A better system for the Lionel Gateman? The Tortoise switch machine??

Most anything is doable. However the accessory described is toy like and out of scale. It is a fun thing as is and I take it for what it is. If you want something more reasonably prototypical I suggest the k-Line version. 

 

Dale H

you can always lower the voltage a bit

lower voltage and he does not come out of the house.

Yes it is toy like but lots of different models trying to find a way to make it work better.

Actually, for a more scale version. The mth version is hard to beat.

you might also consider a servo.  the tortoise machine moves in a short linear motion which is amplified a bit through the spring wire.  i've got to think that a servo with a rotational movement would be easier to adapt to the task of opening the door.  the movement distance can be tailored through choosing different size pulleys mounted on the shaft.

 

servos do not need an r/c setup to operate.

they can be hardwired to a switch just as easily.

 

cheers...gary

Interesting ! I guess you have to decide whether it's worth the work. Tortoise are stall out type of machine, how would you get the gateman back in without a second switch or reversing switch. Same thing with an RC servo.  Having said that I hooked up a couple of( I think there were 151s??) semaphores with a tortoise and a relay. Nice slow action but a little work.