JP of Acton MA, USA writes

I have a postwar lionel Santa Fe F3 AA. The powerd unit has 2 magnetraction motors of the horizontally mounted configuration. Recntly, one of the motors simply stopped running. I took the motor apart, and found nothing wrong, and nothing dirty. It simply just stopped running. My question is, is it possible to somehow retrofit the Williams F3 compatible power trucks on the postwar frame, without much serious mods.

any help or advice would be very much appreciated.

thank you.

JP of Acton MA, USA writes:

Anyone who owns/operates an MTH Z-4000 controller may be able to help me address the folowing issue:

I purchased an MTH Z-4000 controller from an EBay auction some time ago. Any time I used it, it would emit a smell like something was burning. Ultimately what ended up happening was that the 2 red terminals for the variable channels burned and melted. I was very perplexed at this and discontinued using the Z-4K as my power supply for my trains. There were no short circuits or derailments.

If anyone can help explain what might have caused this problem, I would be much appreciated.

-JP

JP of Acton MA, USA writes,

I understand that Bachmann will be producing Birney Trolleys for its HO line. Could these also be a future product for WBB for its O line. I would definately like to see Birneys in O, as they could easily navigate the K-line Super Streets track system, as well as any other O track.

BTW, The Peter Witt Trolley is fantastic. I recently ordered the Brooklyn NY Witt from Micro Mark, and it arrived a week later. It runs excellently, has good lights, and the "ding ding" bell sound is awesome and very loud. It runs best on any O track, but it tends to derail on my Super Streets curve tracks, so I continue to run it on regular O track.

Sincerely: JP

JP of Acton MA USA writes:

To 3rail, Mr. Bachmann, Jack Lynch:

Would it be possible to post a video clip of one of the Peter Witt trolleys in action ?

JP of Acton MA USA writes:

To 3rail, Mr. Bachmann, Jack Lynch:

Do the Peter Witt trolleys have operational lights (Interior and directional exterior head/tail lights) ?

JP of Acton MA USA writes:

3rail, Mr. Bachmann, Jack Lynch:

Are the WBB Witts still slated for June shipping/delivery, or has that changed ?.

I am planning to purchase the Brooklyn NY Witt from Micro Mark, the small hobby tools company. They sell Bachmann as well as WBB products, and have a good low price on the Witts.

JP of Acton MA USA writes:

It would be nice to see some pics of the new soon to be released WBB Peter Witt trolley for the photo gallery. Photos of the sample Peter Witt trolley would be fine, too, untill the actual production ones are available I was at the Big 2010 Springfield, Mass. train show at the end of January, and was over at the WBB setup, and I saw the Peter Witt trolley sample, but could not get a good look at it, as it was up on a high shelf, and there wasn't an operational one running on a track, so having pics of the WBB Peter Witt sample in the Photo Gallery would be a nice idea.
Photos could include roof & pole detail, truck & motor detail, interior detail, exterior detail, underside detail, and drivetrain detail.

Sincerely: JP

JP of Acton MA, USA writes,

Here are some ideas for awesome WBB products:

For those like me who are into transit/trolley/rapid transit/ligh trail trains, my ideas for WBB products are as follows: (yes, I know WBB is already producing Peter Witt trolleys, but here are more ideas)

-double end 2 truck j.g. brill trolleys - open and enclosed versions
-PCCs - both double and single end
-Breda/Kinki-Sharyo/Boeing-Vertol Light Rail Vehicles
-Subway cars - NYCTA (New York City) and MBTA (Boston MA)
-Metro North M 2/4/6, M 1/3/5, M 7/8 commuter cars
-Metro North Bombardier "push/pull" commuter cars
-Long Island M 2/4/6, M 1/3/5, M 7/8 commuter cars
-single truck double end birney trolleys
-Perley-Thomas New Orleans trolleys - both the original green "Streetcar named Desire" ones and the later red "Riverfront" ones that were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina
-San Fransisco cable cars
-Ex Philadelphia SEPTA, now San Fransisco "F" Line PCCs as reconditioned/restored by Brookville Equipment Company of Pennsylvania, and painted to represent various cities that once ran PCCs
-Amtrak (or other road name) Metroliner EMU cars - these cars have similar body shape as Amfleet passenger cars, but include pantographs, control cabs at one or both ends, and traction motor equipped trucks
-Budd SPV 2000 EMU rapid transit cars featuring roadnames of railroads that ran them such as Amtrak and Connecticut's Metro North Railroad
-Budd B.U.R.T. Rapid Transit EMU Commuter Cars
-New Jersey Transit DMU Light Rail Rapid Transit Cars
-Philadelphia SEPTA Bullet rapid transit cars
-Chicago North Shore Line/Philadelphia Red Arrow Electroliners
-US DOT "State of the Art" Cars (SoAc) - Only 2 were built as experimental replacements for older subway cars and were tested in city subways in Boston, New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Those 2 cars were not accepted by any of the city subway systems in which they were tested, and ended up becoming exhibit pieces of the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport Maine
-"Sprinter" DMU Light Rail rapid transit cars
-"Pay As You Enter" (P.A.Y.E.) Trolley Cars
- Type S-70 Light Rail Transit cars

Anyone reading this post is more than welcome to post replies, comments or other ideas specifically relating to transit/trolley/rapid transit/ligh trail trains, here in the forums. The WBB guys would love to read your input as well

Sincerely: JP

Anyone wishing to reply to my post directly, may do so using the following E-Mail address:
jpstrainyard@att.net

Otherwise, just post your replies here in the forums.

Note 1: replies, comments, or other ideas should be related to transit, trolley, rapid transit, light rail trains only.

Note 2: replies, comments, or other ideas not related to the above in "Note 1" should be posted in the generic "Wish List for 2010" also found on the WBB forum.

JP of Acton MA USA writes,

Mr. Bachmann,

I was wondering when the peter Witt trolleys will ship to dealers ?

I will likely order the Brooklyn NY trolley from Micro Mark, the small hobby tools company, as they seem to have a good low price on them

Sincerely: JP
E-Mail: jpstrainyard@att.net