Hi all. I'm just about to start erecting catenary.

I wasn't originally going to bother but I've just acquired quite a few
Eshelle masts - I think they're French but they're modern and
will be good enough for me. Unfortunately the 3- and 4-track spans
don't line up with Marklin's or my track spacing but maybe they'll
'do' for 2- or 3-tracks. I don't like the way Marklin (and maybe other types)
of catenary bend round curves so I'm wanting them 'straight' going around curves.

So. Has anyone any hints & tips they'd like to share with me before I start please?

Marklin recommends straight segments between masts, but i find that slight bend over curves works better with vintage pantographs. Catenary is cosmetic on my HO digital-M layout and functional on my Z layout.

Hi Dave

Certainly not a specialist here but I try to share my experience

My choices:
- to fit only a part of my layout to allow a credible operation of electric locos (allows me to operate steamers and diesel so more diverse traction means)
- not to fit non-visible parts as it leads to added costs and reduced accessibility
- not to operate with raised pantographs (I experienced firsthand how quick a pantograph can be destroyed by a misplaced catenary).
- to use Viessman catenary as it is compatible with Märklin's with a wider choice and reduced prices

My observations
- catenary is nice to have but when stations are fitted with covered platforms, it becomes a nightmare (to be avoided at all cost in this situation)
- catenary is normally well installed but the key thing is: during interventions, it is often displaced unavertently so keep it ONLY where accessibility is EXCELLENT otherwise forget it.
- some train fans install the masts but NOT the catenary. It is not a bad idea as in my country (France) high voltage (25 kV) allows using thin wires that are not very visible and not having those wires simplifies a lot accessibility.
- because I use Rocrail, each electric loco will not be proposed routes where the traction mode does not fit (no electrics when there is no catenary)
- the idea of NOT FITTING the entire layout was indeed an excellent decision

Here is a video about my layout with one mainline fitted with catenary and the others (branch lines, etc) being without


Cheers

Jean

The way around this is to use realistic track radius. But most of us don't have the room.

Even in Z gauge it's impossible to solve, unless you raise masts & leave off wires, but then masts look too tall. Something has to give somewhere.

I want to run with the pantos raised, but I realize that it is unavoidable that it will fail OFTEN, and get tangled against masts and wires. So the pantos must be limited in movement, and run a millimeter lower that the wire.
That way you still get the "compression" of the pantos going under/over bridges and entering tunnels. -But for the rest of the layout it should stay free of the wire!!!
I think that will be the optimal solution -at least for me.

With a hair-thin fishing line. I think there are several ways of doing it...