My O Gauge Catenary System is Complete!!!

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME

Excellent. You are an artist/engineer.

Nice job Max, is your overhead live electric? Don

The way you have the catenary poles, it resembles the catenary structures on the Media/Elwyn branch on the out of service portion (Past Elwyn towards West Chester). Once you pass Lenni substation, there was (even when it was operational) no need for the tall transmission towers that sprout out overhead like you see on the rest of the line or on the mainline west of Paoli or the Northeast corridor. Therefore the structures are only there to support the messenger wire (the wire that hangs down for the pantograph to make contact with). I believe these type of catenary structures were also found on the Philadelphia and Thorndale branch (the abandoned low grade line that bypassed the PRR mainline from Malvern to Thorndale). 

There are other examples of catenary without transmission lines overhead but was focusing on the PRR catenary system since you are also from Philadelphia area. 

Since you're modeling steam era, also wanted to share a picture of PRR steam under this type of catenary structure. This is from a Pennsylvania fan trip in the 1940s that went through West Chester, note the catenary poles and the lack of attached transmission towers.  http://www.wcrailroad.com/img/...CBranch3456_0004.jpg  

Max

That was a fun video.  Congratulations on getting your catenary up.  That is no easy task, I know!

Really enjoy seeing working model catenary systems. That's some top-shelf work right there, awesome. 

ELECTRIFYING!!!!

fantastic strong work!

thanks for sharing the real deal live catenary.

That’s a great video , felt like I was walking down the tracks in Whitford , Pa.

Well done Max--looks great!

Very nice Max !

Alex

Thanks all for the kind words! Don, to answer your question, no the wire is not live. I could make it so but given that only one of the engines in my fleet is able to take power from the wires it doesn't seem like it's worth the effort. 

Max....I think Marty would be proud of you!!  You did an great job and I really enjoyed the video!

Alan

Max:

Outstanding job! Gives me a push to get mine done. Thanks.

Pat

A thoroughly entertaining video, Max, and a nice dedication to Marty.

I've been hunting down Railking catenary for a few months now, not easy to find as you say. For the catenary poles, did you cut them from the top, assuming that crown comes off, or does the base come off and you cut them down to size from the bottom, and put the base back on? What tool did you use to cut them?

OUTSTANDING WORK!  GREAT JOB!

@Paul Kallus posted:

A thoroughly entertaining video, Max, and a nice dedication to Marty.

I've been hunting down Railking catenary for a few months now, not easy to find as you say. For the catenary poles, did you cut them from the top, assuming that crown comes off, or does the base come off and you cut them down to size from the bottom, and put the base back on? What tool did you use to cut them?

Paul:

You may want to try my colleagues Rich Roman and Stan Wisniewski at Forum Sponsor trainlayouts.com (East Coast Enterprises). They make a terrific catenary system.

Pat 

Great job and great video,  - thank you! That Bi-Polar Hiawatha looked great under wire. 

I've been hoarding Marklin HO catenary wire after soaking up all Marty and Don 'ScaleRail's' catenary posts. The track is down on my layout and wiring almost complete - catenary will be a while yet, but thanks for the inspiration, Max!

Great job, great lay-ojut.

Redball342

Max   Thats great  I loved the ribbon cutting ceremony

In the short time I had an O gauge layout in my house I experimented with the MTH system also   I did the same thing shortening the poles and painting them   One thing I did do that you may try is to use Plastruct I Beams for the cross pieces to allow multiple tracks to be spanned  I also had a 5 track yard that I spanned with Brass I Beams   It looked good but I never made it operational as I got bored with a home layout

Great looking catenary and layout.  How do you keep the pantographs sitting square.  Every time I have experimented with OH wire the pantographs kept sagging backward to the point they could catch on a support arm.

Looks great Max! Nice Lionmaster A at 2:46 to 3:15. 😎

I love catenary's, Beautiful. A nice tribute to Marty.

It could run a conventional juicer while command was on the track or visa versa if you need reason. (Normally limits you to 14-18v of conventional throttle to do both I think.... {so why bother})

A few drop wires and a new hot bus..maybe beef the common if lite and adding a new supply.  Inside add /move one wire and some insulation hardware, maybe add a switch so it could run off either source.

And if you could shut off your 3rd rail, you'd not worry as much about any shorts from derailing

(Looks great, just trying to motivate you into "step B", 'cause )

Looks terrific!