O Gauge Trolleys

More trolleys would be nice.  The WBB Peter Witt is about normal size for a big city double truck trolley so what you are asking for would probably end up as a semi-scale model. I like the MTH bump and go trolley. It makes a great runner and is very close to the trolleys I ride in Lisbon during the summer.  The bump and go is optional.

I really like the Atlas Industrial Rail Trolleys. They seem to have let that fire go out though. Too bad the improved version was a nice upgrade.

More trolleys would be nice. However form the layout photo's shown here and the on the videos, very little space is dedicated to street action. We are primarily main liners and that is where the product attention goes. Additionally over the past  10 years or so product like K-Line super street where cars move around muscled in on the trolley's

i have always liked trolleys, both streetcars as well as interurbans.  However, in "0" gauge, you either have to have a talent for scratch building or have deep pockets to pay for quality stuff.  3rd Rail offered some really nice models of Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee interurbans but they cost a bit over $1000 for each three car set.  So, when they came out, fortunately I had some pretty good luck in business at that time so I bought two sets.  I also bought their Electroliiner for about the same price.

 

But there are still a few other interurbans, streetcars and work motors that I wanted so I've attempted to build some of those using whatever items, kits, parts, etc. that I had and unfortunately, have never been able to really finish any of them.  Really don't have the talent for all that.  Have a number of projects that have been started and are sitting in boxes waiting to be completed.  Probably won't happen.

 

So, like you guys, when a completed trolley becomes available, I generally have to purchase it if it's something I want.  Sure would be nice to see more being made, as time goes on.

 

Paul Fischer

The trolleys made by Western Hobbycraft are fantastic.  The Johnstown car is perhaps the best, but the others are also delightful.  No bump and go or cheapo plastic.  Good solid diecast with all sorts of detail.  Now if the Williams/Bachman bell could be installed they would even be better.  Some Johnstown cars were made with sound, but you rarely seem them for sale.  Attached are some photos.

 

Lew Schneider

I am with you all on the trolley needs.  I have been building a trolley line into my Boston city scene and have 4 stops set up. My units are bump and go. I have two Lionel postwar #60 and one Atlas. They certainly leave a lot to be desired.

 

I have looked at the Western Hobbycraft Trolleys and think they look super, but I need some kind of method to stop the trolley without having to push direction on the transformer.  I would like my system to run independently while I attend to other business on the layout operations. Have any of you used the Z Trolley Stop and Announcement controller? Does it have the capability to set up multiple stops and multiple announcements?   

 

 

Hard to beat the Western Hobbycraft models when it comes to overall quality and level of detail in an O gauge trolley. Excellent in every respect. Too bad another manufacturer didn't make an effort to obtain the tooling for these cars. I have a feeling they would have done well.

The Western Hobbycraft models are very nice, this is the first I've heard of them, are they still produced?  Thanks for the pics Lewrail

 

Rich

I just purchased a trolley and a "scratch and dent" shell a few weeks ago off their website, so yes!

 

http://www.westernhobbycraft.com/store.html

I seem to remember there was an issue over the trolley poles Walt used.  Don't know what ever became of it but that along with the difficulty Walt had selling the trolleys for the initial offering price might explain why no other manufacturer took over.  Just speculating, I don't know anything.  Even less if you ask my wife.

 

 

I bought one of the Johnstown trolleys when Walt had his clearance sale.  I thought it looked quite nice but when I ran it, it seemed underpowered.  Just my opinion, YMMV. 

 

Unfortunately, it wasn't until I was looking at the recent pictures of these trolleys, that I realized mine had some cosmetic damage.  I received it this way, just didn't realize it at that time. 

 

Here is a picture of my trolley showing the problem.

 

 

Although, overall, it really doesn't hurt the appearance.

 

 

 

I did send an inquiry to the email address on the website but did not receive a response.

 

 

about 5 years ago I saw a trolley at a train show painted in Boston MBTA (or more likely MTA for the era).  I'm sure it was Orange and not Green.  It was a 40s/50s streetcar model similar to the ones that I think MTH makes.  I remember this specifically because my father mentioned that the route indicated on it was the same my grandfather sold newspapers on every day before school when he was a kid.  I've been looking for it since to get for my dad ever since.  I suppose now that it could have been a custom paint job

One of the things I think the manufacturers miss is trolleys or light rail.  Maybe the market just isn't there, maybe the tooling is too expensive but I really would like to see some articulated light rail vehicles, additional trolleys, a Kawasaki light rail vehicle. Sure there is a vendor that makes bodies for these but I am mostly a ready to run sort of guy.  Having to paint and install the appropriate power trucks is beyond my skill set. The WBB peter witt was a welcome addition, I will certainly share my thoughts at the worlds greatest hobby show this weekend in Edison.  You never know.

In light of trying to gather information on the Z-Stuff Trolley Controller I started a new thread and it can be found here:

 

 

https://ogrforum.com/t...-announcement-system

Is Atlas still selling any of their trolleys these days?  My product search came up empty.

Norm

My preference is for an Osgood Bradley open car with PS3 like this one:

Ditto re the Western Hobbycraft trolley cars being the best. Here are some of mine:

 

I also think that the MTH trolley cars are excellent:

 

I would also like to have a heavy interurban car with PS3 like this one:

 

I've had good luck with the MTH Brill semi convertible trolley.  Very good sounds, easy to program, runs well in the down and back line that I run it on. 

I always wanted MTH or Lionel to make a model of the light rail equipment used on the MBTA's Greenline.  Unfortunately transit models outside of New York City are niche and it would probably not be worth the tooling unless other light rail systems use similar equipment. 

You are more likely to see a single truck Brill open car from Bachmann which already offers it in G scale.

I bought and enjoy 4 of Walt's Western Hobbycraft trolley's at his closing sale.  I had an opportunity to speak with Walt,  very nice person.   Like some here,  I did get the Johnstown,  a Los Angeles, one from Chicago I think and my favorite from New Orleans in the Dark Green and Maroon.  I have taken a few rides on the Cajun express so I have a connection to it.   Nice, beefy weight die cast trolley,  lighted interior and directional head lamps.   Fast compared to scale speed digital control stuff of today but great scale models IMO.   I run the Johnstown quite a bit.......  nice stuff.   

 

Mark

I just flipped through a book on the Denver and Interurban, which was called "The Kite

Route" because of the shape of its route up to Boulder and Eldorado Springs Resort.

They had combine interurbans but no freight motors or freight cars, due to agreements with the Colorado and Southern RR they partially paralleled.  This line only survived

for less than 20 years, from 1908 to 1926, when it converted to motor buses.  I would

have found freight motors and cars interesting, if they had existed.

Imperial Hobby Productions has made O gauge Kawasaki light rail cars in the past. However the market is controlled and licensed by SEPTA. In some cases there have been ready-to-run models.

 

I'm a trolley guy too.  The Western Hobbycraft were by far the nicest made.  I also like PCC cars and have several from MTH.  The old 60 trolley is still to my mind the gold standard.  It just brings back so many nice memories.  Some of the G gauge PCC cars from Aristocraft are pretty nice as well.

Perhaps heresy, but you could build your own,

La Belle kit with Q-car drive and details with interior added.

Perhaps heresy, but you could build your own

Heretic!

I'd love to have an O gauge version of the local light rail here in PHX metro, as well as some Japanese ones.

I just remembered there is a Portland LRV kit by Island Model Works.  You have to supply your own trucks, details, finish and paint the car. Its only cast on demand.

Other, 3D, sources, from SHAPEWAYS:

http://www.shapeways.com/shops/berkshirecarshop

http://www.shapeways.com/shops...tion=O+Scale&s=0

http://www.shapeways.com/shops/australian_model_trams

 

Have plans/drawings for a trolley you'd like? Contact one of these folks to convert them to printable CAD files.

http://www.shapeways.com/hire/designer?li=footer

 

Be aware that:

a) the shells can run more than $200 each, more if you print details (underbodies, e.g.). The price depends on the quantity of materials used, and O scale uses relatively a lot.

b) You have to come up with, and mount, power trucks from, likely, Q Car, and these will run you $150 and up. Plus trolley poes, &c.

 

Or-you can scratchbuild your own. What is your time worth?

You could also attend the East Peen trolley meet in May in at the Phila. Convention center. 

Time spent building a trolley is probably more constructive than yakking about what anyone wants any of the importers/manufacturers to produce.  You'll be done and running it long before any of them get anything to market,   Might as well get started now - we're not getting any younger!