# telelphone poles



## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Here's another newbie question.....
I'm planning on adding telephone poles along one long 7-foot straightaway on my HO layout but I'm not sure how far apart they should be spaced. 
If I stick to scale, one foot would be approximately 100 feet.
After they're glued down I'll be stringing thread from pole to pole for the "wires".
Any suggestions on spacing?
Thanks a bunch,
Bob


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

A typical 45 to 55 foot wood pole is 200 to 250 feet in real life. 60 and 65 foot wood poles are rarer do to needing heavier equipment to set them. The distance gets farther with steel and transmission equipment. A 45 footer is set 7 foot into the ground and 1 foot of depth is added to ever 5 foot length added on the pole. 
These are the specs for [email protected] in my area. It should be pretty uniform throughout the States.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

xnats,
Thanks for the statistics. My question is: how far apart should the poles be placed on my HO layout in order to be somewhat close to scale?
I need to place them evenly over a REAL 7' straightaway of track on my 4'X8' layout. Should they be 1 foot apart? More? Less? I really don't have a clue!
Help please,
Bob


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Well, I may have the answer to my own question.
According to info via google, the typical American telephone poles are placed at 125' apart in urban areas, and up to 300' apart in rural areas, depending on terrain.
So, I guess I can let my eye be the judge for what looks best on my layout 
I think I'll just set them up and see how they look. Please feel free to chime in with any other opinions before 5pm EST. That's when I head for the garage and some serious pole work 
Bob


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

raleets, They are typically spaced about 125 ft (38 m) apart in urban areas, or about 300 ft (91 m) in rural areas.
Scale for HO is 1 foot = 87 feet.
So urban spacing is about every 17.25 inches
And rural spacing is about every 41.25 inches
If your area is urban then 5 poles is all you will get.
and rural will only be 2 poles. not much of an effect. 
Not much of a look to it, so cheat a little and put in a pole for every few houses, or divide real life in half that will give you alot better of a look. I have seen most modelers shrink that spacing down to give it a more "in use" look to it.


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## novice (Feb 2, 2011)

raleets said:


> Well, I may have the answer to my own question.
> According to info via google, the typical American telephone poles are placed at 125' apart in urban areas, and up to 300' apart in rural areas, depending on terrain.
> So, I guess I can let my eye be the judge for what looks best on my layout
> I think I'll just set them up and see how they look. Please feel free to chime in with any other opinions before 5pm EST. That's when I head for the garage and some serious pole work
> Bob


While in no way an expert, I would have to agree with you - whatever looks right to you should be fine. That's how I would do it as well.

Unless of course you are interested in maintaining 100% accuracy for scale - then I would calc the distance based on scale and place them accordingly.

For me, the "eyes" have it


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

raleets,
If your going to use thread try dark gray it looks great.
You can wax the line to give it some weight and reduce the fuzz.
You can also soak the line in white glue then set leaving slack between poles the a drop of glue for the insulators.
I've also seen people use super glue after they are done to make the line stiff and fuzz resistant.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

fast and easy conversions always a handy bookmark. 
http://gardenstatecentral.com/scale_calc.html
I come up with 1.5 to 3 feet. I forgot to ask what time frame you are modeling. Older stuff is shorter and spaced closer. Don't forget about telephone, cable or telegraphs depending on the time frame 
Fishing line works pretty good too.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Guys,
Thanks for the input on the poles. :thumbsup: I'm going to be spanning about 84 inches total, so I think I'll place a pole about every 8". Yes, this is WAY too many to be in scale but, as Sean said, if I only have a few there won't be much of an effect. 
I'm also leaning toward black nylon fishing line. It has a little more "heft" than sewing thread and should hang more realistically between poles.
In any case, this hobby is for my own personal "fun and amusement", so I'm not too hung up on exact detail. 
Cheers,
Bob


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

> In any case, this hobby is for my own personal "fun and amusement", so I'm not too hung up on exact detail.


:appl::appl::worshippy::worshippy::appl::appl:
You stated that so perfectly!!!


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Thanks, Sean......
As I've stated frequently on this forum, this model RR thing started out with an el cheapo starter set off eBay to run around the yuletide tree. But, the little bugger was so much fun I decided to do a 4'X8' layout to shorten the long, cold Michigan winter. 
Now, about $500 later, I'm coming down the stretch to "finish" what I started the first week of January. Oh, yeah, I know they're never "finished", just like restoring a classic car (which I own three), but at least it's not in the raw stages anymore.
By sheer coincidence, I just finished viewing a model train video of a huge layout that they said took 30 years to build. Lo and behold, it included a scene with lots of telephone poles along side the track. But, guess what, there were NO lines on the poles!! :thumbsdown:This layout was super-duper detailed in every way, so I was blown away that there were NO lines on the poles. Duh! How lazy is that? 
Anywho, I'm headin' down to the dollar store for some stuff, then to the garage to set up my poles.
Thanks again for your suggestions,
Bob


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Thread makes great lines for between the poles. Coat thread will probably be about the right size.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Ya'know, I just realized I have a spool of small diameter florists wire that would do the job :thumbsup: I could shape it to look pretty real :thumbsup:
Not only that, but the frozen Michigan birds could come into the garage and sit on it just like they do outside to keep their tootsies warm 
What a deal....a cool train layout, and happy birds :laugh:
Uh, oh....what the hell do I do with all that bird doo-doo on my layout? 
Back to the drawing board,
Bob


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I think you're going to find that wire is harder to work with, it'll tend to keep it's shape and not hang like real electric lines.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Are you guys familiar with EZ Line ? I've seen this demonstrated at train shows, and it looks pretty impressive.

http://www.berkshirejunction.com/

Once there, click on the Scenery Products tab.

The stuff is flexible ... not what you'd want for a cantenary / drooped wire look, but great for a tight / tension wire look with easy installation and "give" for those accidental bumps.

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That probably works well, but a bit pricey. I've used coat button thread and it looks good. You get a lot longer length for a lot less money. Wire will get funny kinks in it and not look natural hanging from the poles.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

It is readily apparent that you guys didn't realize I was just spoofin' about using the florist wire 
I've already raided the wife's sewing basket and found some heavy-duty black thread that I've already tested. It will do the job :thumbsup:
Stringing and gluing the stuff will be a loooooooooooooong job 
Thanks again,
Bob


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You're right, we took you seriously. hwell: :laugh:


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Well, I've got good news :thumbsup: and bad news :thumbsdown:
The good news is that I'm half finished attaching the heavy-duty upholstery thread to my 11 telephone poles , but the bad news is that I went cross-eyed and half blind in the process 
I'm here to tell you that is one tedious job hwell: My telephone poles have two cross bars at the top. I've completed attachment of the thread to both ends of the lower cross bars over a stretch of 11 poles situated 8" apart.
That job took about two hours working non-stop. OK, I lied. I took time out for a few sips of my toddy to steady my nerves along the way 
Anyhow, it's already looking pretty cool and I can't wait to finish it off tomorrow night. 
By then my eyeballs should be refocused and ready for round two :laugh::laugh:
Are we havin' fun yet?
Bob


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Just think if you had 100 poles!


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Hurry it up and hit us with the pics already!


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

OMG!  100 poles???? Are you freakin' kidding me???? They would be scraping me off the floor 
OK, Sean, I'm about two weeks away from first pics. Then you'll all have a few yuks :laugh::laugh:
But, remember, this gig is strictly for my own "fun and amusement" and I'm getting my money's worth for sure :thumbsup:
Bob


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

raleets said:


> Anyhow, it's already looking pretty cool and I can't wait to finish it off tomorrow night.





raleets said:


> OK, Sean, I'm about two weeks away from first pics. Then you'll all have a few yuks :laugh::laugh:


O man is that low, you get us all psyched up to see something, then Whamm. No pictures for you, "Two Weeks". Stop watching the soup nazi on Seinfeld and hook us up man :laugh::laugh::laugh:
:ttiwwop:
Please


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Patience is such a virtue :laugh:
I've told my wife that this model RR thing is very similar to restoring a classic car......PATIENCE is golden :thumbsup:
Pictures will be coming for sure 
Bob


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

ok  wait we will


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Good news! I finished stringing the "wires" on my 11 telephone poles last night. They now have an upper and lower set (4 wires total) and, even if it sounds like bragging, they look pretty damned cool :thumbsup: In fact, the project turned out much better than I had hoped for. Now, once I get my eyes to uncross I can move on to some more scenery stuff. Trees are next and all the stuff to build them is on the way.
I also banged my head against the wall a few times and a few "boulders" fell out of my ears. They will also be used in the landscaping :laugh:
One of these days, when I take a break from scenery, I'll put the trains back on the tracks and watch 'em go 'round and 'round 
Cheers,
Bob


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Scott,
As soon as I finish planting the trees I'll send a load of pictures.
For sure within a couple weeks 
Bob


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