Scrapiron Scher posted:Thanks, Nate. The problem, as I see it, and as Dan and others have resolved, is wire tension in two planes. The tension between towers must be constant enough so that a flexible pantograph could raise and lower and keep contact. The other issue is wire strength. Scale wire, such as I am using, just does not have the strength, IMO, to resist the pantograph. Consequently, there would be too much play in the wire vertically and laterally.
The skill level comes in when adjustments have to be made that are consistent all the way across the line. When I put in my first towers, I went nuts. Raising, lowering, several times. Centering the wire properly seems like it would be a piece of cake. It's not.
Centering the wire on a layout with O31 curves proves an even bigger challenge. What works well for my GG1s does not for my EP-5s. It has to do with the center of the pantograph in relation to the pivot point of the motor trucks. On the GG1 the pan center is quite a bit forward of the center of the motor truck. Conversely, the EP-5 pan is almost centered directly over the pivot point of it's motor truck.
So on O31 curves an extra contact wire needs to be installed. Fortunately, in my case, the O31 curves are hidden.
