I really like the action of operating cars and add them to my layout and shelves when I get a chance.
My favorite lately has been the Cop Chases Robber car Erie 3444. (correction Robber is Hobo)
My favorite switches from time to time, especially when I get a new one!
Lets see your favorite today.
Charlie
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This one. No question. 
But my super all time favorite is my homemade Color TV camera car, made from a flat car and a X-10 security camera.
It works really well and I have a 12 inch color monitor by the control panel as well as transmission to a larger room TV.
The kids visitors really love it and I have to hold back on running it until they see all the other goodies.
Charlie
Good post...I love operating cars.
I have three favorites and I like them equally. All three are items I repainted to run with my Polar RailRoad rolling stock.
So, here they are...
...a RailKing Log Dump car repainted in Burgundy (from a rattle can)...
...a K-Line Operating Milk Car I airbrushed to match my Polar Express as a head end car...
...and a Lionel PWC Barrel Car that I painted gold (rattle can) and labeled the barrels for Polar Express Cocoa...
Here's a video showing all three in action...
I have two favorites, the MTH Rail King box car with the operating signalman, and the Lionel hot box car.
Love the interiors in you PE passenger cars. Are they heavyweights or stock ones from a RTR set? Is that conductor car the add on announcement one or did you kitbash the figure onto a heavyweight car? Asking because that too has lighted interior details instead of the stock imprinted figures windows found on the RTR cars. If they are RTR cars, where did you get the detailed interiors you retrofitted into them? Would really want to do likewise for my PE cars.
Good post...I love operating cars.
I have three favorites and I like them equally. All three are items I repainted to run with my Polar RailRoad rolling stock.
So, here they are...
...a RailKing Log Dump car repainted in Burgundy (from a rattle can)...
...a K-Line Operating Milk Car I airbrushed to match my Polar Express as a head end car...
...and a Lionel PWC Barrel Car that I painted gold (rattle can) and labeled the barrels for Polar Express Cocoa...
Here's a video showing all three in action...
Love the interiors in you PE passenger cars. Are they heavyweights or stock ones from a RTR set? Is that conductor car the add on announcement one or did you kitbash the figure onto a heavyweight car? Asking because that too has lighted interior details instead of the stock imprinted figures windows found on the RTR cars. If they are RTR cars, where did you get the detailed interiors you retrofitted into them? Would really want to do likewise for my PE cars.
Hi Kenn,
Thanks. They are the Heavyweight cars. The Conductor figure was purchased from Lionel parts dept. It is the same figure that is in the RTR Conductor Car...I cut the door hinges off my car, mounted it permanently open, and wired the figure in...
Hands down, my favorite is the TMCC crane.
My two favorites would be the barrel car that came with my original set, and the mail car that came soon after, in the mid-50's.
Good post...I love operating cars.
I have three favorites and I like them equally. All three are items I repainted to run with my Polar RailRoad rolling stock.
So, here they are...
...a RailKing Log Dump car repainted in Burgundy (from a rattle can)...
...a K-Line Operating Milk Car I airbrushed to match my Polar Express as a head end car...
...and a Lionel PWC Barrel Car that I painted gold (rattle can) and labeled the barrels for Polar Express Cocoa...
Here's a video showing all three in action...
Keith:
Great rolling stock, accessories and video.
Everything operates smooth and reliable.
The PE heavyweights are very well done. Love the snow detail on the roof.
Cliff
You are correct, the robber is supposed to be a hobo are least believed to be a hobo!
I do have a another favorite with a real bad guy, the Wells Fargo 3370 Sheriff and outlaw car.
Hands down, my favorite is the TMCC crane.
Hands down, my favorite is the TMCC crane.
Right you are, that would be really cool with the electromagnet! 
When I was a kid back about 1960 I liked the Lionel Helicopter car. Watching it on Lionel's TV commercial, the kid would launch it and it would fly perfect. But when I finally got one it would fly, spin around a f fall to the ground lol. If you have that commercial on DVD or VHS look closely while the Helicopter is flying you can just get a fast glimpse of the one the kid launched falling to the layout. The car was a big disappointment to me and i'm sure to many other kids over 50 years ago. I do have a couple of them on the shelf with my space car collection.
When I was a kid back about 1960 I liked the Lionel Helicopter car. Watching it on Lionel's TV commercial, the kid would launch it and it would fly perfect. But when I finally got one it would fly, spin around a f fall to the ground lol. If you have that commercial on DVD or VHS look closely while the Helicopter is flying you can just get a fast glimpse of the one the kid launched falling to the layout. The car was a big disappointment to me and i'm sure to many other kids over 50 years ago. I do have a couple of them on the shelf with my space car collection.
Operating helicopter cars are my favorites. MTH helicopter cars with the Mini ACC Electric RR kit for Lionel remote control installed are best of all.
The Electric RR circuit board is installed under the tool boxes so I can retain the tilt adjustment. The helicopters fly forward and launch "on the fly".
My only operating car---made by MTH. I think it a beauty. Jim
Susan, is this kit still made? I may have been mistaken in hearing that you could not do this as the commander unit was not available. If it is available, this would be great for our club.
If you wonder what some of the animated and operating cars look like when they operate, I have made several videos showing all the action.
1. 3472 Operating Milk Car
2. 6-12706 Manual Barrel Loader modified with a solenoid for remote activation.
3. 3359 Twin Bin Dump Car
4. 3444 Animated Cop & Hobo Car
5. 2316 N&W Gantry Crane with homemade electromagnet and forward/reverse crane operation
6. Mail Bag Pick Up\
7. 9301 US Mail Car with mail drop
8. 9300 Log Dump Car
9. 3361 Log Dump Car
Lionel modern era Oil Drum Loader 22997 based on an American Flyer postwar origional. The Automatic Dump Car 3469 was produced by Lionel from 1949-1955.
Lionel modern Moe & Joe Lumber Unloader 6-36774
This is a long video of my layout, but if you look about 2/3 of the way into the video you will see several closeups of the Lionel operating Giraffe Cars, Operating Brakeman car and Operating Cop and Hobo Cars
3424 Wabash Operating Brakeman Freight Car
3376 Animated Giraffe Zoo Cars
16683 Animated Elephant Car
3357 Operating Cop & Hobo (or Hydraulic Maintenance) Car
Lionel Postwar 3454 Automatic Merchandise Car and 3562 Operating Barrel Car.
David, great videos. Thanks
One of the best kid loving operating car is the Lionel Giraffe (3376 Bronx Zoo) car or even better a string of 4 or 5.
They love seeing them duck their heads when going into tunnels or under bridges of which I have several on the layout.
When my kids saw some giraffe cars at a hobby store layout years ago we had to have some.
Charlie
Keith:
Great rolling stock, accessories and video.
Everything operates smooth and reliable.
The PE heavyweights are very well done. Love the snow detail on the roof.
Cliff
Many Thanks!
Susan, is this kit still made? I may have been mistaken in hearing that you could not do this as the commander unit was not available. If it is available, this would be great for our club.
The Mini ACC is still made. The copter kit (which included the MTH pickup roller truck) is not listed. It might be available through a phone call.
Mini Commander ACC
Mini Commander Instruction Manual
They do list a MTH Reefer Car Kit. All you really need for installation is the circuit board and the Instruction Manual.
Susan
Thank you Susan.
One of the best kid loving operating car is the Lionel Giraffe (3376 Bronx Zoo) car or even better a string of 4 or 5.
They love seeing them duck their heads when going into tunnels or under bridges of which I have several on the layout.
When my kids saw some giraffe cars at a hobby store layout years ago we had to have some.
Charlie
Charlie,
I have to agree, the Giraffe car was my first operating car back in the 60's and it is still my favorite!
Kevin
Sorry, no picture, but one of my first operating cars when I got back into O-Gauge was the "Marvin the Martian Missile Launch Car". There is just something about cars that shoot projectiles...
My favorite operating car today was the Lionel 3482 milk car and platform.
We had the 3 grandsons (7, 5 and 3) operating the milk cans for most of an hour. That is one car they can work with. They used a small screw driver with a magnet on the end, to retrieve the can from all around.
Charlie
My "Mo and Joe" lumber car is my favorite, and seems to be the favorite of guests/grandkids as well.
I think my favorite wasn't a car but it was the American Flyer Magnetic Crane. Of all the accessories I had through the years It worked better than any others I had.
Hard not to include the cattle car and cattle pen. These would also be an operation accessory. This combination is rare in its ability both to load and unload.
Of course it has it issues with the wayward cattle feet and needs to be located where fingers can help polk those doggies along.
I used white laytex or acrylic paint to add white spots to some of the cattle. Got tired of and all black herd and wanted some dairy cows.
Charlie
While I have a few varieties, I really don't use the loading or unloading cars. I prefer handsfree cars like the giraffe cars, the cop and hobo car, the horse car, and the cop and outlaw car:
J White
The Operating Brakeman car is always a favorite when I have company, and it is my favorite too.
I like my wrecker crane cars. The one pictured is always parked with the wrecker caboose next to the round house, ready to go. This track is the only one that allows the engine and coal tender on the turntable to back right up and hook up to make a wrecking train.
This a Marx New York Central wrecker crane, a very good copy of the Lionel version. I bought it quickly as Lionel cranes are in demand and cost more than Marx. I have lots of Marx and run them all the time.
Charlie
The operating aquarium car is one of my favorites. Mine is a 9308 and works well.
Lets see one of yours.
Charlie
I am out of operating cars for now.
Lets see one of yours.
Charle
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