From 1955-57 Lionel produced a #460 Piggy Back Transportation Set that manually controlled a forklift by using a hand-controlled wheel to rotate the forklift and a lever to lift 2 semi-trailers on or off an adjoining #3460 flatcar. I motorized the platform using 2 micro motors, one to lift and one to rotate the forklift.
I wrote a detailed construction article on how I did it and it will appear in the MARCH/APRIL 2022 edition of CLASSIC TOY TRAINS MAGAZINE.
Here is a video of how it operates on my layout.