Walthers has a Street Track Insert Set
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3140
HHPATH56 wrote:My solution was to slit cocktail straws, (which I greased), as a way to prevent plaster from getting on the rail. I then poured in greyish-blackened Hydrocal plaster, which I leveled to the height of the rails with a narrow putty knife. The straws not only prevent plaster fronm getting on the tops of the rails, but leave a beveled space for the wheel flanges.
My solution was to slit cocktail straws, (which I greased), as a way to prevent plaster from getting on the rail. I then poured in greyish-blackened Hydrocal plaster, which I leveled to the height of the rails with a narrow putty knife. The straws not only prevent plaster fronm getting on the tops of the rails, but leave a beveled space for the wheel flanges.
My grandmother had a pet-phrase for an idea like this...
"What won't they think of next?"
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
tomikawaTT wrote:Incidentally, streetcar trackage was usually single wire, not catenary.
Incidentally, streetcar trackage was usually single wire, not catenary.
Indeed!
Interurbans ran single wire live overhead with pick-up from a trolley pole, or a pantograph. Catenary with pantographs, as well as third-rail, is usually reserved for metropolitan areas with high-speed rail and long straight stretches of track.
After looking at the most excellent Trolleyville Schoolhouse mentioned above:
[1] See "Interurban's" 2 Guyz and Sum Trains Forum - The Trolley Line...
http://2guyzandsumtrains.com/Forums/viewforum/f=8.html
[2] The quintisential trolley club site - East Penn Traction Club...
http://www.eastpenn.org/
[3] Don't overlook - Japan Rail Modelers of Washington D.C. ...
http://www.japanrailmodelers.org/
[4] N Scalers also have - NCat Live Catenary...
http://www.teamsavage.com/ncat/ncat.html
[5] The extensive trolley prototype picture library - Dave's Electric Railroads...
http://www.davesrailpix.com/index.html
Upon closer trackage review, in addition to Trolleyville's outlined Orr Rail approach, you'll see most tend to use standard scale track - simply covered with plaster, water putty, or plastic - then weathered and etched to suit the desired effect.
Also, the larger the scale, the easier it is to do "under the pavement" and girder rail, such as for O Scale and also HO Scale. For example, N Scale is usually best served by single wire overhead as it is harder to keep the overhead centered over the trackage below, let alone scale track to overhead clearances - why to use NCat standards.
Scratchbuilding catenary, or third-rail, takes much more patience than an interurban's single wire. Commercial model catenary tends to be expensive, and if you can design good templates, you might be better served by scratchbuilding your own catenary. One overhead wire consideration for using trolley poles is that "overhead frogs" are needed over a turnout to guide the trolley pole - whereas a pantograph will not be concerned with a overhead frog.
Also consider, scale-adjusted, American prototype rail-to-overhead heights differ from the European prototypes.
Back to Ye Olde Prototype - there were some trolley tracks simply 'laid' (literally) on a solid surface (concrete, well used Belgian block...), held in place by temporary blocks and paved around. They were held in gauge by rods between the girder rails, and nary a tie in sight.
Remember seeing this when they were doing some under-the-pavement work in Da Bronx back when I was a pre-schooler.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
ndbprr wrote:Most trolley modelers use live catenary so the rails can be soldered to a trip of shim brass to keep them in alignment. You can use regular track and fill in a road with plaster. you can simulate the girder rail by laying a piece of rail with the head against the inside of the running rail. The reason most trolley people use the catenary is you cna reverse the polarity of a trolley by making the trolley pull hook go to ground and use the pole that is up for positive current. That way there is no track polarity issue.
http://www.proto87.com/street-track.html
Try that
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Trolley tracks in the streets also use a "girder" rail that has a "guardrail" or flangeway cast into the head of the rail. I have seen modelers simulate that by soldering a rail on its side to the running rail, they solder the head of a rail to the web of the running rail.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
A lot of information about modeling trolleys here: http://www.trolleyville.com/school.shtml
The prototype does have ties - they are buried under the pavement where the track runs in the streets.
Fred W
wayhil wrote: Trolley tracks have no ties, but all I can find are RR tracks. Any suggestions, or do I have to lay and spike my own? Thanks.
Trolley tracks have no ties, but all I can find are RR tracks. Any suggestions, or do I have to lay and spike my own? Thanks.
How do they stay in "gauge" if they have no ties?