Lionel's new operating merchandise cars

Steve,

 Does MTH make a version of this type of operating car? 

Yes, MTH makes a line of operating reefer cars that operate smoothly and at a realistic slow speed. The cargo (crates of milk, fruit, etc.) is dispensed along with a flow of "cold air" (smoke).

These are very nice cars. I own several of them.

"Cool" operating twist

I have the latest Lionel Merch. car. It uses a can motor now so the discharge of boxes is much smoother than the postwar version. It doesn't throw them very far. If anything, it could probably stand to fling them a bit further. However, the rate of delivery is still pretty quick and toylike. 

I also have one of the MTH units that Barry mentioned. It too is very smooth in operation. The rate of delivery is much slower. It's a scale sized and detailed car and comes with a plastic ramp that sits trackside to accept the packages. The refrig "smoke" effect is via a seuthe type smoke unit.

Both are good cars. One aimed at the postwar fan and the other at the scale crowd.

I have the MTH car.  Other than having to fix the door that was loose, it's a very nice operating car.  It's in the queue to get TMCC control so I don't have to have an operating track.

I have the new Lionel car. The mechanism inside is the K-Line one. Smooth, but it only tosses out 4 boxes before the door closes and it comes with 6. If I could afford the $700+ for an original, I'd've bought that one. I have the 027 postwar car, and never have had a problem.  

Eh, I can live with the new one I suppose.

John,

It's in the queue to get TMCC control so I don't have to have an operating track.

I've installed ERR MiniCommanders in all of mine.

That's my plan Barry, too many projects, too little time.

Thanks everyone for your replies.  I wish I could find video of the MTH reefer and Lionel Merchandise car but I researched YouTube and I could not find any.

Barry, if I purchase the merchandise car that's what I want to do with mine.  Can you drop me a quick email (in my profile).  I want an operating car which goes along with my Lionel Armory on my new Army base which can deliver crates of Ammo.  I will re-paint the box car shell with drab green and Army markings.

Steve, Lady and Tex

Tell Tex I think that an ammo delivery car is a great idea! A slower mech will be much more fitting than ammo crates being thrown carelessly about too boom!

Tex, here is a pic and short vid I made after receiving my MTH ATSF Reefer.  It does seem to be scale, and dwarfs most of my semi-scale stock...still a very cool operating car. The pic did not capture it well, but the haze to the right of the ramp is some of the smoke lingering after unload.

I made a short video of the Lionel remake of the postwar merchandise car.

I see that  the "Invisible Man" doesn't give a hoot about your packages!

Gentlemen,

   Ok you sold me I got to get one or two of these operating box cars, way cool stuff.

Guns you got to due a short instructional video on up grading the car to remote control!

PCRR/Dave

Here is a video of my original Lionel Postwar 3454 Merchandise car.

Dave, video doesn't work, here's what I get.

Scale operating cars.  I like the idea, and hope to see more of this.

The MTH car is scale.  I'm putting scale bodies on my Hot Box Reefer and the Vision Line Cattle Car. 

Thanks n5c Jonny for the video, now I see how the boxes are ejected, not too bad really, better than I thought.

David, can you try to post your video again.  Like John stated, it did not come through on your posting.  Thank you.

Steve, Lady and Tex

Excellent!

Your MTH Santa Fe reefer car has beautiful colors and operates smoothly.
I like the worker with the hand truck and his dumping the load onto the ramp.

Also, inside the car there appears to be another worker who opens and closes the sliding door.

Ralph

Making the grade = Thanks for posting photo and video.  That is so cool and the smoke really looks like dry ice fog.  You have a winner there.

Steve, Lady and Tex

GUNRUNNER JOHN,

Do you have the NUMBER for the MTH Car?  AND I would be interested in how you are going tom put a SCALE Body on that "Hot Box Reefer Car!!! I would like to do the same!!!

Thanks,.

Fred

MTH has a number of the cars, I have the REA 20-94211 version.

Harry Henning did the conversion of these two units with his using Atlas bodies,  When I was down at York, I picked up a couple of old Atlas scale cars, a reefer and a cattle car with the same conversion in mind.  You just make some spacers along the sides to secure it to the car frame.  The only tricky part is getting the fill capability for the hot box reefer, the cattle car doesn't need anything special, all the controls are on the frame.  Of course, the hot box reefer is converted to TMCC as well.