I have read numerous posts about it having plastic doors. They are definitly diecast metal.
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I can confirm at least the black door version is metal. Maybe the brown version has plastic doors?
Does anyone have this car yet?? No ship date on the Lionel website.
I have the brown door car and it seems to be plastic . Is the black door from the Berks set ? Tom
The brown (separate sale) version is plastic. My own opinion is that it looks good, operates smoothly, BUT: I would have prefered the original mechanism (horizontal e-unit & pawl) that dumped 6 boxes over the small DC can with circuit board which only dumps 4.
I have the set version and the doors are black metal. While this new version has the can motors I really think the new version is a great TMCC candidate.
The new mechanism operates much smoother than the original. It dumps the merchandise out the door instead of throwing the boxes 2 feet. Also the coil on the original took a lot of power to operate.
Originally Posted by mtnhi7:
Does anyone have this car yet?? No ship date on the Lionel website.
if it is not listed on Lionels web site it has shipped.
I have one on order, have no idea when they'll come in.
Art Young:
Just press the unload button again and it will unload the last 2, Then you will have all 6 like the original!
I got mine from Charles Ro two weeks ago.
Jon 
I got the seperate sale version last week and my brown doors are diecast. The frame is at least 1/4 inch shorter than the body though so the frame attached steps are not at the ends.
The screws holding the body were bowing it in too. I loosened mine and put a shim in so the screwholes wouldn't crack. The instructions said to only put one side of the car on the accessory track or it will short out. This is not correct, both sides need to be on or it won't work. They must have changed the wiring since printing it.
Otherwise a nice looking car which works well too.
Neil
Originally Posted by KOOLjock1:
I got mine from Charles Ro two weeks ago.
Jon
It's listed as "on order" now at Charles Ro.
Originally Posted by Chuck Sartor:
The new mechanism operates much smoother than the original. It dumps the merchandise out the door instead of throwing the boxes 2 feet. Also the coil on the original took a lot of power to operate.
I have an origional 3454. My unloading track is set up to use track power, so the voltage can be easily varied. You can keep the boxes from being thrown out far by controlling the voltage. Here's how I operate mine, first put the transformer voltage to about 16 volts and press the unload button. The higher voltage is used to both open the door and unload the first box. If the voltage is too low, the box will hit the door and if its too high, the box will fly out too far. For the next 4 boxes reduce the voltage to about 10 volts, this will unload each box a couple of inches outside the door. For the last box, increase voltage back to about 16, this will unload the last box and close the door. By repeating the 6 box cycle, you will learn at exactly what voltage to make the boxes dump where you want them. I find that it is a lot of fun to try and get the boxes to unload where you want them.
I just got mine 2 days ago from Charles Ro, it should have come 2 weeks ago but it went MIA. It should have come with the 5 boxes of auto carriers 2 packs. My 6th box was for someone else. Last week I did get the Berkshire freight set and both cars look great.
Originally Posted by iguanaman3:
I got the seperate sale version last week and my brown doors are diecast. The frame is at least 1/4 inch shorter than the body though so the frame attached steps are not at the ends.
The screws holding the body were bowing it in too. I loosened mine and put a shim in so the screwholes wouldn't crack. The instructions said to only put one side of the car on the accessory track or it will short out. This is not correct, both sides need to be on or it won't work. They must have changed the wiring since printing it.
Otherwise a nice looking car which works well too.
Neil
Neil, Thanks for the heads up. I had taken mine apart to swap out the trucks and didn't notice this at first but after you pointed it out it was obvious the ends were bowed in. I used a #4 washer at each end to correct it.
Pete
I did not pre-order, but certainly want one of these operating cars. Thanks for shedding light on the versions and sources! Terry
I ordered my car from Hobby Station on Dec 26th, and haven't had any response to my email and phone queries about when I'd get it. Probably should've ordered it from Charles Ro back then and I'd have it now.
I ordered from Hobby Station as well, my mistake.
Good advice about the short frame. Thanks. The couplers wouldn't stay closed either but some gentle bending fixed that. I have the separate sale car but I can't tell if it has metal doors or not, they don't seem to bend any...Jim.
Gentlemen,
How about a picture of this new beauty?
PCRR/Dave
Kooljock1,
Ok I thought there was something new I had missed from Lionel.
Participated in that thread myself.
PCRR/Dave
