Pantograph?

[Hrw-Amen]

As I have said in previous posts I am just getting started with Lego Trains, (Well I had the blue track 30'ish years ago.) and I have just bought the City Passenger Train and will get the cargo one at some time when I can afford it.

I noticed that both these trains have pantographs, but cannot find any reference to themm in the forum? I have been reading through the articles to try and gain knowledge but so far have not found anything. I know back when I was a growing up in the 70's my father and I had a N Gauge model train and some of these had this as well, most of the time though people (In the club we went to as well.) seemed to just ignore it either pretending it was not there or just admit that it was more bother to model than it was worth.

So are there any Lego pantograph systems, or do they just tend to get ignored? If there are any what do people use, any links would be handy.

Also as a seperate question if I may, I like building MOCs and am trying to find instructions for a small shunting diesel. I've looked on various places like Railbricks, but really do want to start with just a small shunter that will be easy to build. Any links appreciated.

Thanks.

[Sokratesz]

http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/7760-1 is an awesome shunter :)

[roamingstop]

http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/7760-1 is an awesome shunter :)

Or the small shunter from http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/4563-1

Of course, 12V tends to be more classic.

Edited August 15, 2011 by roamingstudio

[harnbak]

I guess you got the 7740 which have pantographs.

Do you want to know if any have pantographs which actually conduct electricity? These do not exist.

Or are you just interested in custom pantograph examples enthusiasts might have created?

[soc399]

The newest issue of Railbricks (number 9) has an article on building pantograph wiring, which is called catenary. I'm just reading it now, but it looks pretty good. It even has some instructions.

Edited August 15, 2011 by soc399

[peterab]

Brickhead who wrote the Railbricks article and designed some of the instructions in the latest issue seems to be building a complete overhead wiring system.

His latest effort on his Flickr stream; a substation

Working overhead wires are a real problem in all railway modeling because you need to keep a good contact between the wire and the pantograph, which requires everything to be under tension.

It's still a lot of work (and pieces) if you only want it to look OK, though not having to make contact makes it a lot easier, since you don't need to avoid getting stuck on the catenery.

[Snapshot]

Also as a seperate question if I may, I like building MOCs and am trying to find instructions for a small shunting diesel. I've looked on various places like Railbricks, but really do want to start with just a small shunter that will be easy to build. Any links appreciated.

Thanks.

William Howard has made a nice little 0-6-0 shunter and the plans are on Flickr. It's designed for a 9-volt motor but it's easy enough to replace it with a brick-built dummy - the design from the trailing engine of 7938 will do nicely - and use a pusher box-wagon if you want it mobile. I built one in red

[Hrw-Amen]

I am not really worried about them working and conducting electricx, it just seems odd to have a railwau model with these systems as a method of powering the engine, (Even if only model powering and not actual.) and then totally ignore it when it come to the track side layout. It would be like having a model car but without the wheels and saying it is complete.

Anyway, thanks for the links.

[peterab]

The Hungarian train club seem to be fans of overhead wiring too

I agree that if you have electric engines they look better with all the trackside poles and wiring, but I've never got past the fact that it's a lot of work to achieve. My club doesn't even ballast the track very well, purely because it takes so much time.

[harnbak]

I am not sure what the requirements for a shunting locomotive are exactly, but I have found some inspiration on the net:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41215338@N04/sets/72157626302233390/with/5687922545/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/technoandrew/sets/72157620421828275/with/3661253250/

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/106414

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lego_engineer/sets/72157624201377362/with/4668876954/

and some more:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=325368

http://www.flickr.com/photos/duq/sets/72157625131139481/with/5121912904/

I even found something which looks like building instructions (it contains lxf files?)

http://www.mrblue.it/LEGO/LDD.htm and look for shunter

Edited August 18, 2011 by harnbak

[Steinkopf]

As I have said in previous posts I am just getting started with Lego Trains, (Well I had the blue track 30'ish years ago.) and I have just bought the City Passenger Train and will get the cargo one at some time when I can afford it.

I noticed that both these trains have pantographs, but cannot find any reference to themm in the forum? I have been reading through the articles to try and gain knowledge but so far have not found anything. I know back when I was a growing up in the 70's my father and I had a N Gauge model train and some of these had this as well, most of the time though people (In the club we went to as well.) seemed to just ignore it either pretending it was not there or just admit that it was more bother to model than it was worth.

So are there any Lego pantograph systems, or do they just tend to get ignored? If there are any what do people use, any links would be handy.

Also as a seperate question if I may, I like building MOCs and am trying to find instructions for a small shunting diesel. I've looked on various places like Railbricks, but really do want to start with just a small shunter that will be easy to build. Any links appreciated.

Thanks.

Hello Hrw-Amen

For a number of years I had used the traditional Lego Train Pantograph Shoes Part ref 2881 on my trains, I was never happy with them and late last year I decided to replace them with a hybrid design I made inspired by the work of Flickr user namo-den , the original Lego ones are in many respects underscale for the style and size of electric powered stock made by many AFOL's. I have made two different Pantographs there is the Single Arm Pantograph which is suited for more modern locomotives and started to gain widespread use in the 1970's and then there is the classic Diamond Pattern Pantograph that is used on older locomotives, both versions use the Belville Ice Skate for the conductor shoe. Here are some links to photos to give you an idea, first is the Single Arm design and next is the Diamond Pattern design . I hope this is some help to you and gives you some inspiration with building your trains.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Steinkopf

[Staalis]

I have the original 7760 shunter for my 12v system and I've also built one in the red and white livery.

[Shupp]

Cale Leiphart designed a catenary system for PennLUG's city streets/trolley tracks. It's more in keeping with that style rather than the catenary bridges you tend to get over main rail lines, though. Here's a picture:

IMG_3405 by Shuppiluliumas, on Flickr

We haven't yet strung wire from them, but there's no reason you couldn't do it. There are several designs from various builders on flickr here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/legotrains/discuss/72157622478854064/

I don't know if we'll ever "electrify" our main line, although I have built 2 electric locomotives for the club, now. It would be nice for realism, but actually stringing the wires would make the layout look really busy, I think.

[peterab]

first is the Single Arm design

Hi Dave,

I was going to post this when I noticed the thread had been revived, then I noticed you were posting here :-)

[Steinkopf]

Hi Dave,

I was going to post this when I noticed the thread had been revived, then I noticed you were posting here :-)

G'day Peter

I would still like to see pictures of your rejigged pantos since I missed out on seeing them this year at Brickvention, I finally decided to join here after sitting on the sidelines for so many years, I thought I may as well jump in and do something positive by sharing my knowledge with others.