Trams: Is There Much Tramway Interest On Here??

Back to the Ruschbahn Overhead, the Steel Poles when Rusted gave a very good approximation to Wooden Poles. Though they would normally be Grey with age, we paint them Grey but that did not last for long outside.
JonD
 
I was trying to locate the video I said I'd post of a model ore cart being pushed by a mechanical figure. I cannot seem to locate it at the moment. I first read about it in garden Railways Magazine at least ten years ago or more. Then I found the video of it on Youtube, I think. The modeler made an ore cart with a motor mounted inside. He also made a mechanical figure with moving legs. The figure had springs inside of a cloth set of overalls. The legs were connected to the motor by cables and that is what made the legs move and actually push the cart along the track. The figure's feet would engage between the ties and give him something to push against.
 
I remember that well, saw him at a Show somewhere, perhaps the late lamented Redhill one. Amazing, trouble trying to find it is that you keep getting Male Model Vids. Not what I want. Hopefully some one will have him Bookmarked.
JonD
 
That Iowa Traction is very interesting. Looked at You Tube and plenty of Vids.

Using Google Earth I then Looked for Mason City Iowa and found the line after a little time. Followed it along the Main Line out of Town via Central Heights to Emery where the Depot Appears to be. Carrying on East before Clear Lake I found a Locy on Street View then found a Circle of Track. On Street View there is a PCC and a Shunter at a Building that looks to be a Museum.
JonD

The only section in regular use is between Mason City and their depot at Emery, the stretch of line into Clear Lake being intact but very rarely used. The building and items of stock at the Clear Lake end are nothing actually to do with the line itself. I gather there was a seperate "preservation" outfit based on the line who used to run weekend passenger trips on the route several years ago (pre 2003), but they had some kind of "fall out" with the IATR owners, so the operations stopped. Not sure what is left at Clear Lake now, as there wasn't much visible on my visit there in 2003.
Iowa Traction do have an ex Chicago area interurban passenger car (North Shore line, from memory) that they have run charters with in the recent past over the whole line, but freight keeps them going. In the last year or so, they have been taken over by another operator, but the electrics remain in service - mainly because of the minimal operating costs compared to diesels. When I last went there in 2011, a new oil terminal had been opened at Emery which provided extra traffic, and the scrapyard there was also providing decent levels of freight. I get the impression that the ADM mill at the Mason City end is their main traffic provider, however.

As an aside, Clear Lake has a claim to fame, if you can call it that, being the last place Buddy Holly performed (at the Surf Ballroom) in 1959. His plane took off from nearby Mason City airport and crashed soon after.
 
After typing the above post, I realised I've got a photo of their Interurban car that I took in the depot in 2003.....

3-425.JPG

The other car visible on the left of the picture is not another passenger car, it is an electric freight car that they use as a MoW vehicle. I think, without looking it up, that it is from the North Shore as well.
 
Rather like your overhead, Wood Poles existed the last Time I visited Switzerland around 6 or so Years ago at of all places Zweissemen. Clearly there is presidence for your use of Wood for reasons of Cost. It is remarkably tricky to get Poles working, you appear to have managed the trick with evidence on your superb Vid. Brill stuff.

I strung up the Wire and Poles on the Ruschbahn. Not a small project with an ever criticle Ruschfuhrer watching my every move! But it was done and worked well. Steel Rods hammered into paving Flags after Groves had been Turned to Wrap Cross Wires. Small Section Nickel Silver Wire for the Cross Wires and Pan Wires. Smaller Copper Wire for the Droppers with Meccanno Bolts as Sliders for the Overhead to move. Painted Beads for Isolators. Tension was kept by Invisible Fence Wire Tensioners (behind the Mountains or Buildings indoors). I wanted to use Tins with Weights but this was rejected. I still think that this would have worked better due to the Wires being in Full Sun all day and getting some flexibility with the non moving Tensioners.

Sadly this has all been demolished now. But a reminder of happier days:-
View attachment 207052
The fact that the Wire in places is pretty well invisible shows the attempt to create an image that replicate the Prototype as close as possible.

Yes it was a paint at times for Track Cleaning and Access, but we managed. I was probably a bit more flexible in the Joints then!
JonD
I had no idea this line has been demolished. Amazing picture.
 
I had no idea this line has been demolished. Amazing picture.
Sadly Andy died in August 2013. I had moved to St.Neots in Nov 2012 as being one of the three Co-Builders and main Operators of the line found that much of my time was actually spent in St.Neots helping Andy with that plus Maintenance. After he Died myself and Doug also from this Forum lifted the Line and to get the Track and Rolling Stock up to Glendale Jcn who had kindly offered to sell on Commision for Andrew's Daughter.

The new owners of the House have demolished everything else that you see, returning this part of the Garden for a Lawn for the Dog to run round! Well it is their House now, sadly his Deceased Son who was in effect in charge of the House Sale would not allow time for us to attempt a Model Railway Buyer.

Thus the Ruschbahn passed on with Andy to History, but never forgotten by those that had the enjoyment of the line.

This link is perhaps the best set of Pics out there, but plenty more and Vids Too if you just Google "Ruschbahn".

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=115&t=94179

On Topic again, there are plenty of better Views of the Overhead in these Pics. Sundry LGB Trams have on occasion run on the line, including a New York LGB Car that I once onwed. Must dig out some pics that I may have taken.

JonD
 
Thats one hell of a talent no longer here then, sorry to hear it.
 
Nice piccy - Soller?
 
Iowa Traction in Mason City - a freight operation - is another one for the student of wooden overhead support poles..
The locos in use there are Baldwin products dating from around 1920 - and they are still running.A long way to go to see them, as Mason City is fairly in the "back of beyond" as far as any other rail interest is concerned!
Looks excellent. I'm doing a road trip from Chicago to Denver in the spring so I might drop by. It seems to be owned and run by two blokes who bought it because they like playing trains. Nice 1:1 scale models!
See newsreel

EDIT - I should have added this was before the line was bought by current commercial owners.
 
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Looks excellent. I'm doing a road trip from Chicago to Denver in the spring so I might drop by. It seems to be owned and run by two blokes who bought it because they like playing trains. Nice 1:1 scale models!
See newsreel

EDIT - I should have added this was before the line was bought by current commercial owners.

I believe the original owner(s) are still involved with the operation and there have been no major changes.
If you do visit the place, you will find that the locos are just parked up at various strategic points on the line - 2 at the Mason City end near the grain mill and the rest at the depot. They do not run in/out of the depot each day. Any switching and transfers to the mainline connections used to happen in the mornings, with track maintenance taking place at other times.
Don't think they work at weekends and operating days depend on whether there are cars to move.
In 2003, we made prior contact with the owner and got a comprehensive tour of the operation, including a short cab ride.
 
Looking at the Main Line on Google Earth it appears to be full of Stored Freight Cars possibly Tank Wagons or Covered Hoppers of some kind. Wonder if the Co-owners are making some Corn out of Wagon Storage.
JonD
 
Iowa Traction in Mason City - a freight operation - is another one for the student of wooden overhead support poles.......

View attachment 207065

I had a look around the line including driving out to Clearwater, but I didn't ever see any of the electric locos running, or even the line in operation....
The locos in use there are Baldwin products dating from around 1920 - and they are still running.........

A long way to go to see them, as Mason City is fairly in the "back of beyond" as far as any other rail interest is concerned!

A blast from the past?

I did a job there around 2002/3, visiting Mason City twice....
 
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Looking at the Main Line on Google Earth it appears to be full of Stored Freight Cars possibly Tank Wagons or Covered Hoppers of some kind. Wonder if the Co-owners are making some Corn out of Wagon Storage.
JonD

They basically seem to fill the entire unused portion of the line from the depot/scrapyard sidings right into Clear Lake - the Google Earth view being dated March last year. All those tracks were clear when I was there in 2011, so it looks like they have got into the lucrative car storage market!
 
Sadly this has all been demolished now. But a reminder of happier days:-
View attachment 207052
The fact that the Wire in places is pretty well invisible shows the attempt to create an image that replicate the Prototype as close as possible.


JonD

Say, that's got to be some of the finest Trolley wiring I've ever seen ;)
 
Say, that's got to be some of the finest Trolley wiring I've ever seen ;)
Many thanks for the complement, when I was building it Andy got me to take copious pics of the Construction so that we could Document it. Still need to do that. Perhaps on here sometime.
JonD
 
Many thanks for the complement, when I was building it Andy got me to take copious pics of the Construction so that we could Document it. Still need to do that. Perhaps on here sometime.
JonD

That would be very welcome and appreciated!
 
Nice piccy - Soller?
Yes, Soller at the port near the 'Mar y Sol' Restaurant which is situated in the old tramway station. The trailer was home-built in the workshops at Soller and rides on ex Majorca Railways bogies - a great effort for a small system,the trams run with a bogie trailer or two 4 wheel trailers to provide capacity, some of them are reserved for Round Trip coach excursions and the bogie trailer has the same number of seats as the coach. Soller bought and regauged some Lisbon cars to provide traction for these new cars - and they work very well. Just shows what you can do with ingenuity and application.
 
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