High tension power line connections

[trailrider]

I have a small coal-fired electric power plant (HO scale) and three (3) high-tension towers. The question I have is how would the power plant be connected to the high-tension wires? Would I need to have a substation adjacent to the power plant? Or is there a connection that would connect the plant directly to the power lines?

[otiscnj]

I'm no electrical engineer, but there is usually 'switching yard' adjacent to most power plants, even small ones. There is usually at least one transformer in the 'yard.'

[trailrider]

Originally Posted by otiscnj

I'm no electrical engineer, but there is usually 'switching yard' adjacent to most power plants, even small ones. There is usually at least one transformer in the 'yard.'

Thanks! I've looked at the substation in the Walthers catalog, but don't think I have enough room adjacent to my power plant to fit the whole thing. I may either try to reduce it in size or have the wires starting out behind the power plant, giving the illusion that the substation or switching facility is there, out of view.

[waltr]

Try using Google Earth or Map to locate some power plants. Then it should be pretty clear how the transmission wires connect.

[Burlington Bob]

otiscnj has it right. At the nuke that I'm working at now, there is a very large transformer where the wires come out of the turbine building that is connected to the turbine. The wires go about 75 yards to a switch yard that distributes the electricity to the power lines to deliver to the public. There are two reactors that generate about 1200 MW's apiece and I believe there are three sets of power lines leading away from the plant for each reactor/turbine.

[otiscnj]

Model Power used to have a 'substation/yard' that included a lot of insulators in 3's that might be smaller than the walthers yard/transformer. Concor years ago (80's) had an even smaller transformer and insulators. These should be ok for the older brick powerplant,but not the more modern power station.

As I recall, transmission towers have multiples of 3 lines, as each line handles a different phase of the power, off the transformer. As I recall from my basic EE course, two lines should come out of the turbine/generator room to the first transformer, perhaps, if you want to please the EE nitpickers.

[trailrider]

Originally Posted by otiscnj

Model Power used to have a 'substation/yard' that included a lot of insulators in 3's that might be smaller than the walthers yard/transformer. Concor years ago (80's) had an even smaller transformer and insulators. These should be ok for the older brick powerplant,but not the more modern power station.

As I recall, transmission towers have multiples of 3 lines, as each line handles a different phase of the power, off the transformer. As I recall from my basic EE course, two lines should come out of the turbine/generator room to the first transformer, perhaps, if you want to please the EE nitpickers.

Oh, I'm just looking for the general impression of the lines coming from a 1950's-era small coal-fired plant. Not much room where the plant is located, though I do have a small area adjacent to it where the Walthers transformer can go. I'm assembling that now. Just as long as the primary wires can come directly from the building itself, I can fit things in. Not sure exactly where I'll run the high tension lines to. I am adjacent to a large city, but might run the wires in a "disappearing" perspective over a hill near the city, so I don't have to connect to anything specific.

Thanks to all for the info.

[waltr]

Sounds like a good plan since there really isn't a need to show everything to the correct scale.
Maybe the switching yard could be on the backdrop.