Telephone poles distances

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

what is the proper distance to install telephone poles in HO scale

thanks for all the hepl in the past. my layout is really starting to shape up.

pontoonman

2

Hi. There is no set or standard distance per se, because their position is dependant on a number of factors, not the least of which is terrain, sidewalk and curb positioning, and so on… HOwever, if you were to place them between 2’ and 30" apart, you should have something that looks quite reasonable and realistic. I would not separate them more than 30" as that is getting into the 200’+ range and would be somewhat long.

3

I live is a semi-rural/outer suburban region and, in fact, pole spacing locally is very close to 200’ as long as the street or highway is straight. Naturally, spacing becomes somewhat less if the street/highway is curving and the lines need to keep fairly parallel to it.

CNJ831

4

I like placing my telphone poles about 15 inches apart. This spacing looks about right in “HO” when viewed from a distance.

5

http://cprr.org/Museum/Ephemera/Telegraph_Pole_1864.html

"Lawrence K. Hersh reports that he found the spacing of the CPRR telegraph poles to be 30 poles per mile (176 ft span) "

http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/tech/cable.htm

Have fun

“Forty poles per mile, the usual pole spacing, gives a span of 132 ft or 40.2 metres. If we assume that each insulator provides 10MΩ insulation, then G = 10-7/40.2 = 2.5 x 10-9 S/m. This is a reasonable value for damp weather and a good line. In dry weather, values of 3000MΩ per mile are not uncommon. This gives G = 2 x 10-13 S/m. A reasonable average value might be G = 10-10 S/m.”

6

WOW anyway thanks for the help,

7

Another thing you might want to keep in mind: the difference between “power lines” and “telephone phones”. Where i live in Northern Maryland, the pure “telephone poles” seem spaced a little closer than the “power line poles”…

8

Pontoon,

There’s an article in the recent 2006 MR issue of How To Build Realistic Layouts called “Stringing details in the sky”, by Michael Burgett, about “pole lines” (pg. 30-33) Michael gives the following measurements under the heading Locating a pole line:

“On average, railroad poles are spaced 100 to 150 feet apart. Most poles are placed no closer than 13 feet from the closest rail, and the bottom wires should be a least 27 feet above ground.”

The above measurements would have the following equivilance in HO:

  • Spacing: 100 to 150 feet (13.75" - 27.5 20.6")
  • Closest rail: 13 feet (~1.75")
  • Wire above ground: 27 feet (~3.75")

I thought that it was a good and informative article, but I wanted more. The rest of the issue is very good, too.

I used Rix Products’ poles on my layout, went with the measurements that Michael suggested, and thought they both turned out well.

Tom

9

Bell Common Practices City poles telephone: 75 ft on street 40’ poles 6’ in ground. Tel cable 18’ off ground additional 40 inch minimum clearance to electric lines. Rear yards: 30ft light duty poles. Usually every other yard. Cable height varies 12-18ft depending on power share requirements. Rural: 75-100 feet. Tel cable 18’ off ground 40" clearance to electric lines.

10

hi pontoonman

13 poles per KM placed at such distance that should the pole rot and fall over it doesn’t fall on the railway line.

This will vary depending on which std height pole is being used don’t forget the access track between the pole line and railway line

The top lines are signal wires the next cross arm down is phone lines if it is a railway pole

regards John

11

That should be 20.6" at 150 feet.

12

Dewey,

[:I] Thanks for catching my error. [:)]

Tom