Lionel's Animated Gondolas: From Postwar Dud To Modern-Era Champion!

Cut to the chase! Lionel's whimsical and popular animated gondola cars on this episode of Toy Train Tips and Tricks. Everyone, it seems, loves a good chase. We see them in action films and animated cartoons, so why not on our train layouts? Apparently Lionel's creative team was thinking just that when they designed the number 3444 animated gondola car They created a classic, and you can hardly visit a public Lionel railroad today without seeing some version of this car entertaining the kids of all ages. The original 3444 car featured two figures, in this case a cop chasing a hobo, running around and around packing crates at the center of a gondola car. By the way, don't confuse this car with the Lionel cop and hobo car. That car, the number 3357 box car, came out later. All versions of the animated gondola car feature two figures connected to a strip of 16 millimeter film. The film rotates on a pair of sprockets that are connected under a stack of crates. Cars vary by decoration, types of figures, and the means of moving the film. The original number 3444 uses Lionel's vibrator, or vibrating motor, to initiate the action. The vibration, caused by the constantly alternating polarity of the AC current, is translated into linear motion using a spring and a ratchet. The figures chase as long as there is power to the track. Train movement is not required, so the action can take place on a train. The higher the current, the faster the action. The number 3444 also features an on-off switch should you desire to discontinue the chase. The action is reliable, but the vibrator can be loud and it uses significant wattage from the track, so a 75 watt or larger transformer is recommended for this car. By the way, this version will not operate with DC current. The number 3444 was offered from 1957 to 1959, and then suddenly disappeared from the Lionel line, never to return during the post-war era. It wasn't until late in the MPC era, 1980 to be precise, that the animated gondola made its return. The number 9307 car was essentially an updated copy of the post-war version, and it was offered through 1984. In 1982, the MPC team decided that an ultra-low-cost operating car was needed in its traditional line. Designers delivered the 6201 Union Pacific animated gondola. While the original cop and hobo figures were retained, and it had operating couplers at each end, this car featured simple printed graphics, plastic wheels, and in place of the vibrator was a simple rubber band drive. Yes, simple office-type rubber bands are placed around the car axles, which in turn rotate two pulleys, driving the action of the car. Surprisingly, despite the simplicity of this drive, the car provides adequate action, at least until the rubber bands break. And with no motor, the car can be used with Lionel's basic 25-watt transformer, or even with DC current. But action only takes place while the train is in motion. Also, reversing the car may lead to the rubber band becoming tangled or dislodged, so it's best to operate these cars in the forward direction only. Should a rubber band break or become tangled, replacement is simple with a little practice. The trick to the process is to remove the axles from the trucks, place the rubber band around the axles, and then, after replacing the axles, loop the rubber band around the drive pulley. Then, test to make sure the pulley is rotating in the proper direction, pulling the hobo ahead of the cop, not behind, then repeat the process on the opposite side. Sometimes with the animated cars, the film can come loose from the drive sprockets. To access them, remove the screws holding the packing crates, or in the later designs, squeeze the locking tabs, and remove the crates exposing the mechanism. Check the alignment of the film, then reassemble. After two years of production, Lionel retired the rubber band drive. However, the animated gondola returned in 1990 with the number 16628 Laughter Gondola from the Lionelville Circus set. This time, the cop and hobo were replaced with clowns, and the rubber band drive was replaced with yet another drive system, a worm gear drive on one truck. While still less expensive than a motorized drive, the geared system does provide smoother action than the rubber band drive. However, action is again limited to only when the car is in motion. Also, reversing the direction of the car can cause the gears to disengage, or even to break. So, make sure to run these cars forward only. With a new, inexpensive, yet reliable drive, the animated gondola became a more regular feature in the Lionel catalog through the rest of the 1990s and up to today. Versions lettered for Pinkerton followed in 1994 and 95, and in 96, Lionel opened a new chapter in the animated gondola story with the number 16737 Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner Car. By replacing the cop and hobo figures with licensed characters, a whole new market developed for these cars, including literally dozens of cars featuring The Simpsons, The Peanuts Gang, Casper the Friendly Ghost, numerous Christmas and Halloween themed cars, and today Toy Story and Frozen 2 starter sets feature animated gondolas with theme-appropriate characters. Most of the animated gondolas produced since 1990 have featured the new gear drive. However, some cars have been offered in motorized versions, featuring small can motors in place of the original vibrotor. Like their post-war predecessors, these motorized versions operate anytime there is track power, regardless of whether the car is moving. However, the can motor drive is significantly quieter and draws less power than the original vibrotor. These motorized versions are usually offered as separate sale items, while most of the geared versions available currently come as starter set components. Prices for these animated gondola cars vary widely. Brand new offerings generally list in the $60 to $70 range, while classic versions vary in price from $20 to several hundred dollars depending on the drive type, the condition of the car, and the popularity of the characters. Since 1957, Lionel's animated gondola cars have thrilled operators and layout spectators alike. With dozens of variations available, certainly there's one or more that would be great on your layout. As always, I hope you enjoyed this look at Lionel's animated gondolas as much as I enjoyed making it. If so, please like it, share it, subscribe, and tell your friends and neighbors. And until then, keep the trains running and the hobos chasing, and we'll catch you next time on Toy Train Tips and Tricks!