Catenary recommendations please

[buffalo]

I need to source some RTR (or at least, minimal effort) catenary parts for a small layout set in a wholly imaginary location, but very close to southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and northern Italy The line is a single track winding through mountainous terrain and carrying tourists and some freight. What I think I need are poles, supports and wires suitable for a light railway in a rural location, rather than modern high-tech mainline kit.

 

As a complete newbie when it comes to continental modelling I know nothing about the relative merits of the products on the market. So far, I've found products by Viessmann, Electrotren and one or two others but am not at all sure whether any of these are suitable.

 

Any recommendations, please?

 

Nick

 

EDIT: I should have mentioned that my interest here is in HO scale.

[PaulRhB]

Sommerfeldt is very good in my experience and as mentioned above the guide is very useful explaining where to site the masts.

[buffalo]

Many thanks to both of you

 

Paul, is that Sommerfeldt components that you have used on your RHB Rhatia layout? What you have there on the single line sections looks ideal for my needs.

 

You both mention the catalogue, is it the one on the left of this page, or do you think I need the wiring guide? I don't intend using the catenary for power feed.

 

Thanks again,

 

Nick

[NGT6 1315]

If you're looking for Italian DC OHLE, you could also have a look at what the people at lineamodel.it have to offer - their FS catenary can be found in the "Palificazione Linea Model FS in Kit H0-1:87" section. I cannot say anything about their quality, however - though their FS locomotive kits do look very good.

 

Interestingly, Linea Model also do a range of FS three-phase OHLE as used up until the late 1970s.

[buffalo]

Arrived home today to find the Sommerfeldt catalogue and book waiting for me. They certainly look to be useful resources and include relevant prototype photos as well as information about their models. Looks like I'll be learning a lot about catenary over the next couple of weeks

 

Thanks also for the Lineamodel link -- horribly designed web pages, but some interesting models there.

 

Nick

[Re6/6]

Have a look HERE. Viessmann is fairly available over here and have recently done some excellent new DB masts, particularly the triple hanger mast. It would give a nice variation on the Sommerfeldt stuff.

[NGT6 1315]

Thanks also for the Lineamodel link -- horribly designed web pages, but some interesting models there.

 

 

True. Their locomotive kits look pretty good, however - haven't built any of them yet, though.

 

Also, you can obtain special production runs meant only for the Italian market there - Roco have done several releases of their FS locomotives which were officially distributed in Italy only.

[PaulRhB]

I see you bought both which is a good investment for the future as they don't really go out of date.

I used the thicker wires as my layout is portable and I didn't tension them and they've been fine for the last couple of years going around shows. If your layout is fixed then I'd certainly recommend the finer wires and going to the trouble of tensioning them as they look better. I spray painted the masts with Halfords grey primer and painted the wires once installed with Tamiya German Field Grey mixed with a bit of green which works well to simulate the real things colour, (don't forget to use the edge of a piece of stiff card to clean the bottom of the contact wire as you go then the pantographs won't snag on any paint)