The transmission cables will be about 30 AWG and black. Two IC socket pins will attach to the t-joints on each pole. Heat shrink will be used over the socket pins and solder joints. Will try using a flexible polymer or elastomer to coat the transmission line so it hangs in a caterary between poles.
OldSchoolScratchbuilderFor example, why are the cows out at night?
.
Here in Florida, I don't think the cows ever go inside.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Two 30 AWG test transmission lines created with IC socket pins at either end under heat shrink. I don't have any black wire in my lab at this time - on my electronics store shopping list for tomorrow. Note that the LED works on the left when driven from the other ends of the lines on the right. Also note that the lines do not form a natural catenary due to their weight and stiffness under the force influences of gravity and tension. This will be a challenging physics problem to solve.
Here is a close up of the driving end of the lines.
Here is a close up of the power pole end. Note that the transmission lines clip on and off by hand.
Another view of the pole with more ambient lighting.
I was just about to hit the sack when a solution (literally) came to mind. Change the stiffness of the transmission line with hair spray from my fusing glass equipment. Hairspray is used to hold small pieces of glass together before they are fired in the kiln. Look at the lower purple wire. Looks great for a one quick application. I'll see if it holds in the morning. Might need extra strong hairspray since this one is regular hold.
OldSchoolScratchbuilder I have been reading several articles by Malcom Furlow and find I have very little in common with him. This also applies to Van Gogh (the original post before the Furlow edit). In fact, I have a great deal in common with Sheldon - my wife calls me this often. You will find lots of unusual personalities in the field of physics, myself included. That's what made me a very successful scientist and frequently sought out guest speaker within Canada, all over the US, in France and the UK.
I have been reading several articles by Malcom Furlow and find I have very little in common with him. This also applies to Van Gogh (the original post before the Furlow edit). In fact, I have a great deal in common with Sheldon - my wife calls me this often. You will find lots of unusual personalities in the field of physics, myself included. That's what made me a very successful scientist and frequently sought out guest speaker within Canada, all over the US, in France and the UK.
It is more about content and presentation. First and foremost, this is a model railroad forum, so the threads that involve the most interaction are those in which model railroading is the primary subject of the thread, not stained/fusing glass projects.
Your threads fall within the forum rules, but your content has little to do with model railroading except for the fact that a locomotive or hopper appears in an occasional post. But, that's OK because the forum rules are broadly written to permit a wide variety of topics.
What I see as the issue with your threads is a lack of participation by other forum members because it seems clear that you do not wish to answer questions or comments that appear to be critical or challenging, at least in your mind. You seem to prefer to present your work as a sort of webinar, watch and learn, hold your questions and comments until the end.
Again, that is OK, there is nothing in the forum rules that say that an OP has to encourage dialog. But, the "best" threads on the forum are those that involve give and take, welcoming interaction between the OP and the participating forum members.
Criticism is a healthy part of the forum as long as it is civil. Take a look at my threads. I recently started a thread on which brand of rattle spray can of paint was the best for painting a locomotive, and the replies ran the gamut from......forget rattle cans, just buy an airbrush ..... to .........you should set up a spray booth in your garage and weather your structures. That's all part of being a forum member. You post on a public forum, you need to expect civil critique.
One other comment that I think is worth mentioning is the fact that your projects are often left uncompleted and that is frustrating for those of us who follow your threads. Several of your threads have proceeded on the basis of a promise to show us some form of advanced technology but these threads often fail to deliver. They just end.
So, I don't think that personality is the issue. In my opinion, it is a matter of content and presentation and closure.
As far as your career before you retired, that is all well and good. In my case, I personally provided financial counseling services to CEOs of Fortune 100 companies. But, I am reminded of my first post-retirement winter in Florida. The first day down there, I was introduced to the head of the seniors’ golf group. He told me that no one cared what I did before retirement, even if I had been the Emperor of some third world country. The other members of the group just wanted to know my current handicap.
Rich
Alton Junction
Hairspray is the answer. Morning pic shows the purple transmission lead has lost it's memory! Power pole project COMPLETE. Transmission line project COMPLETE.
My power transmission line parts and materials:
30 AWG hookup wire, heat shrink tubing, IC socket pins, solder, and hairspray.
Richhotrain,
Your post was one of the most well written, meaningful, and appropriate offerings I have ever seen in my 14 years on this Forum.
I especially enjoyed your golf retirement quip. I too sat across the table with vice presidents of two major oil companies for a number of years. Whoopee!
But I'm retired now, and that is all ancient history and totally meaningless to the joys of MODEL RAILROADING.
Great job!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Now that I have an olivewood base of 27.5 inches in length, I can add a third brass straight which will be exterior to the glass case. Now I can have two independent landscapes separated by the tunnel of time. More surface finishing to do on the olivewood from Italy. Picked up a beautiful piece of exotic thuya burl from Morrocco yesterday at the specialty hardwood store. The outside section of the display will be Alberta badlands with this butte base and a high end grain car.
My geothermal plant manuscript will be sent to both Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman after Christmas. Prior publication is not allowed.
Neither of the electronics shops had black 30 AWG solid in stock. An order was placed with Jonard Tools for 200' silver plated (ASTM-B 298) high conductivity copper (ASTM-B 170) with Kynar 460 insulation and 0.11 ohms/ft DC resistance. The shop said it should arrive next week. Display case layout under way.
You could use piano wire. I ran some piano wire through a couple of my transmission towers, dropped an LED on one of my power poles, and connected the other end to a 9 volt battery. Took all of 5 minutes.
Used my router to cut a shallow recess for the entire burl butte to fit into. The butte has been glued in place with fast drying wood glue and red sandstone from Cape Blomidon, Nova Scotia distributed around the base of the butte.
Using my router to make the roadbed subgrade. I can do this without a straight guide because the sub-ballast will spill over the subgrade boundaries.
Subgrade complete. Now I need to crush and sift shale from Walton, Nova Scotia into sub-ballast and ballast grades.
Filling the subgrade with shale sub-ballast. Shale grades are the same as the gypsum grades.
Two Three questions that you will most likely not answer but I'll ask anyway:
I had to analyze potential issues at my prior job. So, these are the types of questions that immediately come to mind when I look at other people's work. You may have it already figured out but it's not particularly clear from my perspective.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
OldSchoolScratchbuilderPicked up a beautiful piece of exotic thuya burl from Morrocco yesterday at the specialty hardwood store.
I never heard of a specialty hardwood store before... I guess I kind of knew there had to be such a thing.
Quick Googling... there is one in Atlanta! I will be stopping in there next week.
The piece you selectd is gorgeous!
Good questions. I'll try to answer all of them together. The reason I cut a subgrade (close to CN specs) was to lay the track slightly above ground (olivewood) level. This provides for better overhead clearance for tall locomotives and rolling stock through the tunnel and under power lines. On the Alberta side of the tunnel the ballast and sub-ballast will be shale. You will see both the ballast and sub-ballast. Inside the display case will be gypsum ballast and sub-ballast around glass ties. This is the Nova Scotian gypsum quarry line. Two completely different environments on one piece of olivewood.
Oh yes glue. The subballast sits on a layer of fast drying wood glue (I have lots of experience with this in my GypsumWorks Studio). Before the final subballast layer is applied, Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement is used. I have lots of experience with this cement on both shale and gypsum ballast - works well. Everything will stay in place even when the entire display is tilted at a steep angle.
SeeYou190. Our specialty hardwood shop is amazing. Everyday new items appear in the smaller wood bins and on the shelves. Here is the link
http://eastcoastspecialtyhardwoods.com
You will see four categories: lumber, millwork, plywood and slabs. My olivewood base is a slab.
Got it...but what about the track?
The ballast will only provide "points" of contact underneath the ties of the rail rather than a larger, uniform surface area (e.g. cork roadbed) for better adhesion. If the surface of the ballast is uneven then you'll have high and low spots that your adhesive will need to "gap" to contact the rail ties. While the track may "appear" to be locked together with the ballast and the sub-ballast base, it may - in reality - not be as stable.
I'd hate to see all that work and effort made only for the track to give way and dislodge from the ballast; thereby requiring you to repair it.
If you look at my avatar you'll see one of my shale roadbeds. The underside of the track is almost 100% in contact with the shale. That's why I also keep the very fine stone powder. It is mixed in with the top ballast layer under the track for a smooth bonding surface - just as smooth as cork but real Nova Scotia rocks or minerals. A final ballast layer over the track is brushed on and sprayed down in the usual way.
Got it - Thanks for the explanations.
OldSchoolScratchbuilder Subgrade complete. Now I need to crush and sift shale from Walton, Nova Scotia into sub-ballast and ballast grades.
Turns out, the the Canadian National Railway has specifications concerning crushed rock ballast. These specifications prohibit the use of shale which is a form of mudrock.
"The ballast and trowelling stone shall be composed of hard, strong and durable particles, clean and free from clay and shale and from an excess of dust or elongated pieces."
http://www.winnipeg.ca/finance/findata/matmgt/documents//2013/539-2013//539-2013_Appendix_D-CN_Ballast_Specification.pdf
But that's the prototype. I don't see any harm in using shale in a display case. Heck, I use Woodland Scenics ballast on my layout and that is crushed walnut shells.
Richhotrain. Shale and gypsum are very soft materials and would never be used on railroads or in any other load-bearing applications. They are ideal to work with in my train modelling and my gypsum carving art studio. There is an article in MR where kitty litter is even used as ballast. In my case, Nova Scotia shale, gypsum and sandstone are readily available, in abundance, and located in many areas that are not private property. Unlimited and fascinating modelling materials for FREE!
PS. Rock and mineral collecting is permitted by law in Nova Scotia.
Bonding stained glass ties to brass rail this morning. Used E6000 adhesive.
Mirror groove cut with router and gypsum sub-ballast layer installed.