Model Catenary Systems
This article is in work and will be based on either three or four articles on this topic in Eisenbahn Magazin starting with the September 2001 issue. In the meantime you can review these tables. Your patience is appreciated.
Catenary Systems
| Appearance | Märklin | Vollmer | Sommerfeldt | Sommerfeldt
Profi |
Viessmann A |
Viessmann B |
| Masts | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Tower masts | 6 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Accessories | 5 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
| Cross spans | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Wire | 5 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Color | 7 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Subtotal | 35 | 37 | 52 | 56 | 47 | 47 |
| Technical merits | ||||||
| Mounting | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
| Security | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 9 |
| Functionality | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 |
| Wire | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Stability | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Cleanliness | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| Subtotal | 54 | 51 | 53 | 47 | 45 | 51 |
| TOTAL | 89 | 88 | 105 | 103 | 92 | 98 |
Total possible score is 120. So, a simple calculation shows the following:
| Manufacturer | Score, % |
| Märklin | 74.1 |
| Vollmer | 73.3 |
| Sommerfeldt | 87.5 |
| Sommerfeldt Profi | 85.8 |
| Viessmann A | 76.6 |
| Viessmann B | 81.6 |
Sources:
Strecken Elektrifizierung, Eisenbahn Magazin, 9/2001, p. 84.
Sommerfeldt-Draht im Lot, Eisenbahn Magazin, 10/2001, p. 100.
Vorbildgerecht bei einfacher Handhabung, Eisenbahn Magazin, 11/2001.