The East Penn Traction Club

Trolley Modeling Tips & Techniques

This page contains a growing collection of articles, presentations and material on trolley modeling, some with particular emphasis on working with the East Penn module standards as described elsewhere on this web site. It is hoped this material will answer questions or provide new ideas for enjoying the hobby. Contributions to this page are welcome and should be sent to Gary Reighn.

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Visit Our New 'Light Rail Vehicle' Modeling Page!

**NEW** Download copies of Arthur Duncan's Trolley Car Plans.

Download copies of Paul Moore's Trolley Plans (Philadelphia Collection).

For an on-line look at the construction of an HO Scale East Penn Trolley Module, visit Bob Dietrich's South Hills Junction Project.

Charles Long provides this 2 minute video clip of a "Cavalcade of Streetcars" at 9th and Walnut on his HO layout.

Check out the "Trolley-Cam" photos including a full motion video of the trolley-cam in action!

Browse (or contribute to!) the growing Trolley Modeling Article Bibliography.

File Name Size Date Title and Contents

standard.pdf 188K 4/1997 East Penn Model Trolley Layout Module Standards - This is a copy of the East Penn trolley module standards (It is the same document as can be found on the module standards page of this web site.).

mod-tips.pdf 118K 4/1995 Module Building Techniques - Module Legs and Overhead Wire - This document contains the slides used at the clinic on Module Building Tips and Techniques from the 1995 East Penn Trolley Meet. It provides some clarification as well as new material on building modules to the East Penn standard. It is recommended reading for anyone attempting to build an East Penn type module.

signals.pdf 227K 8/1998 Automatic Control of East Penn Trolley Modules - This is an updated text by Richard Kerr of several previous documents published on the subject of implementing automated block control (and signaling) for East Penn modules. The practces currently outlined in this document can been seen in action on several of the 'O' scale modules belonging to members of East Penn.

bachmann_peterwitt.pdf 2MB 01/2008 Bachmann Spectrum Peter Witt in HO - This tip shows how make improvements in the Bachmann ready-to-run Peter Witt car in HO.

painted_backdrops.pdf 2MB 01/2008 Painted Backdrops for Non-Artists - This tip shows how those not artistically inclined can make realistic painted scenery backdrops.

building ho trolley turnouts.pdf 4MB 05/2007 Building HO Trolley Turnouts - This tip shows how to build HO turnouts using Orr girder rail available from Custom Traxx.

uninsulatedwheels.pdf 733Kb 01/2007 How to Un-Insulate Wheelsets - This article shares technicques for un-insulating wheelsets for use with block control signals requiring them.

nscalewirehanging.pdf 996Kb 01/2007 Hanging Trolley Wire and Catenary in N Scale - This article shares technicques for hanging operaating trolley wire and catenary in N scale.

dcc_clinic.pdf 25Kb 05/2003 DCC Clinic - This document is the handout provided at the 2003 East Penn Trolley Meet clinic on wiring trolleys for DCC control.

windows.pdf 1.4Mb 11/2001 Window Details for Structures Along Your Trolley Routes - This "Trolley Tip" provides some ideas on how to decorate the building windows that line your trolley route. Includes full color photos of several detailed building fronts.

controller.pdf 37K 11/2001 Port-A-Pike II Controller - This article provides the schematic and parts list for building a momentum transistor throttle connected to a full-scale controller and brake valve.

ho_overhead.pdf 28K 11/2001 HO Overhead Construction - This article provides information on hanging overhead wire in HO that was presented at a Modeler's Workshop.

freight_cars.pdf 34K 1/1999 Trolley Freight Car Tips - This "Trolley Tip" provides information on operating long freight car trains on model trolley layouts.

freight1.pdf
freight2.pdf
freight3.pdf
rmc.pdf
534K
211K
321K
151K 4/1994 Hands-off Trolley Freight Switching - This excellent article by Charles C. Robinson is taken from his clinic on the subject presented at the 1994 Boston Trolley Meet. Also included is a reprint of an article on the subject from Railroad Model Craftsmen magazine circa 1946 (reprinted with permission). Note, due to the large number of graphics in this article, it has been broken into multiple files for easier downloading and printing.

pwr_supl.pdf 108K 5/1994 4-6 Amp Trolley Power Supply - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on constructing a 4-6 Amp regulated power supply ideal for powering model trolley modules.

switchho.pdf 130K 6/2000 Single-point HO Switch Construction - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on building single-point switches in HO using modified Richard Orr components.

switch.pdf 17K 9/1997 Single-point Street Switches - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on scratch building single-point switches for street trackage in either HO or O scales.

overhead.pdf 29K 10/1997 Hanging Overhead Wire - This "Trolley Tip" provides information on tried and true techniques for hanging overhead wire for modules.

compress.pdf 10K 5/1995 Compression Type Insulators - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on building semi-prototypical compression type insulators suitable for any scale.

insulate.pdf 12K 9/1996 Overhead Wire Insulators - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on a technique to make "de-wire proof" insulators in the trolley overhead.

decals.pdf 28K 2/1997 Do-It-Yourself Decals - This "Trolley Tip" discusses the techniques for making your own custom trolley decals using the laser printer decal paper available from Micro-Mark.

car-wire.pdf 63K 1/1991 Model Trolley Car Wiring - This excellent multi-part series by Rich Kerr covers many of the unique aspects of wiring model trolley cars. (P.S. I am working on getting Rich to complete the remaining chapters, so stay tuned!)

HOliner.pdf 121K 10/2000 HO Scale Nickel Plate Products Liberty Liner Conversion - This article details how to convert a Nickel Plate Products HO scale Liberty (or Electro) Liner to take sharper radius curves and to run better.

File Name	Size	Date	Title and Contents
standard.pdf	188K	4/1997	East Penn Model Trolley Layout Module Standards - This is a copy of the East Penn trolley module standards (It is the same document as can be found on the module standards page of this web site.).
mod-tips.pdf	118K	4/1995	Module Building Techniques - Module Legs and Overhead Wire - This document contains the slides used at the clinic on Module Building Tips and Techniques from the 1995 East Penn Trolley Meet. It provides some clarification as well as new material on building modules to the East Penn standard. It is recommended reading for anyone attempting to build an East Penn type module.
signals.pdf	227K	8/1998	Automatic Control of East Penn Trolley Modules - This is an updated text by Richard Kerr of several previous documents published on the subject of implementing automated block control (and signaling) for East Penn modules. The practces currently outlined in this document can been seen in action on several of the 'O' scale modules belonging to members of East Penn.
bachmann_peterwitt.pdf	2MB	01/2008	Bachmann Spectrum Peter Witt in HO - This tip shows how make improvements in the Bachmann ready-to-run Peter Witt car in HO.
painted_backdrops.pdf	2MB	01/2008	Painted Backdrops for Non-Artists - This tip shows how those not artistically inclined can make realistic painted scenery backdrops.
building ho trolley turnouts.pdf	4MB	05/2007	Building HO Trolley Turnouts - This tip shows how to build HO turnouts using Orr girder rail available from Custom Traxx.
uninsulatedwheels.pdf	733Kb	01/2007	How to Un-Insulate Wheelsets - This article shares technicques for un-insulating wheelsets for use with block control signals requiring them.
nscalewirehanging.pdf	996Kb	01/2007	Hanging Trolley Wire and Catenary in N Scale - This article shares technicques for hanging operaating trolley wire and catenary in N scale.
dcc_clinic.pdf	25Kb	05/2003	DCC Clinic - This document is the handout provided at the 2003 East Penn Trolley Meet clinic on wiring trolleys for DCC control.
windows.pdf	1.4Mb	11/2001	Window Details for Structures Along Your Trolley Routes - This "Trolley Tip" provides some ideas on how to decorate the building windows that line your trolley route. Includes full color photos of several detailed building fronts.
controller.pdf	37K	11/2001	Port-A-Pike II Controller - This article provides the schematic and parts list for building a momentum transistor throttle connected to a full-scale controller and brake valve.
ho_overhead.pdf	28K	11/2001	HO Overhead Construction - This article provides information on hanging overhead wire in HO that was presented at a Modeler's Workshop.
freight_cars.pdf	34K	1/1999	Trolley Freight Car Tips - This "Trolley Tip" provides information on operating long freight car trains on model trolley layouts.
freight1.pdf freight2.pdf freight3.pdf rmc.pdf	534K 211K 321K 151K	4/1994	Hands-off Trolley Freight Switching - This excellent article by Charles C. Robinson is taken from his clinic on the subject presented at the 1994 Boston Trolley Meet. Also included is a reprint of an article on the subject from Railroad Model Craftsmen magazine circa 1946 (reprinted with permission). Note, due to the large number of graphics in this article, it has been broken into multiple files for easier downloading and printing.
pwr_supl.pdf	108K	5/1994	4-6 Amp Trolley Power Supply - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on constructing a 4-6 Amp regulated power supply ideal for powering model trolley modules.
switchho.pdf	130K	6/2000	Single-point HO Switch Construction - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on building single-point switches in HO using modified Richard Orr components.
switch.pdf	17K	9/1997	Single-point Street Switches - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on scratch building single-point switches for street trackage in either HO or O scales.
overhead.pdf	29K	10/1997	Hanging Overhead Wire - This "Trolley Tip" provides information on tried and true techniques for hanging overhead wire for modules.
compress.pdf	10K	5/1995	Compression Type Insulators - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on building semi-prototypical compression type insulators suitable for any scale.
insulate.pdf	12K	9/1996	Overhead Wire Insulators - This "Trolley Tip" provides instructions on a technique to make "de-wire proof" insulators in the trolley overhead.
decals.pdf	28K	2/1997	Do-It-Yourself Decals - This "Trolley Tip" discusses the techniques for making your own custom trolley decals using the laser printer decal paper available from Micro-Mark.
car-wire.pdf	63K	1/1991	Model Trolley Car Wiring - This excellent multi-part series by Rich Kerr covers many of the unique aspects of wiring model trolley cars. (P.S. I am working on getting Rich to complete the remaining chapters, so stay tuned!)
HOliner.pdf	121K	10/2000	HO Scale Nickel Plate Products Liberty Liner Conversion - This article details how to convert a Nickel Plate Products HO scale Liberty (or Electro) Liner to take sharper radius curves and to run better.