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If you are a true prototype modeler and like to add the fine detail that sets your layout apart from all others here is a suggestion for pole wire. A 1" diameter cable at HO scale (.1378" = 1') would be .0114833". A single strand of seven-strand 20 ga. speaker wire mic's to .012. About 1/2 thousandth to thick, but whos ta tell ya... "That wire ain't to scale!!" With good eyes or, like me you use a 5x magnifier, it would be possible to string real wire. If you use real wire you could then connect a low power intercomm system making it possible to speak to someone at the other end of your layout. [:O] However, in my case, when the trains are not running you can hear someone whisper from the other end of the layout (5'x12') so it's not worth the effort. I didn't caluclate the sag as I don't know the distance apart you will be putting the poles. You will have to research the standard pole spacing with the road you model and the power company for the area you model to find out what their standard pole spacing is. We may have an engineer out here that has the formula for calulating sag. I know that it has something to do with the weight of one foot of cable, the span distance and the earth's gravitational pull at a specified longitude. If anyone out there does string wire on the poles get us some pictures, I for one would like to see how your project turned out.
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