Ye Olde Traveler Track

My current theatre has three very old traveler tracks for masking legs. The attached image is a cross section of them with measurements in mm. As you can see they have a unusual V shapes at the bottom for the carrier wheels to ride, unlike more modern track which has flat areas for the carrier wheels.
I currently have pivoting carriers for three sets of legs that work with the track. Any idea as to where I could other carriers that would work with this track? Do I make customs ones or is it just time to start saving pennies to replace our traveler tracks. Thanks.

Is the track steel or extruded aluminum? Any manufacturer's marking on it? Can you post a picture of an existing carrier? Due to geography, I'd contact Stagecraft Industries of Portland, OR to see if they might know of it. Any idea how old the track is? @BillConnerASTC , @egilson1 , @MPowers , @Ted jones all deal with a lot of track; perhaps one of them will know.

I don't know whose track it is but have seen it. Have you tried a standard carrier, with flat tires though edges are radiused? I suspect the original were rounded. You might get in touch directly with H&H specialties and see what they have to say.

Thanks. Will do.

PM sent. I'm also in Spokane and have seen that in a couple of venues.

RickR said:

PM sent. I'm also in Spokane and have seen that in a couple of venues.

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Talked to H&H. They stopped making that track back in 1990, so it looks like getting custom carriers made or getting new track are my options. I wonder if I could find a modern carrier that fits the track and just change the wheels to ones that ride the v-groove. Here's my current carriers.

Could you just replace the wheels on the current carriers, or are you looking for a change - like from the roto-drapers to plain carriers?

How many feet of track?

You might look around Home Depot, etc., and see if wheels for garage doors or pocket doors would be adaptable. (I recently made a custom carrier for a kind of odd pocket door in my house - using parts from H&H.)

@RickR is a good guy and works at a theater dealer in Spokane. If he can't help you, call PNTA in Seattle and talk to Si (as in short for Silas). Si is the northwest's best expert on draperies and track... I'll send you a PM with is direct phone line. If Si doesn't know, it doesn't exist.

Thanks everybody for your help. I got a bit more info from Kathy at H&H. My particular track and carriers were made by Weaver Manufacturing which closed in 1959. She asked if we do put in new track if they could have one of the old tracks and carriers for their archive. Looks like I have an antique on my hands.

A Dysz said:

Thanks everybody for your help. I got a bit more info from Kathy at H&H. My particular track and carriers were made by Weaver Manufacturing which closed in 1959. She asked if we do put in new track if they could have one of the old tracks and carriers for their archive. Looks like I have an antique on my hands.

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Cool! Yeah, those are some beefy roto-drapers, I had a feeling they were old.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the vote @gafftaper.
FYI I'm no longer with a dealer, but have left all ties to equipment sales for pure consulting. Not that I don't know the folks in sales

@A Dysz do you just need more carriers or something else? We might be able to scare up a few old parts or help sort out the costs of retrofit. (Like how old are your drapes?)

A Dysz said:

Thanks everybody for your help. I got a bit more info from Kathy at H&H. My particular track and carriers were made by Weaver Manufacturing which closed in 1959. She asked if we do put in new track if they could have one of the old tracks and carriers for their archive. Looks like I have an antique on my hands.

Click to expand...

Two thoughts:
1 - At least your tracks aren't wood.
2 - If you're trying to hold costs down and delay expenditures, you could always replace one track at a time and use the carriers from one track to keep its older mates working.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

Mice are cheap. Buy a few different ones and see what works. Then buy more of that one.

Dual V wheels may work for you. I can't seem to find external V single wheels like you have. but it looks like you could find some dual-V wheels that would fit.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...60083870937.html?spm=a2700.7724857.0.0.2Gg8cs

I've seen some old examples of that style track that I believe Tru-roll may have made, as well. They may be worth contacting.

We manufacture track, also however its not our core business. If you cannot find any answers or would like competitive pricing, send me a PM with what you are looking for.

@A Dysz - I just spoke to the installer in town that will be removing a bunch of similar track. Call Kevin at http://vipproductionnw.com/ (was Silhouette) and see it they really are the same. Or call me and I'll give you his cell.

He also says there is more old stuff in the shop than I knew. They might have 'new' carriers to fit!