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Route's End catastrophe!!!

2299 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  goedel, 
Piermaster
Hi all,

Left the garage yesterday evening following a disaster of disasters with my modern-image Light Rail layout - 'Route's End'.

I decided to string up the overhead using fine copper wire and as I set about tensioning it, a couple of mast decided to bend and suddenly - ping ping ping ping - several of the masts snapped, so I've removed the rest and will think about what to do when I get back off holiday - This was the third attempt at erecting overheads and I give up!!!!

I used Plastruct "I" section masts the stronger way and obviously pulled too hard when tensioning the wiring. Checked condition of masts this morning and too distorted to be re-used. As a temporary (that means permanent in this hobby) measure - I could run the cars with pans down and have no masts with the option of a 3rd rail?


One not very happy Dave sob, sob, sob!
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Piermaster
Walmington Pier Company
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7
Dave, Have you cosidered using similar section brass? The catenary on our layout is all scratchbuilt this way (although not live) and is remarkably tough.

Regards

John
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B
Hi Dave,

Just to add to BRITHO's post if you want some further details of using brass section just give either of us a PM.

BTW - just as well as the caternery on St.Laurent is tough - some people can be ham fisted at times, especially where operating barriers are concerned !
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Piermaster
CRACKED IT!!!!!

Spent last night looking through tramway books and this morning seeing how many masts can be salvaged.

Found a picture of a single mast with a (wait for it) 3 track cantilever arm!!!!

So I only need 4 of those on Route's End, plus one mast with a single track cantilever on both sides (this will be at the end of the siding) and no wiring! as the cantilevers should convey the impression of overhead wiring.

To finish off I will take advice from another forum to 'use a piece of thin black thread to tie the pans at the half way stage rather than having them reach for the sky.' I'm not putting too much effort into this layout as 'Walmington Pier Tramway' is, and always will be, my "Star Layout".

It's a b****r that I'm going on my cruise tomorrow to Norway, Iceland and Northern Ireland!!!! Never mind, I'm taking a couple of tramway and pier books to read on the days at sea.

Thanks for all your advice and just watch this space when I get back!!!

Dave.

P.S. Will be riding the Floibanen (Mt Floyen Funicular) in Bergen on Sunday and I would like to build a funicular as a future project!
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Hello Dave

I cant help with cthe catenery. but its a good looking little layout. i have one of the boing trams too. a mehano model. i would like to repaint it at some stange but i never seem to get around to it.

Peter
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QUOTE (dbclass50 @ 21 Jun 2007, 10:01) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>some people can be ham fisted at times, especially where operating barriers are concerned !

I'm never going to live that down - am I?

Regards

John
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Piermaster
REPAIRS COMPLETED!

Hi All,

Route's End has now got new overhead masts - 2 centre ones with cantilever arms in the station area, 2 span masts on the start of the reversing siding and another centre mast with cantilever arms at the end of the reversing siding. The cantilever arms are only fractionally above the pantograph height and look strikingly effective.

Photos to follow once I've downloaded and edited my holiday pics.

Dave.
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A
years ago, when financially exhausted, as now....I made up a load of masts out of......wire coathanger metal.

These had arms soldered on, and the bases threaded to take [unknown size] nuts.....the whole being clamped and secured under the baseboard.

No problems with tensioning.....(US interurban stuff)......but because I used pans (Sommerfeldt),,I had to ensure the contact wire ''zig-zagged' to avoid the formation of grooves on the panheads.

I also had an experimental trolley pole set-up, which was fiddly to make....in 4mm....with a pole reverser....sort-of, sideways-mounted wye...vehicle positioning was important!

gave up as me fingers were too thick
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Piermaster
QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 21 Jun 2007, 12:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hello Dave

I cant help with cthe catenery. but its a good looking little layout. i have one of the boing trams too. a mehano model. i would like to repaint it at some stange but i never seem to get around to it.

Peter

Hi Peter,

The Boeing - Vertol LRV's were the least sucessful modern tram ever built! They had lots of problems and only ever entered service new with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston, the majority of them were sold to San Francisco Municipal Railway who refurbished them and sealed off the front door as it was unsuitable for subway (high platform) operation. Most have been scrapped and two cars are over here! One at Serco Railtest in Derby where it failed all the UK acceptance standards without really trying and one at Manchester Metrolink when they were considering expanding their fleet with surplus Boeing cars, they tried to run in Manchester, but it never left the depot as it was unsuitable for UK use and one hell of a safety risk!

Strange that the model runs better than the prototype?

Dave.
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G
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QUOTE (Piermaster @ 8 Jul 2007, 15:50) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Strange that the model runs better than the prototype?
I can think of several manufacturers for which this isn't going to happen for another century...

Goedel
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G
Sorry for posting twice, I keep clicking reply instead of edit!

I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of the new masts. Is the lack of wires for ease of cleaning or just because they're often such a pain to make look prototypical with all the tensioning gadgetry and drop wires and things?

Goedel
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