Post by Rob Albritton on Apr 18, 2021 23:08:50 GMT -5
Grüezi an meine Freunde der Schweizer Modellbahn im Z-Maßstab... you know who you are!
For those of you who forgot, yes, I am half of American Z Lines - but my other half really enjoys modeling Swiss Z Scale. I've even produced a few items under the name SZL (Swiss Z Lines) and we may get back to that one day when we can find a factory to make Z scale brass items again, but in the meantime, I had some desires for a few little things of my own.
One thing that has been bothering me for some times is the lack of a proper Swiss pantograph. (Yes, I know Harald Frudenreich made a few, but I have a fleet of locos to upgrade, and he only made the double arm type)
So what's the big deal? What's wrong with the Marklin metal pantograph? Well, it was designed to be function (pick up power) which is cool, but not helpful for me since all of my catenary is devoid of the actual overhead wire (it would be too tiny to see in Z scale - think the size of a strand of spider web) not having the wires also makes it easier to work on the track and lots less to build.
But I digress - so what's so special about a Swiss pantograph? Well, you know the Swiss, they are very practical and completely willing to do things their own way. In typical Swiss fashion, it's really about tunnels. They love their tunnels in the alps. No pesky snow to remove in winter. Unfortunately, they dug a bunch of big tunnels (including my choice of modeling - the Gotthard) before electrification. Electrifying the lines came about because of coal shortages during the First World War, and the swiss had plenty of those mountains, which had plenty of streams, rivers, and this let to the exceptionally practical solution of hydroelectrical power to run their trains over those very same mountains. But there was a little bump in the road. Or to be precise, a little narrow spot in the loading gauge. See those tunnels were mostly rounded, and they were too narrow at the top for a traditional width pantograph. The normal width pantograph allows the overhead wire to wander a little left or right of track centerline, and no problem, the pantograph keeps contact. Now those practical and precise Swiss would have none of that. Why widen the tunnels when you can just narrow the pantograph? After all, they already had the tunnels dug out, but they pantograph was the new bit. Yes, they would have to be more precise with where the overhead wire was located (dead in the middle) but precision is what the Swiss do, so no problem!
And now you see why I needed some Swiss Pantographs - they are narrower - much narrower - than the Marklin Z scale unit.
But how to make them? Well, this was not an urgent project. It was one that was on the back burner for A. VERY. LONG. TIME. but spring is here and time to take a few things off the dusty "to do" list. So I fired up the CAD (Rhino v.6) and warmed up the 3d printer (Formlabs Form 2) and got to work. Here is a picture of my handy work:
This is version 1.0 - I'm sure it will get better. It is in a fix position to simulate being at wire contact level. I will also produce one that is folded down for the other end of the loco.
Maybe I should have named this "can your 3d printer do this? I don't think so!"
And now, back to working on the North American projects.
Adieu Schweizer Züge!
For those of you who forgot, yes, I am half of American Z Lines - but my other half really enjoys modeling Swiss Z Scale. I've even produced a few items under the name SZL (Swiss Z Lines) and we may get back to that one day when we can find a factory to make Z scale brass items again, but in the meantime, I had some desires for a few little things of my own.
One thing that has been bothering me for some times is the lack of a proper Swiss pantograph. (Yes, I know Harald Frudenreich made a few, but I have a fleet of locos to upgrade, and he only made the double arm type)
So what's the big deal? What's wrong with the Marklin metal pantograph? Well, it was designed to be function (pick up power) which is cool, but not helpful for me since all of my catenary is devoid of the actual overhead wire (it would be too tiny to see in Z scale - think the size of a strand of spider web) not having the wires also makes it easier to work on the track and lots less to build.
But I digress - so what's so special about a Swiss pantograph? Well, you know the Swiss, they are very practical and completely willing to do things their own way. In typical Swiss fashion, it's really about tunnels. They love their tunnels in the alps. No pesky snow to remove in winter. Unfortunately, they dug a bunch of big tunnels (including my choice of modeling - the Gotthard) before electrification. Electrifying the lines came about because of coal shortages during the First World War, and the swiss had plenty of those mountains, which had plenty of streams, rivers, and this let to the exceptionally practical solution of hydroelectrical power to run their trains over those very same mountains. But there was a little bump in the road. Or to be precise, a little narrow spot in the loading gauge. See those tunnels were mostly rounded, and they were too narrow at the top for a traditional width pantograph. The normal width pantograph allows the overhead wire to wander a little left or right of track centerline, and no problem, the pantograph keeps contact. Now those practical and precise Swiss would have none of that. Why widen the tunnels when you can just narrow the pantograph? After all, they already had the tunnels dug out, but they pantograph was the new bit. Yes, they would have to be more precise with where the overhead wire was located (dead in the middle) but precision is what the Swiss do, so no problem!
And now you see why I needed some Swiss Pantographs - they are narrower - much narrower - than the Marklin Z scale unit.
But how to make them? Well, this was not an urgent project. It was one that was on the back burner for A. VERY. LONG. TIME. but spring is here and time to take a few things off the dusty "to do" list. So I fired up the CAD (Rhino v.6) and warmed up the 3d printer (Formlabs Form 2) and got to work. Here is a picture of my handy work:
This is version 1.0 - I'm sure it will get better. It is in a fix position to simulate being at wire contact level. I will also produce one that is folded down for the other end of the loco.
Maybe I should have named this "can your 3d printer do this? I don't think so!"
And now, back to working on the North American projects.
Adieu Schweizer Züge!
I found the new marlin "Green Cargo" Swiss loco irresistible, that and some Swiss tank and cement cars made a nice little train. But my pantographs are HUGE. I hadn't noticed that before. 
