Kato Double Track Catenary poles

[Mauka]

Aloha,

 

Long story short - the Kato V12 (up and down) I recently purchased is too big for my space, but I can used as an all elevated loop - (like the V13), but I need help with the catenary poles.

 

There are two types of pier sets,

 

Kato N 23020 Unitrack Double Pier, Pre Cast Concrete, and

 

Kato N 23019 Unitrack Double Track 2" Pier, Poured Concrete Column

 

Will this catenary fit both pier types?

 

Kato N 23063 Unitrack Double Track Wide Rahmen Catenary Pole Kit

 

 

Edited March 16, 2014 by Mauka

[macdon]

These would help you:

 

http://sumidacrossing.org/ModelTrains/ModelingCatenary/ViaductCatenary/

 

http://sumidacrossing.org/ModelTrains/TrackandRoadbed/KatoUnitrack/KatoViaductsandTrack/

 

Mardon

[Mauka]

Aloha Mardon,

 

That did help - ordered Kato 23062 for my viaduct track.

 

Alan

[kvp]

My club has a problem with choosing the right kato catenary poles for our club layout. The main modules have 8 tracks next to each other, 4 commuter lines, 2 main lines and 2 elevated shinkansen lines on viaduct tracks but placed on the same common surface as the other lines. We would like to use 2 track and/or 4 track catenary masts, but most Kato masts don't fit the normal kato track spacing and the poles are right in the middle of the adjacent tracks. Which types should we use if we would like to keep the normal Kato spacing? (so the poles will be right between the tracks) Also, what catenary types are available for yards? (when there are more than 2 tracks between the masts)

[cteno4]

Yeah I don't think they have made catenary masts to go between the standard spacing like this to use two track spanning masts over larger track sets like you are doing. Alternative could be to look at the slightly wider spaced two track tomix masts and see if lopping one of the lattice sections on one side nest to the pole might make one close to the right width to fit in there.

 

Keep us informed on what you find out.

Jeff

Edited April 5, 2014 by cteno4

[katoftw]

as above.  i dont think anything has been designed for larger than 4 tracks accross.

 

only solution is to drop 1 track maybe.  the fourth one in from the middle.

[kvp]

only solution is to drop 1 track maybe.  the fourth one in from the middle.

 

Dropping half of the tokaido mainline doesn't seem like an option. Cutting and shortening masts is a last resort thing, so i hope there is a better solution that i'm still unaware of. So far i've found only one double track mast type that should work, but can't really find the right set for the bases. We need bases for the normal tracks and also inside the vidaduct bases for the viaduct tracks. Can someone tell me the right kato catlog numbers for these parts?

[kvp]

Does anyone know the set number of the kato elevated catenary pole bases that are also found in the elevated pier sets? Also are there any sets that contain only the normal pole bases?

[brill27mcb]

I just dug out an unopened package 23-056 Catenary Pole Base Set. I think these are what you are talking about, although your inquiry is not entirely clear to me on single vs double track types.

 

Each is a single base to hold one vertical post (not like the double-base ones that come with double-track viaduct supports). My package contains 16 Viaduct Catenary Pole Supports (that attach to one side of a single track viaduct support pier under the S-joiner) and 18 Ground Pole Bases (flat plates that go under regular Unitrack). To my knowledge this is the only accessory pack of single pole supports -- you get both types, even if you only want one type. If I am wrong and someone knows of another option, please let us all know.

 

I hope this helps!

 

Rich K.

[kvp]

Thanks! Are these support poles go inside the viaduct or attach outside? We need the ones that keep the masts inside the viaduct. (there is no space for the external ones)

 

The ones that are good are the ones from this package:

but we only need the pole bases, so i'm looking for them in double or single form in a separate package.

Edited April 7, 2014 by kvp

[brill27mcb]

No, I was talking about single-side bases. The photo makes it clear that you are talking about the double-sided bases for double-track viaduct. They are different...

 

Rich K.

[kvp]

For me the single or double base is not a problem, we can use both. But some supports attach the poles on the outside of the viaduct and some on the inside. Which type is in the 23-056 set?

 

we need the inside mounting version (the pictures are from the sumida crossing site, thanks!)

They are the bases for the 23-060 poles, so i'm looking for these!

[Mudkip Orange]

Just do it like Caltrain does.

[kvp]

That's the problem. We have 8 tracks at kato standard distances apart, so we can't use anyting that doesn't place the poles right between two tracks. Even if we do manage to get the right parts, the poles will have to be shifted along the rail to fit, but that's not really a big problem compared to finding the right parts.

[macdon]

 

Left is outside, right is inside. However, i dont think the cat pole bases could be bought separately as they come with the pier sets.

Is it possible to just sandwhich 2 x 3mm thick sintra together, placed between the tracks and drill mounting holes for the cat pole pegs?

 

Mardon

[cteno4]

or just drill a hole in your baseboard and put in a small length of square styrene tubing with the ID that matches the ends of the catenary poles. or glue a bit of square styrene tubing to a base plate you just glue down between the tracks. thicker baseplate material if you want to have little foundation plates.

 

jeff

[KenS]

For me the single or double base is not a problem, we can use both. But some supports attach the poles on the outside of the viaduct and some on the inside. Which type is in the 23-056 set?

 

we need the inside mounting version (the pictures are from the sumida crossing site, thanks!)

They are the bases for the 23-060 poles, so i'm looking for these!

 

The 23-056 is for use on level ground, and comes with flat bases that slip under normal Unitrack.  You can't use those bases on Viaduct track.  If you have bases that came with viaduct supports you can plug the single poles into them, which is what I did for those photos.

 

However, Kato was moving away from inside-the-viaduct poles when I took those photos in late 2009.  Back in 2012 you could still get the bases for inside-the-viaduct poles in the 23-019 "double track pier" set (and only in the set, all others I could find were outside-the-viaduct.  I haven't looked since because I ended up not using viaduct on the layout.

 

I actually have that info on the Viaduct Catenary page, just above those photos, although it's buried in a bunch of text and easy to overlook.

[kvp]

Thanks! We ended up getting the pier sets for the inside mounting poles, since there is no room on the straight modules for anything else. For the turning modules we will have to use the outside mounting poles, but that's ok, since there the tracks are not running as close, so they will fit. For poles, we probably have to go with the old suburban poles for every track since they are the only ones fitting and looking at least a bit similar to the prototype photos.
Now i understand, that the kato 33 mm spacing was not enough for newer trains and why tomix with its 37 mm spacing has no problems. But it's a bit strange that kato doesn't have a solution for yards and stations that are more than 4 tracks wide.

Edited April 20, 2014 by kvp