What's your most over rated and greatest undervalued o gauge accessory

My grandson favorite is the hot air ballon

Interesting thread.  From my personal observations - kids always got a kick out of operating the icing station and log loaders so those would be my underrated examples.

 

As for overrated--I'd go with any of the coal loaders and cattle cars - they were always problematic.

 

--Greg

But of course, the most under rated accessory if the Lemax Fountain with, um, urinating cherubs ....

 

As I recall, our 1950's imaginations were a big part of our youth.  So why should it be any different today?  I imagine things work as they are meant to work.  It's better that way.

 

When I stand up, I take the route past the bathroom whether I need to or not.  

I have heard the cattle car loading ramp described that the cattle act as if they know where they're going.  And if by chance they enter the car successfully, they'll fall over during the trip around the layout.

 

As for undervalued, it's whatever one you can get to work reliably.

Of all my accessories, the American Flyer oil drum loader never failed me as a child. Later, as an adult, I purchased the Lionel repro of this accessory and it too was reliable. It was necessary to raise the height of the base to properly sit alongside a Lionel gondola. 

 

Another favorite was the postwar version of the 97 coal loader. I later bought the Lionel repro of this accessory about 1996? and enjoyed the much quieter can motor!

The original was a "growler"!

I like the AF cow, The Maiden, and The Wyle E Shack a lot!

Smart thinking.

 

 

 

I have another favorite right now I don't think I listed.

 

The AF talking station! Its not the sounds I love, but the station stop timer!

God I'm glad I'm so easily amused. Seriously beats being "chairmen of the bored". 

 

No fun,..my babe,..no fun..

The absolute worst The Back Shop because I was building the current Layout and hooked it up in command,nothing,tried conventional,nothing,called Lionel,they could care less,no parts.$500 down the drain,kinda fits the current QC Problems.

Mikey

How bout the rotary coal tipple?  

Who knows.  Still waiting.  

 

My my most undervalued accessories are the animated miller engineering signs.  Easy to install and very reliable.  Nothing worse than trying to show off a feature to a visitor and then....nothing!  

I like the oil Derrick, back when and today. Have several on layout.

Most under rated: TMCC Crane and tender cars.

 

Most hated: Any Vibro motor item, Too Loud !!!!

 

Honorable mention: Gantry crane, Haven't got one yet.

I had to have the Control Tower.  Hal & Cal as I called them doing

their thing.  For the first week I had this must have accessory (It

was the remake during the days of LTI) it was a joy to see it in

action.  Then as I fired up the layout for a long operating session

it made a sound that would have given Godzilla a migrain headace.

 

I could not get the ###*** to stop.  Talk about your dreams

being crushed.  Now it just sits on the layout lighted.  (I was

able to get the noise to stop)

 

The greatest surprise was the purchase of the Lionel Factory, it

only sits there lighted,  with the night shift back in the Post War

Years doing what made many of us happy then, and now, making

great Lionel Trains.  

 

Just makes me feel good looking at it.  Good Topic.

 

Many thanks,

 

Billy C

 

 

 

 

My cousin had a store display set when I was a kid.  It had the gateman, Newsstand, crossing gate and my favorite:  The 175 rocket launcher.  I loved to watch the gantry crane go back and forth but launching the actual rocket was always a let down.  I couldn't wait to get one all these years later so now that i have one.....MEH.  The dog at the newstand was always great as well and I hardly noticed the noise but nowadays, WOW all the vibro motor stuff gives me a headache.  I bought a new flaming switchtower which I have yet to unbox and try out but am hoping it will work. 

Ed,

Take the launcher mechanism out and take it apart (easy). Stretch the spring out. You won't be "let down" after that. LOL

 

-Roger

You must have gotten a "Monday hangover" spring. To this day, my childhood launcher hits the ceiling from the floor most launches. ( it has stopped denting it )

Mine is a modern version and I'm convinced they "tuned down" the spring so kids wouldn't get speared in the eye in launches from their carpet layouts. Solved that problem forthwith. 

 

Roger

Do the folks with the weak 175 rocket launcher have an original Postwar one, or the Modern era issue?

I had an original 175, it had a very powerful spring launch mechanism. Its my understanding that many of the modern era launching pieces have weaker launch mechanisms for "safety".

I had a few of the recent issue operating helicopter cars. They all had binding mechanisms.

Agreed the backshop is a lemon and the amusement park rides, lionel aquarium building are neat but have gearing which fails and alas no replacement parts

Oh yes, very likely the lawyers said it....."you'll shoot your eye out kid"

Or maybe Lionel had complaints about spackle, paint, ceiling tiles, light bulbs (don't let Mom catch you targeting your second scale explosion), lenses, etc.

I must have went through 5-6 rockets too. The outer shell was like a ping pong ball material.

 

 

I don't have the 175, but have the rocket launching car as part of the CC Orbiter Set. It flies! 

 

 

I had at least one of every launcher, EXCEPT those in boxcars, I had none!

 I wanted a Minuteman 

The little missiles never shot well in the car or engine, the flat car upright posts for those broke too easy for lil' brothers handlings. (fire equipment broke easiest, but was sooo cool.) 

 The satellites, too heavy, brittle. I used the dime store whirling fan launching ray gun propellers, they fit, and flew. Like the diagonal "turbo prop" launcher.

 I have a transitional 3419, lever out the top, sm. knob, bright mech on my heli-launcher.Single blade w/tips was the best copter

The 6511 mobile pad would sometimes jump off the tracks when launched. It hit the ceiling too.

 

    

I must admit I've had little experience with the majority of PW accessories and practically none with modern era types.  The 45 Gateman has got to be so common that every second kid must have owned one.  Reliable enough but I lose interest quickly in repetition.

 

But in contradiction, I enjoy the oil derrick with the fascinating bubbles.  Again, reliable and I own 2.

 

Two noteworthy items that surprisingly haven't been mentioned ...

 

#313 Bascule Bridge.  I finally got a recent remake after a long period of desire.  I couldn't justify the outrageous prices of 10 or 15 years ago.  I'm not sure how reliable they are but it'll be a focal point on some future layout.

 

Any of the stations or trackside signals with station stop ability.  Talk about pure magic!  Even with knowledge of bi-metalic switches it still has a sort of mysticism about its operation.  Works fast or slow, every time.

 

Bruce

Overated - MTH Firehouse, Car Wash and Diner. Nice but too big

Underrated - Lionel Tugboats, Swing Bridge and Bubbling Water Tower

I love my smoke fluid loader..very cool!! Also love the TMCC crane and boom car..

 

Worst...That dam cattle car.. never worked right