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CTT's telephone pole article

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  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Jelloway Creek, OH - Elv. 1100
  • 7,578 posts
Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Wednesday, November 3, 2004 7:28 PM
Add a little poison ivy to that pole

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

TCA 09-64284

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: St Paul, MN
  • 6,218 posts
Posted by Big_Boy_4005 on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 8:46 PM
Tom, the K-line pole is the old Marx pole, if I'm not mistaken.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Willoughby, Ohio
  • 5,231 posts
Posted by spankybird on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 7:54 PM
Thanks Elliot,

We also have some of these poles, I belive made by K-line



This will be the before pic, and when we are done, we will post the after pic.

tom

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

  • Member since
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  • From: St Paul, MN
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Posted by Big_Boy_4005 on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 7:06 PM
Tom, I like the look of your modified poles better than those in the article, but then I like a more realistic look than a toy look. Beside, I have a ton of those Lionel poles left over from the mall. The only pole I like better are the old Marx pole. The detail on the crossarms is nice.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Willoughby, Ohio
  • 5,231 posts
Posted by spankybird on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 6:49 PM
When I saw the article in CTT about telephone poles, this thought came to me.

Take your common plastic poles


and cut the base off if it



then super glue the roofing nail to the bottom of the pole



Then drill a 1/8th hole in your table for mounting your pole.



Now, this is a nice clean mount.

tom

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

  • Member since
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Posted by FJ and G on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 11:52 AM
Bob,

Speaking of Tesla, have you ever seen a Tesla coil lightning bolt. These would make impressive lighting strikes on a layout. Several people have been killed playing with these, however.
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 10,096 posts
Posted by lionelsoni on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 11:47 AM
DC or AC is safe at toy-train voltages. What is important is low current if you're using scale wire.

Edison famously tried to create the impression that AC was unsafe by staging gruesome AC electrocution of dogs, campaigning for AC to be used for the first electric chair, and trying to substitute "westinghouse" for the new word "electrocute". He hired Tesla and promised him a reward if he could make AC work. When Tesla succeeded, Edison reneged, saying it was all a joke. After Tesla and Westinghouse prevailed over Edison's system, Edison supposedly admitted that he had known all along that AC was superior.

Bob Nelson

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 10:57 AM
Dave:

Go for it!

Tony
  • Member since
    August 2003
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Posted by FJ and G on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 10:33 AM
Tony,

Yes indeed.

Also, I was thinking of actually building a working DC power station, using an HO transformer, repainted silver, and running live DC wires to various industries and stuff. Hey, why not make everything as real and operational as you can get? Why not?
  • Member since
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 10:25 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

I was thinking low-voltage DC; still asking for trouble?


Low voltage DC will be safe. Edison wanted to use DC for transmitting power because it can't kill you instantly & you can pull your hand away. I believe it was Westinghouse who is responsible for the AC power grid.

Tony
  • Member since
    August 2003
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Posted by FJ and G on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 10:03 AM
I was thinking low-voltage DC; still asking for trouble?
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: St Paul, MN
  • 6,218 posts
Posted by Big_Boy_4005 on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 12:16 AM
My opinion is real wire yes, real power no. Too many opportunities for trouble with real power. Stick to buried lines for power, and remember to call before you dig. [swg]
  • Member since
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CTT's telephone pole article
Posted by FJ and G on Monday, October 25, 2004 2:31 PM
Nice little "how-to" piece; one of many good articles in Dec, CTT.

But why use fake wire from Michaels? Why not use real copper-strand wire and have functional wires that power lights to your structures and power accessories?

It's feasible, you know.

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