Filmways Television
When Classic Toy Trains magazine (May 2020 issue) arrived in the mail, a single photograph (see above) on page 12 caught my eye. A fellow by the name of Larry Osterhoudt had created a replica of the Lionel layout seen in the 1960’s TV series, The Addams Family. I was intrigued.
Doing some research on the show and its use of model trains yielded a plethora of videos and a wealth of information about the subject. It turns out there were TWO layouts used as filmmakers had to reconstruct after the um, explosions, during the train wreck scenes. The train board itself is chock full of Lionel operating accessories.
Let’s take a peek at some fascinating Lionel “hardware” as it goes through its paces.
As a Lionel Lines steamer flashes by in the background, a Minneapolis & St. Louis EMD GP7 is approaching the camera pulling a single passenger car.
In the very first episode, “Addams Family Goes to School”, Lurch (played by Ted Cassidy) leads the truant officer in to see Gomez (played by John Astin) who is diabolically operating his train set.
What’s this? Gomez has put two trains on a collision course!
Boom! Gomez has dynamited the trestle causing 3 different trains to crash.
In shot we see the M & St. L GP7, a fire-blackened Santa Fe EMD F7A and a Lionel Lines #2037 2-6-4 (sans tender).
Courtesy of Yahoo photos are the above 3 locomotives in color. The GP7 is a Lionel #2348, the 2-6-4 is a Lionel #2037 and the F7A is a Lionel #2343.
In another episode, Morticia (played by Carolyn Jones…rahr-RAHR!) has joined Gomez as he prepares to blow up the bridge. Here we get an overall view of the layout, and this time the F7A is pulling 3 passenger coaches. BTW, cool though it is, I don’t think the plunger that Gomez is using was a standard Lionel accessory. ;p
This time the passenger train has stopped short of the tipped-on-its-side truss bridge. Close up of some accessories and Yowza! Morticia striking a pose.
Gomez shows Pugsley (played by Ken Weatherwax) of Troop 999 the layout, but when he is uninterested in blowing up the bridge, Gomez takes the plunger himself and….the charge fizzles out.
Close up of some Lionel accessories. I’m curious what that boxy one right top is. Looks like a billboard or something. Gomez pulls on the two throttles of a classic Lionel ZW transformer (which powered the trains).
The first two photos are views down the track of the GP7 and F7A crossing the trestle and headed for a cornfield meet. The results are still the same as smoke and flame consume the models — probably much to the horror of Lionel collectors everywhere.
Thankfully, the moviemakers only did the blow-up scene once, reusing the same footage.
Uncle Fester (played by Jackie Coogan) has joined Pugsley and Gomez around the train board. The track and equipment used seem different, so this is probably the second layout used.
Note the passenger train is now pulled by back to back Santa Fe Alco FA’s with a coach, dome car and observation.
Again courtesy of Yahoo images are color shots of the passenger train. These are Lionel Santa Fe #212 for the Alco locomotives and Lionel #2404 #2405 #2406 for the cars.
Leading the freight train is a Lionel Lines #237 “Scout” 2-4-2 engine.
Much to her delight, Gomez lets Morticia take the trains for a spin around the second layout. The track plan is simplified with a figure-8 inside an oval with the two tracks not connected.
Just a couple more views of the second layout to finish my review. The Alcos pull the passenger train up the outside oval as the Scout 2-4-2 snakes around below. And “Thing” (Ted Cassidy’s hand) even gets into the act, throwing a knife switch to supply power to the layout.
Many thanks to RichardsTrainsAndMore on YouTube who created the video I reviewed and provided much helpful information about the equipment used:
As a bonus, here is another video, this time by worldsgreatestride who created a remarkable replica of the first layout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-C2o0sr5_Y
Here’s what IMDb has to say about The Addams Family:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057729/
If you have ANY information about this movie you’d like to share, please contact me at: Lindsay.Korst@gmail.com, or leave a comment. Thanks and enjoy the blog!
THE END
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