R-1 Opening Doors?

I think the doors manually open, not automatic doors.

I had heard something similar, but there's no sign of how to do that on my R-1 set. The two slide switches visible on the right are for the Exp / Local indicator and for turning the end lights on and off.

Are they spring-retained to that they open manually...meaning poke your finger on the doors to open them, release your finger to let the spring close them?  That's the way the doors on several of my MTH engines and passenger cars operate.  Which is sort of silly, IMHO, because it's not one of those 'play value' things that a septuagenarian with PFS...Pudgy Finger Syndrome, a cell phone keyboard texting malady!!...can handle without causing some of the pages of his 'blue' dictionary to start smoking!  In fact, I don't think I've ever poked a finger for jollies at an MTH door, yet...and DEFINITELY not in front of a relative or guest!!  Maybe at the LHS to demonstrate to a customer.

I'd advise NOT poking the doors, anyway; if they don't completely close you might have to take the car apart to get to the interior of the body to force them closed from the inside!!.  Now that's a PITA, for sure!

But, as always, TEHO and FWIW.

KD

I tried poking them but nothing. And they sure look like they are one piece.

I know that initial product announcements often vary from the final product. Lionel's R-27 first catalog appearance said the cars would have wireless tethers, but in the end they came with wire and plug connectors. The R-1 in the 2004 MTH catalog looked like a hand made model, with the destination signs slightly askew. So a work in progress at the time.

It was just a surprise to me to see opening doors mentioned.

@West Side Joe posted:

I tried poking them but nothing. And they sure look like they are one piece.

I know that initial product announcements often vary from the final product. Lionel's R-27 first catalog appearance said the cars would have wireless tethers, but in the end they came with wire and plug connectors. The R-1 in the 2004 MTH catalog looked like a hand made model, with the destination signs slightly askew. So a work in progress at the time.

It was just a surprise to me to see opening doors mentioned.

R-1 doors don't open. I have the set. It's the R-32 that has manual opening doors.

Yes, so the matter that intrigues me is that MTH intended to include opening doors in the R-1 per the catalog announcement and later changed their mind.

It's not really a compelling feature if the doors don't open upon command rather than manually, so perhaps they changed their minds after assessing how much work it would require to include Lionel - style opening doors. Certainly the R-1 interior wouldn't be as nice as it is if it was cluttered up with Lionel - style door geartrains and wiring.