# Need help on what this is



## fordf350 (Oct 19, 2014)

Hi,I am new to model trains.recently got some trains from my uncle.I am 48 years old and this is new to me but I love it.Can any tell me what this is.I have included some pictures.It is a box and it has 2 small o scale track pieces on it they.You have to plug it in and when you push the switch it turns slowly one section of the track all the way around.I am at a lost for it.It has an Rc on the bottom of the box.Thank you for your time,John


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

Fascinating! I haven't the foggiest idea what that might be. The track sections look very short.

Is there a motorized car or unit that you inherited that fits completely on that short section of track?:dunno:


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

What is the 'rc on the bottom' you refer to?

Is there a label or other identifications
on the device?

Does it appear to be home-made or
a commercial product?

What is the voltage center rail to outside rails for
each of the track sections?

I was thinking loco test track, but the swiveling
section is a real question.

Don


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I can truly say I've never seen something like that! From the look of the construction, I'm tempted to say it's a commercial product, however it's use is a total mystery!

I edited the post to embed the graphic in-line, too interesting to hide.


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

I would guess it was for a back-and-forth setup. 

Possibly for a short trolley car. 

With two such units the trolley would run to one end, be turned around and run to the other end.

But for that to happen:
- the rotation would have to finish even after the pressure on that plate was removed
- power to the rotating section would have to be shut off until the track was properly aligned.

Those conditions should be easy to verify.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

I was thinking a trolley turnaround as well. car comes into small track, bumps switch at end of track, rotating track/car around.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Looks like someone might have made it?
The box looks commercially made, the track looks to be hand cut?

It looks like a trolley would be too big for the size of the track section?
Unless it is a tooter cut up shorty trolley?

Maybe someone made it for a handcar to turn around? Maybe he had it set down into the layout?

What is in the box just a motor?


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

The track sections are way too short to hold an entire car!

How about it just turns one truck around 180 degrees (obviously without a coupler). I'm thinking the power truck for a diesel, but not owning any diesels I'm not quite sure how that would work or why it would be necessary. E-units seem like a much simpler solution and they are available as 2 position (forward and reverse only).

So if I'm way off base here I'm ready for that...just thinkin' out loud:stroke:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Someone made it just to post on train sites and drive everyone nuts trying to figure it out.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

big ed said:


> Someone made it just to post on train sites and drive everyone nuts trying to figure it out.


You mean it's a CONSPIRACY!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Just the right size for tooters shortie cars, maybe he made it.

No.......he is too busy preaching tootertutes in Union Station, no time for the train forums.:smokin:


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

rkenney said:


> The track sections are way too short to hold an entire car!


Well a modern Lionel Birney Trolley is a bit over 6" long - the wheel base looks to be maybe 3".

So something like that might fit.

Of course the modern one has the reversing feature built-in.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Hand cut and angled so not to get bought up on the other piece. ??? What is it??? Its insulated so the back end isn't powered.???


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## jesteck (Apr 15, 2014)

The polarized plug and the fact that the "movable" section is on a rectangular rather than a circular base, which would require it to raise up in order to rotate, lends a great deal of credibility to Big Ed's hypothesis; it's certainly not pre-war. Definitely not produced by Lionel.


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

jesteck said:


> The polarized plug and the fact that the "movable" section is on a rectangular rather than a circular base, which would require it to raise up in order to rotate, lends a great deal of credibility to Big Ed's hypothesis; it's certainly not pre-war. Definitely not produced by Lionel.


The OP said it rotates - didn't say anything about rising - wouldn't have to.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

That could be right for a small 'hand car', 'scooter' that comes in, hits
that switch, is turned, then leaves in the opposite direction.

Can the box be opened to determine what is inside?

Interesting that is uses 120 VAC instead of track power.

Don


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## fordf350 (Oct 19, 2014)

*Sorry for late response*

Hi,Sorry for the late reply had a funeral to go to these couple days and just got in.Have to head back out on friday.I can get more pictures of the inside of unit this weekend after I get back.He had 2 of these the other one has a house receptacle on the end of the box and is the same way as this one I do not know if they plugged into each other or not.It does not raise up the one section just turns slowly until it reaches the contacts then it stops.I will take a picture with a tape ruler to show track length.It measures approximately 3 1/4" long each section of track.The stationary track has power running to the middle rail.I wish I had more info but he was a solitary man and did not see him that much.Wish I did have the opportunity to but distance made it not so.Thank You for everyone's help I have been for a long time showing it to friends and no one knows.The curiosity is getting to me.Thank you,John


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

We wait with fascination, I can't imagine what this was made for.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Mystery may be solved.

I asked over in the OGR forum and got this response.



> It is part of the Toonerville Trolley track setup. There was one of these turntables at each end with additional regular track in between. The Toonerville Trolley operated in one direction only. When it got to the end of the line, it hit the trigger at the end, turned the trolley around and it proceeded to head back the other way. When it got to the other end, it hit the similar turntable unit at the other end, and so on, and so on.


There's the mystery box in red at the end of the trolley line.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Cool, I almost bought a train like that, not the trolley but I think a template train. I think it was tonnerville. The caboose had a guy that swung out on the curves. Neet. Now all you need is the train to go with it. Get digging!


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

The OGR thread appeared in April of 2012.

http://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/taking-toonerville-trolley-temp

Picture is towards the bottom of the page and the red unit is identified as created by the late Dick Mayer.

Now all I got to do is find some wheels....


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yep, OGR is where I found it.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Cool, they got videos of the trolley but they are just the trolley going around in a circle.
Any one find one with the box in operation please post it here.:smilie_daumenpos:

Good luck finding the fame/wheels Bob. You need the light bulb too?
Where did you come across the body?


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

big ed said:


> Cool, they got videos of the trolley but they are just the trolley going around in a circle.
> Any one find one with the box in operation please post it here.:smilie_daumenpos:
> 
> Good luck finding the fame/wheels Bob. You need the light bulb too?
> Where did you come across the body?


I inherited it, literally. Looks to me like it was a clockwork (wind-up) model with the offcenter wheels (never had a headlight). May possibly be a more recent reproduction, color is slightly different than those on Evil-bay, It does say made in Germany on the bottom.

Can't figure for the life of me why those units on E-bay are asking so much money?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

They did make a windup, I came across some info while searching.
Though I didn't save it.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Yours might be this one, http://www.rubylane.com/item/566756-TY1555-3J2H/1922-Toonerville-Trolley-Tin-Litho-Windup

No headlight then, look at the price tag!
I would say if it is this one your body would fetch a good buck?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

The lithographed tin wind-up Toonerville Trolley was first produced in Germany around 1922 by the H. Fischer Co. of Nuremberg.

Found that here,
http://www.cowneck.org/about-us/the-collection.html

Click on the image there while holding the mouse button down and you can view all sides of it.:thumbsup:


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

Thanks for the links Ed. The first link has the exact numbers and letters that appear on the bottom of the unit. 

The thing that bothers me (besides not having a definitive way to date it) is the paint. The paint in my photo is distressed (aged) intentionally not by actual exposure and the center panel that says 'trolley' is yellow with a red triangle as opposed to all the ones on the net that are entirely red for that panel.

Until I saw the OGR thread I never gave it much thought. I was and probably still will just find a DC truck to stick under it and run on a dedicated track.:smokin:


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## jesteck (Apr 15, 2014)

A brief but interesting read on the 'real' Toonerville Trolley silent films made in the early years after the cartoon appeared:

http://www.centerlinehobbies.com/toonerville.html


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