Model Train Journal

Hi All,

I'm looking for something heavy-duty to simulate wire rope. EZ-Line, even the Heavy Duty variety, is just too thin. The wire rope will be used to hoist ladles and will be coiled around spools and pulleys. Chain is not a player here.

Appreciate the help,

George

Try to roll your from bell wire.

robert. wrote:Try to roll your from bell wire.

You're thinking of 20 gauge wire?

George

When I was just a wee lad, in my great-grandparent's garage, were all sorts of fishing poles (some about as big around as the grip on a baseball bat) and reels you had to hold with two hands.
I asked.
Marlins.
Off shore fishing.

The lines on one of the reels I imagine would look good for wire rope. Less than 1/8" OD.
That was almost 70 years ago, so I can't drive over and see where they got it.
And it won't stretch!

Thank you Robert and Dave. I'm thinking the stuff used to string post-war crane cars might be the right stuff. Or maybe fishing line in the dimensions Dave mentioned.

George

G3750 wrote:Hi All,
wire rope?
George

#3 picture hanging wire is perfect.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produ ... RPEALw_wcB

Picture-hanging wire looks good, but that stuff is a bear to bend and/or straighten/uncoil, and it tends to unravel, at least in my experience. Looks great, though, if you can get it to work for ya. Makes for nice-looking cable on a reel for your gondolas.

healey36 wrote:Picture-hanging wire looks good, but that stuff is a bear to bend and/or straighten/uncoil, and it tends to unravel, at least in my experience. Looks great, though, if you can get it to work for ya. Makes for nice-looking cable on a reel for your gondolas.

Paul's correct. The application is a bridge crane carrying ladles for an open hearth steel mill. Unfortunately, real wire will not behave like the prototype, i.e. it's not carrying enough weight to straighten it out and defeat any kinks. So I must use string or cord or something that mimics wire but doesn't behave like it.

I have identified 2 sources. My local hobby shop thinks it has some of the postwar crane string (or whatever it's called) and I am checking that out today. Yesterday, I contacted a postwar parts supplier who says they have an equivalent and are sending me some, along with 2 crane/pulley assemblies.

Hopefully, one way or another, the problem is solved.

I will report back my findings.

Thanks to all who responded.

George

Perhaps inappropriate for this application, but I've found some nice-looking fine chain in the jewelry-making department at the local craft store (Michael's). I've used that stuff for various purposes, including tie-downs on flat cars. Works pretty well, looks decent, but it's not real strong; it won't stand up to too much tightening.

I was playing around with some basic things trying to get the look your after. The only unusual thing I used is this roll of string that was my dads. Must be every bit of 50 years old. They don’t make things the way they use to but I’d bet something similar is still around today.

I sprayed it down with aged gray paint, pulled it down with a rag to matt everything down. Wrapped it around a dowel. The piece you see hanging is by it’s own weight. Not bad for minimal resources and time.

Greg,

I remember stuff like that. Lasted forever, not like today.

I think it looks pretty good.

George

George

Don't think it has anything to do with the good ol' days (real or embellished) as much as it looks like Greg's spool is intended for use on an industrial machine. Makes me think a canvas working or sailmaking business.

So, check out sailmakers and boat supply people. They have braided and laid small-stuff in a wide variety, so a good chance of finding something really good.

No-one has mentioned diameter yet, but 1" wire rope is nicely modelled with #1 or #2 suture silk. Anything bigger, see the above.

Country Gray is an interesting choice of cable color.
In most steel mill pictures, everything looks black.

A closer look:

A look at a Lionel Crane car that was once in the North West Museum:


Its rope:


Size is 4/64 or 48x0.0625 = 3 inches in 1:48 scale.