BEST catenary Model railroad ever !!

Here a You Tube video of One of the greatest Catenary layouts I ever Have seen in Person. Bill Kachel had an open house about two weeks ago. Its a layout that you have to see in Person.. unbelievable catenary although its not live, Its just awesome .. enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdYLGGs4W8Q

Pretty neat, but I always thought the BEST Catenary model I ever saw was one of the SBB-CFF-FFS!

D/

Very nice!

What is the general trackplan of the layout... just curious.

umtrr-author wrote:Very nice!

What is the general trackplan of the layout... just curious.

The general main track plan is a 2 track elongated Dogbone config with hidden loops
Im going to try and do a plan in autocad. I will post next week

I have a friend that has a layout like that,I will post pics next couple of days

forgot to say very nice layout,sound was impressive too.

does he have sound in those E44s? i'd love a copy of that

the only thing I'll say on the catenary is that it is amazing, but the wire isn't quite set up that way on the PRR, the messenger wire isn't suppose to reach up to the horizontal cross-braces, at least it doesn't in any picture i've seen.

However, i owe Bill Kachel since most of my catenary construction techniques come from a PDF by him that has been posted on the internet, and anyone who makes wires of any kind is incredible. I knew about that open house and i wanted to go, but i was busy that weekend. I would have really loved to check it out for myself.

after the 2nd viewing i noticed theres no resisters on the cat,I will post pics of my friends 1967 NEC layout after the train show

green_elite_cab wrote:does he have sound in those E44s? i'd love a copy of that

the only thing I'll say on the catenary is that it is amazing, but the wire isn't quite set up that way on the PRR, the messenger wire isn't suppose to reach up to the horizontal cross-braces, at least it doesn't in any picture i've seen.

However, i owe Bill Kachel since most of my catenary construction techniques come from a PDF by him that has been posted on the internet, and anyone who makes wires of any kind is incredible. I knew about that open house and i wanted to go, but i was busy that weekend. I would have really loved to check it out for myself.

The only place that happens on the prototype is on anchor bridges usually signal towers, but not every other pole like on his layout. There are resisitors on the catenary and pull off wires. Kachel uses beads painted brown for all resistors He doesnt have sound on the E44s. but hes has a number of GG-1 broadways on the layout that do have sound. The only thing that disapointed me was that it was not live catenary like my set up. Many visitors asked "is it live" But like you've said we all Owe him graditude for his catenary construction PDF and I was able to thank him in person. What really stunned me was the amount of catenary. You really have to See it.

I was able to attend Charlie Grants Layout over the last weekend which also has catenary but more prototypical with correct hangers. He also uses Brown beads for insulators. He models from the Philly area down to Washington DC and has areas like the Bell jumpover ,Perryville and Washington Union Station Modelled exactly. Stunning the layout is Tripple decked with 6 trains running at one time with a signal system resembling the prototype that controls the trains!! The layout is DC and not computer controlled. The catenary crossings are even X boxed .. This guys layout is just AWESOME check out some picts
Bell Jump Over Y bracket V bracket


Wilmington funky catpoles

Ivy City xboxed Catenary

That's a cool layout right there! Already, a pair of E2Bs and an R1! I need to find when these people have open houses!

green_elite_cab wrote:That's a cool layout right there! Already, a pair of E2Bs and an R1! I need to find when these people have open houses!

yeah dude I think Charlie Grants layout Takes the cake as far as protypical. I might even go as far as saying His catenary layout is more complete than Andy Rubbo although Rubbo Poles are more super detailed. Grants is modelling a wider Section of the railroad Therefore different styles are represented.

Just looked at the schedule http://www.gardenrropenhouse.com/2009schedule.pdf and Kachel and Grant open houses are over.

ac0catenary wrote:

green_elite_cab wrote:That's a cool layout right there! Already, a pair of E2Bs and an R1! I need to find when these people have open houses!

yeah dude I think Charlie Grants layout Takes the cake as far as protypical. I might even go as far as saying His catenary layout is more complete than Andy Rubbo although Rubbo Poles are more super detailed. Grants is modelling a wider Section of the railroad Therefore different styles are represented.

Just looked at the schedule http://www.gardenrropenhouse.com/2009schedule.pdf and Kachel and Grant open houses are over.

I had that list, but i had no opportunity at all this month to visit those layouts. maybe another time.

Bumping an old thread here...Andy's layout has made "Great Model Railroads" 2013.

And for me, it definitely made the GMR 2013 worthwhile!

I hope there are chances to see the layout in person in the future-- I'd love to get my dad over there to see it.

My Stuff is coming along as well