K-Line watchman’s shanty

K-LINE’S WATCHMAN’S SHANTY would be a good-looking accessory even if it didn’t do anything. The shack looks convincing (though I can’t say that I’ve ever seen two doors on a gateman’s shack). It has interior and exterior illumination and frosted windows to hide the mechanical innards and preserve the magic. But the fun kicks in when you hook it up.

The watchman is a tall, realistic-looking figure carrying a lantern that actually swings with movement. In the base below the figure’s feet is a magnet, the key to the slot-less operation of this accessory.
Connect the structure to an insulated track section (insulation pins are included). K-Line suggests making the section 3 to 4 feet long. When a train crosses into the insulated section, it completes the accessory’s electrical circuit, kicking things into action.

A motor starts and moves a mechanism holding a magnet hidden under the floor. The magnetic watchman moves out the first door, following a set path to the end of the deck. The rate at which he moves depends on the voltage to the accessory. At the end of the deck, the figure halts and a light (shining through a small slot in the floor) comes on, illuminating the gateman’s tinted plastic lantern from below.

Once the train leaves the insulated block, the mechanism restarts, turning the floor light off and pulling the figure back inside the shack, using the second swinging door.

The watchman performs a neat trick, not to mention he and the shack are attractive, scale-sized, and are easy to install. If you want to add realistic fun to your line, take a look at the shanty.