying to make the pan run along the wire realistically is probably impossible in a small scale.

Pengi · April 17, 2012, 08:35:52 AM

Thanks - I think I will abandon the idea for now.

MacRat · April 17, 2012, 12:07:40 PM

This idea has lasted for 1.5 hours only, but for the sake of completeness, Clive Mortimore has put a rather comrehensive description online:
"British Railway 25Kv Overhead Equipment For Railway Modellers" by Clive Mortimore

Pengi · April 17, 2012, 12:21:22 PM

Thanks, looks an interesting resource. I have only ruled this out for now because of funds. I may revisit it in the future. So all of the information is valuable whether I use it now or in the future.

porkie · April 17, 2012, 07:07:30 PM

Twin track masts are used up north alot,
im looking at getting some N brass kits to have a play as I need a set for my layout.
If you have a look at my build thread theirs a few links that might help you.

EtchedPixels · April 18, 2012, 09:32:23 PM

It might cost a lot less than you think - remember the masts are a fair way apart. For the modern double track masts you should just need some suitable plastic I beam strips and perhaps the N Brass arms.

Alan

JosephP · April 19, 2012, 11:58:09 AM

Agreed. It's the wires that are difficult not the posts which can be produced quite cheaply.

As to whether single posts or gantries are used on double-track, this is mainly a matter of the ground stability (or fixing points where bridges/viaducts are concerned).

If there were enough demand (and that is not mega quantities), I was involved a few years back in the design of etched HO compound catenary with ScaleLink (www.scalelink.co.uk) which although based on French 1.5kV is very similar to the older compound catenary used on 25kV lines in the UK and I could get the artwork modified for N.

I did not bother with N at the time because there was not much by way of locos to use with it. But that has changed in recent years.

EtchedPixels · April 19, 2012, 04:25:12 PM

Quote from: JosephP on April 19, 2012, 11:58:09 AM
Agreed. It's the wires that are difficult not the posts which can be produced quite cheaply.

The wires are easy - in N you can't see them

, or failing that a roll of monofilament is very cheap

Quote
If there were enough demand (and that is not mega quantities), I was involved a few years back in the design of etched HO compound catenary with ScaleLink (www.scalelink.co.uk) which although based on French 1.5kV is very similar to the older compound catenary used on 25kV lines in the UK and I could get the artwork modified for N.

N Brass have most of the UK styles except the newer 'I' profile stuff covered pretty well including a range of different bits designed to mix with scratch built posts and the like.

njee20 · April 24, 2012, 05:07:17 PM

The Dapol packs of single track masts are very affordable, unless your layout is truly gargantuan they wouldn't cost much, look pretty good too.

Pengi · April 24, 2012, 05:17:01 PM

Thanks for all your help on this. I think I will add them in the future but won't put wires in.

dr deltic · April 24, 2012, 05:36:12 PM

go for it Pendy, sooner or later that 390 will hit the market and you will be ready to play!
Have used N brass for my layout but the Dapol stuff is great and as noted, shop around and its cheap enough

JosephP · April 24, 2012, 06:15:34 PM

N Brass website is not the best ever (no illustrations at all!) but, so far as I can see, they are still only doing posts and gantries - no wires.

I can see Etched's point about simply not having the wires at all. I have seen several N layouts where this has been the approach and it works OK - arguably better than wires that are far too large.

Interested in the monofilament idea. How does one stick it all together?