# Help with HO Trolley tracks



## Geno the Viking (Feb 29, 2012)

I plan to add a trolley down the center of my Main Street on my new HO layout and I need help with the tracks. How small of a radius can I buy and who makes them? Do it have to use flex track and bend it myself? Does anyone have a favorite trolley as I haven't purchased one yet. I will not be modeling overhead wires. Thanks


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I think Atlas still sells 15" radius, but you can always buy flex track and DIY.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Most of the available HO model streetcars are capable
of city street corner radius curves.

You may find the answers to your streetcar questions
here:

http://www.proto87.com/Street_track_for_trolleys_and_trams.html

There are several companies producing HO
streetcars. Bachmann makes the PCC streamlined
car, as well as the older turn of the century cars.

Don


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Check out
http://www.cvmw.com/contact.htm
and 
http://www.proto87.com/
for ideas on trolly track


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Use flex track and you can get as small as 6" radius, which is no problem for a single truck trolley and fine for many dual truck trolleys as well.

15" is way too large a radius for city streets.

See my Tiny HO Layout thread for ideas as part of this layout will have the top of the rails flush with the street surface.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Have you also considered whether you will use standard or narrow gauge for the trolley? You would be able to go through smaller curves with the narrow gauge, but it might be more difficult to find exactly the model of trolley you want.


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## J.C. (Dec 24, 2016)

this is the only one I know of for trolley track. http://www.trolleyville.com/catalog-ho.html


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## Geno the Viking (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks for all the information guys. I will use standard gage rails and I would sure like to buy curves already bent and not use flex track if possible. I'm still searching for a good article on building a street trolley system with photos.


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## ebtnut (Mar 9, 2017)

I'm building a trolley line for our club. I'm using girder rail, which is prototypical but a bit of a PITA to work with. You have to buy their rail bending jig and pre-bend the rails before laying them. Our minimum radius is 8", which the Bachmann and Con-cor trolleys handle OK. In your case, for starting out, I'd try and find flex track that bends real easy down to tight radii and use No.4 turnouts. Use lots of spikes or track nails becuase the rail really wants to spring back. Consider using Code 70 flex instead of Code 100. It bends a bit easier.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

I'm curious why you would want to avoid flex track, unless this is for a small model where the track will not be glued down and/or flex track is just too flexible for your needs? In that case, have you looked at the flex track offered by MicroEngineering? It falls nicely in between the super-flexible and the rigid fixed track sections, allowing you to bend it as needed but it will hold its shape when you are done.


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## Geno the Viking (Feb 29, 2012)

Good info ebtnut. Any photos to share?

I'm just hoping to find pre-bent trolley rails as this will be my first model railroad layout in 55 years!!! and I'm getting old and lazy. I will use flex track on my mainline 30 inch curves.

Thanks guys. Keep the info coming.


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Geno the Viking said:


> Good info ebtnut. Any photos to share?
> 
> I'm just hoping to find pre-bent trolley rails as this will be my first model railroad layout in 55 years!!! and I'm getting old and lazy. I will use flex track on my mainline 30 inch curves.
> 
> Thanks guys. Keep the info coming.


It will be more difficult to mess with those tiny, fiddly parts than to use flex track. Truth.


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## Geno the Viking (Feb 29, 2012)

Yes. What I was really hoping for was Atlas or other brand track with a standard curve of 9" radius or so. I can't find any.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Geno the Viking said:


> Yes. What I was really hoping for was Atlas or other brand track with a standard curve of 9" radius or so. I can't find any.


I doubt you will. I don't recall ever seeing a sectional track piece with less than a 15" radius. It's too specialized for general marketing.


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## Geno the Viking (Feb 29, 2012)

It looks like I'll eventually be bending flex track a lot tighter than I expected. Can anyone point me to article on making tight bends with flex track and what brand is best. I'll use code 83 on my main line but I can use a different one for the trolley line. Thanks


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I don't know what the measurement of the limit is with flex track, but i would find something with widely spaced ties to get the radius really tight if that's what you need.

Once the ties are compressed together on the inside of the radius, you're done.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

If you want to try flex track for your trolley layout
you might find HOn3 with more widely spaced ties
useful.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=hon3+flex+track&ul_noapp=true

Don


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Geno the Viking said:


> It looks like I'll eventually be bending flex track a lot tighter than I expected. Can anyone point me to article on making tight bends with flex track and what brand is best. I'll use code 83 on my main line but I can use a different one for the trolley line. Thanks


No article needed. It is easy. Just help the ties slip along as you progress, and remember that the inside ail is going to end up a LOT longer than the outer.

I have gone as tight as about a 3 inch radius for a circular handcar line around a gazebo (Christmas layout).

Be careful that your track joints continue the curve smoothly as they will want to be straighter. One trick is to fasten the track down, with overlapping, before cutting. I also exploit the fact that the inside rail travels a shorter path to stagger the joints.

Do one and you will be an expert. Do two and you can instruct. LOL


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## ebtnut (Mar 9, 2017)

Only pic I have handy is a few years old, but does shown the girder rail entering from private right-of-way onto the city street. Trolley is a Bowser New Orleans car. Haven't installed poles and wires at this point.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Geno the Viking said:


> It looks like I'll eventually be bending flex track a lot tighter than I expected. Can anyone point me to article on making tight bends with flex track and what brand is best. I'll use code 83 on my main line but I can use a different one for the trolley line. Thanks


If you have a jigsaw you can cut a curve out of a piece of plywood (remember it should be a little smaller than your intended radius) and simply push the track against that curve as you tack it in place. That should give you precise curves that are all exactly the same.

Keep in mind that flextrack usually has one rail fixed to the ties and the other rail slides freely. You will want the sliding rail on the inside of the curve if you can. You also want to try and stagger the ends of each rail. I've heard a lot of folks will solder together two sections of flex track *before* making the curve, so that the rail joiners are naturally staggered and the rails are joined smoothly since they were soldered while straight.

HOn3 track was mentioned above for wider-spaced ties. I think they meant On30 track? HOn3 is only about 1/2 inch wide, while On30 is the same size as HO, but the ties are scaled to O gauge.


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## Geno the Viking (Feb 29, 2012)

All the info is very much appreciated. I have my layout pretty much planned. Now its time to start building. Thanks guys.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Can't wait to see your progress.

I did something similar when laying the mountain line last week. I would have one piece of flex track already attached to the roadbed/sub-roadbed and then attach the next piece of flextrack and solder, then continue to curve the rail around.

Pretty much the same thing. It nets the same results. A nice smooth curve.


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