Moveable people in Lionel's engines ever?

HW,

The forthcoming Golden Gate Depot modernized heavyweight coaches will not have opening doors which permits the doors to now be the correct height. I am going to really miss stabbing at the doors with a pointed instrument as they travel around my layout just to make sure they still open.

I know what you mean Dave. I had a $900.00 Premiere new in the box which had a broken detail piece but MTH quickly sent a replacement. Thanks to Midge.

 

Someday has arrived. https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us

FatBoy, Earlier in this thread you mentioned seeing the Engineer turn his head when

the engine was reversed, and forward when going forward. This is true and is on GreenFrogs Videos I think. Either way, I have the video of his past layout which was

pictured in the many books he wrote for Kalmbach. He was a very nice gentleman and

I believe he would be remembered as a Pioneer of the Hobby of Model Railroading.

One trip, many years ago to The York TCA Meet, I actually called John Armstrong and got his answer machine. Do to time limitations, we headed back home as its a 14 hour drive. Three days later, Yes, John Armstrong gave me a call and said, come over the next time I was in the area. Wow, we had about a 30 minute conversation, and I will never forget it. So close, but yet so far away.

Yes, the engineer turning his head is a Great Idea, Great Thread. Happy Railroading

 

 

 

 

I have a MTH PRR cabin car that has a moveable flag man on the rear of the car. When you blow the whistle button on the transformer he moves..........people love him when we have a open house but you have to point him out to them.

 

i would think moveable figures in the cab of a steam engine or a diesel would be too hard for people to notice. But if they put them in for no added cost I'd give them a try.

 

JohnB

I agree, to a point: visitors to my layout - or any layout - are generally overwhelmed by tall the stuff and the movement and shuffing and diesle rumblings.  Too much to take it.  

But I would notice, and watch, and enjoy, and my trains are mainly for me, so It's still like to have them.  

 

I may try my hand at building some, on down the road, when i complete several current or currenty planned projects.  

You know that's not going to happen.

 

Rusty

As my architect said when we were designing our house "we can do anything you heart desires....it is just a matter of money." The same would be true here and with so many of the great ideas on this forum, all it takes is the money to bring the idea to reality.

There are a number of companies that do miniatures for films, ever see the models used in Star Trek? I am sure any of those firms could modify an O scale train to have moving passengers and crew. They could super detail the cars too, moving cattle in the cattle cars, chefs preparing ones favorite meal in the dining car, anything ones heart desires...it's just a matter of money.

No worries, gang; I have found the solution. We just need these guys:

Keith, the engineer looks really nice.   Do you have to glue him in place?

Since that is the left side of the locomotive, that is the Fireman hanging out of the cab window. He is probably watching for hand signals from the switchman on the ground.

Here is one in HO scale.

 

 

Cesar

As much as I'd love to see moving figures inside cabs, passenger cars, and buildings, I don't think the current importers can pull this off. I have come to believe train stuff is basically a lot of junk, made in China at that, at inflated prices to satisfy us nuts who continue to buy it to satisfy our inner-child.

 

Now, where I can find the new catalogs, LOL.

Given the right engineer figure, that effect shouldn't be that hard to do.  I'd connect a really tiny motor with current limiting to a shaft through the body.  The motor could be powered by a directional light output.

Thanks.  Yes, it is hot glued to the inside of the cab so I can still remove the shell easily.  There is a figure hanging out of each side of this locomotive.

Those are the guys!

The ones with the creepy squid eyes!

 

My daughter visibly jumped when she took a look into my Lionel Docksider cab...........

I would think a shaft and magnet. Reverse polarity with direction?

I spotted some tiny gear motors on eBay, they have an even smaller DC motor on them.  I ordered a few, and I'll see if they adapt...

 

Yeech!  That sounds painful!

Sure does!

 

There's not a doubt that a talented individual could do such an effect.  There is stuff similar to this at the Choo Choo Barn, done by the owner/operator, Tom Groff.  Some of the things Tom has done are probably similar to what is being asked here.  I forget the details, but there is a passenger train that I think has an effect of a passenger boarding and de-boarding when the train arrives at a station.  My memory might be slightly foggy because it's been a few years since I've stopped in there.  I'm pretty confident there are at least a few figures with heads that turn, though they are probably not installed in moving engines.

 

The question was if we would see this type of effect offered in Lionel's engines (presumably extended to other companies) .

 

Considering the problems we have with much simpler things than this (not that our trains haven't advanced and become more complicated, they obviously have), I'd say "never" for a stock item.  If they do try to do it, I'd wager it would be less than a 10-20% yield on units where this type of feature would work right out of the box.

 

-Dave

Moving people?? 

 

Like, moving thumbs on a little black box clutched in their hands with that blank-stare-look of the "cheesy guys" Keith showed...maybe???? 

 

Or, how about that little black gizmo held firmly and fixedly up to their ear while the only thing moving is their jaw....and the same "cheesy guy" with the blank stare????

 

Or, how about a rhythmic bounce side-to-side while the "cheesy-guy" and his blank stare with ear buds and a wire down to his little black box thingy in his shirt pocket listens to your-choice-of-Sirius-stations piped into your BSL (Blank Stare Line) mega-buck engine through subscription offered under Legacy 23.0 in the 15th release of Big Boys??

 

Actually, a 'simple' wave of the engineer would be fine....if it were reliable.

 

OTOH, I'd rather they spend their money on something more useful.....like a reliable, affordable version of Kadee's remote uncoupling offered currently only for large scale. Stuff of dreams, I know.

 

Moving people...   Good grief.  And I suppose the logical follow-on to "Breakdown Diesels" would be steam engines with exploding boilers??

 

If I could but begin to master the 57 buttons on my TV remote, I'd be looking for more spice to hobby life at my age!!!

 

Moving people....

 

 

 

 

Years ago Flyer made an operating passenger car with passengers getting on & off at a station platform.  More recently Marklin had a diner car with a moving waiter.  There have been other animations done on a custom basis too. I can remember hearing about one European count's custom #1 gauge sleeping car.  

 

An engineer looking out and pulling the throttle is a cool effect that I'd like to have.

Lionel had the Mickey Mouse circus train with Mickey stoking the engine!

 

 

Lionel also had a SP caboose with operating signalman with lighted lamp.

franktrain

I was surprised* that no one had mentioned the Lenz V60, certainly a mass produced model by a first-line mfg, and in 2 rail 0 scale yet;  in this centre cab diesel switcher the engineer turns to face the direction of travel.  A video was even posted here on the Forum; do an [ exact phrase ] search for 'Lenz V60' to find it.

 

SZ

 

*but only mildly so, since based on the topics and information which are repeated over and over and over, most Forumites appear to have little or no memory .......

I would like to see a Brakeman, (since I do a lot of switching) on the ground by an industrial site. Then when engine backs a car into siding, his arm would be in motion to back, then straight up to stop.

The Europeans add a lot of animation to their layouts, most very realistic. Something lacking over here.

I was learned the straight up was "release air brakes" and "stop" was horizontal at right angle to tracks.

 

Rusty

Not to me.   I figure if my passengers can stand me cutting their feet off and sanding their butts, that the engineer and fireman can stand getting a drill stuck up their...

 

I ordered a few of these, I figure if the gearbox ends up being too big, I can use the little motor directly.

 

 

Thank you. Learning every day.

I think animation such as those described in this thread would be wonderful for those who desire enhanced "coolness." Of course, all of these enhancements will bring with them the additional cost everyone decries. Lionel is going to be careful about designing these types of things. The disappearing coal load, Lee mentioned, is of no importance whatsoever to me. I would much prefer steam chest emission or greatly enhanced detail, sound, or more interactive announcement. 

I'm with you, I would have rather had additional smoke effects that I would see operating regularly.  I can't say the disappearing coal load isn't cool, but it wouldn't have been my first choice for where I put the development dollars.