Re: Telegraph wires

The break-iron test stations we had on the D&RGW were simply made by deadending the line wire in each direction on the two insulators of the breakiron fixture (a short iron bar about 8 inches long with an insulator and pin at each end of it, and mounted on the top of the crossarm so the two insulators were in line with the wire to be cut at that point).

The line wire was pulled around the groove in the insulator, twisted about two "twists"on itself, then wrapped tightly for three "buttons" (like half a western union splice) with a "pigtail" left going straight down for a few inches from the last "button".

Then a short iron or copper wire jumper was simply connected from the line wire pigtail on one side of the break iron to the line wire pigtail on the other side of the break iron. The connections could either be wrapped and soldered to the pigtals or attached with split-bolt connectors, two on each end of the jumper at the pigtail.

If the wire subsequently needed to be opened at that point, the jumper was disconnected at one end for the test.

If the wire was to be "cut in" to the depot switchboard, the downleads were connected to the pigtails on the deadended wires in a similar fashion instead of the jumper .

Wish I could draw a picture of it here, but maybe you get the idea.....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2009 09:52PM by Etrump.