Review

This sharp-looking, nicely detailed streetcar model from Bachmann Spectrum is based on a real streetcar designed by Peter Witt, a Cleveland transit official. These were single-operator cars, designed for passengers to enter only through the front door, with the center door used as an exit only. Built by several manufacturers, the distinctive Peter Witt cars served many cities from the 1920s through the 1960s.

The Bachmann model features an injection-molded styrene shell (with separate roof) atop a power chassis. The interior is detailed with seats, and the model includes many separately applied details. The paint and lettering are nicely done. A separate sheet includes a variety of destination boards and numbers, grouped by city, that modelers can add to the car.

The functional trolley pole and wheel are nicely rendered, and the pole is sprung to remain up and in contact with an overhead wire. A clip allows it to be positioned against the roof if desired. A small slide switch on the underside of the chassis allows selecting track power only or power via the trolley pole.

A center-mounted motor powers all axles on both trucks, with most of the drive train hidden below the interior floor. The model is equipped with a factory-installed DCC decoder and includes a dummy DCC plug that can be swapped for the decoder for standard DC operation. The model runs well, even at slow speeds - important for streetcar operation. The model will negotiate tight curves; I got mine around a 9-inch radius curve without problems.

This is a great model that would be ideal for any 1920s-1960s modeler looking to add a streetcar line to a layout.