The most beautiful catenary in the world...

tverskaya

Member
Don't have any pictures to share about my layout (yet), so I'll share this little snapshot I made last weekend:

24th of June, Hollandse Rading, Netherlands. Train pictured is a Mat.64, plan V. The regular short distance material used by the NS (Dutch Railroads).

But what's so special are the catenary masts. Beautifully round and made of concrete. As a kid I grew up thinking that in most of the world they were like this and found the straight lines of the regular steel masts ugly as anything. So what's the story behind them? As far as I've been told, this line was electrified during the occupation by Germany (1940-1945) and as steel was needed elsewhere, this solution to use concrete was chosen.

As far as I know, the line between Utrecht and Hilversum is the only place in the world with this kind of catenary masts.
 

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interurban

Active Member
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzaaaaaaaaaaaapppppppppppppppp

I like it!!!!!:wave:

announce1 I do hope you are going to model this splendid line:D
 

wickman

Member
Pretty cool looking piece of machinery it looks ultra modern . I bet the birds would just slide off that onesign1
 
Dunno, I think that's pretty bland. I prefer the uprigts with multiple wires, powerlines and all running them. to me the chaos of it is beautiful. so as the say, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
 

MilesWestern

Active Member
Wow, that is UTLRA- modern, and very cool, not to mention astheticly pleasing! :)

In contrast, those are THE ugliest looking 'trainsets' I've ever seen! They look like yellow mashed potatoes with windows! sign1
 

grumbeast

Member
I've seen similair pictures of Catenary like that on the SNCF, I have a pic in a book I picked up in Avignon a few years ago, I'll see if I can find any other links. I'll try and remember to look up the ref in the book (I don't speak French much to my shame, but the pics are awesome and I can get my wife to translate). I know the picture is from the 60s I believe so they're not a modern invention

BTW, I love those old NS units, I spent 2 weeks in Leiden last year and we travelled a lot by rail, They are pretty run down but it was neat to ride in them. They're not ugly! :)


Graham
Graham
 

Triplex

Active Member
That is nice-looking catenary!
Wow, that is UTLRA- modern, and very cool, not to mention astheticly pleasing!
Sometimes industrial design from the Forties looks more "modern" than actual modern design.
Surfed around a bit and it has already been modelled by some people: http://www.gotischeboog.com/newpage2.html
That second picture looks like it could be the real thing - until you notice the contact studs between the rials, that is.
 

tverskaya

Member
I lived in Leiden myself for two years and commuted with exactly those trains for years too, so maybe I can't appreciate them as much anymore. Whether beautiful or ugly - they certainly are unique. To my delight, at another route on which I travel fairly often, the train always passes a yard where a couple of these are stored in their old 1960's dark green livery. Have thought many times taking a few snapshots of them.

And that layout featuring these indeed looks awesome. And a shame that they used a three-rail system...
 
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