O Scale Pittsburgh Feeder Cable Brackets for Steel Poles

[Kenneth and Tracie Josephson]

Edward G Skuchas wrote:
> 
> All right.  Some modeling qustions.
> I would not approach Leonid about those brackets.  My personal choice is Q Car who I talk to almost daily.  There are other choices, but they are custom or have a habit of making promises and not producing.

I see. I approached Leonid because I didn't think Q-Car or anyone else
would be interested. If Q-Car wants to do it, great.

> I would approach it this way.  If I can obtain the information, I'll contact Q about making the pattern and selling the part.  Then he can supply us.  I'd make them from white metal to keep costs down.  If we need them for power connections, then maybe lost wax brass at a much higher cost.  Few problems.  One is that he is really busy, and the second is that his white metal casters are backed up and can't keep up now.  He makes pole caps now.  Use brass tube and put pole cap on top.

This wouldn't be prototypical for Pittsburgh since pole caps were not
used on the system. But for other systems, the caps would be great.
White metal sounds good because the brackets could be cast with four
insulaters and the modeller could remove them to suit his/her needs. 

> Second way is to go to a private pattern maker (know of one) and have them cast ourselves.  We would have to decide what metal to use because patterns have to be made slightly oversize to accomodate shrinkage.  This way may not be too bad, as long as those who want the parts suport the process by buying the parts.

I had a jeweler friend from church I was going to set up with, but he
had to move to Alaska last year. :-(

> Talk is cheap.

Amen.

> Please advise.  Should do any other Pittsburgh specialty items to make a complete pole system.

I would like to get the smaller twin wire bracket design used for signal
circuits and small feeder applications, as well as the extra heavy duty
pieces used for ninety degree turns. The wooden strain insulators for
cross spans (I have one that has never been used) would be nice, as
would a model of those nifty time clocks the motormen had to use. 

It is interesting to note that the Hilltop lines used an "off the shelf"
style feeder support arm in many locations, as did Route 42. 

Ken J.