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I have one. It is a neat accessory and reliable if care is taken during the operation. If the operator fails to stop the movements before the boom hits the sides or top, the plastic gears will strip and will consequently need to be replaced.
I have one and, as stated above, with care it is a super accessory! I love it and so do children when they visit.
I love ours. It has performed reliably for many years now. Fun to use, and satisfying, because it takes a certain level of skill to use successfully. The only knock against it is that it is difficult to steer. (There are two powered wheels, one on each side,each controlled by its own lever. You "steer" by running one forward and one backward, while the non-powered wheels slide sideways over the table.) Make sure you keep it near the edge of the table, both so you can see what you are doing, and so you can straighten it out again when you manage to get the unit hopelessly cokeyed versus the track!
The crane is really meant to handle the non-scale containers used in the traditional line TOFC and doublestack sets. These are cleverly designed so that the trailer will lift straight off a flatcar; or the container can be lifted free of the trailer frame and set on the ground. It does look as though the crane's jaws are wide enough to handle 1:48 containers, but I do not have any to try with. Maybe someone else can tell you for sure. If you used 1:48 containers, you would have to add some little "feet" to them, so that the crane's jaws could get under them to pick them off the ground. I am very sure that it won't work with scale doublestacks. Also, you can't use it with the traditional size one-axle trailers (the ones that come two on a car); they are too short, and slip out of the jaws.
Yes love mine put rubber road bed down and it steers better only goes a foot in my yard. I use the Road Champ plastic trailers only, you would have to be very skilled to get it lined up to pickup cans! Make sure they are very light weight what ever you lift!
Mine still works well since new great item!
Here is a link to a discussion and photos on trailers that could be lifted;
https://ogrforum.com/d...ent/5512461183878217
Road champ shown (k-line same design do not lift metal to heavy)
Weaver 35 foot trailers will also work they are light weight!
I have a couple that operate in an Intermodal Yard. The above post tell it all...the gears have potential to strip if you aren't attentive as stated and it can wobble. Finally the only real containers it works with are the Lionel ones with cutouts in the bottom for the jaws to insert into them.
I created 'ruts' to drive the crane forward and backward, using black foamies which look like pavement and work to keep the wheels going straight. Some scene attention makes it work with the roadways, yellow lines etc.
There were posts a while back by others interested in the Intermodal scene, hopefully they will chime in. They had different tricks for adjusting the crane to pick up other size containers by working to adjust the jaws, adding magnets in the containers etc.
It is definitely layout candy and works well when visitors see what you can do.
If you can afford it, go for it.
Ralph
With mine I just bought it to enhance the looks of my Intermodal yard. I use mostly K-Line containers, which are too big for it to operate properly, but it looks great with these containers posed in the jaws.
Hopefully some day Lionel will make a new one that is wireless and scale.
Great looking accessory though.
Art
It would be nice if someone would build a scale Mi-Jack that could handle scale sized containers. Is it possible to modify this crane with better gearing and larger jaws to handle scale containers?
As mentioned earlier, the Lionel containers and trucks work best with this accessory. I keep a set of Lionel double stacks just for use with it. Do not try to lift a K-Line diecast truck with it! The truck is way too heavy for the gears.
Speaking of which, there have been reports of the main gear that operates the lifting mode splitting. Replacements are available. I would test before buying.
Chris
LVHR
Here are a couple of pictures taken a little more than a year ago while I was working on the intermodal yard. A few changes and improvements have taken place since...
Alan
Kids young and old like to operate mine. For maximum operating pleasure the controls need to be at an end of the track so you can see the alignment for loading.
See gear replacement at http://www.slsprr.net/features/MiJack.htm
Good advice Susan. My first layout had the crane too far away which made it really hard to operate. Even under my nose now, it's still a challenge to load the trailers back on to the cars!
One thing I've done to make it even more fun is install an old QSI breaking glass sound module just under the layout. The module was meant to be installed in a box car and the rougher it rode the more the glass broke. I replaced the pinball tilt type pendulum switch with a very small pushbutton switch mounted inconspicuously on the layout fascia. As the operator unloads the trailers I tell them to be careful as they are loaded with Waterford Crystal, or giant screen TVs, whatever they seem to appreciate.
When they are in the middle of the unloading process and they think things are going well I start rapidly pushing the hidden switch and the glass starts breaking. They love it!
I tried to get the module to fit in a trailer but it was too large and probably would have made it too heavy.
That brings up my next point. Thanks for sending the parts breakdown for the gear replacement, but the #37 pinion gear in that list shows it as being unavailable. That is the only gear I have ever broken. Jim Barrett has a good fix process for that gear if you can't find a replacement. I bought a new spare crane for parts if needed, and am very careful to not lift the load all the way until it stalls at the top. If it does that too many times, sometimes it only takes a few times, you'll experience that sickening feeling as the motor suddenly speeds up and the load slowly, or quickly, lowers back to the ground because the tiny pinion gear just split open.
I still love this accessory and would encourage Lionelzwl2012 to purchase and enjoy it!
This forum answered many of my questions on the crane- great discussion. One other question for the expert users..... do you recommend one track and one road for the crane or will two tracks work? I have a small yard with 072 switches and 5.5" between tracks- is this sufficient space? I am lucky since I can put the controller at the end of the yard per Susan's suggestion if this works?
I don't see how you'd operate with two tracks with this, there's just room for a track and a road.
I wondered, seems the pictures I remembered all had a road- thanks.
Well, you need it over at least one track if you're going to unload the containers from a train. 
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