In the process of designing a new layout, I was wondering if anybody ever tried to draw catenary.
Setting up catenary is quite a bit of work, and it would help a lot if I can make a proper inventory of the amount of masts and wires.

Who could set up the parameter file?
I can supply the information on the Marklin catenary system (at least the old M-version).

Joost

XTrkCad supports bridge piers which 'stick' to tracks that would work for masts
You'll have to draw each of the masts using the drawing tools (lines, curves, poly's etc) and then Group them to create each different type of mast Structure.  When Grouping, you'll need to set the Offset fields to move the origin of the structure (by default the lower left corner) to the point where the wire would attach so it will be positioned correctly when placed on the track.
Last you'll need to edit the param file to add a line like
      X pier 0.000 ""
to the mast definitions

You can draw the wires, but since they are not Structures (just lines) you won't see them in the Parts List.

Dave

I would start simply defining the masts “plan view” and then I would group that so you can easily clone it as an object.  I can imagine that there are several tower single center and dual and four track versions at least. 

The function we don’t have that would help would be a “repeat along an object with a gap” type of function. Although even then the issue of non-integer numbers of objects would be an issue for the ends. So placement of masts would be manual, I’m afraid. 

I think the issue of wire length would likely be close to the track length (you can select only some tracks if you aren’t wiring all before listing them). and you can now have a Parallel Line drawn to Track with a 0 offset to draw the wire.

Adam

Hi Adam,
The way Marklin catenary works, is that you are pretty much stuck with the standard length of the wires (as goes for any brand I guess).
So, you would start at a turnout, put one mast there, and then put a wire section and then the next mast, etc etc.
At the next turnout you will have to work out how to connect to the next section, for this there are several special items (see the attached copies of the catalog).
The length of the wire sections is

• 7018: 1.5x the standard track length of 18cm (so 27cm)
• 7019: 2x the standard track length of 18cm (so 36cm)

Of course it goes all wrong in the curves, where you have to bend the 7018 wires.
Thinking of that, it means that it is almost impossible to automate the wiring in Xtrackcad, it would mean you have to make straight and curved 7018 sections (and even in 3 different radia).

As much as would like to do this in Xtrackcad, I guess the best way is to print my design in 1:10 and plot the catenary manually with the Marklin 0211 catenary template.

Joost

Joost

Send me the data you have. Let me see what I can create.
--
Dwyane Ward

Hi Dwyane,

The information from the catalog I got is already attached in my previous posting (but metric).
I also attached the English printout as in that edition with sizes in inches, now both for K-track and M-track (only different masts).  No clue whether the sizes in inches are actually correct, I wouldn't be surprised if it was rounded to easy readable sizes.

I also attached two printouts of the "manuals" Marklin provided, describing how to combine the wires in specific situation.
"Marklin bovenleiding handleiding.docx" is the old version, only for M-track
"Marklin bovenleiding M_K.docx" is the latest version, also for K-track.
Basically the explanation is the same, only when K-track was introduced, the added the 7278 wire, very likely to get a better fit for K-track.
Rather a puzzle if you read it the first time....
There is no real booklet on how to setup the catenary besides those little leaflets

Joost

Hi Dwyane,

I printed my Xtrackcad design on 1:10 and started drawing the catenary with the 0211 template.

By doing so, I discovered it will be nearly impossible to have a catenary parameter file.
It won't be a problem for the straight and regular curved segments, but it gets complicated at the turnouts and parts where a wire has to be bent in a non-regular shape (like the curved turnouts or opposite curved tracks. The only solution would be if you could have a functionality to do 2 things:

1. Automatically draw a wire segment to follow a track
2. Make your selection which wire segments should be used

Next to that there is also the user-choice between using bent wires (needed by the M-track radii and straight wires (as can be used with larger radii)
So, as nice as it would be to be able to have this as an addition to Xtrackcad, I guess it will just not work with the current functionality of the program.
The only workaround for me is to draw the catenary manually and start counting the wires.....

Joost

Joost,

Sorry I have not had the time to look at this yet.

Thanks for the update.
--
Dwyane Ward