The horse-drawn trolley was the first important step in trolley technology as it demonstrated the great efficiency of steel wheels on tracks. Horse-drawn trolleys were in wide use prior to the 1880s and electricity. The development of electrical trolleys eliminated the problem of horse excrement and animal maintenance.

Most trolleys use metal rails like a train that were embedded on city streets under overhead catenary wires supplying electricity. The group of wires has an upper strong wire in a curve (catenary) connected to a second wire below called the 'contact wire'. The contact wire provides a smooth surface to follow for long overhead poles with conductors on the vehicle.

Bring the Magic of Trains Home with the O Gauge Bump-n-Go Trolley! Featuring a lighted interior, metal wheels and gears and a long-lasting motor. The unit operates on any O Gauge track system and features an Automatic Bumper Reversing Mechansim (ABRM) that changes the car’s direction when it hits a track bumper.