January 2008: Updates
I have almost finalized the installation of the catenary on tracks 2, 3 and 4 in the station area,
which means, that now I am able to run all my electric locomotives on all tracks throughout the whole layout. The catenary work has been carried out by the traditional swiss catenary installations company
Kummler + Matter AG from Zürich. The diesel locomotive, owned by Kummler + Matter AG picks up the last railway car after the work has been finalized, please see the picture. The final leg of the catenary, which is still to be installed is the short connection track between track 1 and 2 in front of the station. I have also produced and installed a number of special signals on catenary cross span bridges in the station area, please see the related pictures. The platform will be roofed in front of the station building, where the illumination will be installed underneath the roof, is now the second task to start to work with. All other parts of the station area and the platform are being illuminated by the lamps, installed on catenary cross span bridges, as it is the case in many locations in Switzerland. I produce those lamps myself. The tunnel in front of the station, where the tracks 2 and 3 meets will be completed in a later stage as a landscaping project.
The area at the other side of the station, where tracks 1 and 2 reach the station after passing the river,
will be refurbished in order to have a pure swiss railway scenery, because, today there are old catenary poles from the end of 1980s, which simply do not fit. As the first action, I have produced two so called combined swiss signals, which are now under installation, please see the related picture. The next step will be the installation of the new catenary. The bridge will be the location, where the system change from the swiss to the german takes place. The short section between the bridge and the tunnel portal will also be refurbished as a pure german railway section with related signals.
As a result of the fact, that I have put all my efforts in to finalize the catenary works in the HO-Layout, there was unfortunately no time left to undertake any activity on my HOm-Layout, where the other half of the catenary in the station area is still to be renewed.
As news for 2008 is to mention, that I have started to produce so called optical alarm installation for railway workers along the line, which is very common in Switzerland. This installation consists of a number of tripods with yellow lights, starting to flash when the train closes in and warning the workers, please see the picture. If you are interested in such an installation, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please enjoy the progress report by looking at the newest pictures.
December 2006: Updates
I have renewed part of the catenary on my HOm layout. Old Sommerfeldt catenary poles have been replaced by typical FO / MGB catenary poles from my production. There is still a section of about
1,0 m, which has to be renewed, but I am planning to build a gallery, combined with a tunnel at the end of this section prior to the remaining catenary work.
Part of the catenary in front of the layout, where the station is located, has also been updated, but there are a number of pending items. I will present some pictures following the full scale completion.
Link >
APRIL6: Updates
As I have reported last time, the renewal of catenary is ongoing on track 2 in front of the station area and the tracks 2 + 3 + 4 in the station area. Following to be reported in detail:
Shunting yard and the locomotive remises: The illumination is still to install in the front row. I have enclosed a picture, showing the catenary switches for the locomotive remises. Link >
Main line: New main signals are to be produced and installed on track 1 + 2. I have already produced and installed the advance signal for track 3. Link >
Part of the tracks 2 + 3 are now under catenary, but not tensioned! Link >
But the section with the bridge is fully completed and operational. Link >
Station area: Installation of the catenary for track 2 in front of the station area is ongoing and longer poles will be equipped with brackets for power supply lines. Link >
Installation is ongoing for the tracks 3 + 4 as well. I have produced the signal with additional functions, such as "Departure" and installed. Link >
The other side of the station area is completed already in the 90ies, except the river. Construction of a viaduct is ongoing. Please observe the form of former generation of the catenary poles. Link >
I have done some studies, regarding a very common DSB-Signal Link > and two very common types of Gotthard catenary poles, Link > , accompanied by a DB pole with double cantilever.
JAN06: Updates
Renewal of the catenary on those two parts, reported in MAY05 updates, has been now completed.
Illumination has been installed in the back row on cross span bridges. The front row will be installed in a later stage. Following the completion of catenary, I have installed the remaining parts, enabling me to operate trains on the whole layout, but there are still some sections, built in the beginning of 80ies, where the catenary must be renewed, allowing electrical operation only on one track at present. The horizontal track alignment is being revised in two locations for a better operation with regard to passenger cars exact in scale. I have enclosed a number of pictures, showing both the completed section and the sections, where work is in progress.
An universal swiss catenary device, used both for the fixture of feeding line, attached on top of cross span bridges and for the fixture of catenary, attached underneath cross span bridges are now available as casted details of brass. I am currently installing the first ones in my HOm layout.
MAY05: Updates
It was sometime ago, when I have updated my homepage last time, due to the fact, that it was
a very busy period both in the office and in the model railway sector. The modernization of catenary on my own lay out is ongoing. These two parts, visible on the photos, have been built in the second part of 80ies and the recent development on all models, making them more than ever detailed and almost exact in scale required a total renewal of the catenary system and not at least due to the fact, that all my electrical locomotives are powered through the catenary system. I will also report on progress on my own lay out from now on. The catenary itself based on the BLS system and most cantilevers are made of etched stainless steel in
FL – 45 and FL – 200 versions. In certain locations, where normal cantilevers can not be installed, I have installed special cantilevers, mainly made of brass tubes 0,8 mm / 1,0 mm and 0,5 mm wire. There are still some minor catenary works to be finalized in the shunting area. As you can see on the new photos, installation of cantilevers for the track 2 is ongoing. At present, only the track 3 is open for operation in the main line, where a BLS freight train to pass the site with reduced speed. Black and white signs showing the location of track magnets, because the region is reach in snow.
During this period, I have also built the main and minor switches in Blausee-Mitholz for a friend in Miami, please see the attached pictures.
The steel structure, installed by normal and narrow gauge railways in Switzerland for fixture of catenary lines and feeder lines, casted of brass, is now available in four versions:
a.) For single track catenary
b.) For double track catenary
c.) For feeder line / Straight
d.) For feeder line / Curves
I am also working on a modern insulation point. The first sample has been already installed in my lay out for tests, please see the enclosed picture.
I hope there will be more to report next time.
NOV04: Updates
Following catenary poles and signals are now available:
* RhB catenary pole with hn cantilever and feeder bracket and 66 kV feeder
* DSB catenary poles type “Kastrupbane” as single poles and with cross span bridges
* Level crossing signal for the locomotive driver / Switzerland with advance sign and flash electronic
* Newest type of catenary poles of SBB, installed along the line between Mattstetten - Rothrist, available as tensioning to the pole or off the pole or simply for cross span bridges.
AUG04: Updates
* Newest type of catenary poles, used by CFL are now available.
* An older version of catenary poles of BLS are also available.
JUN 04: Updates
The new catenary poles, which I have mentioned in my OCT03 updates are now available.
In addition to them, the newest type of catenary poles of SNCB for high speed lines are as fine scale hand made models available. In the meantime, I have also started to produce the catenary poles of SBB, BLS and RhB in scales 1 / 45 ( O & Om ) and 1 / 32 ( I ). If you are interested in any of those catenary poles, please do not hesitate to contact me. The new DB catenary poles, installed along the new high speed line in the Saarbrücken area are being developed and will be available by the end of AUG04. Please see the attached pictures, showing those mentioned catenary poles:
SBB R – FL 140 * / Article 3914, tensioning to the pole with brackets for feeder line in scale 1 / 87
SBB R – FL 140* / Article 45.112, tensioning off the pole with bracket for single feeder line in scale 1 / 45
BLS / RhB FL 200 /* / Article 45.301, tensioning to the pole in scale 1 / 45
BLS FL 45* / Article 45.401, tensioning to the pole
SNCB* , tensioning off the pole with bracket for feeder line in scale 1 / 87
MGB* ( Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn ), tensioning to the pole with single feeder bracket in scale 1 / 87
RhB* , older type with double contact wire arms and bracket for feeder line in scale 1 / 87
BLS* , older type with double contact wire arms and bracket for feeder line in scale 1 / 87
DB* , newest type in scale 1 / 87 ( Prototype )
All catenary poles are as tensioning to the pole or off the pole and with or without feeder lines available.
Various articles, published in ROCO Reports No. 67, 68 and 69 contain pictures showing a number of my catenary poles in connection with the presentation of new ROCO models.
There will be a new article in ROCO Report No. 70 in connection with the presentation of the new ROCO model 63882 Ae 4/4 of BLS. I am proud of this co-operation with ROCO, dating back to 1998. ROCO Report No. 70 is to be published in JUN04.
Finally I have start to renew my own layout in scale 1 / 87 following the pause of a number of years. I hope, that I will be able to show you some pictures in the next update.
OCT 03: Updates
It was sometime ago, when I have introduced the news last time.
During this period, I have developed and started to manufacture
the newest kind of BLS and SBB catenary poles with kindly support
from those railway companies, please see the attached pictures.
It is my intention to add the pictures of SBB catenary poles
very soon. ROCO report number 66, issued just a few days ago,
contains an article about above mentioned BLS catenary poles.
A new professional line for BLS catenary poles has been also
introduced. The highlight of this programme is the 2,5 mm brass
poles with installation plate and bolt imitation and casted
foundation. All poles are painted.
I am also proud to introduce the modern swiss illumination to be installed on cross
span bridges. This illumination is widely used by all swiss railway companies, i. e.
normal gauge and narrow gauge lines. A new kind of white LED is used for this illumination, which is a clear enrichment of your model railway.
After a few site visits in Switzerland, some new catenary poles,
belonging to various railway companies, are now under development
and will be introduced as very detailed and painted catenary
poles before Christmas. Please visit my site regularly in order
to keep you updated.
BLS81*
BLS82*
BLS91*
MAR 03: The new BLS-Cantilevers*
For poles and cross span bridges in co-operation with
Modellbau-Atelier Pirovino of Switzerland are planned to be
delivered in APR03. The new 2,5 mm poles are attached to foundations
by anchor bolts !
09 FEB 03: Swiss reduced speed signals*
30 JAN 03: The Homepage is available
NOV 02: Swiss cross span bridges with tensioning assembly
We have just finalised the highly time consuming development
of SBB and BLS cross span bridges with tensioning assembly.
I am proud to bring this model into the market for the first
time ever in the model railway world. This model is available
in following versions:
a.) SBB cross span bridge with tensioning assembly for
normal profile, article 3799
b.) BLS cross span bridge with tensioning assembly for
normal profile, article 3645
c.)
BLS cross span bridge with tensioning assembly for reduced
profile, article 3646*
RhB version for double track and another for single track
is under development.
OCT02 Bietschtalbrücke*
* click for photos |
