Telephone poles

[Homer12006]

Good day. i seen various layouts where the the telephone poles have nice silver looking wire pulled tight. I'm wondering what wire some are using? Also what kind of adhesive is being used to hold the wire on? Finally , what are some of you guys doing to the wire to give it that super tight look. Thanks

[tomikawaTT]

IMHO, the only wire connected to a utility pole that should be tight is a guy wire (from pole to ground.)  Those are usually galvanized steel - grey - but sometimes painted with yellow visibility bands.

The wires between poles should hang in smooth catenary curves, with somewhat more droop in hot weather than in cooler weather, but never 'tight.'  While there are a number of commercial products available, I've always made do with sewing thread glued on with Testor's or Ambroid glue.

I've seen bare copper, brown and black wires between poles.  The only thing I've seen that approaches silver has been newly-installed cable - much thicker than wire, and usually secured directly to the pole rather than a crossarm.  It might come off the cable reel silver (aluminum?) but it weathers fast.  It, too, will hang in a nice, smooth curve - possibly reproducible with #22 or #24 bare tinned wire.  Or use #22 with thin black or brown insulation - far more common than silver color.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[cowman]

First, welcome to the forums.

There is a product called E-Z Line (think that's right) that is somewhat elastic and a number of posters have shown it in use.  I saw it at a train show.  It was elastic enough to take something heavy enough to pull it all the way to the ground and rebound with no ill effects.  I couldn't find it in my older Walthers catalog nor the months of MR I have available.  There are also pre-wired poles available, I think I have seen them in Walthers sale flyers, but can't find them in the two on my desk.  I think they use the
E-Z Line or something very similar.

I think CA works as an adhesive.

I have found a translucent green and clear nail polish that makes very convinecing green and clear insulators on the poles.

Good luck,

[Bob grech]

 I use fine thread to model my telephone wires. Piano wire (.020) is used to model the guy wire.

 

[Allegheny2-6-6-6]

 On my old UP layout I used miles of black Teflon coated fishing line and I will never do it again. There was nothing wrong with it and it attached with C/A but once that stuff gets dusty there is no way to clean it. A vacuum is too strong and a dust cloth doesn't cut it.

I was at the Great Scale Model train show inTimonium one year and i picked up two sets of Rapido's Totally Wired Telephone Poles and I'm sold. They come pre wired and the material they use for wire stretches and comes right back. I know others like wiring up their own poles and that fine but for me it's a step I would rather not have to deal with.

 

 

http://www.rapidotrains.com/poles.html

[Homer12006]

Thanks for the great info. I'l try making my own and after I pull the rest of my hair out ,(i'm already bald so I'll have to pull hair from elsewhere) I may try the pre wired poles. Thanks for all of your help Homer

[Hamltnblue]

you can also try these.  Pre-wired phone poles.

http://www.rapidotrains.com/poles.html

[steemtrayn]

Berkshire Junction E-Z Line:

http://www.berkshirejunction.com/scenery.htm

[Motley]

Ooooh I'm liking those rapido poles. They look nice and easy to install, perfect.

I think I'll pick some up.

[Hamltnblue]

They have a little video on the link showing them installed.  Look pretty good.

One of the LHS in my area carries them.  I've been tempted several times.  One day i'm sure I'll have a few sets.

[markpierce]

tomikawaTT

The wires between poles should hang in smooth catenary curves, ...

 

[rayw46]

Installing lines on telephone poles can be problematic.  Give careful consideration to the location of the lines in relation to where you may have to reach to throw a manual turnout control or manually uncouple freight cars.  And certainly don't install the lines until you have finished the scenery behind them.

Ray

[Motley]

I really like the idea of the rapido lines because if you were to touch them they spring back.

[rayw46]

Motley

I really like the idea of the rapido lines because if you were to touch them they spring back.

To a point.  Remember Murphy's Law and model accordingly.

Ray

[salty4568]

 There ya go! Hair! Ought to make great telephone wires.

 

Skip

[leighant]

Not for phone lines but for the telegraph lines that preceded them, I used E Z Line.  I am satisfied with the way E Z Line hangs, but NOT with the way the use of CAA super glue to attach caused a short length to stiffen.

 

 The high tension lines on my background are hardly visible here.  I taped two spline and some space blocks together to make a shallow "bow" as a guide for pencil drawing the hanging wires with salight sag.

[Mark R.]

Is the OP actually referring to telephone poles (that run along the roadside) or telegraph poles (that run along the railroad's right of way) ?

The former would / should have a gentle sag to them between poles. The latter are usually pulled quite tight with little or no sag in them.

I remember as a kid throwing ballast stones towards the wires along the rail-line. They were pulled so tight, you could get a definite "zing" sound off them if you caught them right !

Mark.