This may be a dumb idea but that has never stopped me from considering one. I was watching a documentary on A.C Gilbert and his being inspired by the catenary supports on the New Haven to create the Erector Set...and it was then that I had this fantasy of using them ( the lattice girders ) to create the same for my tinplate layout...It's been a few centuries since I played around with them..Can a square post be made from them? Or for that matter, a catenary span support for two tracks? Hmmm...
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
Yes, you can make a box section post out of 4 Erector girders when used in combination with L brackets. This was my attempt at a signal tower. The reinforcement grooves on the opposing girders edges help align and hold the other 2 placed at 90 degrees.
?tn=34984368
Bruce
Thanks..I really like the look of your model..it has an industrial sort of heft compared to plastic...also ..I never considered what this material looked like painted. Either way, I am going to try this as an alternative to the lack of tinplate catenary as the one manufacturer of this got out of the business. Im going to look into pop rivets rather than use the screws supplied...
I'll be interested in seeing how it adapts for catenary. I suppose it would get pretty pricey outfitting an entire layout under wire using Erector pieces. Then there's the issue of insulating it from the live wire. Nothing insurmountable though and you'll have a rock solid structure.
I had seriously thought of using Erector throughout in the construction of the 7' bridge on my layout. I ended up fashioning the metal structure mainly out of I beam curtain rod, joined in places with the Erector girders.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month