Vectorcut Structure Kits

[DaKra]

Next VectorCut HO scale structure kit will be a 60' electrical transmission tower. The design and instructions are finished, I'm just working out the packaging, catalog photos and price. Before I started work on the kit, I hadn't noticed how common these towers are. They are just about everywhere in the 1/1 world.

Dave

[NEMMRRC]

Next VectorCut HO scale structure kit will be an electrical transmission tower. The design and instructions are finished, I'm just working out the packaging, catalog photos and price. Before I started work on the kit, I hadn't noticed how common these towers are. They are just about everywhere in the 1/1 world.

Dave

Very nice. Will the kit also include the power lines?

Jaime

[eTraxx]

Using one of Vector Cut's O Scale Sewer Grating .. in this 'in-progress' shot

[tabooma county rwy]

Dave,

That transmission tower looks very good. Those type towers carry higher voltage lines between substations and generation stations, typically at the 230kV voltage level and above (I'm retired from an electric utility).

One comment - the lines at the very top of the tower are usually called static lines and they are grounded to the towers, and are used to (hopefully) attract any nearby lightening bolts, so the lightening does not strike the energized conductors. The static lines are much lighter gauge wire than the current carrying conductors. But maybe you already knew that....

Al Carter
Mount Vernon, WA

[eTraxx]

Al .. maybe you can tell me something about these towers. They are at the Columbia, SC Canal/Power station from turn-of-the-century

Notice the anti-climbing device about a third the way up?


Close-up of the base


Close-up of the "Keep the heck off the tower" device!


I can't imagine that on a new tower .. was this something that can be dated? It would add a little 'interest' to Dave's towers I think!

[deemery]

Somewhere today I saw a photo of a tower like Dave's in West Virginia that was all collapsed/crumpled from the nasty ("derecho") storm that slammed into the Mid Atlantic at the end of June.

dave

[tabooma county rwy]

Hi, Ed,

Wow! I've never seen anything like those "anti climbing devices" in that picture. That would discourage most people from trying, I would think.

Mostly, I've just seen chain link (with barbed wire on top) fences around the bases of towers up here (Pacific Northwest), especially now-days with the advent of using the tops of these towers for cellular antennas and such - there is often a building at the base of the tower that houses the cell company's amplifiers and other electronics - all behind the before mentioned fence).

When you get up close to one of these towers, it's easy to see how climbing one would be pretty difficult, as the spacing between all the angles and vertical pieces is quite large.

That is a neat photo of the base of that tower - you can bet that those concrete foundation pieces are poured quite deep!

Al Carter

[eTraxx]

I need to wander around the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park .. see if I can find out more about when those towers were built .. and anything about the anti-climbing devices. The canal was originally built in 1824 by indentured Irishmen. In 1891 it was opened as an industrial power source so they have to date after that I would guess.

[DaKra]

its a kit! Just 14 bucks for one, 12 bucks each for four or more, and postage anywhere is free. It looks very complex but its actually just a few pieces with simple tab and slot construction. The laser has done most of the work for you. @Jaime, the cables are just sewing thread, which most people already have, so its not included. Also the isolators are glass seed beads, not included, but its is a common & very inexpensive craft store item. Thanks for your interest.
Dave

[rpdylan]

They look great! Yeah, my one thought was if they were going to be a "nightmare" to put together but it sounds like you engineered the kit to be easy to construct.
Bob C.