My Trolley Project

shaygetz

Active Member
After finding out that the Bachmann Brill trolley was a faithful runner lapping my Christmas tree, I felt it needed a more elevated position in my roster. This meant changing a few details, starting with the cast on roof walk. I was careful to remove all but the base detail around the trolley poles.
 

Attachments

  • trolley1.jpg
    trolley1.jpg
    27.7 KB · Views: 178
  • trolley2.jpg
    trolley2.jpg
    39 KB · Views: 175

shaygetz

Active Member
I then fashioned a roof walk from scrap MDC/Roundhouse old timer car parts. I simply eyeballed them in, cutting them to length as needed. The remaining parts were modified pieces of HO picket fence, sanded to the thinner cross section of the roof walk material. A trick I use to eliminate the hard to remove fuzz produced is by "painting" the sanded part with a stroke of Ambroid Pro-Weld. It dissolves the fuzz away leaving a slight sheen that is easily painted over.
 

Attachments

  • trolley3.jpg
    trolley3.jpg
    26.4 KB · Views: 177
  • trolley4.jpg
    trolley4.jpg
    28.5 KB · Views: 173

shaygetz

Active Member
Because Chris would throw a rock at me if I didn't make her run off the overhead, here's how I did it. Noting where the knife is pointed, I clipped the contact used to provide the + side of the power to the motor. I then soldered a lead to it and ran the wire forward.
 

Attachments

  • trolley5.jpg
    trolley5.jpg
    50.6 KB · Views: 174
  • trolley6.JPG
    trolley6.JPG
    48.5 KB · Views: 172

shaygetz

Active Member
I then installed an SPDT switch in the floor, just forward of the motor. By running the motor lead to the center post, the + side pickup of the power and lead trucks to one side and the trolley pole wiring to the other side of the switch, I am able to run it off the overhead as well as two rail service.
 

Attachments

  • trolley8.jpg
    trolley8.jpg
    44.5 KB · Views: 174
  • trolley7.jpg
    trolley7.jpg
    53.6 KB · Views: 174

shaygetz

Active Member
I fabricated a pair of tie-downs for the poles. They are very secure, having been run up from underneath the roof, secured with an L bent into the wire and then glued in place. By bending them over a piece of scrap wood, I was able to maintain uniformity on both ends. The price tag said $1.25 for a pair of these poles---including all mounting hardware---, that's how old they are. They are models of Pacific Electric's hydraulic model poles and they are sweet...'nuff said.
 

Attachments

  • trolley9.jpg
    trolley9.jpg
    43 KB · Views: 168
  • trolley10.JPG
    trolley10.JPG
    62 KB · Views: 175

shaygetz

Active Member
The head and tail lights were lit from a single bulb in the center of the trolley whose light was carried via a clear plastic light bar to both ends. I scrapped this after removing the very ends of the rod and mounted micro bulbs into the lens with clear window cement. A bit of touchup paint to an otherwise fine non-area specific paint scheme and my LPBs are ready to cough up the nickles.
 

Attachments

  • trolley13.jpg
    trolley13.jpg
    51.6 KB · Views: 175
  • trolley12.jpg
    trolley12.jpg
    53.2 KB · Views: 170

Glen Haasdyk

Active Member
Good conversion. It amazes me that bachmann used the pancake motor in the trolley too. Is it the same motor as what's in your Northern?
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Thanks, guys. Yes, can you believe that it's the same motor? No piece of plastic is safe on my bench, Jim. :thumb:
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Ray Marinaccio said:
Nice work Bob.
I have one I need to rework like that but have to fix the split axle gears first.

SSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Mine don' know they're 'sposed to do that.... ;)
 

interurban

Active Member
Bob I put my rocks away :D

You did a wonderful job on the old girl.
That`s the way I would have tackled the job.

I have fitted a few of those little SPDT switches, the poles look great Heavy duty for the little girl but she wont mind the surg of power running through her :thumb:

A job to be proud of.
 

shaygetz

Active Member
interurban said:
Heavy duty for the little girl but she wont mind the surg of power running through her :thumb:

A job to be proud of.

Thanks, Chris. When I found 2 pair of these AND three sets of brass pantographs in a box lot I had purchased on Ebay, I were in Nirvana as this project was long in the making :thumb:

When you say heavy duty, what would mark it as different from any other pole? I kinda assumed that poles was poles and detail was a bonus. Beings I have another pair, I would like to put those more in their element...I have an MDC/Roundhouse boxcab and a 4 wheel Brill to follow.
 

interurban

Active Member
shaygetz said:
Thanks, Chris. When I found 2 pair of these AND three sets of brass pantographs in a box lot I had purchased on Ebay, I were in Nirvana as this project was long in the making :thumb:

When you say heavy duty, what would mark it as different from any other pole? I kinda assumed that poles was poles and detail was a bonus. Beings I have another pair, I would like to put those more in their element...I have an MDC/Roundhouse boxcab and a 4 wheel Brill to follow.


Hi Bob the PE poles seem longer than the brill and I think had a more powerfull lift re the mechanisem . It was a bigger car that`s why your pole hangs off the front and back a ways.
Here are a few pictures of PE and West Penn.

It looks OK Bob if you have other poles see what it looks like with the other poles.
 

Attachments

  • pe001.jpg
    pe001.jpg
    53.6 KB · Views: 167
  • pe044.jpg
    pe044.jpg
    36.4 KB · Views: 164
  • wpenn26.jpg
    wpenn26.jpg
    46.7 KB · Views: 159
  • wpenn28.jpg
    wpenn28.jpg
    48.3 KB · Views: 165

jetrock

Member
I think the main difference was that the PE poles were hydraulic, the motorman didn't have to jump out (or lean out the window) to pull down the pole and hang it up. Length didn't really make much difference--some lines that ran both local streetcars and interurbans hung their wire a bit higher and needed longer poles to make the reach, while others used little towers on top of their Birneys and whatnot.

Nice conversion! I have a few of those Bachmanns awaiting a bit of similar attention
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Thanks, jet, if it weren't for that box lot, this would still be waiting. Those pups are expensive nowadaze.

Thanks for the info, Chris. I'll see if shortening them is a possibility, even possibly using a finer wire staff. :thumb:
 
Top