40 years of the Bachmann dual crossing gates!

[wiley209]

As hard as it is to believe, Bachmann's classic dual crossing gate operating accessory is 40 years old this year!


It was first introduced in 1976, when Bachmann first began to get into action accessories (to compete with rival companies like AHM, Life-Like and TYCO at the time.)

Over the years, it's gotten a few cosmetic updates, such as a more realistically-green base, nickel-silver rails, prototypical colors for the crossing signals and gates, and the ability to easily connect to E-Z Track. (Bachmann didn't start making an E-Z Track version of the crossing gate until 1997.)
Bachmann also made another version in the 80s and 90s that came equipped with a flashing lights and bell sound, but it wasn't very good (the lights would strobe together unrealistically and the bell would ding too fast with a grinding motor sound), and it was discontinued by the late 90s.

We have a couple of them set up on our big HO-scale train layout at the hobby shop I volunteer at, and even with the unrealistic bouncing gate problem, they still attract attention, and the owner will order some to sell to his customers! And visually they look pretty neat (especially since we live in an area where most railroad crossings have gated signals, due to the MBTA operating commuter trains through here.)

Just felt like sharing this interesting Bachmann milestone.

[jbrock27]

I liked these when I was 10 but have since developed a dislike for the "cheese" look all brands built like this have.

[brokenrail]

Has anyone tried to upgrade them a little to make them work better ,or is it a lost cause?
Johnny

[wiley209]

Has anyone tried to upgrade them a little to make them work better ,or is it a lost cause?
Johnny

I've always wanted to try installing LEDs in the signals to make them actually flash. Not just with the Bachmann model, but with my TYCO crossing gate as well. I can wire them up to a crossing signal controller, and it would look pretty cool.

[jbrock27]

Lost cause.

I can wire them up to a crossing signal controller, and it would look pretty cool.

But, have you?

[Trainman203]

Revell made one of these, too.

[brokenrail]

They all seem a little not 1/87 scale to me .Just eyeballing the cross-bucks look around 25-30 foot tall somewhere around the height of a power line.
Johnny

[Trainman203]

This is a toy train accessory.  As such, it is great.  There are to-scale ones available to those who want more.

[Len]

They all seem a little not 1/87 scale to me .Just eyeballing the cross-bucks look around 25-30 foot tall somewhere around the height of a power line.
Johnny

I always figured they were S-scale croxx-bucks plugged into a base with HO track.

Len