Overhead construction, building it from scratch for the Ruschbahn

[dunnyrail]

RB Overhead Build, this has been a long time coming but recent talk by grizzmo has prompted me to get on with it after promising him some info.

I was tasked by Andy to do the overhead, to be honest it was a bit daunting at first especially when he showed me the first example of what he wanted as a support mast. Here you can see his example and in situ my ‘working’ example. Whilst the in situ one may look to be banged in, in had been fitted with nuts at the bottom and held in place on extension flats of steel plate then screwed in place.


However viewing this and thinking about the location for much of the day in full sun it was clear that movement and expansion were going to be very significant issues. Thus our collective thinking hats were donned. It was very apparent that the example would not do for Millisee where there were 4 tracks and 2 platform faces. Also these would not be that appropriate over the Dam where something more impressive was called for. Thus the Post and Wire across Millisee was decided upon, his example for the fiddle yard branch and Spans made for the Dam.

We went to BnQ and found suitable sized Steel Rod 1/4 inch I think or 7-8mm in new money. We got a lot of full lengths for the job. These were taken to my home in Hemal Hempstead, some cut to the agreed length and turned to have 2 ridges at the top for Cross Wires. These would be banged into the paving slabs used for the track base into holes very slightly under size to give a good tight fit. Some has thread put on the bottom for the Fiddle Yard Branch.

Whilst this was going on Andy put his mind to how the Pantograph Wire the Second Wire above would be all fitted to allow movement. He came up with Buttons, these were adapted from what appear to be Meccano sized brass bolts, a goodly supply of which he happened to have in stock. The buttons had flats filed on the thread with a hole drilled for the cross wire, the screwdriver bit was opened out to take the overhead wire which was around 35thou brass wire in size. A later addition was a small hacksawed gap to match the screwdriver gap orientation for the Holding Wire to sit in place, this would thus allow movement of the Pantograph and Top wire across the Buttons for expansion etc.

Having come up with a plan construction was started, I did the easy bit first banging the poles into the paving slabs on Millisee station. Next up was to do the cross wires also of the 35thou brass wire. Once this was in place running of Overhead Locomotives had to cease for a while as Andy would not run his machines ‘pan down’. Fortunately I had by now a good collection of larger locomotives so was able to fill the roster gap on running sessions. But the pressure was now on! Below many of the poles in place plus the Overhead Installation Train, a handy place for bits and bobs to be kept.
Still at least the bits to do were reduced by the fact that some 70% of the main line was out of view and fiddle yards did not need overhead just clearances for Pans Up which had been allowed for at the build with Push Down Rods where required for tunnel mouths etc. Also the branch to Carolstadt would be unwired as this was Steam and Diesel Railcar run.

 

[grizzmo]

Great write up and photos, looking forward to seeing more. Especially how you joined sections and what size of section was workable when installing it.

 

[dunnyrail]

Having banged the Poles into place it then was time to add the cross wires in place, clearly cosmetic Insulators were required so Andy was tasked to visit lady type shops to investigate Beads that may fit the bill. Much mirth from me at his ‘out of comfort zone’ visits but he found the shop keepers very sympathetic and helpful to his needs. In this next picture you can see some of the High Cross Wires in place, these fitted in hack sawed groves. Pan up locomotives are still running because this Top Wire is high enough. Once the lower Cross Wires where installed e-locs were banned for the duration. The Groves for these wires were hack sawed in place, you should just be able to make out the lower groves lathed in for the main cross

Another issue in Millisee was that whilst there were mostly 4 tracks an additional parallel track was in place for the Boat Yard siding. Here was to be one of the first locations where not just lengths of Pan Wire for the full length of the station would be required with a wire passing from a siding to a main Pan Wire run. Fortunately the real thing has thought of this and in many cases of early tramways a wire is run either over or under the main Pan Wire and the Pantograph negotiates it with no issues, providing (in our scale) the wire is round and not too massive. In the background my German Cardboard Railcar with trailer and van return to Millisee from Carolstadt.

In this picture Terminating Poles can be made out for the Pan Wire runs from the other end of the line, these will need the Pan Wire to be terminated and a wire from the top to ground to counter the pull of the Turnbuckles at the other end to keep the wire taut. Much use of a straight edge was used to define sundry fitments.

This picture was taken during the RB demolition but it nicely shows where most of the station Poles were fitted.

In the final picture of this installment we see the Work Train passing round the curve where a few of the Overhead Poles as prototypes by Andy have been installed. Note that on Curves more of these will be required due to the curve, R2 if I remember correct. This is so that the wire can pass between each pole as a straight line 3d bit style rather than be curved which is nit prototypical, would look horrible and need even more support. Also here additional Pull Off’s will be required to keep the wire ‘mobile’ for the expansion issues. Not seen was the testing device that I used to define where Poles would need to be on curves plus sidings. This was a block of wood on which was mounted a Pantograph, this ensemble fitted into a standard LGB open wagon and was much used to plan the route of the Pan Wire.