Mister Rogers Trolley?

Thank you Paul, from the bottom of my...sneakers

You're welcome, from the bottom of mine and Fred's.... that's me in the red hat, circa 1990...

Thanks for your kind words.... I think both trolleys were at the Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood museum exhibit at the Carnegie museum in Pittsburgh. But that's been taken down and replaced with elements of the current "Daniel Tigers' Neighborhood" animated series. ... https://pittsburghkids.org/exhibits/fred-rogers-us 

    You'd think they might run them together showing the kids the history of Daniel at a museum. Hopefully they do, I didn't really look, as the scrolling was uncontrollable for me there. From the top, straight to the bottom each time I tried

Paul, in your picture here, you look even younger today. Wishin' I could pull that off

Paul Lally posted:

Khayden93 posted:

I remember a article about the trolley in model railroader ill see if I can find it in my notebook I have full of articles

I was the television director/writer for Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, 1981-1990, and built the HO scale version of the trolley seen at the beginning of every program. We used fish line to pull it across as the camera zoomed into Fred's house. I wrote a feature on it for Model Railroad, and to my joy, they accepted it. 

Fred was a kind, gentle, funny, man who celebrated life, and showed kids how to do the same. 

Including a big kid: me.

.

An outstanding children's show with thoughtfulness and sincerity. I remember the MR article also.

Paul, Many Thanks for stopping by our neighborhood.

Hey all..... Sorry for the lack of updates..... I never even got a chance to start on the bench, and the trolley needs a TOTAL rebuild. Long story short, my wife's continuous heartlessness, failure to be there for me when I was having MAJOR heart problems (caused ENTIRELY by her BS), and her recent psychotic episodes, have had me hospitalized and I was left with no choice at all to leave her. 

I hope to begin the rebuild VERY soon, but our home was owned by her family, I am permanently disabled and can't work due to old injuries, and I don't even have a roof over my head right now, and my disability checks will take a while to sort out now that I have no address. 

Anyone need a trolley builder? Lol 

Not trying to give a sob story, but in communications with people on here, I know a lot of people were waiting on updates. Sorry, all..... Forced delay of plans 

Wow. I once lost my girl, business, and rental home in two days time, but still don't think I trade situations with you.

If you need to rant, emails in my profile. Being in Michigan I can't see this extra room doing you any good but it should be empty in 29 days, it would be a couch till then. 

You won't destroy a lifetime of tools in a year will you ?

Wow!  Where do I begin? 

I'll spare you all the boring story,  but in a pinch,  my 32 year old body had a pretty decent heart attack.  Either tomorrow,  or Monday,  I take possession of a beautiful 36 ft motor home,  with a slide out,  that I will be living in,  and traveling the country,  once medically cleared.  Most likely this month,  current hope is to leave early September for Yellowstone.  Trolley building will resume in the next few days,  as well.  I got everything I need to replace what pieces can't be saved,  and the trolley will go behind the couch,  in the slide-out. Eventually,  couch will be gone,  and a replica of Mr Rogers seat at the tracks will be there.  As you sit in the couch,  you're looking at the booth that converts into a bed,  which I am going to completely eliminate,  and install my desk that has a certain bust of Shakespeare, where the head flips back.  I also have a batphone I made for the desk,  and a sliding bookcase,  which will be the door to my bedroom.  When I originally built all that,  I was living in a 5th wheel with no slide-out.  This remodel should be easy.  However,  given the heart attack,  and the fact the wife still hasn't signed her papers,  I need to not go to too much work just yet,  so the trolley will likely be a display on the desk for a while.  

Anyways, my point is,  trolley will be revived soon.  I don't want to sound arrogant,  but I honestly think I made the best working replica I've ever seen,  and I'm pretty proud of it. 

This was made a few years ago by Dale Sutters. I belive he had 100 made. they were wood. If I remember this was in the 1980s.

What was? I don't see a link or attachment

Do not have a link it was at least 20 years ago. Dale was a member of the Fort Pitt Division,TCA. I was on the Board back the Dale came to a meeting and explained what he was going to do. I am sure some one out there has one I will ask in my group I have a friend that keeps everything he might have a copy of the order form. Like I said he made 100 of them.

I belive this is correct. G scale made by the Holgate Co. Kane Pa.  Powered by someone else. 100 Made.

Good luck, Trolley Mike.

Lionel should make a MR ROGERS TROLLEY with a sound chip inside with Fred's recorded voice saying in rotation:

"Won't you be my neighbor?"
"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood"
"Let's go to the land of make believe."

Mike Mottler
   Former Manager of four PBS Stations
   One of which hosted a wonderful visit by Mr. McFeeley 

Mike H Mottler posted:

Lionel should make a MR ROGERS TROLLEY with a sound chip inside with Fred's recorded voice saying in rotation:

"Won't you be my neighbor?"
"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood"
"Let's go to the land of make believe."

Mike Mottler
   Former Manager of four PBS Stations
   One of which hosted a wonderful visit by Mr. McFeeley 

 

 

  The fact so little has been done with our electric pal has always been a mystery to me. It's the kind of thing you buy whether your 6 or 60, for a gift, or for yourself. Too cool to pass on. I bet those 100 custom jobs disappeared fast.

I have two of the motorized G scale trolleys.  One has the original box and and an insert with some background information.  I know where the trollies are but would have to search for the box since we moved two years ago, but I know I have it.

If the show trolley was pulled by a chain drive, it would be closer to a CABLE car than a trolley.  However, a SFO MUNI cable car could control its engagement to the cable via the grip and gripman,  unlike the model, which was connected full time. 

FINALLY!!!!!!!!

Now that I am FINALLY free from my nightmare marriage, once again own my own home, and have gotten my health back on the good side, I FINALLY was able to begin reconstruction. I was nothing short of shocked at how many original pieces we're salvageable. Gotta remake the black side skirts, repair one bench, and fix blemishes, then repaint (go away, rain), then on Friday I will begin the slow gradual process of building the bench Mister Rogers sat on to bring it out. Also, I will use this opportunity to make the roof signs more accurate dimensions, and make the seat ends more orange in color. The pillars will be straight once the roof is actually mounted. it's just sitting there right now. 

Mike,

Glad to see your life is improving now, and the project looks like it got back on its feet.

I'm really not one to talk down about women, but this was really a case of leaving her, was the smartest, and best thing I've ever dine for myself. that being said....

With as violently as the trolley was thrown, I was SHOCKED that all but 3 original parts we're salvageable. had I known, I'd have rebuilt it long ago. 

In the spirit of honesty, too, I've made my old school Batman desk and moving bookshelf door a higher priority than the trolley. mainly because they take up so much more room lol. just can't decide if I want the trolley in my living room, or the room behind the book case. 

I have gotten a little more done, though. all that's left is paint and mounting the roof. the pillars don't lean back, as the pics make it seem. they lean out to help grab the roof before the glue sets.

In this episode you can see the bottom of the trolley. It's around 10:00 or so. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aPIVxHXtOk

John

I'll never forget the episode when they turned the trolley into a school bus.  I watched with the type of morbid curiosity that most people save for a fatal car crash.  Somehow though, Mister Rogers made it all ok.  

Does anyone know the history of the full sized open car used on the Mister Rogers ride at Idlewild Park?

I knew nothing about it until now.

  All you did was make me very curious  

I have to ask...does William Shakespeare's head tilt back revealing the secret switch to the Batcave?  After all I see you have the phone.

Trolley Mike posted:

On an unrelated note, where'd you get that shirt? Looks like the hood markings on a WW2 Jeep in the European theater!

baltimoretrainworks posted:

Why is it when ever anyone on the forum talks of the possibility if whatever being made someone always has to interject the "licensing rights" issue as if none of us knows? 

 

Jerry

Having done a lot of work in a hobby based biz since 1985 I tend to agree with the 'licensing'  arguments. 

I have made licensing agreements with folks like Ms Tim Flock all the way to Ford and Goodyear. Not a single license is the same EXCEPT they all want compensation!!!

Back around 1990's licensing went from legal and trademark protection to a profit center. Harley Davidson started making more money off licensing than sell motorcycles. So every new MBA figured they could do the same. It only made licensing a nightmare and made costly licensing, for many...not all, common. 

So because of the trolley needed to be licensed and the perceived value of said license it would be almost impossible to make money. Now....one note.....there are some folks out there that still license at a reasonable cost to protect themselves and their licensee.  But these are VERY few and far between and are 99.999% of the time individualizes honored to have a model of Daddy's race car made. Kinds doubt Mr Rogers is in that world. IMHO Only!!!  

AMCDave posted:

baltimoretrainworks posted:

Why is it when ever anyone on the forum talks of the possibility if whatever being made someone always has to interject the "licensing rights" issue as if none of us knows? 

Having done a lot of work in a hobby based biz since 1985 I tend to agree with the 'licensing'  arguments. 

I have made licensing agreements with folks like Ms Tim Flock all the way to Ford and Goodyear. Not a single license is the same EXCEPT they all want compensation!!!

Why do people feel the need to bring it up? Because so many people don't get licensing. Think of all the "Calvin peeing on stuff" stickers you still see on trucks, years after the Calvin and Hobbes strip quit running in newspapers. Bill Watterson, the creator, never got a dime off those stupid stickers. As the writer/artist retained the rights to that comic (something I still don't understand how he managed), the syndicate had no dog in that fight, so no teams of lawyers went out into the wild, seeking those who made those stickers. Otherwise, things would have gotten ugly for those who'd made them. Watterson apparently didn't want to pay out for lawyers to go after them. I an hardly blame him but I can't imagine that doesn't stick in his craw every time he's behind a car or truck with such a sticker on it.

People inherently lack creativity, so they often copy and mimic the work of those who are creative. This means that people have to protect the stuff they worked hard to create. the masses view this as rude and selfish, throwing out phrases like, "Free use" with no idea of what that really means.

I'm not a huge fan of lawyers as I deal with them every day at work, but I fully support creator control over their product and the legal backing for it, in a world where otherwise, people will do everything they could to make a buck off your idea, every single time.

I have my work stolen on a regular basis. Then the thief sells my work as his, poorly copied, and makes money on ebay. It would cost me more than it's worth to TRY and resolve it. Then you get a judgement and the guy has no assets. Same with little stickers.......$1000's  to track down a guy in Mom's basement using a friends vinyl cutter and no assets. What did you win?? 

I comment on these issues to try and educate folks to the real world. Just the way it is today. 

PS...I just reread my post......I agree....in case I come across wrong

MartyE posted:

I have to ask...does William Shakespeare's head tilt back revealing the secret switch to the Batcave?  After all I see you have the phone.

  According to the 8/16 post above, it does. And he was working on the bookcase moving too.

    I hope he doing ok. I was following his stuff almost rabidly hoping on a video or ten   ....I also bombed him with "likes" today in hopes of getting his attention ......again 

AMCDave posted:

I have my work stolen on a regular basis. Then the thief sells my work as his, poorly copied, and makes money on ebay. It would cost me more than it's worth to TRY and resolve it. Then you get a judgement and the guy has no assets. Same with little stickers.......$1000's  to track down a guy in Mom's basement using a friends vinyl cutter and no assets. What did you win?? 

Tell that the Disney's corporate lawyers. they'll go after anyone, no matter how small time.

The Corporate Mouse is not to be trifled with!

Adriatic posted:

MartyE posted:

I have to ask...does William Shakespeare's head tilt back revealing the secret switch to the Batcave?  After all I see you have the phone.

  According to the 8/16 post above, it does. And he was working on the bookcase moving too.

    I hope he doing ok. I was following his stuff almost rabidly hoping on a video or ten   ....I also bombed him with "likes" today in hopes of getting his attention ......again 

 

Honly crap. He's Batman. 

p51 posted:

AMCDave posted:

I have my work stolen on a regular basis. Then the thief sells my work as his, poorly copied, and makes money on ebay. It would cost me more than it's worth to TRY and resolve it. Then you get a judgement and the guy has no assets. Same with little stickers.......$1000's  to track down a guy in Mom's basement using a friends vinyl cutter and no assets. What did you win?? 

Tell that the Disney's corporate lawyers. they'll go after anyone, no matter how small time.

The Corporate Mouse is not to be trifled with!

Disney and Coke are two of the toughest. 

But it's also the reason we can't get a nice O scale Disney Mark I, II or III Monorail.....to much $$$$....

If I had Disney's cash I'd go after this guy! 

Holy crap I forgot all about this! Let's see where do I begin?

i honestly haven't gotten very far. I've just been so busy that when I do have free time I just want to relax. I've FINALLY gotten the train set working that I'll be putting the HO model of the house with the Little wood trolley on, but I still have some minor details to finish before I actually install the track and all that. It's just laid out now. 

Full size trolley replica still sits as it was, repainted, but I haven't really done much with it yet. Every time I run it my dog tries to attack it lol if I can ever get anyone to haul off my old couch I'll have a place to build the bench.

yes the bookcase slides, yes the head tilts back and yes there's a switch and light I put in there. It's not the exact right switch but it's pretty darn close. I have the batmobile version of the phone too. Yes it's pretty obvious how to get into that room, but it's not as easy as you think. I gotta turn the power on to the system or it won't work, and the way to turn it on is deeply hidden far away from the rest of the stuff. When you're a single dude living alone in a 3 bedroom, this is the kinda crap you can get away with lol. That's my special room with all my guitar equipment and various other random crap. 

Anyways, thanks to all of you for the notifications and reminding me about this. That was exactly the kick in my fat butt that I needed to get motivated to get on finishing this stuff. No excuses, I just haven't gotten around to it. Guess I've been trying to do too many projects at once and the ones I was doing for myself kinda took a back seat somehow. Good timing too because I'm taking the holidays off and finally going to undo all the stress I've been under. Once I hit the reset button I should be able to hammer this stuff out in no time. 

I was hoping a handful of likes would wake you up 

I got a bump & go a while back and its been had to resist trying to cut it up.

I've wanted one since I was a kid

   Marty had me looking at the old "I'm Batman" commercials from Snickers and Wallmart both. Funny stuff.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoX-HkOcEuE

No Bat-signal? I figured youd have a stage spot with a Bat-silhouette too.

Hint: tiny Bat-hole, lazer cut in sheet metal, and focused for edge sharpness by distance from the lens.. I used to run Super-Troopers.

This was as easy as throwing away the rest of an old toy flashlight.

p51 posted:

AMCDave posted:

I have my work stolen on a regular basis. Then the thief sells my work as his, poorly copied, and makes money on ebay. It would cost me more than it's worth to TRY and resolve it. Then you get a judgement and the guy has no assets. Same with little stickers.......$1000's  to track down a guy in Mom's basement using a friends vinyl cutter and no assets. What did you win?? 

Tell that the Disney's corporate lawyers. they'll go after anyone, no matter how small time.

The Corporate Mouse is not to be trifled with!

Glad Disney lawyers go after all those scoundrels. Anyone can sugarcoat it as often and however they want to but the bottom line is that it's thievery and those people are despicable low life bottom feeding thieves, plain and simple!!!

   You would likely need the lawyers to "recover the money that belongs to you, but it is illegal practice and I believe falls under the FBI's jurisdiction. A complaint may not be speedily attended to, but a visit by them to ask the producer a few questions may put a stop to it.

   A store I worked at had them get involved once when some kid played music over the stores sound system. The store had to pay the royalties due and a small fine too if I'm not mistaken. The Fed was there on their day off....no complaints from the royalty holders.... unless they were with them and their kids 

  I'd like to see what it is Dave. Email if you think about it. I'd hate to end up with one you didn't have a hand in. 

   As long as it didn't effect my own production of things, I didn't pay it any mind though. There used to be a bumper sticker around with my 10th grade snowman/snowfake on it, originally printed on the cover of a music program, it reappeared about 10 years later. I just took it as a compliment, nobody was getting rich off it, and it was locally inspiring. It never got registered anyhow

jim pastorius posted:

Fred Rogers was an actor, what you saw on TV was him acting. My late wife dealt with him in her job, I met him and talked to him. What he did was an acting job not his true persona. A good scratch builder could make that trolley in O or G scale but I doubt if a large firm would for reasons stated

Fred Rogers actual training was in music composition, he wrote the music used on the program, and also I believe was an ordained minister in the presbytyrian church (not that that necessarily means a good person in of itself). From everything I have read about him, he pretty much was what you see is what you get, and really cared about kids (he was an ardent advocate of support for public tv programming for kids, among other things), and over the years I met people who knew and dealt with Fred Rogers, and they said they never met a kinder, nicer man, which can't be said about a lot of people who people think were nice, and weren't. 

Someone had asked where the original large scale trolley from the show is, and from what I can tell it is still at the Fred Rogers Center in Latrobe, PA.  At least it was there in Sept 2016.  

Check out this photo though.  Same trolley?  The description says, "Fred Rogers first appears as the on-camera host of "Misterogers," a 15-minute daily show for children that ran on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The show was the successor to "Children's Corner" (1954-1961) and the forerunner to "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" (1968-2001). From the episode list at The Neighborhood Archive Blog, it appears Rogers' first on-camera appearance was in mid-October, 1963."