@MCLegoboy:
These days, it's easy enough to automate them...if you care. Our LUG usually just leaves them down on every crossing, since there are typically two trains running in opposite directions, and automated crossing gates tend to be bulky affairs.

@anthony_davies:
You've got seven studs available to increase the setback. It's still putting you down pretty close to the road, but at least it's not _in_ the road. Or build that part in reverse so the stairway is on the other side.

@PurpleDave said:
" @MCLegoboy:
These days, it's easy enough to automate them...if you care. Our LUG usually just leaves them down on every crossing, since there are typically two trains running in opposite directions, and automated crossing gates tend to be bulky affairs.
"

I'd think it would be easier to set up a flashing light crossing that is automatic than one with dropping gates. Just get some small LED's and some track sensors, run the wiring through the bricks and into the MOC and set it up to flash each time a train approaches. In model railroading circles they have been doing that for years, so should be easy enough to adapt to Lego.

A mechanical gate would be trickier. Want a purist option? Technic is just going to be bulky and chew up space. Again going for a model railroading device like the Tortoise switch machine which mounts under the layouts and making some "modifications" to the bricks might be easiest without a bulky Technic lever function. Then again, there is some pride in making a 100% purist Lego crossing gate to be had too so a bulky option might be preferred by people.

I love Lego trains. I only own one but always fascinated with them and the side builds.

This isn’t that bad, if you ask me.

@xboxtravis7992:
Going under the layout isn't really ideal for us. We (normally) do 20+ layouts per year. Sometimes we're on wood tables that bolt together, and other times we're on plastic tables that don't. With maybe a few rare exceptions, we've never done the same layout twice. It gets boring, the membership that participates changes with each show, people like to bring different things to each show, some layouts have to support buildings that weigh maybe 400 pounds, and occasionally people have to be able to walk on the tables (or set ladders on them) to perform setup/teardown tasks. Adding a bulky underlayment would not only chew up valuable time and space, but you can't slide things around on a studded surface. It's just not worth it for the little bit of benefit we'd get.

Now, we do have drop sections, from time to time. Someone might want to put a valley in, or a lower section with a beach. One guy did a recessed freeway like a few that are in the area. But those usually require major shows with at least a full day of setup to be worth the effort. We do some that are two days with setup on the first morning, one that's setup on one day and show the next, a few that are one day for everything, and the shortest show we've ever done was only for two hours (setup and teardown took longer than the display was booked for).

Yeah, there are LUGs that have us beat on landscaping, or all the gadgetry they can build into the layout. We can beat any LUG I've heard of on height (over 10 buildings ranging from 6'5" to 11'5") and schedule (even this year we've managed to cram five shows in, and multiple times during our history we've had four displays going at the same time). You just have to figure out what's really important, and what's nice to look at when someone else does it and you don't have to help set it up.

This doesn't happen often, but I have never seen this before.

A bit less red, some more black, and a dash of trans neon green, and this set is golden.

@PurpleDave said:
"You've got seven studs available to increase the setback. It's still putting you down pretty close to the road, but at least it's not _in_ the road. Or build that part in reverse so the stairway is on the other side."

That's actually an excellent point. When they have 7 studs available to the right, why put the tower and stairs right up against the road?

One of the very few train sets from the late 70's/early 80's that I do not have. Remember when LEGO thought that Train sets were worth it to make?

Love this set, the only problem I had was the plug flasher for the lights didn't work so I had a static red. Still great to play with, being able to remotely set the barriers from the control was awesome. If you were really lucky you had the controls for points 7858 and 7859, the signals 7860 and the de-coupler as well 7862. Those were the days.

The support was used to hold the road plate and the 8x16 plate together.

@MCLegoboy said:
"Okay, now that's actually pretty neat. I don't know how it works necessarily and if there is a sensor involved, it would have to be set up decently far enough away for the speedy LEGO trains to cross the roads safely for civilians, but still, a very cool idea, I bet you could make an even better version today with the modern Mindstorms tech.

EDIT: Okay, it's just buttons, but still, you better be on your A-game. Those gates need to be activated with proper timing to keep the civilians safe."

it's OK, you could set it up with the signals 7860 either side to protect the crossing, and only clear them when the barriers are down and the crossing clear.

I had this. I still have it. The only things not working any more are one of the red lights (damn incandescent bulbs) and the flasher/siren unit.

12V had its faults, but it remains the most complete range. The 2nd gen (grey) had a huge range of trains, but more than that, it had locos, carriages, wagons as separate sets. It had power operated switches, auto-stop signals, a remote decoupler, this level crossing and platform lighting. It had (over the decade or so) three freight terminals.

Wait, I think this was already a random set of the day once!

They don't make them like this anymore.

The set I lusted after when I was a kid, to go with the rest of my 12v trains. Managed to Bricklink it this year - took me 2 years to get the parts at a reasonable price. Still daren't work out how much it cost!
Great set, probably the best 12v accessory set.

This is an amazing set. I had (and still have) 2 of these. The joy of seeing the barriers go up and down with the lights... Great stuff.

Why can LEGO not make sets like this anymore?
I'm planning to get a TrixBrix Boom Barrier Combo but they are on back order.
LEGO's Duplo trains are sophisticated but not the trains for older 'children'.

I remember you also received a 32x32 road plate even though its nearly totally covered by ramp and tracks which you wouldn't get nowadays if TLG ever happened to make a crossing again.

As mentioned above everything needed to be done manually with paddle control switches and nothing was automatic as there were no sensors, hence the need for the level crossing control room and mini-fig. Although you could set up additional stop lights you had to remember to have them on red so the train would stop. What was really clever for the time, was with the power of long wires all the control switches could all be connected together in a long line at the opposite end of the room next to the track transformer so that you could control everything in the layout including all the points without moving yourself, which is why it is referred to as the golden age of Lego trains.

Sadly if you attempted this now with Technic on a battery operated train track you would need a separate battery box for each motor and points, although people are doing clever things now with the boost colour sensor to bring back some control over stopping and starting trains, and powered up motors to control points all controlled from the powered up app or similar.

Back in the days of department stores and independent retailers, it was pot luck what sets you would see availabke to buy. This was so rare, I can't remember seeing it to buy in any shop! Eventually picked it up as an adult after hawking the ebay lists for years!

I got the manual crossing for my birthday in 86 and then this capped off the year getting it for Christmas. Very fond memories. Those gates sure did move fast!

I have 4 of these and made them dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=codm10icRBk

https://brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=161393

Here you can find the circut diagramm for the flashing box ... maybe that helps to fix the non flashing issue?

I had 146 when I was a kid. Great old sets.

talking about trains, I would like to see as the train sets some famous locomotives (the FS E656, the french BB7200... please more about electric locomotives!)

Ah yes, now we are moving into top tier LEGO sets.

@scottd:
I don't have any experience with 12v systems, but the 9v flashing lights had two settings. If you ran power through them in one direction, they would flash in an alternating patter. If you reversed the power, they would both turn on without blinking. If 12v worked the same way, it's possible you just plugged them in wrong.

And that's a terrible reason for the orientation of the stairs. The space stanchions closest to the road actually straddle the two baseplates, so you could easily flip the stairs around to the other side without affecting anything. Except the safety of the minifigs who work there, and the insurance premiums of the ones who drive past during shift changes.

@DavidGraham:
There are two basic reasons. One is that LEGO trains aren't really big with kids anymore, and adults are more capable of figuring out their own solutions. The other is that the EU made it illegal to sell toys that plug into wall power. Everything has to be battery operated these days, and that makes it either very expensive, or very difficult, to run an automated layout.

If you really want to get crazy with it, it would be entirely possible to design a manually operated "automated" layout where all of the controls were located in a centralized location. They make 32L axles, axle joiners, and cog gears. You might need to use some type of lubricant to reduce the friction on all the contact surfaces.

@ambr:
They'd have to either give you a baseplate of some sort, or completely cover up the space so you don't have gaps showing. Our LUG crossings are on standard greens. The center is a raised layer of tiles to form the road surface (flush with the rails on the outside of the rails, lowered one plate between the rails to reduce risk of derailing a train). One side is flush with the edge for use on the outside edge of layouts (we usually run two lines around the outer edge). The other side looks unfinished as it has connection points for the same ramp elements (2x2 pattern) to connect. On rare instances when we have to put the crossings in the center of a layout, you can just rest a second set of ramps against it without attaching them.

Honestly surprised by how much the comments seem to be loving this. It's just a 4+ style box over a set of train tracks. Only bit that looks remotely interesting are the light up signs. I usually give sets an extra star or two over most people and even *I* find this pathetic.

Ya know what I missed breakfast, maybe I'm just in a bad mood.

I remember desiring this as a kid, and wondering how anyone on earth could afford the rails needed for double tracks. Love it!

Looking at this as a solo set, it's quite limited to the absolute minimum necessary ...

Integrating this into a 12V era setup with all the other things available back then, it turns into quite a highlight ... others do the beauty and flair, this one adds unique functionality. I felt like a king back then, controlling everything from the panel, and this one was the favourite as it did so much with just the press of one button :-)