Battery-Powered, Self-Propelled 7-Bench Trolley - Glendale, California
The Glendale trolley is a seven-bench, open-style trolley that is battery-powered and self-propelled. It was named car number #1717, the numbers relating to the birthdays of the owner’s sons.
The second part of the contract included building a five-bench, non-powered trailing car to be towed by #1717. The trailing car was named GiGi, after a beloved grandmother, and was designed at a smaller scale for a child-friendly atmosphere.
The bright, richly colored and ornate cars were conceptually drawn by George McGinnis. Mr. McGinnis has the honor of being the last Imagineer hired by Walt Disney, himself. Mr. McGinnis’ designs bring out the best aspects of vintage trolleys, from highly polished brass fixtures, to stained glass panels, to new modern features which included a hideaway wheelchair lift. His ideas and technical drawings were shared with the technicians and master builders at Gomaco Trolley Company, and his drawings became reality.
A Green Solution for Public Transportation Systems
Trolley Car #1717 is powered by 30 lithium-phosphate maintenance-free batteries. Each battery is half the weight of similar-sized lead acid batteries, but delivers twice the run time. The trolley is able to run nine hours on a single charge. The trolley is an ecofriendly solution for efficiently transporting people around the trolley’s 15.5 acre home in Glendale, California.
State-of-the-Art K35G Controller Is Standard
The trolley operator’s station is where old-time craftsmanship and the latest technology available merge together to create a station for the operator that is both easy and safe to operate. First of all, the station has been designed for excellent visibility inside and out of the trolley, while keeping all of the operating controls within easy reach for the operator. Gomaco trolleys can be equipped with a K35G IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) controller and PLC (programmable logic controller) system management to control speed and monitor power consumption. It allows the cars to travel at any speed between zero to 35 miles per hour and it will maintain any speed for an indefinite amount of time. For example, if you want to creep the trolley car at 0.5 miles per hour along the entire route, it’s possible with the K35G. It includes a system diagnostics recording that can be used for troubleshooting analysis and documentation. And, with its GPS compatibility, the car location and speed can be tracked from rider kiosks or for dispatcher’s monitoring.
The braking system features an air-applied, pneumatic brake system with composite shoes and a 24-volt hydraulic brake pump. The battery-powered trolleys capture their regenerative energy for recharging its own batteries. Electromagnetic rail brakes are an added safety feature to allow emergency stops. Emergency stop buttons are located at different points. Also, for added safety, there is full, dead-man integration at both operator locations, so if for any reason the operator becomes incapacitated, the car automatically stops.
Double-Truck, Battery-Powered/Self-Propelled Trolley Specifications
Car Number: #1717.
Car Builder: Gomaco Trolley Company, Ida Grove, Iowa 51445.
Running Equipment: Reconditioned Milan trucks. Standard gauge 56.5 inches. 26 inch steel tires. Four (4) 25 Horsepower GE Motors.
Controls: K35G IGBT controller and PLC system management for speed and power consumption. System diagnostics recording for troubleshooting analysis and documentation.
Length: 33.5 feet.
Width: 10.5 feet.
Height: 13 feet.
Weight: 37,000 pounds.
Battery Pack: 30 lithium-phosphate, maintenance-free batteries produce 400 vdc. Performance specifications were five miles per hour for five hours, one hour mid-charge, and then another five hours running. Maximum grade was two percent. Currently achieving nine hours of operation out of one charge. Batteries capable of 2500 charge cycles.
Seating Capacity: 42. Seven bench seats with six people per bench.
Seats: Bench seats. Rollover style with alternating oak and cherry.
Frame: GOMACO engineered. Steel construction. 1.5g strength.
Fittings, Solid Brass:
Ornate hand grab made in-house from sand-casted mold.
Seat roll-over component.
Seat end fixture.
Corner braces.
Conductor bell.
Vertical grab rails.
Woods: Oak and cherry.
Paint: Multi-coat, stenciled, hand painted 10 coat base and clear coat process. Colors: Burnt Orange, Bonfire Flame (dark orange), Terra Cotta (red), and Metallic Gold. Color and details are selected by customer.
Lights:
1200 decorative global accent lights.
Steps illuminated for safety.
Lighted destination sign.
Brass fixture, interior lights with decorative globe. Ceiling mounted.
Brass headlamp.
Carriage lights.
Tail lights.
Clerestory Glass: Stained glass panes designed and built by James Thomas Stained Glass of Studio City, California.
Steps: Fixed, solid cherry wood.
Hideaway Wheelchair Lift: Ricon cartridge lift. Retreats under the vehicle.
Brakes:
Electromagnetic rail brakes for emergency stop.
Hydraulically-powered friction brakes with composite shoes.
24-volt hydraulic brake pump.
Regenerative braking- energy capture for recharging.
Full dead-man integration at all four operator locations (including trailer). If operator becomes incapacitated, the car automatically stops.
Emergency stops located at 4-points.
Signal Bell: Electronic, push-button for pedestrian warning.
Conductor Bell: String-pulled clanger for conductor communications.
Floor: Tongue-and-groove solid cherry wood.
Ceiling: Tongue-and-groove cherry with solid cherry ornate trim.
Roof: Plywood construction with fiberglass shell and canvas cover.
The floor plan for the "Americana At Brand" battery-powered #1717 trolley.
Five-Bench, Non-Powered Trailing Car Specifications
Car Name: GiGi.
Length: 22 feet.
Width: 9 feet.
Height: 12 feet.
Weight: 20,000 pounds.
Seating Capacity: 30. Five bench seats with six people per bench. Seats are fixed forward.
Steps: Fixed, solid cherry wood.
Brakes: Hydraulically powered friction brakes with composite shoes, integrated with main car.
The floor plan for the "Americana At Brand" GiGi trailing car.
Additional Information
Construction Of Glendale Trolley
Photos
Trolley Car #1717 is powered by 30 lithium-phosphate maintenance-free batteries. Each battery is half the weight of similar-sized lead acid batteries, but delivers twice the run time. The trolley is able to run nine hours on a single charge.
The ceiling is made of tongue-and-groove cherry hardwood with solid cherry ornate trim. Interior lights are ceiling mounted with a brass fixture and decorative, frosted-glass globe. Stained clerestory glass panes were designed and built by James Thomas Stained Glass of Studio City, California.
Trolley car #1717 is equipped with a hideaway wheelchair lift. The Ricon-brand cartridge lift stays under the vehicle, out of the way for general passenger boarding. When a wheelchair-bound person wishes to ride the trolley, the conductor activates the controls for the lift, which unfolds from underneath to allow the individual to board, and later exit, the trolley.
The roll-over style bench seats alternate oak and cherry hardwood. Each wood element is built by hand, sanded, stained, and finished to a high, glossy shine, showcasing the beauty and grain of the premium lumber.
The trolley's operator station is where old-time craftsmanship and the latest technology merge to create a station for the operator that is easy and safe to operate. Emergency stop buttons are located at four different points, and there is a full, dead-man integration at four operator locations (including GiGi), so if the operator becomes incapacitated, the car automatically stops.
Gomaco Trolley has its own in-house brass foundry to create any variety of authentic brass parts using a sand casting process. Custom-built brass pieces on the Glendale trolley include ornate hand grabs (seen above), seat rollover components, seat end fixtures, corner braces, conductor bell, vertical grab rails, and brass plates with the name and address of Gomaco Trolley Company.
The roof on trolley #1717 and GiGi were constructed of plywood with a fiberglass shell and canvas cover.
Guests enjoy their ride through the "Americana At Brand" complex in Glendale, California. The 15.5 acre facility contains 100 condominiums, 238 apartments, and more than 74 unique shops and fashion boutiques, along with casual and fine dining.
Advertising panels line both sides of the interior ceiling in the trolleys.
The battery-powered trolley and trailing car can operate alongside traffic in busy Glendale, California.
Guests use the vertical grab rails when loading and exiting the battery-powered trolley and trailing car.