Ideas wanted for Lionel Area 51 train sets

I don't have an Area 51 on my layout, nor did I purchase one of the Area 51 train sets. I do have three of the Lionel cars (two versions of the alien suspended-animation floating bodies cars (my aliens are not "dead"), and one with the bobbing-head alien). I combine them with one of the glow-in-the-dark AEC cars,run them behind any diesel locomotive, and that is my "alien train".

 

 

If I were to do an Area 51 theme, I would use a couple of the hangars made by Plasticville and the P'ville airport administration building, combined with some warehouse structures.  A few military vehicles (jeeps and 2 1/2 -ton trucks, at the least), and a couple of military jets for the runway. If you want a "flying saucer", a couple of the plastic-kit companies have made them over the years, and they can be found on the bay. 

 

Some of the people on the Forum have created "landed saucer" vignettes; perhaps we can ask them to post their pictures.

Would love to see photos of these. If you have or know of such vignettes, either please post photos or provide a link.

Thanks

Here's one that I took at a local train show a few years ago. I failed to note whose layout this was on...maybe people in the Chicago area will recognize it.

The Pittsburgh Independent HiRailers have a rally unique model on their layout.  I have some pictures somewhere I'll see if I can find them.

Here's one from Trainfest back in 2008. Again, I didn't note whose HO modular layout this was.

Here's another version from Trainfest 2008; I didn't note the layout maker.

Busch make a UFO in HO scale. I think that this is the one used in some of the pictures above.

I don't see why it couldn't be incorporated into an O layout. There might well be small aliens out there...

 

 Heres a few Marty I found when our club set up at York.

 

Dave Neaumans Handy work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Skid mark into the mountain!

 

OK, where are agents Mulder and Scully?  (Car with X-Files music?)

The small flying saucers and rubber alien models from Bally's Attack From Mars pinball machine can be used with an alien themed train set.The small flying saucers can be lit up and mounted on a flat car for a UFO transport car.The alien looks menacing invading a train layout.The saucer and alien parts for the pinball machine can be found usually on Ebay,just type in"Attack From Mars Pinball".        

I've used a few of the little plastic aliens and tinplate robots offered by http://www.tintoyarcade.com/  - they also have more than a few flying saucers that would work.  For little ones, I've found the more lights and sounds the better. And even better is big empty gondolas for them to put things in and take them out...

I made a couple of gray aliens from HO people I had on hand that wore coveralls. I used Squadron putty to make bigger heads, and painted the heads gray. The coveralls I painted silver. I staged them with one of the UFO's from the Lionel recovery set. I put the car and remaining UFO behind an RMT AEC Beep, and added a Lionel AEC Security Car, Area 51 Radar Car, and an RMT AEC caboose. I'll have to find how to post images.

I'm currently building a small, changeable layout as outlined by Jim Policastro, with a Halloween/Area 51 scenery base.

 

First, you have to put Area 51 under the control of the Dpt of Energy. Next you have to designate Groom AFB as a non existent air base.  Have to name your UFO the Avalon as that is what is flying now.  You may want to include a reference to Roswell as that crash is still classified.  Also place numerous Hummers around your site with an electric fence.

Reading this thread made me realize that I had never shot any video at my Martian mine on the Seligman and Paulden lines.  So, here is a shot of the daily run from Area 51 past my hard working Martians.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTpNh8...x=1&feature=plcp

 

And if you want to know the full story of why we have Martians working here in Arizona, go to my website at: http://theatonnas.com/TheMartianMine.htm for the rest of the story.

PeterA:

 

Fabulous job!! Hope Homeland Security does not get wind of your great effort.

 

Tony

Up on "The D & H Bridge Line"

Peter A- The martian mine video was very cool, but I also watched the Sante Fe to Chicago video and that blew my mind.  Outstanding!

Thanks fellows for the comments.  I've found out, humor in a layout makes it even more fun for visitors (and me).  

 

William, thanks for the comment about my Going to Chicago video.  I did an article for OGR about it, and hopefully it will run this fall or winter.

This is from last year's halloween layout in the garage. It's the saucer from "When Mars Attacks" supplemented with some glow in the dark space aliens by Lionel.

 

 

One of the good things about this saucer is it makes different sounds & lights when triggered.

Nicole,

Squadron lists an Atlantis 1/48 scale flying saucer like the one in the corn field photo for $18.68 (#AT1003). You may be able to find it somewhere else for less. I've seen these at my LHS.

 

Dan has a cool idea with those saucers on a flat car. Why not make them able to fly off the car to infinity and beyond?

What i would like to see, is a Army gateman, to use at the gate to get onto a area 51 base. You know the guard shack at the gate. Then a why not a Army train depot acc with a conveyor belt unloading top secret wooden crates! Kinda like the Santa version but with more detail, Army guys guarding it, etc. Why not do some kind of military tank filling station? To fill those alien fluid cars!! And why not make a flying saucer pylon??? I really think Lionel has not capitalized on the whole Army/area 51! And reissue the QUONSET HUT!!!!!!!!!!!please!

If this is the saucer I'm thinking of doesn't it has a button near the back that triggers the sound and light features? If so, how do you access it while the train is running? It doesn't look as though you can simply reach in and press it while the train is running. Have you kitbashed a wired or infared remote control for it? How are you able to activate the sounds and lights?

Try Geller Toy Trains they have add on cars for Area 51.

You can get the TARDIS and the Doctor from DOCTOR WHO in approximate O gauge proportions at Barnes & Nobel.

Here is a link to some of the items.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/...16?ean=5029736039097

 

Andrew

Geller Toy Trains has released a Area 51 gang car retro fit.

It might be fun for you to do a mock up of the actual Area 51 with a runway, etc. with mountains surrounding it.

Speaking of which, as my son would say, does anyone know if there is a Lionel video or anything that lets you access the sounds these various RTR sets make?  I am real interested in the Area 51 and Polar Express.  I want to believe!

Lindberg has a 1:48 Area 51 UFO kit for $20.00 that might be worth looking into.  Check it out.  http://www.cybermodeler.com/ho.../kit_lin_91006.shtml

 

That belongs to the Chicago Chapter of the European Train Enthusiasts' modular railroad.

 

Rusty

Pegasus Hobbies makes N0. 9102 Alpha Centauri U.F.O.'s Short Range Saucers in 1/32 scale that work well with O gauge trains. There are also several "War of the Worlds" ailen space craft available. Do an E-bay search and you will find many different models that will work. The Dollar Stores, Michael's, and Party Stores often have figures too. And who really knows what "scale" extra trestrials are anyways? 

 

Paul Goodness

I integrated the Groom Lake train with the alien sounds car into our display layout of AllAboardFastracker squares at the recent LOTS/TTOS convention in Reno, NV. I ran the train on an inner loop with one boxcar door left open. I would ask the kids that were watching the layout if they noticed that the boxcar door was open. When they did notice I then told them that 6 aliens had escaped and were hiding out on the edge of town. They would spend a good amount of time looking for the hiding aliens. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it.

The Gateman accessory with an alien instead of the gateman might be a fun item for the kids to button operate.

 

Also, there are sound and lights mods for the spaceships. If I can find the links, I'll post them. That could also be a push button type activation.

 

 

Kenn,

Glad someone brought this one back to life. My apologies for not seeing and responding too your question. I wired in a push button from a Lionel Gateman so I could operate the sounds and lights from the table where I have all the controls for the 3 levels of trains that make up the Halloween layout. Try to set it up down in front as close to the Tick-or-Treaters as possible.

If you want to add a bit of Star Trek flavor to your Area 51 encounter there are figures available by Heroclix.

 

 

Plus some small alien space craft are available.

 

Remember the series Ben 10 Alien Force

 

There are Alien figures for that available.

 

 

 

There are miniature Ben 10 figures from Character Building.

 

http://forbiddenplanet.com/915...lding-micro-figures/

 

That will add to the variety

 

Andrew

"That belongs to the Chicago Chapter of the European Train Enthusiasts' modular railroad.

 

Rusty"

 

Thanks, Rusty. I admire their layout whenever I see it.

 

TM did an awesome job doing an Area 51 location in their I Love Toy Trains: All Aboard DVD

There is a Lionel Alien Radar Tracking car.

 

MTH made several RailKing NASA cars.

 

The operating Helicopter Car in the RailKing line can be used with the alien sets.

 

Lionel's operating accessory of a Radar Tower would be appropriate.

 

 

Andrew

I missed this topic when it first appeared last year but here is a video of my layout's Area 51. I had a nice Lionel 175 rocket launcher that seemed out of place until I created a cavern for it.
Similar to a black hole that does not let light escape, My Area 51 is more like a dark gray hole. It does not let colored light escape.
Skip ahead to 5:00 in the video if you just want to see Area 51.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbKRbB4Nd4Q
TJ

you may still be able to find this Testor's model...

 

though it is probably out of production now.  i picked one up years ago.  i got a kick out of it being scaled (??) to 1:48.  this one must have been released later as mine didn't include the little grey guys.

 

cheers...gary