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Hi Everyone--  Here's a suggestion for creating your own catenary system for providing power to your O-gauge trolleys and interurbans...

First, hang the messenger wire supported by various brackets or span wires along the right-of-way.

When everything is in order, hang the actual contact wire below the messenger wire, using ordinary wire staples to keep the spacing even.  The staples are carefully soldered to the messenger wire and then to the top surface of the contact wire.  YES, it takes time, but it looks great!  I use "bronze" staples, either 3/8 or 1/2-inch in length.  You can solder the bronze staple a lot easier than steel.  For the wire itself, I use 24-gauge phosphor bronze or nickel silver !  30 or 32-gauge magnet wire is used for "pull-offs" ...

The wire should be hung at a scale 22-feet over the track centerline; 20-feet for city cars and trolleys.

If any of you oldtimers have any old spools of phosphor bronze "fishing cable" manufactured by the Hackensack Cable Company in Hackensack, NJ, you can use that as well.  The wire is "braided" but hangs more realistically !  Questions ?  Don't hesitate to ask!

Cheers.

KRK

Last edited by keyrouteken
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Thanks for your responses.  I don't have current photos of what I stated, however, I have attached five photos which are about forty years old to give you an "idea" ...

Photo 1 is a young "KRK" working with a car and the overhead.  Photo 2 is young wife Suzie (she hates this photo) with a long Sacramento Northern train at the Oakland Yard.

Please note the "even" parallel spacing between the messenger and contact wires. This is simple, 'home-brew' catenary..  It is not the so-called "Inclined"-type...

Photo 3 is ME again at the opposite end of the layout-- note my FIVE pound spool of 24-gauge phosphor bronze wire.  I still have it and can probably 'wire' several hundred trolley layouts. (grin)  Have a one-pound spool of nickel silver wire too.

Photo 4.  Antioch Yard..  Photo 5.  Concord Loop in Meade Canyon.

I hope you can make out the staples between the top and bottom wires.  One time, we made about a 130-foot piece of catenary by assembly line.  You should have seen us!

We stretched two horizontal, parallel runs of wire along the front railing of the layout. One just above the other.  Then the "staple/ soldering gurus" came along and tacked everything together!  Then, about fifteen guys helped to snake the completed catenary on the old SN line from Oakland Yard to Westgate Junction via the Conaway Wye near Woodland.  Hung it in place from existing poles, including thru a "CUT".  You should have seen us.  But it SAVED a LOT of time and re-opened a long closed branch line!

Questions ??

KRK

KRKebmes1

KRKebmes3

KRKebmes4

OAE_3

OAE_5

Attachments

Images (5)
  • KRKebmes1: KRK working on overhead lines with Interurban car.
  • KRKebmes3: KRK's wife Suzie @ Oakland Yard with long SN train.
  • KRKebmes4: KRK working on wire @ Sacramento. Note 5-lb spool of wire!
  • OAE_3: SN train passes on mainline at Antioch Yard.
  • OAE_5: SN train crosses over top of Santa Fe mainline.

You don't usually 3rd anything, but I do on this one. I would love to add over head wiring for GG1's on our club layout!

 

I had read many days gone by, that a lot of folks use Markland "HO" Catenary for "O" Gauge set ups. Someone said earlier in the post 1 picture is worth a "thousand words". Appreciate anything that anyone in our hobby would bring and post on this Catenary Subject...........Thanks in Advance.........................Brandy!

Last edited by Brandy

Hi Everyone--  I apologize for the 'old' photos..  Give me a couple of days with my old camera and we'll see if something better develops.  In the meantime, the type of STAPLES you need to get are:   Duo-Fast # 308-D originally made by the Fastener Corporation in Franklin Park, Illinois.  They are a 1/4-inch staple made of bronze.

Duo-Fast Corporation

3702  River Rd  Franklin  ParkIL   60131 United  States
         
 
Telephone:  847-678-0109     Website:   www.duofast.com/
 
Thanks to all.  Please check out the two photos of the product.
 
 
Thanks.
 
  KRK

 

img627

img628

Attachments

Images (2)
  • img627: This is an original box of Duo-Fast # 308-D 1/4" bronze staples.
  • img628: This is a strip of staples for normally loading into a gun.
Last edited by keyrouteken
Originally Posted by Brandy:

You don't usually 3rd anything, but I do on this one. I would love to add over head wiring for GG1's on our club layout!

 

I had read many days gone by, that a lot of folks use Markland "HO" Cantenary for "O" Gauge set ups. Someone said earlier in the post 1 picture is worth a "thousand words". Appreciate anything that anyone in our hobby would bring and post on this Cantenary Subject...........Thanks in Advance.........................Brandy!

Hi Brandy--  If you're speaking of operating GG1's on your layout, these are classified as "heavy mainline electric locomotives" and the trolley contact wire should be a minimum of 22-scale feet above the centerline of the track.  (5 1/2-inches)... This is specified by the NMRA.  Some RR's, such as PRR or New Haven, may have had their wire as high as 24-feet.  Check out those old photos of mine carefully, specifically noting how the messenger and contact wire are equally spaced using the Staples. I'll be back to all you nice folks soon.

KRK

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
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