I would like to know what your favorite o gauge or o gauge compatible accessory is!
In 2014, I wrote for Classic Toy Trains a special publication about Lionel accessories over the past century. That publication can still be obtained–all new material and excellent photos.
In there, I made clear my preference above all the many innovative and entertaining accessories Lionel has developed for the automatic gateman. It is everything an accessory should be: fun, magical, path-breaking, and animated. The gateman, regardless of vintage, looks great on any layout, no matter how big or small or how sophisticated or simple.
Indulge yourself and pick up a prewar, a postwar, or a modern-era version of the animated gateman and see what makes it a true classic.
Happy New Year,
Roger Carp
Senior Editor
Hi Mr. Carp,
I would ever suspect talking to you! It is a pleasure! Also I do happen to own a prewar gateman that had almost mint paint but sat in some sunlight for to long and is now starting to flake off, unfortunatly. [:(]
My favorite accessory among the ones I own in my personal collection is ye olde 145 gateman. I like them all, but there’s something about the plastic shack postwar version that makes me smile a bit wider.
However. My favorite accessory that I don’t own is the bascule bridge. Oh, that bridge!
Becky
Very hard to pick one. But one I do use almost all the time and like a lot is the K-Line Operating Sawmill with smoke and operating saw # K-42450 Just looks so nice. You can never go wrong with operating gate crossings.
Not to derail the thread, but want to include American Flyer Accessories?
Either the 97 coal loader or the 3356 horse corral
415 diesel fueling station
Lionel 6-12862 remake of the American Flyer Operating Oil Drum Loader.
Pete
Talk about your Sophies choice.
If we don’t consider the 3620 rotating search light car an accessory, then my favorite is the 395 floodlight tower. My Dad and Mother bought this for my set one Christmas. It added a degree of decortive realism to my layout in either on or off state. When lights burned out, as they do, and I could scare up the pennies to buy new lights then I was a railroad worker doing maintenance my line.
Ted
I like them all, some work better than others. What most visitors seem to like is the sawmill.
It’s fine American Flyer could also be included!
Thank you all for sharing your opinions of accessories that you like!! This thread is still open as well!
We were talking about this last night and the list would go like this
1- Drum Loader
2-operating stockyard
3- Talking Station
4-Sawmill
5-Log Loader
Jim
Those are all great! Good choices!
Rotating Airport beacon. Looks so cool with red and green reflecting off walls as it turns in a dark room even when trains are not running, especially with christmas tree set up and it’s lights on.
Hielsie
I have a Lionel Gateman on each of my layouts, including the anniversary edition, so that is certainly high on my list. However, I think I’d have to go with my North Pole Pylon. I love seeing Santa flying above my Christmas tree layout.
Honorable mention goes to my Marx Automatic Gateman. I love the bright colors on old Marx accessories, and the Gateman was the best. Sadly, in my clumsiness, I knocked the gate off of it while working on the layout. About broke my heart.
Yes it is very sad. My cat got on my layout once and spooked and started to run off the layout flippingmy PREWAR gateman upside down! This made me soooo sad. [:'(]
I do like the beacon as well! I hope to add one to my collection someday!
My favorites are both the coal dump car
and log dump car.
The log dump is great with the conveyor lumber loader 
while the coal dump is great with the coal elevator.
Unfortunately they both have drawbacks. Moving the coal up the elevator usually results in a bit of a mess, while the log dump car has a tendency to drop it’s light load before it gets to the unloading area. (Some log dump cars have high stakes to hold their loads in place as seen in the picture of the conveyor log loader.) I still have a lot of fun with them.&