Mister Rogers' / Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Trolley (8-wide streetcar) - real world finished MOC

[Murdoch17]

"It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood!"

This 8-wide model is inspired by the Neighborhood Trolley (as seen on the PBS program "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" TV show and the animated successor "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood") and also by this former Ideas model that I reverse engineered to make my MOC. The old ideas model was by user MrMichelin that ran out of time in 2018.

The model features two wheels, eight booth-like seats, and two driver's stands for bidirectional use. This MOC also sports a double-sided sign on the roof, which will use custom stickers (eventually) to replicate the sign on top of the real-world trolley model used in "The Land of Make-Believe" segments of Mr. Rodger's show.

You can place figures inside on the seats / at the controls, while the motorman's lever goes up ands down at both ends of the car to control the speed / get it to go.

Mister Rogers is on the right, while Daniel Tiger is on the left.

So, in the immortal words of the owners, both past and present: "Won't you be my Neighbor?" 

NOTES:

I just finished (4/15/21) building the trolley in real life. I took the power poles off, as they were ruining the "toy-ish" look of the original studio model.

Comments, Questions, & Complaints welcome!

Edited April 15, 2021 by Murdoch17

[Paperinik77pk]

This is great!!! 

When my daughter was 4 years old she was following the show, and that trolley always "inspired" a Lego build!!! I'm glad you translated it in a Lego design!

Great work, also on the minifigures!!! 

[Murdoch17]

9 hours ago, Paperinik77pk said:

This is great!!! 

When my daughter was 4 years old she was following the show, and that trolley always "inspired" a Lego build!!! I'm glad you translated it in a Lego design!

Great work, also on the minifigures!!! 

Thank you @Paperinik77pk, it's not easy building trolleys / streetcars... they are the most difficult train-related subjects I have ever had to build. Also, as a side note, I just ordered this trolley alongside a Mister Rodgers mini-figure. (Daniel Tiger will have to wait for another time) To make the trolley fit more into my storyline, and to be more realistic, I gave the trolley a power pole for both ends, to connect to the invisible wires above it. (What does it ruin on when there are no power poles, the world may never know!) I just hope and pray it doesn't ruin the toy-like "look" of the MOC.

Edited April 8, 2021 by Murdoch17

[Murdoch17]

Screenshots in the first post updated as of 4/9/21. The model has been ordered for real world building, and should be here by late next week or so.

Edited April 9, 2021 by Murdoch17

[Murdoch17]

Real world WIP picture below:

Mister Rodgers is on the left (minus his hair as it hasn't arrived yet), while the finished Daniel Tiger is on the right. The trolley parts (and Mr. Rodgers hair) should hopefully all be here by Wednesday the 14th.

 

What does everyone think of the figures?

Edited April 10, 2021 by Murdoch17

[Murdoch17]

Forgive me father, for I have sinned: Here is the Neighborhood Trolley model again, but this time I motorized it with a 9V motor unit for use at Gateway LUG shows. Yes, I've now broken two of my most sacred LEGO rules:
1) no 8-wide train models
2) No motors on anything

What next? 3D printed train track? Oh, wait, I already did that....

[CMF-1138]

1 hour ago, Murdoch17 said:

What next? 3D printed train track? Oh, wait, I already did that....

That's a dark path you're traveling down. Next stop, hacksaws, Dremel tools, and part modification... 

On 4/10/2021 at 1:52 PM, Murdoch17 said:

What does everyone think of the figures?

I can see what you are going for, but I'm not getting the "Mr. Rogers" vibe. For Daniel Tiger, I might consider the red zipper torso from the CMF 16 Imp, as I believe he frequently wears a red sweater. Mr. Rogers is more challenging. I think the Ron Weasley sweater is a little unkempt for his clean-cut look, so the green sweater and collared shirt you have on Daniel Tiger might be a better fit. Not sure if there a torso with a sweater and a necktie (other than this Harry Potter one, but I don't think that is the right look either). I think it's the eyebrows, but I'm not getting a "kindness personified" feel from the face. Unfortunately, I don't have a better suggestion offhand. I think this hairpiece from the grandfather in 80106 might be a better fit (also available in DBG), or even the "classic" basic minifigure hair. The hairpiece you link to seems too long and tousled to me. Just my opinion, of course.

Looks like a great project, and it will be fun to see it come to life!

Edited April 13, 2021 by CMF-1138

[Murdoch17]

On 4/12/2021 at 10:38 PM, CMF-1138 said:

That's a dark path you're traveling down. Next stop, hacksaws, Dremel tools, and part modification... 

I can see what you are going for, but I'm not getting the "Mr. Rogers" vibe. For Daniel Tiger, I might consider the red zipper torso from the CMF 16 Imp, as I believe he frequently wears a red sweater. Mr. Rogers is more challenging. I think the Ron Weasley sweater is a little unkempt for his clean-cut look, so the green sweater and collared shirt you have on Daniel Tiger might be a better fit. Not sure if there a torso with a sweater and a necktie (other than this Harry Potter one, but I don't think that is the right look either). I think it's the eyebrows, but I'm not getting a "kindness personified" feel from the face. Unfortunately, I don't have a better suggestion offhand. I think this hairpiece from the grandfather in 80106 might be a better fit (also available in DBG), or even the "classic" basic minifigure hair. The hairpiece you link to seems too long and tousled to me. Just my opinion, of course.

Looks like a great project, and it will be fun to see it come to life!

@CMF-1138 I just upgraded the figures, as you can see below in the finished (minus the sign stickers) Neighborhood Trolley pictures...

\

I hope it looks better now!

[CMF-1138]

Nice! The minifigs are both improved to my eye, although it is your opinion that counts! I think the trolley looks more like the prototype without the trolley poles, as well.