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Stud Contact System
The stud contact system is an obsolete ground-level power supply system for electric trams. The studs were cylinders with their tops flush with the road surface, and connected to an electrical cable underground. The studs contained a switch mechanism that made an electrical connection with the top of the stud when a car with a strong magnet at its underside passed over it, before automatically disconnencting. Electrical current was collected from the studs by a "skate" or " ski collector" under the tramcar. Stud contact systems were implemented from 1899 to 1921, and were short-lived due to safety issues. For example, one system by Diatto had switches that contained mercury, which often leaked or adhered to the side of the stud cylinder and kept the exposed top electrified. A system by Dolter implemented switches with pivot arms, which tended to get stuck in the electrified position. Similar systems were operated by Thomson-Houston in Monaco from 1898 to 1903, by František Kři� ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ground-level Power Supply
Ground-level power supply, also known as surface current collection or, in French, ''alimentation par le sol'' ("feeding via the ground"), is a concept and group of technologies that enable electric vehicles to collect electric power at ground level instead of the more common overhead lines. Ground-level power supply systems date to the beginning of electric tramways. Often they were implemented where the public expressed an aesthetic desire to avoid overhead lines. Some of the earliest systems used conduit current collection. Systems in the 21st century, such as Alstom APS, Ansaldo Tramwave, CAF ACR, and Elways, were developed to modern standards of safety and reliability, and added the ability to supply power to electric buses, trucks, and cars. Some ground-level power supply systems use efficient, energy-dense capacitors and batteries to power portions of an electric transit system—for example, enabling buses and trains to charge their batteries during station stops. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conduit Current Collection
Conduit current collection is an obsolete system that was used by some electric tramways to pass current to streetcars via a "conduit", a small tunnel under the roadway. Modern systems fall under the term ground-level power supply. The system is primarily composed of a channel, or conduit, excavated under the roadway; the conduit is positioned either between the running rails, much in the same fashion as the cable for cable cars, or underneath one of the rails; a car is connected to a "plow" or "plough" that runs through the conduit and delivers power from two electric rails at the sides of the conduit to the car's electric motor. Plows were manually attached and detached from cars as they switched rail lines. Conduit current collection systems were implemented as early as 1881 with the Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway. It proved to be much more expensive, complicated, and trouble-prone than overhead wires. When electric street railways became ubiquitous, conduits were only used in th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Third Rail (model Railroading)
The use of a third rail in rail transport modelling is a technique that was once applied, in order to facilitate easier wiring. Early train sets Pre-war train sets from makers such as Hornby were almost entirely O gauge, either clockwork or electric, with the electric sets using a three rail system. Both the track and rolling stock were made from pressed, lithographed tinplate, with a few pieces of die-cast zinc or turned brass. The third rail was insulated from the tinplate sleepers by insulating fibre washers. Post-war, there was a shift from O gauge to half-size scales of HO and OO. Improved technology at this time, particularly for moulded plastic components, made two-rail electrification practical. Many of the new generation of scenic railway modellers scratch-built their new locomotives for two-rail, although this was far from universally accepted. Most of the commercial train set makers continued with three-rail systems for some time. Difficulties of two-rail Us ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Live Steam
Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam may be used to operate stationary or moving equipment. A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for heritage, museum, entertainment, or recreational purposes, to distinguish them from similar devices powered by electricity, internal combustion, or some other more convenient method but designed to look as if they are steam-powered. Revenue-earning steam-powered machines such as mainline and narrow gauge steam locomotives, full-sized steamships, and the worldwide electric power-generating industry steam turbines are not normally referred to as "live steam". Steamrollers and traction engines are popular, in 1:4 or 1:3 scale, as are model stationary steam engines, ranging from pocket-size to 1:2 scale. Railroads or railways Ridable, large-scale live steam railroading on a ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Railroad Switch
A railroad switch (American English, AE), turnout, or (set of) points (Commonwealth English, CE) is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one Rail tracks, track to another, such as at a Junction (rail), railway junction or where a Branch line, spur or Siding (rail), siding branches off. Design The parts of a turnout are known by different names in different jurisdictions. The main terms in U.S. and UK usage are shown in the selectable diagrams. In this article, the U.S. term is listed first and UK second, in parentheses. The most common type of switch consists of a pair of linked tapering rails, known as ''points'' (''switch rails'' or ''point blades''), lying between the diverging outer rails (the ''stock rails''). These points can be moved laterally into one of two positions to direct a train coming from the point blades toward the straight path or the diverging path. A train moving from the narrow end toward the point blades (i.e. it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
H0 Scale
HO or H0 is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale (3.5 mm to 1 foot). It is the most popular scale of model railway in the world. The rails are spaced apart for modelling standard gauge tracks and trains in HO. The name HO comes from 1:87 scale being ''half'' that of O scale, which was originally the smallest of the series of older and larger 0, 1, 2 and 3 gauges introduced by Märklin around 1900. Rather than referring to the scale as "half-zero" or "H-zero", English-speakers have consistently pronounced it and have generally written it with the letters HO. In other languages it also remains written with the letter H and number 0 (zero); in German it is thus pronounced as . In Japan, many models are produced using 1:80 scale proportions (16.5mm track is still used). History After the First World War there were several attempts to introduce a model railway about half the size of 0 scale that would be more suitable for smaller home layouts and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
00 Gauge
OO gauge or OO scale (also, 00 gauge and 00 scale) is the most popular Standard-gauge railway, standard gauge model railway standard in the United Kingdom, outside of which it is virtually unknown. OO gauge is one of several 4 mm scale, 4 mm-scale standards (4 mm to , or 1:76.2), and the only one to be marketed by major manufacturers. The OO track gauge of (same as the 1:87 HO scale) corresponds to prototypical gauge of , rather than standard gauge. However, since the 1960s, other gauges in the same scale have arisen – 18.2 mm (EM gauge, EM) and 18.83 mm (Protofour, Scalefour) — to reflect the desire of some modellers for greater scale accuracy. Origin Double-0 scale model railways were launched by Bing (company), Bing in 1921 as "The Table Railway", running on track and scaled at 4 mm to the foot. In 1922, the first models of British prototypes appeared. Initially all locomotives were powered by clockwork, but the first electric power appeared in 1923 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
HO Gauge
HO or H0 is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale model, scale (3.5 mm to 1 foot). It is the most popular scale of Rail transport modelling, model railway in the world. The rails are spaced apart for modelling standard gauge tracks and trains in HO. The name HO comes from 1:87 scale being ''half'' that of O scale, which was originally the smallest of the series of older and larger 0, 1 gauge, 1, 2 gauge, 2 and 3 gauges introduced by Märklin around 1900. Rather than referring to the scale as "half-zero" or "H-zero", English-speakers have consistently pronounced it and have generally written it with the letters HO. In other languages it also remains written with the letter H and number 0 (zero); in German it is thus pronounced as . In Japan, many models are produced using 1:80 scale proportions (16.5mm track is still used). History After the First World War there were several attempts to introduce a model railway about half the size of 0 scale that w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
O Gauge
O scale (or O gauge) is a scale commonly used for toy trains and rail transport modelling. Introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s. In Europe, its popularity declined before World War II due to the introduction of smaller scales. O gauge had its heyday when model railroads were considered toys, with more emphasis placed on cost, durability, and the ability to be easily handled and operated by pre-adult hands. Detail and realism were secondary concerns, at best. It still remains a popular choice for those hobbyists who enjoy running trains more than they enjoy other aspects of modeling, but developments in recent years have addressed the concerns of scale model railroaders making O scale popular among fine-scale modellers who value the detail that can be achieved. The size of O is larger than OO/HO layouts, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rail Transport Modelling Scales
Rail transport modelling uses a variety of scales (ratio between the real world and the model) to ensure scale models look correct when placed next to each other. Model railway scales are standardized worldwide by many organizations and hobbyist groups. Some of the scales are recognized globally, while others are less widespread and, in many cases, virtually unknown outside their circle of origin. Scales may be expressed as a numeric ratio (e.g. 1/87 or 1:87) or as letters defined in rail transport modelling standards (e.g. HO, OO, N, O, G, TT and Z.) The majority of commercial model railway equipment manufacturers base their offerings on '' Normen Europäischer Modellbahnen'' (NEM) or National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) standards in most popular scales. Terminology Although '' scale'' and '' gauge'' are often confused, ''scale'' means the ratio between a unit of measurement on a model compared with a unit of measurement in corresponding full size prototype, whi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Märklin
Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin (stylized as ma̋rklín) (MÄRKLIN or MAERKLIN in capital letters) is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg. Although it originally specialised in doll house accessories, today it is best known for model railways and technical toys. In some parts of Germany and in Sweden, the company's name is almost synonymous with model railways. History Märklin was founded by in 1859. After his death in 1866, early in the company's life, his wife Caroline Märklin lead the business until 1888. and took over the company from her, and Märklin released its first wind-up train with carriages that ran on standardised track in 1891, noting that railway toys had the potential to follow the common practice of doll's houses, in which the initial purchase would be enhanced and expanded with more accessories for years after the initial purchase. To this end, Märklin offered additional r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
