# New to N Scale, future trolley layout.



## Pitt-Trolley (Dec 11, 2017)

Hi! I'm Shawn and I am preparing to start on my first N scale layout. I have a small area in which to begin the layout, which will be mostly trolley, and maybe 1 train on the outer perimeter. I found a track plan I like, and it is the first picture I have. My space is 80" long and 36" in width. I am hoping this will fit, although I am open to any other ideas!

The second and 3rd pictures are of the power pack I bought. Seems to work just fine, I know the tracks are labeled, but what are the other 2 plug sets for. I know one would be for lights on the layout, but sure what is what on it. But for 10 bucks, can't go wrong.

The rest of the pictures are of the trolleys I bought. They weren't new and they run like crap. Need to figure a way to make them smoother. I have been repainting them to look like the ones we had at The Port Authority in the 70's. I still have a little touching up to do on them, and I am hoping to find a place that will make decals for me. I can probably fit everything I need on one sheet! I miss those old cars, and I was lucky enough to run the PCC here in Pittsburgh up until the day they retired them in 99. That's why I want to run them...

If you have any thoughts, please feel free, I am probably gonna need all the help I can get!


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## Colorado1445 (Nov 11, 2017)

For your plan I would suggest looking into flex track. Those angles on your curves will benefit from flex track, although I would research a bit into the type of locos you will use. N scale is versitile and you have enough space. I am working on a 28"x40" Main layout and a 1ft by 5inch micro switching layout I can take to train shows. 

That is essentially the 3 main things to be on the lookout for.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Accessory terminals*

Pitt-trolley;

The unused terminals on your power pack are labeled. One puts out a constant DC voltage. The other set puts out a constant AC voltage. Both are intended for accessories on your layout. Turnouts with twin-coil machines, like Atlas, can run on either AC, or DC. Miniature, incandescent, light bulbs last longer with AC power. LEDs require DC. Each of these things have their own requirements for How Much voltage they can handle. You may need to use resistors or voltage regulators to get the constant output down to a safe voltage for each accessory.

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

The track plan you have is 3 separate lines that done interconnect, I don’t know if you noticed that or not. The track plan is also in O scale so the dimensions and pieces are not gonna work for ya. There are several free track planning programs out there that could help you plan or adapt this for your needs in N scale. Also soon I will be working on developing a multi station trolley automation system using Arduino micro controller board and some infrared sensors. If you are interested let me know. I do plan on making a thread on my development of the system so there is that too. 

The older trolleys most likely have 3 pole flat motors like those used in slot cars. They don’t have much torque and only seem to like to run at full speed. I would look into see if there is a 5 or 7 pole motor of the right size that could be adapted. Kato has a trolly called the UNITRAM which uses a micro coreless motor. They run smooth slow or fast and may be able to provide you with a new trolley or at least be a part rig for your existing ones. Bachmann also makes an N scale trolly but the mech is not as good as the Kato. Also Kato has quite a few different trolly types in their Japanese catalog which may interest you, just go to the Katomodels website, not the katousa site.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Poorly performing PCCs*

Pitt-trolley;

You said that the trolleys you have are "Not new", and "Run like crap." They may be dirty, and/or need lubrication. Have you cleaned the wheels & track? Have you pried the shell off, and dis-assembled the mechanism? I'm guessing that these are used, Bachman, PCC cars. Is that correct? If so, as Massey has already pointed out, they have three pole motors. These motors can't run as smoothly as the five pole motors used in most more recently manufactured products. They also don't have the flywheels included in newer models. However, if the models are properly cleaned and lubricated, they should run reasonably smoothly at medium speeds, and a lot better than "crap." 
Bachman's mechanism for both their PCC, and Brill, trolley cars is simple, and identical, except for length. (the Brill car's is slightly shorter than the PCC's) 
I see, in your photos, that you have pulled the shells off. You've seen that the metal weight/mechanism fills nearly all the body shell. The mechanism is a "split frame" type; very common in N-scale. The two halves of the metal mechanism are electrically insulated from each other by plastic spacers, that are used to surround the two sheet-metal type screws that hold the halves together. If you take the metal halves apart, be careful. I recommend that you work on top of a light-colored bath towel. This will keep the small screws and insulating washers from falling to the floor, and make them easier to see.
The motor sits astride two cavities; one molded into the center of each frame half. Before taking the motor out (for cleaning and lubrication) mark the top of the motor with magic marker. This will help you put it back in the original orientation. If the motor is re-installed upside down, the trolley will run backwards. The motor's brush contacts press against tabs of the main cast weight half, at the top of one half, and one at the bottom of the other half. These tabs, and the motor brush contacts that they but up against need to be clean and shiny. Use fine grit sand paper to clean them.
Also clean the bottom of the cast halves. Two copper contacts from each truck press here to carry power from the wheels, up to the casting. The motor's commutator may need cleaning. This consists of three copper segments arranged to form a drum shape in the middle of the motor. They can be cleaned to a shine, using a pencil eraser, or a tiny piece of fine grain sandpaper. Be very careful of the wires in this area. Clean the trucks by soaking them in alcohol. 

Use only plastic-compatible, fine grade, oil to lubricate the model. "LaBele 103" is one brand. You only need a very little! One drop (literally) on the bronze shaft bearing at each end of the motor. Also one drop on the largest plastic gear in each truck. That's all the lubrication needed. More oil will just attract dust to clog up the mechanism.
If you can get a five, or seven, pole motor that will fit, as Massey has suggested, that will certainly improve slow speed performance. However, fitting a new motor can be tricky. If cleaning and lubrication gets you better performance, then you may prefer to stop there.

good luck;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Track plan*

Pitt-Trolley;

The track plan you posted would be OK, if all you want to do is run three trolleys round and round three separate, unconnected loops. If that's your preference then go for it. Some modelers would want a layout that looked like, and operated like a portion of the real Philadelphia trolley system. Obviously you couldn't model the whole thing in N-scale, unless you had a warehouse, and a million dollars, at your disposal!
Since you have the experience of operating the real PCC cars, You would probably have a favorite part that you could choose to model. As you know, Trolley lines exist to move people from point 'A' to points 'B,C,D, Etc. They would tend more toward one, or two, tracks running, overall, in a somewhat straight route between those points. The loops, and figure-eight, of your Lionel track plan don't portray the real trolley line very well. That may not matter to you, and you're the only one who needs to be satisfied with your layout.
I would suggest a shelf layout, running around as much of the room as you can, Perhaps with a tight "Balloon track" loop, or small turntable at the ends. You know, from experience, what was actually there, and what wasn't. Did the cars even need to be turned at the end of their runs? Maybe they shuttled back and forth without turning. If they ran in the street, that can be modeled using flex track, and plaster. It's just a matter of what you decide you would like most.

Good luck;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Beautiful job painting those Pittsburg PCCs.

If you are going to run them without using
the trolley pole, you have a problem with the
upper 'dog bone' track. It is two reverse loops and
will require a wiring mess and annoying toggle switching 
operation. However if you will get power from
overhead trolley wire it's fine.

The reason for above is that the right rail loops around
and when it goes thru the turnout it 'touches' the left
rail, thus a DC short circuit. But if the trolley pole is
used, the right and left rail are always the same
polarity (negative) so no short circuit.

Since they are trolleys they will be OK with tight
curves but check how much the motor truck will
swivel and keep your curve radius in line with
that.

You show one power pack but 3 separate track
loops. In order to power these you'll need 3
power packs, one for each 'loop'. The trolleys
will draw very little current so any inexpensive
DC power pack will suffice.

Now if you went with DCC only one controller could
power all of your tracks and Also give you individual
control of each trolley. I think you can find tiny decoders
that would fit in your N trolleys, usually less than 20.00 each.

As previously suggested you would find it much
easier to install your track plans if you use flex
track. It comes in 3 foot lengths that you can
cut to whatever length you need or bend it to
match your track plans.

Your proposed layout could well represent the
long 'Library' route. As I'm sure you'll remember,
it is very scenic especially running over that very tall bridge.
You could even let one of your other 'loops' be
the Drake route it also was (unfortunately) quite
scenic as it wended thru the hills. As long as we
are P'burg thinking you could also make the run
out to Washington where there exists P'burg PCC
and other cars in their museum.

However you could also go even farther back when
downtown Pittsburg had PCCs on many streets.
Create your multiple 'loops' and have these trolleys
crossing each other's tracks as they did in those
days...think 'going Around the block'.

As you can tell I'm also a trolley fan...and I once had
an HO model of downtown St. Louis running PCCs 
on two routes using overhead trolley wire for power.

Don


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## 89Suburban (Jan 4, 2017)

I like that track plan.


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Me, too. And props to a PCC motorman - I remember them, I rode them, but I never drove one!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Pitt Trolley

I just came across a Youtube collection of
Trolley videos and slides. I thought you might
like to see the several made in Pittsburg in the 60s
and later. You'll have to scroll thru them to find
the P'burgh items.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt2CaUeKWMnamg-3t0rPfiw/videos

Don


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## Pitt-Trolley (Dec 11, 2017)

Here's 4 of them mostly done, just waiting on the pantographs to come in from tokyo... I can get them painted that far, but decals are another story. I don't have a steady enough hand to hand paint the rest...lol


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## Pitt-Trolley (Dec 11, 2017)

I would LOVE to do this one, but I have no idea how to do it. Looks a little much for me..


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Awwww...you're 'cheating'...I know it's more difficult
to make the familiar trolley pole stay on the wire...but
very few of Pittsburg's PCCs had pantagraphs and only
in the last days of their lives.

Your paint sure makes those PCCs look great.

Don


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## Pitt-Trolley (Dec 11, 2017)

Well, the pantographs arrived today. Installed on 2 so far. I like it better than the fake looking poles Bachmann uses. I wasn't able to locate real n scale poles, so I went with Kato 11-422's. I am happy, and they really aren't too expensive. I may even install a few on the fronts of the cars as "sleetcutters" Here's a real PCC with a pantograph too.


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