Post 30a 11-15-2016 (revised 1-8-2023)
Trolley for Main Street
A trolley track was added to Main Street. HO gauge Bachmann trolleys were chosen and are easy to find at train shows. This is a 027 TOY train layout so HO gauge is in the running. HO gauge is on the small size, S gauge is about right (20% less than O) and O gauge is a bit too big. This trolley line was built in the early 1990s. I have since picked up a Lionel O gauge trolley but it would overwhelm my Plasticville more or less S scale buildings. On my Main Street, I like my smaller trolleys and like my 027 and O gauge trains to be bigger and overwhelm my building. It is all about the trains !
The HO track was recessed in the street and an HO gauge switch was added near one end to allow two trolleys to go into an HO trolley barn. The switch is remote controlled from the new control panel as well as a track selector slide switch to activate the live track section in the barn.
An HO DC transformer is used for the trolleys and is on the right of the new addition control panel.
The fun part of the trolley was figuring out how to stop and start the trolley at each end of the Main Street line and how to reverse the DC polarity on the track and the ends automatically like the bumpers reverse the Lionel O gauge Trolley. First I cut the one HO track rail about 7 inches from each end to give a section that would be un-powered and stop the trolley at each end of track. These end track sections also must be powered with the correct polarity to restart and reverse the trolley.
A trolley timer/controller was made from a small 1 RPM gear motor similar to those that power a micro wave oven turntable, which are easy to find in street trash on trash day. A cam disc was sawed out of ½ inch plywood with high humps and lower sections. Two micro roller armed single pole double throw switches were mounted together to act as an double pole double throw switch and wired in an X to switch track DC polarity when activated. This allows the trolley to start and run to the other end of track which is dead. The timer allows the trolley to stay there for about 30 seconds. Then the micro DPDT switch is activated by the timer cam and that end of the track is powered up with DC that has the polarity reversed and the trolley takes off for a 5 sec run to the other end track, stops and stays there 30 seconds until it is activated with the track with reversed DC polarity and off the trolley goes again.
This was a fun project to figure out, build and to watch operate.
HO Trolley Barn at one end of the Main Street Trolley Line
Trolley Line HO Switch
HO DC Transformer for Trolleys on Right side of New Addition Control Panel
Trolley track is in the middle with two red switch buttons and slide switch to cut track power
Trolley Timer to Run and Reverse Trolley - Brown Box to right inside New Addition Control Panel
Trolley Timer Wooden Cam and Double Pole Double Throw Roller Micro Switch
Overall View of Main Street and Trolley Line
Charlie
