The long awaited newest LGB catenary products have arrived here , from the Pizza & Pasta Express . com
The new adjustable base 56302 , and the standard mast 56405 , interlocks tightley in a H pattern connection .
They are just a small tad darker grey than the previous catenary product .
The 56204 part that the catenary wire slides thru , DOES slide thru , tightley , but it does slide , the previous offerings were too tight to slide at all most of the time .
Without going to extremes in measurement , the new mast in the new base , will adjust about a little more than a inch more , out away , from the rail than the previous standard mast , which should provide clearance for about anthing that I will operate here .
I am pleased with the new improved LGB catenary products .

The LGB catenary is the best , outside use , operational catenary available in the world !

Hey Dennis,

Dennis P said:
The LGB catenary is the best , outside use , operational catenary available in the world !

Does that mean that you've tried the AZB catenary http://www.champex-linden.de/produkte/gleisbau/elektrik/oberleitungen.htm

They even have the masts and girders one needs for station trackage. Neat, eh!

I took a look and to me it looks just like LGB’s. For some reason LGB discontinued their multi-track masts. I got lucky a couple years back and found some on Evilbay. Bought a whole “shipload” of catenary stuff that someone was unloading.

Warren

I do not myself KNOW by actual purchase and use that AZB is a quality product , for outside use .
I think they may be such a bit player , small potato provider , in the worlds use of large scale trains outside .
LGB has a English web site as well as German , so that the largest consumer country in the world of large scale trains , the USA , can read about the product and purchase the product in country . LGB catenary is in use all over the world …I can order it from many many dealers here in the US , just how many dealers stock AZB in the USA ?
I live in the USA , shop , purchase product in the USA , I use the products in the USA .
So what ever is available at some roadside stand and only known about at shouting distance , does not interest me .

Run em if ya got em , model railroading is fun

Dennis,

Asking for clarification never hurts!

BTW would you happen to know who used to produce the LGB catenary in the past??

Warren,

There is good reason for the similarity!

No I sure do not know , which means that you do , and it could be AZB for all I know .
I have a slight guess that maybe the newest are made in the PRC , maybe ?

The adjustable base is I belive ,the same orginial base that was used for years for the MODEL catenary , and they made a new mold for the Standard mast/pole , that now has the H shape plug piece , thats plugs in the same way , as the metal pole for the MODEL mast .

I am happy for the adjustable bases for the STANDARD poles , for my use here .
IF there were a cheaper/inexpensive catenary that I could have IN MY HAND HERE , comparable , then I would have used it , because the cost is quite a lot , to errect catenary for over 200 feet , for me .
Funny thing is that my non modeler wife , can spot a electric loco [ roof top devices ] and if it is not under wire on a layout or picture , she really thinks less of who ever is performing the feat of operating electric trains with out a overhead wire , and yes she knows of third rail and the FEW battery assisted locos that there were , just when a person thinks that they are not paying attention , they are …
And also add another 2045 to the other two , as of today NYC lighting stripe paint scheme perhaps ?
Yes I know , like fingernails on a blackboard , to do that on a 2045

Dennis Paulson said:
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And also add another 2045 to the other two , as of today NYC lighting stripe paint scheme perhaps ?
Yes I know , like fingernails on a blackboard , to do that on a 2045

Dennis,

That doesn’t bother me at all, whatever floats your boat!
It would look pretty nifty in that livery;)

Once I get my third Ge 2/4 I’ll be doing even more “reprehensible” things.

On the catenary, looks like there will be a joint effort (a few Swiss guys) to produce our own.

HJ said
Once I get my third Ge 2/4 I’ll be doing even more “reprehensible” things

My goodness , what would be even worse ?

I hope the Swiss Group produces them at a cost so that , many many could be used at a good price .

Dennis Paulson said:
I hope the Swiss Group produces them at a cost so that , many many could be used at a good price .

The way that works: get enough people together who want to build their own, get a decent price from the rolling/drawing plant for the different profiles (large enough order!)

One is still left to build it. But since there are quite a few types of catenary that all use the same profile for the masts, it is like a building block system.

I’m a tad bit more modern. Currently I have a GE 4/4 II and a GE 4/4 III. The III will get Americanized but will look much as it is. But I’m going to try to get the II to look more like an AEM7. It won’t come off too well, but with adequate paint might look ok. My real dream, once prices become more affordable is to get a 101 and covert it to an ALP46. It won’t get NJT paint but not sure if I will do it Amtrak or in the StJ.

Warren

Warren those all sound really good , hope you will post photos of them when they are operating .
Then you will need some modern catenary to operate under maybe ?
The hobby needs more electric trains .

It will be under LGB’s Catenary. I have a whole bunch of it I bought several years back on Evil Bay. I should have enough to do my entire layout.

First, I have to get the layout itself built. It’s going outside. I wanted to put it inside but that layout is so congested that the catenary would make it like it were in a cage…

Warren

Dennis;

Oh to enjoy the company of a fine lady that can see “Which way is up”.

I have made the same observations of pikes that have “Electric” traction locos running about in circles; their pantographs reaching high, searching for the forgotten, or overlooked overhead.
I have made constructive suggestions, to many over the years, that if they were inclined to purchase traction type equipment; then overhead was needed in order to complete the scene, and at least make it look like they knew what they were doing…

The usual answer was “…that they didn’t care”. Such is the state of the “Lionel type mentality”, of the “Garden Railroad fraturnity”

 My compliments go out to all of you that take the time to string overhead of any type; working or just for looks. It is really worth your efforts, although through my own research into the subject; very frustrating, maintenence wise, in the average outdoor enviorment.

I do wonder that there isn’t more research into the files of older Model Railroader magazines, where much has been done and published on design and fabrication of all parts of the systems. Most work has been done in the smaller scales, but easily “Upscaled” to Large Scale, for you seasoned craftsmen.
Depending on just European suppliers, and not fabricating your own; other than the “8” prophiled wire; is a wonder on my part.
Mass producing parts to build a complete system, would not only provide you with the parts you seem to be missing, but would also free up money better spent on locos and rolling stock, sometimes beyond the average budget or modelling skills.

Keep up the good work, and post some pictures of your efforts…I’m sure interested.
Maybe Bobby could introduce a subsection of the forums, dedicated to overhead, or traction, and bring together a band of like minded modellers.

Fred,

Having overhead wire is “a bit of a challenge” on an outside on the ground layout, marginally better if things are elevated.

But there are “let’s fool them” tactics, such as modeling the complete masts and restricting the height pantographs can extend to with clear fishing line.

That works well for the 10ft (3m) rule fraternity, as long as there are no tunnels. The proto pantos collapse to minimal clearances on the RhB, which means install overhead in the tunnels and provide the lead-in from the mast ahead of the tunnel.

My problem will be dogs and strung catenary are not made for co-existence. Exit the dogs and the racoons, squirrels and chipmunks will move in. The dogs are better company!

Like HJ posted about , I can not imagne catenary on the ground , first to protect it , and to work on it , I could not perform this .
My 200 feet or so of track , is elevated 3 feet up , in giant flower boxes like . Easy to work on , easy to maintain , and yes , I “get into the catenary” by accident sometimes , and by design it diss assembles to protect itself , does a great job of limiting the damage , and easy to put back up to normal . I have not broken anything …yet .

And yes making the trolly wire and catenary yourself would be cost effective and better , most likely .
My skills are very limited and getting worse , so I went the easy way and purchased , time needed to do everything yourself is limited for some people .

Would I rather have and see , wooden trolly poles and arms and all the spider web trolly wire , YES , it is beautiful .
I am content to run what I have now , and watch the flow and motion of the pantagraphs and all , So far , everyone that has seen it remarks , OH , thats nice !

I hope Accucraft will produce some scale models of electric trains , and perhaps this part of the hobby will take off and grow ? What Accucraft locos and rolling stock that I have owned and used , has been so beautiful , traction models like that would be wonderful

Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
On the catenary, looks like there will be a joint effort (a few Swiss guys) to produce our own. ;) :)

Hi,

so far, the Swiss guys only found out the price for a ton of suitable steel profiles.

An electric loco without overhead wire looks stupid, but the sight of a few hundred birds sitting on the wire of a garden railway, shitting on the track, is simply hilarious. That´s the reason you seldom see this catenary solution on garden railways.

Have Fun.

Juergen Zirner

Fred Mills said:
… Maybe Bobby could introduce a subsection of the forums, dedicated to overhead, or traction, and bring together a band of like minded modellers.

Fred, That would probably make for minimal traffic. Someone, somewhere asked “when’s your catenary going to be up” and I believe I replied “as soon as I trained the dogs to play duelling banjos on one string!” Oh yeah, the H-profile that is under discussion doesn’t necessarily have to be rolled in Switzerland. Some of us are somewhat familiar with small rolling-mill operations to get additional quotes. It just hasn’t come up yet; the way most business people work is get that first quote and then see who else is in that game. If I would ever build a modular set-up to take to shows - a bit larger than this trackplan

• the GRR would be a likely candidate. I have always been intrigued by the old Lake Erie & Northern/Grand River Railway; modelling some of that “tight stuff” in what today is Cambridge/Ont would be very nifty. Of course all of it under cat!

Here are photos from the layout taken this spring when all was just newly installed .

[img/] and another picture

[img/] and

[img/] HLW cars , and no the trolly pole will not stay on the wire …

[img/] Posting pictures is a great way to share the joy , and I will add one more of my favorites , from a couple of years back , here on our layout , a beautiful loco which is a display case in the living room now .

[img/] spent today working on the layout and running trains

Quote:
An electric loco without overhead wire looks stupid, but the sight of a few hundred birds sitting on the wire of a garden railway, shitting on the track, is simply hilarious. That´s the reason you seldom see this catenary solution on garden railways.

Have Fun.

Juergen Zirner

Juergen , I have never seen a bird land on my catenary , and my wife and I watch the wildlife a lot . There were even two nest in our trees ON THE LAYOUT , and they never landed on the wire .
Now as for my bridges …birds used it for a waste space , I was generally mad at them for it .
The bridges are gone now though
I belive the birds and or cats do sometimes unwire a piece of the cat by trying to land on it !
The dragonflys do land on it .

Hi Dennis,

thank you for showing the pictures of your catenary. That surely looks good.
I like the low angle of the photographs against the green background.

The 100 Birds on a wire were supposed to be a joke. Was thinking about a Leonard Cohen song.
Of course for most birds it is much more comfortable to sit on trees and bushes than on thin wire. If they land there, they don´t stay there very long.

Wildlife ist just a part of every garden railway. That is half of the fun of it. The neighbours cats use my track for a dream path and sometimes I sometimes feed the sqirrels and mice by sending them a waggonload of peanuts. They unload overnight.

Is this a Hartland 4-4-0 American Loco? I like the low profiled track in that picture.

Have Fun

Juergen Zirner