Copyright 2002 T. Sheil & A. Sheil All Rights Reserved
Until the 1950s, most cities and many suburban areas had thriving streetcar services. These trolleys were a common and popular sight. They ran on tracks set in the street, and were powered by overhead electrical lines connected by a pole. The electrical wire system is know by railroaders as "catenaries." The trolley remains a popular image to this day. One of the favorites of children is the O gauge trolley used with electric trains. The tins pictured here are trolleys, and beautiful ones, at that!
This trolley represents a mid to late 20th Century streetcar. On one end we see a smiling driver. You can see the catenary pole embossed on top. |
From this side, we see caricatures of passengers and some miniature billboard type ads |
What makes this tin uncommon is that the opposite sides have different art. The end here has a driver and passenger |
Likewise the sides - this side is different from its opposite. Both the passengers and billboards are different. Embossing is done on the more obvious details. |
This newer trolley is a model of an older type, and it is richly embossed. This is the back end. Note the raised celestory roof with trolley poles, front grill and waving passengers. Even the passengers are embossed! |
In this side view, you can just about make out that lettering is raised! You can clearly see the celestory roof, catenary poles and passengers. |
The front, with a driver in the middle. |
This angular view reveals different passengers and raised lettering. |
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