Desperately want to model traction

Gatsby1923

New Member
Hello every one, I am an early 20's college student who really wants to model traction. I have already painted an interurban car to look like the former “Holyoke Street Rail Way” and now it needs a home. I have been looking at old Model Rail Roader magazines, and there not much help minus a series from 1999-2000 on building an MBTA layout. It’s a start but can any one give some hints as to track planning in a small space (Say 24 inches by 10 feet or so), and is it still possible to get “Orr Rail” made by Richard Orr. I know that back in 1999-2000 he was getting up in age so I want to make sure he is still around. And also any hints at all for getting me a jump into street rail way operations and construction would be greatly appreciated

Thanks every one
Dave M.
 

pjb

New Member
Richard Orr and his wife operate(d) out of :
6306 Western Avenue,
Omaha , Nebraska

Send envelope containing information you desire along with self addressed envelope with 2 ozs. postage appended. If they reply with trade information you are in business.

Orr, and his German competitor Hartel , make standard 'HO' scale (16.5 mm gauge) girder rail track. You should understand that if you are not running self contained motive power (i.e. battery w/ RC control) you will have to make many adjustments in terms of insulating and isolating parts of it , if you DO NOT plan to have overhead pickup and multitrack return , as on the real thing.
At one time NJ Custom Brass was Hartl's U.S. importer , and the line was sold by Walthers , but this is not the case today. You will have to contact them directly to find details of how to purchase or go through the WWWs of the big discount foreign prototype sellers (e.g. MICRO MACRO MUNDO , and TEE) to see if anyone is selling them over here.

The large track (and other stuff)manufacturer, TILLIG , produces a system of nongirder rail for street running . I had some questions with this material, but have come around to the opinion that it does'nt look all that bad when installed, and is essentially the only presently extant ready-to-run street trackage that will do the job for conventionally track powered steam railroading. It is a system employing cobbles or brick simulated streets and short portions of tubular rail attached to an insulating underlaying base. It has turnouts, crossovers, dual and single sections of trackage, etc. Tillig , that arguably makes the best looking ready-to-run conventional track ('HO','TT'',and various narrow gauges ) existing, is on the WWW, Many of the importers of European prototypes , as well as some others have it. REYNAUDS, I believe has a photo website of the entire line. In any case ,if you go to : < http://www.kleinserien.de >
you will have the all gauge German model railroad manufacturers site where you can review everything available by gauge,product type, etc.

Regardless, you should be aware , that anybodys girder rail , and TILLIG's street trackage system will cost at LEAST four times as much per meter as a plain jane TILLIG code 83 Trackage . These are all specially made, low demand , more complicated and labor intensive items to produce.
There are YAHOO groups for: Trams and Trolleys,;for PCCs ;as well as an Interurban group which may be of interest to you. Many of the Australian. British, German, Czech,French, and various other national trolley system modellers have sites on YAHOO's plethora of foreign language groups.
Good-Luck, PJB
 

interurban

Active Member
HE HE a Traction Nut Welcome naw Double welcome:D
Glad to read you want to "do" traction.
pjb has given you a good insite to whats out there.
I would write Richard for the leaflets on his "stuff" for sale ,, I did last year and they are very helpful and fast in there return.

You don`t need to go girder in the street I have used code 100 flexy track for years and after the street has been laid over it I just use a jewlers screwdriver to rout out the rail.

Hope to see a picture of the interurban you have just finished.

Where are you situated? and are you just into Holyoke s/r/w?
Here is a site that should help you clicktraction
 

Gatsby1923

New Member
Thanks for the advice I will be writing Mr. Orr a letter and sending him an SASE. I am situated in Holyoke Massachusetts. Trolleys have interested me I’d say longer than trains. Lets just say I was a big Mr Rogers fan, and my father remembered the trolleys in Holyoke (my home town), and told me a lot of stories. I’ll be sure to post as my project moves along

Dave M.
 
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