A railroad gateman emerges from his shack and waves a lantern to warn motorists and pedestrians that a train is approaching. A switchman emerges from a yard shack to direct trains through switches or crossovers.

The Lionel 45 Automatic Gateman was available from 1935 to 1942 and continued for a time into postwar. It was sold as the 45 with a standard gauge isolated outside-rail track section, as the O45 with an O-gauge isolated outside-rail track section, and as the 45N with a 41 weight- activated contactor.

The green metal base is 7" wide by 5 3/4" deep. The white formed sheet metal shack is 4" high. The shack has a red roof and door. A formed sheet metal post with a finial cap holds a crossbuck sign. A plastic man emerges from the shack with a red lantern that is illuminated with a red light in the base.

Variations include: figure of molded composition with two swinging arms or plastic with one swinging arm, shack color white or ivory, and with or without an insert in the light hole. Posts can be unpainted, painted gray, or painted silver, and with brass or nickel finial cap. Crossbucks can be brass with black lettering or diecast with raised letters. Sign can read "Look Out for the Locomotive," or "Railroad Crossing." Some versions have a decal on the toolbox lid.

Prewar versions have a formed sheet metal chimney that matches to shack color. Some early postwar versions do not have the chimney. (The example illustrated.)

The gateman's lantern is lighted with a 1446 12 volt bulb. (Click the number for bulb specifications.)

When activated, the door opens and a blue suited man emerges from the shack. The man is 2 3/4" high: 1:48 scale for about 11 feet. Not too much off scale (for Lionel and toy trains).

An accessory that has fascinated kids for generations.

Electrical connections for the 45 Automatic Gateman are made to two binding posts on the left of the base. Recommended operating power is 10 to 12 volts. A little adjustment is usually needed for best operation.

The 45 Automatic Gateman can be operated with Three-Rail Innovations' Universal Trackside Accessory Controller or Two Relay Controller . A number of different operating modes can be configured for more action or to compensate for isolated rail limitations.

In the example to right the gateman solenoid is operated from UTAC configuration 5, for an on time limited to 20 seconds. An Isolated rail track block (longer than the truck span on an engine or rolling stock) is connected to input 3.

The gateman emerges from the shack when a train enters the isolated rail track block. He retreats back into the shack when the train leaves the block. If the train is in the block for more than 20 seconds, the gateman goes back into the shack. If the train (or a new train) is in the block after 25 more seconds, the gateman will emerge again.

Configurations 12, 13, and 14 can also be used, with appropriate changes to input and output connections.