Animated Signalman Figure


beiland

Well-Known Member
Somewhere in the past (and I believe it came from a old Model Railroader Magazine) I once saw an ad or an announcement for a signalman figure that had a swinging arm with a lighted lantern in his hand.? Does anyone else recall such a figure??

Can't recall the scale. It might have even been a Lionel product.

I can't find anything on such a figure even with google. Just wondering if my memory is playing tricks on me.


Wigwag Willie or something like that ??
 
Clippings Found !!


Well I guess all my brain cells are not dead yet. I found those mag clippings I had saved back when I was cruising thru LOTS of old issues as I first reentered the hobby. And sure enough, I got part of it right,

The signalman was named 'Willie' ,....Wireless Willie. But he didn't have a swinging arm.

These 2 clippings are dated Oct & Dec 1985,....only about 35 years ago
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MR%2C%20Oct%2085.jpg






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Wireless%20Willie%20lanternmen.jpg
 
Illuminated Kerosene Lanterns

Some interesting articles referenced here, https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/magazine/mrh2017-08/kerosene-lanterns

example
First of all I would like to say many thanks to my friend Bill Gill in Connecticut for his help in writing this article because my English is not so good. I think that he made a well readable article from my manuscript.

It was some months ago that I sent the finished article to MRH staff and in the meantime I have built some more lanterns and documented the work in a second gallery on my website with English captions where the technology was slightly changed so that I reached a higher success quotient. I have written also some additional remarks about materials and technology avoiding errors and failures. Follow the link - http://us-modelsof1900.de/?p=12891.

One result were also my two brakemen with lanterns in their hands where the cables are inserted into the figures, invisibly as "electric" nerves.

brakeman_02k.jpg
brakeman_04k.jpg


brakeman_11k.jpg


The second figure is fixed on the platform of a caboose as a switchman - and Jeff, I did not go the way like the Australian modeler who changed the switchman to an animated one. I have mentioned his work in the article and added a link also to one of his Youtube videos however, this is not that what I would like to do in future. Your and my links show that we can do a lot more with superdetailing of figures. My preferred interest however are building of railroad cars and modifying of locomotives and so I'm not very interested to intensify this way of detailing. I have made some interesting experiences and I'm lucky to share these with you however now I'm writing two new articles with "my" themes in preparation and I hope for your interest again.
 



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