Operating Accessories- A thing of the past?

Good question Dennis.  For me I like animation, and have some on the layout, but operating accessories just seem like out of date toys when you compare them to the detail of today’s trains and many structures.

Lemax and Dept 56 still make operating displays and building, many suitable for a train layout.

Lemax even made some of K-Line's Operating Accessories like the rustic sawmill.

I still prefer the pre-war and post-war versions without electronics to go bad.

With 3d printers and cheap geared can motors, we can build our own.

Rich, it depends on what type of layout you want.  My original Lionel layouts from the late '70s were more scale like.  As the 80s decade was nearing an end, my interest shifted to an operating accessory packed layout.  Now that I have begun to amass Lionel trains in preparation for a future layout, my focus is on operating accessories.  

Yes, they are toys.  That's what I want to do, play with toys.  I'm not interested in building a scale layout these days.

Dennis, Lionel did reissue most of their post-war operating accessories back in the '90s.  Maybe they feel that there are enough of them still around and plenty of post-war versions also.  So reissuing them again may not be profitable.  

Lionel still makes some of this stuff. I just added the milk car to my layout this week

Not a thing of the past in this house!

Lionel is still producing operating accessories, adding sound effects for more realism and fun:

Here are a couple examples:

Gantry crane:

The sawmill, with sounds, go to 18:19 for the action:

Dan,

I agree with you everyone has their own style for their layout, I respect that.  If you want a post war style toy train layout, enjoy.

What I don’t get is with all the tech we have today with Lionel legacy and MTH DCS, Bluetooth audio, WiFi control apps, and the amazing detail on many trains today, we have operating accessories with detail and technology from the 1940’s.  There could be many very cool operating accessories with today’s tech and manufacturing capabilities but instead we get reissues from the early 20th century.

The barrel loader was pretty cool when my dad was a kid ( I am 50) but pretty lame by todays standards.

When I designed my current layout, I allowed space for the 164 log loader, 97 coal loader and 165 magnetic crane. The more time passed, the more I didn't like the fact that they take up so much space--especially the 97 and 164. I thought about it some more, and considered how little the accessories would be used, so with the help of my friend Ray, I decided to eliminate them and use the area for a 4-track yard. I'm going to keep the 165 crane on the layout, but that takes up a lot less space and can be used on a curve, unlike most of the operating accessories. 

In the end, sidings were a much better use of the space for my purposes.  The goal for my layout is running trains, so keeping 4 additional trains on the layout ready for action ended up being more important than 2 accessories I would rarely use. 

John

You have a good point, Rich.  I see that Lionel has made some, more to scale things like the cross buck and crossing gates.  However, not having followed Lionel products closely from the '90s to about three years ago, I don't know what else they've come up with that would be more scale like as far as operating accessories.  

I know they made a new lift bridge that looks really good and some animated accessories like the swing set, scrapyard with the guys cutting up an old loco and some others.  But these are all simple animations that do not interact with the trains.  

Operating accessories for intermodal container and trailer trains has not been fully explored and produced. 

The lumber mill could be made in true O scale proportions and operate in a more realistic manner. 

Andrew

The loading and unloading equipment for steel coils from gondolas has to be scratchbuilt right now. 

Andrew

Simulating the fueling and sand filling of a diesel locomotive could be made more realistic in 1:48th scale proportions. 

Andrew

If it wasn't for the operating accessories, i would probably be into H.O...

As technology becomes more sophisticated, I believe more realistic operating accessories will be the next frontier of model railroading. 

For a while in the early 2000's Lionel was producing some spectacular accessories, the vignette scenes like the lumberjacks, sly fox, rovers revenge to larger ones like the firehouse, ford dealership, bubbling water tower, carnival rides and loaders to the Mainline accessories. I think part of the reason we don't see more is the 'plug & play' functionality that Lionel is starting to incorporate. I also wonder if Lionel still has access to the tooling for most of the accessories. It would be great for them to reintroduce those accessories.

I don't think operating accessories will ever be a thing of the past in O gauge. Depending on what type of layout you prefer I think accessories will always play a significant roll in our hobby especially with new technology being introduced in some of the old classic accessories as well as new accessories introduced by Lionel & MTH. 

I'm not so much a fan of operating accessories. I'm a passenger train fan, so my RR is always operating at a financial loss. A train standing still doesn't helpthat.

Actually, I like the operating "accessories" which don't interact with the RR. Carnival items; MTH firehouse, gas station, etc.;  Lionel dealership; superstreets and bumper trolley.

At our club I tend to run the coal tipple when we have shows and I can tell you that kids (up to about age 80) LOVE it and love pushing the button which makes it operate.

So I guess it all depends..........

Gerry

After reading all the good comments here, one thing has become obvious.  Most accessories take up lots of room, making it difficult placing them in a layout with all the other stuff.  Especially true if you have loads of scenery,  IMO, American Flyer had the right idea but the MTH coaling tower that I finally installed seems scale size and fits right in. I believe that the lighting accessories, signals and towers will always be popular but if there ever is a new generation of motorized stuff, I'd like to see it less toy like and more scale size. I love the action but dislike the size. Perhaps this is why they are not more popular today.

gmorlitz posted:

 

Actually, I like the operating "accessories" which don't interact with the RR. Carnival items; MTH firehouse, gas station, etc.;  Lionel dealership; superstreets and bumper trolley.

 

I agree, but you can have that both ways. I just put operating cars up-front, on a siding, and operate them that way. Also for loading into regular cars on a siding, like from the AF Oil Drum Loader.

Viva operating accessories!

If it were not for the operating accessories I wouldn't even have three-rail O gauge trains.  Realism has no place on my layout.  My trains are toys, an escape from the real world which seems to be turning into a worse piece of bleep than ever.  Oops!  I better head out to the garage now to play with my trains and run my accessories.

Pete

ps - Happy Christmas!

I only have two left,the Lionel AF barrel loader, still on the layout and the MTH Sinclair gas station sitting on the for sale table. Don't have kids come by much anymore

Good question Dennis.  For me I like animation, and have some on the layout, but operating accessories just seem like
out of date toys when you compare them to the detail of today’s trains and many structures.
Rich

NOT True! At the "Turn of the Century" Lionel and MTH released some Realistic scale animated accessories. But those too have been placed on a hold status....

Call me a Luddite if you must, but I like the grinding of an AC open frame motor on postwar favorites like the 97, 164 and the original gantry crane. And, of course, the legendary AF oil drum loader! I can also accept reruns with can motors, but without the blasted electronics!

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Good question Dennis.  For me I like animation, and have some on the layout, but operating accessories just seem like
out of date toys when you compare them to the detail of today’s trains and many structures.
Rich

NOT True! At the "Turn of the Century" Lionel and MTH released some Realistic scale animated accessories. But those too have been placed on a hold status....

I really want the operating McD on my layout.  Unfortunately, they always seem to sell for $250+.  I keep hoping that MTH would re-issue it. 

 I think MTH should put a modern fire engine in the operating firehouse.   There's a lot of old firehouses that are still in existence today so the building is fine.   Put a nice modern engine in there and you have a nice modern accessory!

An EXCELLENT suggestion! :-)

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Good question Dennis.  For me I like animation, and have some on the layout, but operating accessories just seem like
out of date toys when you compare them to the detail of today’s trains and many structures.
Rich

NOT True! At the "Turn of the Century" Lionel and MTH released some Realistic scale animated accessories. But those too have been placed on a hold status....

 

I agree there are some nice animations, but I didn’t think of these are operating accessories.  Of course lots of choices and opinions.  It is what make the hobby great for all, diversity.

Operating accessories add a lot of vibrancy to a layout. Mine is loaded with these, many of which were redesigned to add additional animation over that in the original version.

The passenger platform or boarding zone where the passengers walk from the inside of the station and out to the train, then reverse, is one that has not been produced. 

Andrew 

falconservice posted:

The passenger platform or boarding zone where the passengers walk from the inside of the station and out to the train, then reverse, is one that has not been produced. 

Andrew 

I believe that there are lots of scale size accessories that could be designed that look realistic and would provide realistic action. IMO, the MTH coaling tower, loading dock and the Lionel and K-Line milk cars are good examples.  All that needs to be done is to take something from real life , add the action and don't get carried away on size.  Menard's has been very successful with realistic scale structures, so I would say that there would be a market for such. When I said that accessories may be a thing of the past, I was specifically referring to newly introduced products.

I had the PWC series magnetic gantry crane and the log loader run the through the original IC Controls AMC3000 boxes.  This was nice because you could really fine tune the voltage through the AMC to the individual motors to get them running perfectly. And run them with your Cab1. Now they are TMCC equipped but it doesn't seem they are as smooth as I could get mine, judging by the videos I've seen of the new ones. I don't know how much you can adjust the power to the motors on the new ones.  I also had the sawmill and fork lift lumber unloader.  Milk car platform, doesn't take up much space. Put that across the log loader using the same unloading track.  Gargraves uncoupling/unloading tracks.  Man that is fun.  All were early 2000 models, all worked perfectly, and all were a blast to run.  The forklift accessory was really neat.  It always went to the next board down automatically.  How did they do that?  I had the original lumberjack guys too.  Loud, but they were working hard.  Got to respect that.  Cheers.

I also like the grinding sound of the postwar accessories. That, plus their toylike quality, adds to their charm.  I like blending in postwar accessories, 022 switches and tubular track with realistic scenery, which is a hi-rail look. My modern engines (mostly MTH) look great running through my post war layout.

I am totally unfamiliar with the modern accessories of manufacturers other than Lionel.

What I am about to say may be weird, but in my experience, the Lionel post war accessories are more reliable than the re-issues of them. Never had a problem with my postwar 282 gantry crane and postwar icing station, but I have had problems with the reissues of these accessories in the early 2000s.

My layout is pretty chocked full of Lionel accessories. I can't add more without removing others already on the layout. If I had more space, I would consider adding post war American Flyer accessories, which I think also have great charm. 

My other favorite post war accessories are the 97 coal loader, animated news stand (with the dog running round the hydrant), operating fork lift, barrel loader, diesel fueling station, rocket launcher. I'm hooked on them. Also, it's a nostalgia thing.

The Department 56 Diner with the couple sharing an ice cream soda inside, is also delightful and charming.

Almost forgot one of the best: #38 water tower:

Menards has animation on some of their buildings, with the rotating vents like on the Red Owl store.   And of course the animated signage.

I have a rotating beacon on my layout, and the oil derrick with animation in the bubbling and the "nodding donkey" action.

A On30 line could be considered as an operating accessory.   Like the Bachmann highly detailed and smooth running trains.  Either as a loop or a point-to-point  line, perhaps elevated or in the mountains.   Here is a recent layout plan I have been working on, where an On30 is an operating accessory to add interest and action to a layout:

Heck no, not as far as I’m concerned!

I would agree with the point that was made about an overabundance of the older operating accessories. Case in point, I bought a 1940s vintage 97 coaling tower last spring, perfect operating shape for about $75. Lionel would probably need to charge $150-200 to make that same accessory when vintage 1940s models can readily be had for half that. Many O Gaugers see limited or no advantage in having a vintage accessory versus a modern one. The modern accessories run smoother and quieter but they're less robust and more expensive than the vintage ones.

Most people I know of do use operating accessories somewhere on their layout. See a picture of my layout's industrial sector below, I have half a dozen of them of all makes and ages. I find that the operating accessories give the trains something to do, or at least the illusion of a purpose. Coal trains stop at the coal loaders, flat cars are dropped off and picked up at the sawmill, things move and make noise so the layout seems to be buzzing with activity and progress. That's one of the attractions of O versus the smaller gauges; the trains can do stuff besides run about!

Hard to see how many are on this board, but there is the coal loader, log loader, cattle pen, milk platform, 3 gatemen, several crossing gates, operating station, and rotating beacons on this Christmas train garden. All working and in use. Running trains is fun, but it would not be a layout if there were no operating accessories! Kids really enjoy them. So do I, and I am 70 !!  Just my opinion on this.

Same accessories, different layout.

When the grandkids come over they want to play with the accessories not the trains. Their favorite is the American Flyer drum loader. I can't imagine a three rail layout without the accessories. You might as well be in two rail "O" Scale.