Stuff I Like: Modern Era – 2: the Lionel Nuclear Reactor

The Lionel nuclear reactor can be grouped with Lionel's line of space and military related trains and accessories. This is a modern product and Lionel has offered a range of support pieces such as clear tank cars containing colored 'radioactive water.'

 Oh, the concept may date from the time when giants strode the product development department at Lionel, but this baby only came to be through the efforts of Lionel’s management in the late 1990s.

 There is not even the remotest connection to what a nuclear reactor would look like. Nope, this is pure “Future seen from the Past” in the most basic form. A giant metal orb that receives nuclear fuel and then produces radiated pellets that are dumped out at a rate that would remind you of coal coming out of the Blue Coal Co. breaker in Ashley, Penn.

 Inside the disco ball reactor, there are flashes of color to simulate a nuclear reaction. Hey, I have no idea if such a process involves flashes of light, but it was still pretty neat. The only thing missing was a sound system warning of a meltdown (or maybe that Godzilla was approaching).

 The gimmick for model railroaders is the Old Switcheroo. The metal “nuclear fuel” pellets go are lifted from the gondola and loaded into the reactor. Later, the glow-in-the-dark “spent fuel pellets” come out from a different source. So you could park  “full” car of ball bearings and a second car for the spent fuel.

 Practical? Nah. Fun? You betcha.

 As a side note, this was one of only two operating accessories that other Kalmbach staff members saw peering into the workshop, then told other co-workers to come down and watch it.

 Oh, the other accessory was an MTH Helicopter car that launched straight up to the workshop ceiling tiles and would leave an impression! But that is a tale for another day.

This was reviewed in our May 2001 issue, but don't worry about availability. If you want one, these are fairly easy to fine. See your local retailer or go to eBay. Search Lionel reactor and you’ll find the no. 14065 in eBay for near the original price, and the later re-issue, the no. 24294 AEC nuclear reactor, for a bit more. The main visible difference is that the disco ball is red on the re-issue.

 So it isn’t too late to have your layout go nuclear!

 Department of shameless cross-promotion: You can read more about the development of this accessory in Lionel Trains: Accessories special issue available as a digital download through www. https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/toy-trains.