Operating Cars - Track compatability

[Anonymous]

Can I use Lionel/K-line operating cars on Realtrax. Also how does an operating car work.

[Craignor]

Bob,

I use Realtrax and the Realtrax operating track, and have had complete sucess with MTH and Lionel operating cars and couplers. I don't have any K-Line operating cars, but I have never heard of any problems.

The operating track has two ways of activating an operating car:

There is an electromagnet in the center track of the operating track that when activated reacts with the operating car. The car may have a steel plunger that gets pulled down triggering the dump mechanism, or coupler, or such.

Then there is the 4th and 5th rails on the operating track that activate other type cars. Pickup shoes on the car hit the 4th and 5th rails creating a circuit. A button activates the circuit which may launch a helicopter or another trick.

I use a seperate transformer to power this accessory track, this gives full power all the time for snappy operation, no matter where the track power is set.

[Buckeye Riveter]

I know your are talking about the operating cars that use the special track to make them work, but does anybody have an idea how to make the Lionel Giraffe car operate on RealTrax? If you do know how, write an article and send in to CTT. The slide that attaches to the track will not connect to RealTrax and I don't think it will connect to Lionel's new track system. The Giraffe car is the blue car in the photo below in the background.