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Jerry Barnes

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I've been working on the trolley body I got from Bob Thon(Robert's Lines) He had a body left that he sold me. He used to sell them for Standard Gauge.
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I plan to use a USA motor block I had, it is just the right size to match the Bachman Trolley side frames. I took mine off my xmas trolley
and molded/cast a pair to put on the trolley, I like the look of a one truck trolley better than a two truck.

The bulb just stuck out from the screw in mount, so I found that a grommet would fit around it, I filled in the gap with a large piece of
brass tubing, did the same for the front and back.

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I wanted to break up the windows into two parts and separate them from the lower half of the body.
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I plan to use the brass grommets on the round rear windows also. Planning the lower half of the body to be dark read, the window areas

to be cream. Red roof, then cream again on the top roof piece. I'm working on some ideas for the interior, if they work out I'll post that.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
I wanted a fancy wood interior on the trolley, but the seats were welded in and I could not work in there with wood strips.
So I thought of doing them on paper. Found some wood patterns on the internet that I laid into a traced drawing

of the windows that I scanned in. Got it all sized up and it looks like this. I used 90 lb slick paper to print it out on.

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Just have to flip it for the other side. I left out the little bar, that complicated things. Will just paint it brown from the back side.

Doing the same for the cab windows. Will cut out the glass area, have it laminated on both sides, that will make the wood look
shiny and give me wavy glass in the middle. Can then work it in around the seats and glue it in. It won't be left outside, so the

paper is no problem. You might consider this method for an interior wall in one of your projects.
 
#5 ·
Great idea on the paper interior, Jerry. I got some "sticker paper" at Staples, so I can just print things like that, cut it out and stick it on. (Sounds so easy on paper, doesn't it?)
 
#6 ·
Jerry,

Looks great! I love the idea of the paper interiors, fantastic! You are doing a very credible job of updating/ superdetailing a classic. I am looking forward seeing more pictures of your progress...

Ted.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Shot the trolley with Krylon, cream on top and maroon on the bottom. Thinking of having some decals with some fancy scroll work and
pinstriping made, will check with Stan I guess.
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I molded/cast the Bachman side frames, there is a USA motor block under there. Battery powered.

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The paper interior is being installed, thin plastic for the windows, held in with double sided carpet tape. The wood seats are
also printed out, plan to darken them and reprint, after I get some more ink!

Image
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
Interior is pretty much done, just the interior lights to install. I printed out the seats I had designed from pix I took off a Google image search. I cut them to size and laminated them. They were attached as the wall patterns were, with double sided carpet tape-handy stuff!
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I did finish up the one wall section by the front seat after I took this pix.
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Here you can see the seats well and the back wall with the round windows.

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Top view. I found some good pix of the trolley controls on the internet, so those will go up front-someday! On to the lights
and battery hookup and on/off switch.
 
#12 ·
It won't be left outside, so the paper is no problem. You might consider this method for an interior wall in one of your projects.
She's looking good there Jerry.
Am going to use that method on a project!
Working on dolling up Bachmann's V&T "Silverdao" set: excellent idea for covering yellow plastic interior walls. Instead of printing and using up that high value ink got some wood grained paper fron scrapbooking section of Hobby Lobby. Not perfect, but good enough for half-seen coach interior.
Yep, excellent idea you had!
 
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#13 ·
This is a kinda dumb question, but what scale is that trolley? I saw one pic of a Lionel(?) oldie in the background, I think you run live steam, so....

Anyway, if you'd care to give a little background on the trolley body, it's age, what gauge it was intended to run on, if it's a reproduction or replica or even a representation of an earlier product by someone else, or essentially a freelanced item, I'd be interested in learning. (I like old tin. I don't own any anymore, but I still like it.)

As for the project itself, it looks really nice. I think using the lined-pattern paper on the seats to simulate slats is pretty thoughtful. FWIW, I like the bars near the top of the windows, though I gather you intend to dispense with them. Also, as has been mentioned by others, printing off the interior wall pattern was clever.

Don't know if this question has been asked or is obvious, are you going to put a working trolley pole on the roof?
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
Les,

I got the trolley shell from Bob Thon(Robert's Lines). He made my Zephyer and did quite a few other items, mostly in Standard Gauge. He said the trolley was about 1/29th, but it is about the same size as my Bachman Trolley, so I'd say it's more 1/24th or larger. I have it set up on battery power with a 9.6 volt Radio Shack RC battery. USA motor block behind the Bachman side frames that I cast and molded from my Xmas trolley. Since it is battery powered, there will be no power through the thing on top, would hate to have those wires all over my outdoor layout, would trip over them for sure! Had it at Don's today, in Omaha, ran it some on his nice layout.

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Nice station that Don built out of some thick plastic siding, he should do a writeup on it some time, it's neat!

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Image
 
#16 ·
I like it. Thanks for the xtra pics.

I can see the point of no overhead wires outdoors, never thought about it.

Does Bob Thon do custom work, then? I never see anything offered in steel on the web, mabye I'm going to the wrong sites.
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
Les,
Bob does not have a web site. Still has some odd bits for sale, including his metal Challenger kits-about $3500. He's made lots of stuff over
the years, not sure what he has left. I got the last Zephyer pieces and the last trolley body-I think! You can write him at: roblines-earthlink.net
If you want printed info on his Challenger kits, he charges you postage.

Rick has a neat site here, quite a bit of trolley stuff and some good info on building stuff: http://home.comcast.net/~ptm42/indexmodel.htm
 
#19 ·
Jerry don't leave it the sun when not running, printer inks are known for quick fade...you might want to look for color fast ink.

John
 
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