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telephone poles

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 10:45 AM

There are certain brands of dental floss where you can pull the strands apart. This makes great line for poles and is really strong. I have seen it used on a couple of different layouts. Sorry I can't remember what brand of floss it was.

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    March 2013
  • 29 posts
Posted by The signalman on Monday, March 25, 2013 7:39 PM

Well--I went on Fleabay and got a spool of Army "Trip wire"---about the right diameter--metallic and easy to shape--if you're really ambitious--you can use small pieces to make genuine "pigtail" ties on the line wire at each insulator--tedoius but 100% correct and looks great when done

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    May 2011
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Posted by Steven S on Monday, March 25, 2013 7:32 PM

I once saw a technique that used fine black thread dipped in a 50/50 mixture of white glue and water.  The weight of the water gave it a realistic sag, and the glue helped it hold its shape.

Steve S

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: edenton,n.c.
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Posted by ho>o on Monday, March 25, 2013 6:41 PM

thank you to cowman(i found the article), broadwaylion(nice pics), maxman(i will check that site), chutton 01(i found page 52), and dave hikel(nice pics too). what i am doing now is a little practice first before the real stuff. ill try to get you guys a pic of the finished product so you can all see what you had a helping hand in.

Still plays with trains while dreaming of driving my 67 GTO 

  • Member since
    March 2013
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Posted by The signalman on Monday, March 25, 2013 6:41 PM

Hey Guys,

Maybe some black; light filament fishing line would work for you. I'm just starting to hang some new  line wire but using metallic  line mainly to get a little "belly" in it between poles. The real stuff never stays tight for very long and always hangs a bit lower mid-span.

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: edenton,n.c.
  • 11 posts
Posted by ho>o on Monday, March 25, 2013 6:33 PM

thank you, i to will try the thread thing myself.

Still plays with trains while dreaming of driving my 67 GTO 

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • From: Lynnwood, WA
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Posted by dave hikel on Monday, March 25, 2013 9:46 AM

Hi all,

EZ-Line is a little pricey, but it's worth the cost.  For heavier wiring, such as telephone lines in urban areas, you can use elastic bracelet line from craft stores.  It's the same material as EZ-Line but much thick and much less expensive.  The elastic products can stretch to several times their own length.  When, not if, you inevitably snag the lines its will not break.

Dave
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,565 posts
Posted by cowman on Sunday, March 24, 2013 8:56 PM

chutton01

There was:

MR August 2012:

How to make removable utility wires pg52

Interesting.   Not in the magazine index under either "telephone poles" or "utility poles,"

Good luck,

Richard

  • Member since
    December 2001
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Posted by chutton01 on Sunday, March 24, 2013 8:14 PM

cowman

Found two recent articles in the Magazine Index:  MR June 10 and RMC June 10.

I would have said they were more recent than that, but....

Good luck,

Richard

There was:

MR August 2012:

How to make removable utility wires pg52
"Removable crossarms make it easy to take wires out of the way when needed"

The modeler used sort of a double abutting cross arm system on his poles so he could remove the wires as needed.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,827 posts
Posted by maxman on Sunday, March 24, 2013 7:43 PM

ho&gto
.i was triing to find out what they used for the pole wires.

I suggest that you look into a product called EZ Line: http://www.berkshirejunction.com/ezline.html#modelrailroad

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
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Posted by BroadwayLion on Sunday, March 24, 2013 7:42 PM

LION stripped open some zip cord, and took one single strand for each conductor.

They were LIVE too, powered LED light fixtures over the magnets so that the LPPs could see what they were doing there, and the big 1:1 oaf could see where the magnet was from across the room.

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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  • From: Central Vermont
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Posted by cowman on Sunday, March 24, 2013 7:17 PM

Found two recent articles in the Magazine Index:  MR June 10 and RMC June 10.

I would have said they were more recent than that, but....

Good luck,

Richard

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 2,297 posts
Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Sunday, March 24, 2013 5:29 PM

can't remember the article but I know what you're talking about. I used some sowing thread for my power lines. 

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

N scale model railroader 

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: edenton,n.c.
  • 11 posts
telephone poles
Posted by ho>o on Sunday, March 24, 2013 4:27 PM

i could almost swear that i read an article in one of my recent issues of mr re: telephone pole installation.i was triing to find out what they used for the pole wires. i went back to march of 2011 and probably over looked it.anyone know what issue it was in or have their own suggestion. thankyou, donConfused

Still plays with trains while dreaming of driving my 67 GTO 

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