I was looking at a Bowser 3-rail O gauge trolley that's for auction up on "the bay". Anyone have some experience w/ these? How do they run, etc?
Thanks for any input...
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I've owned them and liked them. They ran well on 027 track/curves, and were easy to 'customize'
They are very reliable and with lubrication, will run forever. They were manufactured with e-units and without. The only difference was price. Essentially, there were two models, a Birney and a Brill. The Brill double truck model was more expensive. If you get one without an e-unit, they are easy to install. I have been running two of them on a point to point layout for years. Though no longer available, I installed a Pocono Mountain Lines electronic system that allows for stop & go and reverse operation. There are other systems that operate in a similar fashion that are available.
Oh man, your bidding on that one too!?
I have two of the Birneys that I run on super streets. A little oil now and then and they run and run and run.
B&OBill
I second all of the above. I bought one around 1980 for my daughter. She's a young lady of 36 now, and the trolley still runs great!
I use the chasses and trucks to power gas electrics and other critters, visiting Bowser once to pick a couple up. There were reverse units for them commonly available, but haven't looked for those lately. None I picked up or found elsewhere had them.
I had an old Pittman freight trolley. When Bowser took over they never released the freight version again. Make came with a Lionel E-unit. It ran fine but like any of the 50's electric trains it needed oiling and cleaning every once in awhile. I would have replaced the E-unit with an electronic one if I would have kept the loco. They are very nice machines and look good. Don
