[Doug]

Bachmann America has introduced HO scale Spectrum® Peter Witt Streetcars (trams), available in five operators liveries, plus one undecorated version.

While serving as Cleveland's Street Railway Commissioner, Peter Witt designed an all-steel, single-operator streetcar that distinguished itself from others of the era by its use of the centre door as an exit only. Passengers paid as they boarded at the front and exited at the centre of the car, an arrangement, which reduced stop times, improved schedules, and increased efficiency. Though designed originally for Cleveland, the Peter Witt Streetcar went on to service in cities throughout the world from the 1930s up until the early 1960s. The Bachmann models represent cars that served urban areas in several East Coast, Midwestern, and West Coast states.

Features include:

• DCC-equipped for speed, direction, and lighting
• Dual-mode decoder with NMRA 8-pin plug for DCC or DC operation
• Two-position switch (underside of car) for choice of overhead wire or track pickup
• All-wheel drive
• Precision can motor with two brass machined flywheels
• Hidden drive train and electronics
• Room for speaker
• Die-cast frame and interior
• Painted interior with seats
• Photo-etched brass safety screen
• Operation on 9˝ radius curves

These models are available in the UK from Bachmann dealers. The recommended retail price of all versions in £71.05 and all six versions are currently in stock at Barwell.

 

[7113]

I can see these appealing to Piermaster. They look to be good value for money.

Regards

 

[alastairq]

sadly the doors seem to be on the wrong side for theUK?

Nice models, though......back in the early '70's I built a small tram 'layout'...on a roughly 3 foot square piece of ply....based the whole layout around two Superquick engine sheds joined side-by-side, double length, using the two walls each side....and a fake arch centre section.....got 4 [?] tracks in sideby side, a loop right round the back,and some ''complicated' tramway style pointwork up front.

Home-made overhead, with loop-type pans...ie,couldn't afford trolley heads,pans seemed easier...stayed on the wires better.

all pre-DCC...overhead current collection.... lots of BEC kits....liked the 4 wheelers, easy to get running well...hated the LCC bogie cars...didn't like sharp curves....

quite simply, it was a layout formed from two bits of inspiration....the Tramcar kits in the window of a Scarborough model shop.....and the nicely-printed Superquick card engine sheds.....being a busman, they felt like a depot should...oh...and the present of a Tramway Modelling book, which I still have somewhere.....[aimed at larger scales though]

Talking of ''inspiration'', the description, and pix, of an old US layout by Bob Hegge..the ''Crooked Mountain Lines''....featured in old Model Railroaders,AND in one of those 'remaindered' model railway books that used to abound, [The Encyclopedia of Model Railways, edited by Terry Allen???]....some really nice close-up pix, of electrics, doodlebugs, and all sorts..FULL of character......got me fired up to modify my old MDC Ingersoll-Rand boxcab diesel switcher, [prototype dates from early 1930s.]....into a 'freelance[?]' boxcab electric....those Sommerfeldt pans gave me the boost, as did the Hegge models....