Lionel Pantographs

I've never tried but several forum members have or had operating catenary systems.  Try searching for that and you may find how to hook up the pantographs for catenary operation.

Conventional models for sure.

The scale Lionel versions both JLC and Legacy cannot run off of the trolley wire with their fixed position once extended and being plastic.  The PW style ones can fairly easily be made to run using the pantograph.  It essentially eliminates the need for a 3rd rail.

While I not have a live catenary system, I do enjoy watching the pantograph follow the contour of the trolley wire like the real thing.  This is my modular layout which has sadly been down for 3 year.

Thanks! Love the video – many years ago when I lived in Maryland I rode behind a GG1 on the Penn Central a coupoe of times when Ivisited in-laws in Philadelphia. Quite an engine! Your train (mail train with rider coach?) really captures that.

@Fletcher posted:

Do Lionel pantographs carry current? That is, can I run off the pantograph rather than the 3rd rail?

all the PW GG1,and EP5,and Rectifiers can run with the pantograph,also the MPC and LTI 027 electrics...joe

@Fletcher posted:

Thanks! Love the video – many years ago when I lived in Maryland I rode behind a GG1 on the Penn Central a coupoe of times when Ivisited in-laws in Philadelphia. Quite an engine! Your train (mail train with rider coach?) really captures that.

Thank you!  I have a video of it with a PRR GG1, but the pantograph doesn't quite reach the wire.    Yes, this is my mail and express train.  I have pulled it with GG1s, E8s, and T1s like the prototype, but I've always liked the GG1 best.

Assuming you want to run conventional trains, without the modern command control systems, and you keep the third-rail track, you can use the middle rail to control one train, and the catenary to run a second one, using a transformer with two throttles, such as the KW or ZW.

Fletcher,

You did not say what type of GG1 you were looking at; scale or traditional, conventional or command.  If you want scale and have not purchased it yet, there are other options.  I believe Jonathon's video is of 3rd Rail's GG1.  It, as well as (all?) MTH's scale GG1s, can run off catenary.

Actually, I'm not planning on a GG1; I have an interurban box motor in mind, which I intend to make out of the chassis from a Lionel Army gas-turbine switcher and some odds and ends. That engine has always seemed to me to be 1960s experimental on top, and 1920s anachronism on the bottom, so I intend to make it all of a piece – 1920s style – and I thought it would be interesting to run it off the overhead. Of course that means I have to build the catenary, but hey.....and definitely all traditional, not electronic.

Fletcher, If I may, I would do the Marklin HO type wire and wood dowel poles with solid brass cross arms. It's easy and fast. I would do about thirty poles in an evening. I most likely have over a hundred and fifty on the layout. It's also very cheap. The wire comes in three lengths and E-bay sells all the time. It's perfect for an interurban. Don

Arthur, I run my mainline Lionel Legacy Control System. The electrics simply pull power from the overhead and passenger car lights get power from the rail as my diesels and steam do. My short line is conventional because it's a point to point mining line. Everything on that line is powered from the overhead wire. Don

By the way to wire for the pantographs, simply take the wire off your pick up rollers and wire it to the base of the pantograph. That's all there is to it. Don

OK Don - dumb question number one - for MTH electrics - can I run with a section of overhead wires and then another section off the middle rail?  I hope its not one or the other.   THX  Jeff

it's one or the other not both.

Jeff, MTH electrics have a switch for either track or overhead power so make more poles. LOL Don

@scale rail posted:

Fletcher, If I may, I would do the Marklin HO type wire and wood dowel poles with solid brass cross arms. It's easy and fast. I would do about thirty poles in an evening. I most likely have over a hundred and fifty on the layout. It's also very cheap. The wire comes in three lengths and E-bay sells all the time. It's perfect for an interurban. Don

Don - how did you connect the "C" shaped ends of the Marklin wires? I do not remember seeing it in your write up. Not obvious in the photo.  I am thinking about installing a temporary section on my layout about 10 feet long to get an idea on installation and planning for my next layout.   Jeff

Jeff, you should make the solid brass arm a little longer than you need. Those "C's'' of the Marklin wire simple hang on the brass arm. Move them tell they are directly over the center rail, then solder them in place. I used a clamp to hold them together as I soldered. The two "C" together make a "O". The brass arm goes through the "O". When it's soldered clip the arm to the length you like. In the picture of the box cab, the arm is too long and needs to be clipped back about half. Also The arms in this shot are not yet painted flat black. When you make your arms, don't use brass tubing as that can bend easily.  Don