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The Atlas Trolley runs fine on D-21 'Streets roadways, but jumps the rails about 70 degrees into a D-16 roadway curve, as its trucks can't swivel quite enough to accommodate the 14 3/8 (center rail to center rail) diameter of the D-16 curves.

 

Here it is after a simple mod: you have to disassemble the entire thing although no wires have to be disassembled.  The swivel angles of the trucks are limited to D-21 by two curved slots in the chassis - one above each truck, through which small screws from the truck project up inside the slot, moving inside the slot.  I just removed the screws (in the photo after the video: the screws do not hold the trucks on or have any sgtructural role, they just limit the trucks movement).  Reassembled (care is needed to put the bump-and-go switch back correctly), it runs as good as it ever did but now chugs through D-16 as if made for it.  If curves were any tighter you would have to remove a little plastic on the sides to prevent interference between trucks and trolley body, but on D-16 that is no necessary - it just clears.  

 

I prefer the Atlas trolley to all others based on looks and size - it just "fits" my 'Streets better.  Stick out on curves is about 7/16 inch (see final photo below), which means parked cars and traffic in the other lane have to watch out, but it runs nicely.

 

Screws for swivel limiters

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Atlas Trolley on D-16
Last edited by Lee Willis
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Originally Posted by Richard E:

Stick out on curves is about 7/16 inch which means parked cars and traffic in the other lane have to watch out, but it runs nicely.

 

Lee:

That overhang was a problem with the real street cars. It was especially problematic with the big Interurban cars

 Then this buy is very realistic!  Seriously, I suppose it was as real a problem for real trolleys as here.  

 

Spence has a point - the trolley is a bit too large.  Bu tas Quarter Gauger 48 said, it does blend in and looks okay when on the layout (photo below).  I like this trolley best because its smaller than the Williams trolley (which is much longer with even greater overhang) and not that much bigger than Lionel's Birney, which sticks out, too, but looks too toy-like to me.  It's nice looking: I don't run it much mostly because it doesn't play well with other traffic, due to the 

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Lee,  I think it looks just fine on the street scene.  My father ran a trolley in NYC befor the war.  They were always a little clumsey, as the tracks were put in place many years befor all the autos came along.  And autos got biger and biger as time went forward.  Then no more trolleys...but the subways grew.  All trolley motormen were re

assigned as subway motormen.   WW2 broke out. My father was drafted.  After the war, he returned home, to find out his old trolley line was completely gone and was now subway motorman....He wasn't too happy with the change as he loved the trolley.............being out doors and not under ground.............   

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