[SOLVED] Trump and BIden Operating Hand Cars

I'm pretty sure they work with these:

Lionel Post War style lighted bumper. (I don't have a picture handy that I actually took of one, that's why I linked vs posted the pic itself.)

Slight variations of these were made in the Postwar, MPC, and even modern era, they fit on tubular O Gauge track.  Doesn't' do you much good though if you are exclusively FasTrack, of course.  I believe someone wrote a post recently describing how to modify them to work with FasTrack, but it's a bit of an effort.

The FasTrack lighted bumper you show may technically fit the bill, but I'd be really hesitant to repeatedly slam these handcars into it, with all the problems the lights on these have had (particularly early runs). 

I'd have to agree the FasTrack earthen bumper is not appropriate due to the challenge you described.

As frustrating as this may be, it should be noted that Lionel never made handcars with this reversing mechanism, that's only been done by I think MTH and also Industrial Rail (not sure if Atlas re-did the hand car when they bought the Industrial Rail line of products).  So we are asking a Lionel product to be compatible with something they never offered for sale.

-Dave

Doubtless they were designed for an MTH track buffer.

@Dave45681 posted:

I'm pretty sure they work with these:

Lionel Post War style lighted bumper. (I don't have a picture handy that I actually took of one, that's why I linked vs posted the pic itself.)

Slight variations of these were made in the Postwar, MPC, and even modern era, they fit on tubular O Gauge track.  Doesn't' do you much good though if you are exclusively FasTrack, of course.  I believe someone wrote a post recently describing how to modify them to work with FasTrack, but it's a bit of an effort.

The FasTrack lighted bumper you show may technically fit the bill, but I'd be really hesitant to repeatedly slam these handcars into it, with all the problems the lights on these have had (particularly early runs). 

I'd have to agree the FasTrack earthen bumper is not appropriate due to the challenge you described.

As frustrating as this may be, it should be noted that Lionel never made handcars with this reversing mechanism, that's only been done by I think MTH and also Industrial Rail (not sure if Atlas re-did the hand car when they bought the Industrial Rail line of products).  So we are asking a Lionel product to be compatible with something they never offered for sale.

-Dave

 

I remember some discussions on the bulbs in the Lionel FasTrack bumpers.

After I posted, I checked the MTH website and did a search for bumpers. Found several, but pretty sure they don't work with FasTrack.

Anyone connect an MTH track bumper to Lionel's FasTrack? If not, may have to get some MTH track and matching bumpers.

Throughout the 2000 -2012 years I ran a pair of bump and go cars on two curved benchwork display modules at train shows just to attract attention by their wandering contact action.  Early on someone would find their hand on the throttle and BAM, down on the floor one would go.

So I replaced the Lionel bumper with a twin joist 2" X 10" stamped steel hanger painted flat black.  If a bump and go hit too hard the hanger would keep it upright on the roadbed.   T'aint pretty but they worked for a public display.

Appreciate the comments thus far.

My next question is - since I'm planning on buying the Trump and Biden trolleys that have the auto-reversing mechanism - which MTH bumper(s) would you recommend? I looked at their website/catalogs and see several. Just not sure which one(s) would work best. I'll just by a pair or two and buy some MTH track.

SOLVED!

I just dug out my 6-12025 FasTrack bumpers and placed them on both ends of my test track. Both operating hand cards went back and forth!

@paulp575 posted:

SOLVED!

I just dug out my 6-12025 FasTrack bumpers and placed them on both ends of my test track. Both operating hand cards went back and forth!

Could you clarify that?

Per Lionel's site, 12025 is a piece of 4 1/2" straight track, no bumpers mentioned.

-Dave

@Dave45681 posted:

Could you clarify that?

Per Lionel's site, 12025 is a piece of 4 1/2" straight track, no bumpers mentioned.

-Dave

Sorry. should have been 6-12035.

Regardless; problem has been solved in that the 6-12035 bumpers WILL work with these cars.