Overhead diamond crossing connector

Mohawk Valley

Mohawk Valley

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A quick question…
My line will feature working overhead electric wiring (LGB). Can anyone tell me how they get over the problem of diamond crossings and overhead collection? Do members fabricate their own 4 way wires holders as I can’t see any that LGB make?

Cheers
Martin
 
I just happened to be browsing an old Marklin catalogue, and saw this. A metal framed expanded diamond frame.
A large scale one would look quite good, made from whatever metal you have to hand ( brass, tinplate, even old ho nickel silver rail ), with the catenary conductor rods soldered at the bottom.
Unfortunate, there aren’t any pictures in the catalogue

Malcolm
image.jpg
 
Found a picture, sorry it’s grainy but shows the application....on Marklin ho stud contact track.
The actual print image is probably about 3 square cm, an iPad camera is very good.
Malcolm

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Thanks Malcolm, that looks really very good. I was thinking of soldering up some LGB wire joiners, cut in half, which is another plan!

cheers

Martin
 
Mohawk Valley said:
Can anyone tell me how they get over the problem of diamond crossings and overhead collection? Do members fabricate their own 4 way wires holders as I can’t see any that LGB make?
Click to expand...

Which version of LGB's catenary are you using? The earlier one (where the wires hook onto the crossbars) or the later one (that has brass clips on the crossbars, and you feed wire through those)?

On the Whiteleaf Light Railway/Tramway, we use the later version, but use Code 75 rail (upside down) rather than the wire LGB supplies (as it fits the channels perfectly, and offers greater rigidity for an exhibition layout). The brass clips (which have two channels on the lower edge) are available separately in dozens (#56204) and if pointwork can be done (either at a pole, or free-standing) by bending the wire of the curved track like this . . .

1682350582419.png1682350400078.png
. . . I can't see why you can't have a second bent wire on the lower channel (my red addition). While the "diagonals" won't be quite in a straight line, they'll be near enough to cater for pantographs (though not trolley poles, of course).

Cheers

David
 
Hi David,

Yes, I’m using the later type. I tried using Peco 0 gauge BH rail, which fits well, but I’ve now got plenty of LGB wires and clips. I like the idea you suggest, but wouldn’t this use two poles in close proximity to each other?

Cheers

Martin
 
Mohawk Valley said:
but wouldn’t this use two poles in close proximity to each other?
Click to expand...

That's why I was suggesting a free-floating (one twelfth of a) 56204. No reason for the junction to be on a pole at all. If your posts are (say) 18 inches apart, you can have poles (say) 9 inches away from the junction in each of 4 directions.

Cheers

David
 
If you can wait until the weekend, I'll take photos of it on the big Lgb81000-hsm-modell-hagen-01.11.2022.jpg layout at the museum. They have built their own.
 
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Another solution would be to solder some thin wire for the x at each joining bisection. The thin wire can pass over the other and the pans will happily pass over. We did this on the Ruschbahn where there was an x on the main line.
 
See this thread post #24 for a solution I came up with.
www.gscalecentral.net

Installing LGB catenary

The original LGB Model catenary that Polo-train speaks of was made by AZB. Champex-linen has their current full line. It's enough to make you drool! Check it out if you haven't yet. They are very nice but they're still nearly €40 for a mast and base which makes one think twice. You rarely if...
www.gscalecentral.net www.gscalecentral.net
 
I was fortunate to be able to buy a large amount of both types of LGB posts and poles and I’ll be mixing the two where appropriate…
Purist? Not me.

Cheers
Martin
 
idlemarvel said:
See this thread post #24 for a solution I came up with.
www.gscalecentral.net

Installing LGB catenary

The original LGB Model catenary that Polo-train speaks of was made by AZB. Champex-linen has their current full line. It's enough to make you drool! Check it out if you haven't yet. They are very nice but they're still nearly €40 for a mast and base which makes one think twice. You rarely if...
www.gscalecentral.net www.gscalecentral.net
Click to expand...
That seems to work very well…thanks for the link.

Cheers
Martin
 
I am in Hannover Wehmingen today with my friend, visiting the model tramway layout in G scale.
As promised, I took a few photos of the catenary points yesterday.
It was not easy, because the background was always in the focus of the camera. So I had to cover the background.
The last two pictures do not show a turnout, but electric switches that switch the turnouts.

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schienenkönig said:
I am in Hannover Wehmingen today with my friend, visiting the model tramway layout in G scale.
As promised, I took a few photos of the catenary points yesterday.
It was not easy, because the background was always in the focus of the camera. So I had to cover the background.
The last two pictures do not show a turnout, but electric switches that switch the turnouts.
Click to expand...
nice pics thanks a lot, just a question: are you operating with trolley pole or pantograph?

thanks, Paolo
 
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