Stretch Those Pantographs!

I have more to share later on this topic later. In the meantime, I wonder if any of the advanced modelers in our Forum will show what I consider the ultimate in train modeling. Here is a hint: it is strongly related to this topic.

they hit my bridges

Here is another hint: the first 3 letters of the word to describe where the train gets its power is a very popular pet.

bill pierce posted:

they hit my bridges

LOL.

I have something similar. My postwar signal bridge hits the heads of my cop and hobo when they are placed on top of my cop and hobo car. LMAO

Catenary I presume!!!!

👍

Arnold, as much as I love electric locomotives, I have trouble accepting raised pantographs under nothing.....LOL    Many years ago I ran my electrics under live catenary.  When I dismantled that layout I didn't run my GG1s, EP-5s and E-33s for some time.  I missed not running them.  So what I did was use a small piece of very thin wire to hold the pantograph in about a half raised position.  It gave the look I wanted and allowed me to operate all of my operating accessories without worrying about fouling the catenary wire.    

Dan Padova posted:

Arnold, as much as I love electric locomotives, I have trouble accepting raised pantographs under nothing.....LOL    Many years ago I ran my electrics under live catenary.  When I dismantled that layout I didn't run my GG1s, EP-5s and E-33s for some time.  I missed not running them.  So what I did was use a small piece of very thin wire to hold the pantograph in about a half raised position.  It gave the look I wanted and allowed me to operate all of my operating accessories without worrying about fouling the catenary wire.    

Bravo, Dan, you have done the ultimate!

Are you considering having operating catenary on your new layout?

Wouldn’t it look great seeing the video below with the New Haven EP5 running on operating catenary?

Oh, catENARY.  Never mind. 

Mitch 

Regards

Fred

sncf231e posted:

Regards

Fred

Terrific

Arnold, great topic. I love electrics and usually run with pantograph up. Since I model the Pennsylvania Railroad I run with the rear pantograph up only, like they did. I have a number of electrics. I'll start by posting some pictures and a video of my FF1. A cool looking large boxcab that had so much power the pennsy had problems with it pulling out the couplers of the cars in the train. It was later relegated to helper duty. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_IY1HCPQtw

Pat Kn posted:

Arnold, great topic. I love electrics and usually run with pantograph up. Since I model the Pennsylvania Railroad I run with the rear pantograph up only, like they did. I. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_IY1HCPQtw

 

Yes rear pan up, except in icy conditions when both were extended.

Ron

Pat Kn posted:

Arnold, great topic. I love electrics and usually run with pantograph up. Since I model the Pennsylvania Railroad I run with the rear pantograph up only, like they did. I have a number of electrics. I'll start by posting some pictures and a video of my FF1. A cool looking large boxcab that had so much power the pennsy had problems with it pulling out the couplers of the cars in the train. It was later relegated to helper duty. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_IY1HCPQtw

 

Very interesting and I very much enjoyed the video, Pat.

I purchased a 2001 set of Lionel Reading MU types with Tmcc and sounds from my good friend RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 a little while ago. The on,y thing I can say that's off about them is the rear light of the non powered unit is gone, but he's getting it shipped in from train world.

A bit slow on the uptake I thought GG1 was one horse power

Let's keep this thread going. There are a lot of electrics out there. How about a bipolar or an EP5? Today I'll post my MTH L5 electric. The Pennsylvania RR used the same alpha code for their electrics as for their steam engines. A Pennsy L1 is an 2-8-2 Mikado. The L5 is a 2-8-2 electric engine. The Pennsy G5 is a 4-6-0 steam engine the GG1 chassis is articulated in the center and is, therefore, two 4-6-0s back to back - or an 4-6-0---0-6-4 or a GG1. Arnold, you were showing an interest in a center cab on another thread so I decided to post a center cab electric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHvfs3o9oSc

Pat Kn posted:

Arnold, great topic. I love electrics and usually run with pantograph up. Since I model the Pennsylvania Railroad I run with the rear pantograph up only, like they did. I have a number of electrics. I'll start by posting some pictures and a video of my FF1. A cool looking large boxcab that had so much power the pennsy had problems with it pulling out the couplers of the cars in the train. It was later relegated to helper duty. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_IY1HCPQtw

 

I'd like to have been around to witness the real FF1.  

As always, Fred's collection and fantastic layout is most definitely the "Cat's meow"!

Norma B laying down on the job!

"...as much as I love electric locomotives, I have trouble accepting raised pantographs under nothing.."

Yup. Just looks silly.

-----------

Admittedly, my interest is NYC, which had outside 3rd-rail electrics (excuse the former CUT P-1 motors), so they don't look silly - the little short-term-switch/crossover pans notwithstanding; these were naked most of the time in reality, anyway. I do have MTH's Big Liz (the FF-1), though. My, that would look nice under catenary.

But, when I look at the track under a NYC 3RO electric, I keep wishing that the 3rd rail was on the outside and not in the center at all. Do-able, but a big project; I'll never get to it.

Pat Kn posted:

Let's keep this thread going. There are a lot of electrics out there. How about a bipolar or an EP5? Today I'll post my MTH L5 electric. The Pennsylvania RR used the same alpha code for their electrics as for their steam engines. A Pennsy L1 is an 2-8-2 Mikado. The L5 is a 2-8-2 electric engine. The Pennsy G5 is a 4-6-0 steam engine the GG1 chassis is articulated in the center and is, therefore, two 4-6-0s back to back - or an 4-6-0---0-6-4 or a GG1. Arnold, you were showing an interest in a center cab on another thread so I decided to post a center cab electric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHvfs3o9oSc

Thanks, Pat. Very cool.

I remember visiting a very fine scale O layout in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn when I was a teen. This layout was quite large and had outside third rail for all engines including steam and diesel. The several operators communicated via headsets, and I believe they used train orders. Any New Yorkers on the forum remember this fine layout?

Tinplate Art posted:

I remember visiting a very fine scale O layout in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn when I was a teen. This layout was quit large and had outside third rail for all engines including steam and diesel. The several operators communicated via headsets, and I believe they used train orders. Any New Yorkers on the forum remember this fine layout?

No, but I sure would have loved to see it. 

I don’t think someone like me who nearly failed metal shop class in the 8th grade should attempt building an outside 3rd rail layout. That may be even trickier than overhead operating catenary. LOL

When we installed the engine house, i.e. juice shack, on our first attempt to house the MTH electric, the pan came up inside the house and discovered a critical shortage of overhead room.  Ran into the top of the doors exiting.  Crescent Locomotive Works made a new set of ends/doors so pans will clear .... works great!

Did someone say Bipolar? To me, this is the most impressive O scale model of an electric locomotive – made by MTH with PS2 around 2005. I run my electric locomotives with pantographs retracted because I think it looks better when there is no model catenary.

MELGAR

coach joe posted:

Norma B laying down on the job!

It's hard work being a supervisor! 

Mitch 

I run live wire and think an electric with pans reaching for the sky without wire  looks silly.

I have seen many people do big time damage to pans by hitting bridges above or a tunnel.    Having grown up in Pennsylvania as a kid it is only natural to run many GG-1 locomotives.    I have many electrics and will always look for more.

Not quite the right G to be pulling this train, but the video with the Tuscan G is out of focus.  Plus the 3rd Rail G has a pantograph that actually stretches like the real one!

Well done Jonathan.   Great look.

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

I have seen many people do big time damage to pans by hitting bridges above or a tunnel.    

They also don't play well with gi-raffe telltales when raised.   

Mitch

Those of us who run electrics without catenary, use our imaginations, which is an essential aspect of this great hobby. Catenary construction is either very costly or requires skills not all of us possess. I run my electrics, whether O, standard or G gauge, without catenary and enjoy it. I do admire some of the fine catenary systems shared by other forum members such as Marty F. I should mention I have run my Swiss G  gauge RhB baby crocodiles under LGB's rudimentary catenary system.

GG 1s pantographs on the Free State Junction Railway use a new wireless electrical transmission technology   Although I do agree that the overhead wires add a nice touch

Here is a picture of 4800 under wire.

I also posted a short video of this locomotive and trains at:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...88#77875232623549588

Just got this Saturday runs smooth and the detail as very nice,

Dan, great photo.

MP54 pans