Trolley Track Laying & Turnout Building

[Gatsby1923]

Well I sent a SASE to Mr Orr who promptly sent me his product info. His prices are not that bad, I was expecting them to be much higher. My only problem is, his turn outs are set up for over head wire use, not 2 rail wiring. I’d like to stick with 2 rail for now because while I am saving money and spending time working on some Bowser trolleys, I can have a few cheapo Bachman trolleys running around. So basically can any one guide me to any web sights or books on the lost art of hand laying turn outs and cross overs? I’d like to be able to lay a #2 turnout in my streets, I can squeeze #4 turnouts in my inter-urban right of way, but I want to keep this mainly a street rail way, not an Inter-urban.

Just as a side note I started a quasi internship at the Holyoke MA public library History Room, and my first task is to organize the Holyoke Street Ry. Collection. Mostly photos but it will give me a great idea of what the prototype was like.

Dave M.

PS I just found a copy of MRR's "Tracktion Guide Book" I feel like a luckey boy to have found one.

 

[interurban]

here

Hi Dave this is the east penn site lots of good suff there to help you..
Its easy to convert any engine to overhead. Show us some pics when you can.
By the by a lot interurbans had street trackage and streetcar switchs.

 

[pjb]

If you go to the Trolleyville site, which is on the list in the URL given above in the prior thread ,you will find instructions for constructing switches for use on street trackage. You also should look at Tillig's street trackage. As indicated in the original post , unlike Hartl and Orr girder rail street trackage , it is designed for two rail powered vehicles.

 

[Gatsby1923]

HI thanks for the advice every one, I'll look for some "Tillig's street trackage", no luck so far finding any thing but Tillig standard track so if any one has any sources for it i'd be happy to hear them.

Thanks alot

David M.

 

[60103]

2-railing

Dave:
It shouldn't be too hard to 2-rail a turnout. You'll need to cut (at most) 4 gaps around the frog and wire it to the switch controls. Or do you have to gap the ties as well? You might want to solder some strips of circuit board under the rail before you cut the gaps.
It's not too hard to convert trolleys to overhead; I have 3 old Tycos that I did. You need a good quality trolley pole with a brass base to swivel in. Drill the roof for the swivel and solder a wire from there to the motor, then drop in the pole.
I've got a neat wiring method for running 2-rail or OH involving the pole hooks, but it requires 2 poles.
Chris: who makes nice trolley poles nowadays?

 

[interurban]

Trolly Talk, is a current Mag that is still out there.
Or look up a dealer in the Model R/R and phone them.
Also your LHSshould chase it up for you, I know mine would.
I use Pantagraph as you know, when I buy a Bowser ,, even second hand it has two poles with it.

I buy through my LHS from Marklin. who also should do poles Eurapean though

 

[spitfire]

Bowser, who make several trolley kits, also sell operating trolley poles as a separate item here or there's Rich Eaton Models who also make working HO and N poles.

For a good description of some of the poles available and what they look like Trolleyville is your best bet.

Hope this helps
Val