Operating Barrel Ramp Car

By Lionel

This original 3562 operating barrel ramp car was made by Lionel from 1954 - 1957.  This re-issue is part of Lionel's new Postwar Celebration Series, and it's a winner.

The car operates very well.  When activated the barrels move up the ramp and off the side of the car.  The man on the car is attached to an L shaped bracket.  He has no real function but as the barrels pass the bracket moves making him appear to kick the barrels off the car.    The trucks are poswar style but have the modern needle-point axles and wheels.  The coupler plate is loosely attached to the axles.  The same trucks were used on Lionels recent C&NW operating cattle car and yard, and work fine.

My only possible complaint here is that unlike the cattle car, Lionel shipped the barrel car without an OTC lock-on to operate it with.  The OTC can be clipped onto any track section and has blades on it that come in contact with the pickup shoes on the trucks, providing power to the car.  The cars instructions tell you to use an O gauge remote control operating track section.  That works fine, but everyone may not be using one of these sections, or may be using O27 track.  The bottom of the cars instructions do mention the OTC lock-on.

Lionel has another hit with this car.  I hope we'll see more re-issues like this in Lionel's Postwar Celebration Series.  The 362 barrel loader is considered a companion to the 3562, and is listed in the Lionel 2000 catalog.

Note:  Lionel's parts department sells the OTC lock-on.  

Back to Reviews

Home

Unloading barrels using the remote control operating track section.