Lionel Operating Milk Car: Model Number: 6-26863 Years Manufactured: 2006 - 2006

I found the best option was to use seperate power supply that you can "dial" the voltage to. When I used the big ol ZW, I used one inside handle for switches and accessories such as that, and the other inside handle for lighting. There may be better ways, but this method was free

@MR_P posted:

I found the best option was to use seperate power supply that you can "dial" the voltage to. When I used the big ol ZW, I used one inside handle for switches and accessories such as that, and the other inside handle for lighting. There may be better ways, but this method was free

Agreed, it's actually a combination of things. I tried looking up this specific Milk car at Lionel support, but no details or parts breakdown is there https://www.lionelsupport.com/...h-Unloading-Platform

I'm saying this because there are 2 types of Lionel mechanisms in these milk cars. This appears to be the earlier plunger solenoid coil activated model- where varying the voltage can attempt to help slow down or "adjust" the speed of how fast the mechanism throws the milk cans out. Using a fixed voltage just gives you one speed- probably not the desired speed. That said there are limitations namely that system is always going to eject faster because of basic physics of the solenoid- magnetic strength or pull increases as distance decreases. Again you need just enough voltage to start and get it moving and it accelerates as it moves until the end.

Conversely, the newest versions (as an example https://www.lionelsupport.com/...-Car-with-Platform_3 ) of the milk car are using a radio control style RC hobby servo motor to move the mechanism at a constant slower speed- regardless of voltage. It uses a circuit board to regulate the voltage for the servo motor (5V) and sense the trigger voltage so it's no longer adjustable by external voltage but doesn't need to be.

Again, the biggest thing is that the newer style car operates differently because the very motor and control system is also different fundamentally changing the action of how the car operates.

Also note specific to your older style solenoid coil operated style car. Lionel and others have made magnetic milk cans that have a strong magnet in the base. The problem is there are minor changes to the Lionel milk car and I do not know if magnetic style milk cans can operate and not jam in your mechanism.

Topic about that https://ogrforum.com/...gnetic-milk-can-help

Another topic about the newer style servo mechanism milk cars https://ogrforum.com/...-new-servo-mechanism

Also note that mentioned in some of those links was the very different K-line operating milk cars that use a belt and geared motor mechanism. Again a totally different system that has a slower eject mechanism that can be fun.

@Vernon Barry posted:

Agreed, it's actually a combination of things. I tried looking up this specific Milk car at Lionel support, but no details or parts breakdown is there https://www.lionelsupport.com/...h-Unloading-Platform

I'm saying this because there are 2 types of Lionel mechanisms in these milk cars. This appears to be the earlier plunger solenoid coil activated model- where varying the voltage can attempt to help slow down or "adjust" the speed of how fast the mechanism throws the milk cans out. Using a fixed voltage just gives you one speed- probably not the desired speed. That said there are limitations namely that system is always going to eject faster because of basic physics of the solenoid- magnetic strength or pull increases as distance decreases. Again you need just enough voltage to start and get it moving and it accelerates as it moves until the end.

Conversely, the newest versions (as an example https://www.lionelsupport.com/...-Car-with-Platform_3 ) of the milk car are using a radio control style RC hobby servo motor to move the mechanism at a constant slower speed- regardless of voltage. It uses a circuit board to regulate the voltage for the servo motor (5V) and sense the trigger voltage so it's no longer adjustable by external voltage but doesn't need to be.

Again, the biggest thing is that the newer style car operates differently because the very motor and control system is also different fundamentally changing the action of how the car operates.

Is anyone looking into a retrofit kit for the 2006 solenoid cars to the new servo system?  Seems that would be a good solution since the solenoid action would have much more precise control over the eject mechanism.