The Crossing Gate No. 252 overcame many of the faults of the No. 152 that it replaced in 1950. Gone was the troublesome pedestrian gate and the problematical spring and adjusting screw that adjusted the tension on this gate. Instead the No. 252 would use metal counter weights that would raise the arm once power to the solenoid ceased. This followed the method that was used by the prototype railroads.

Activation of the gate was accomplished with the use of a No. 145C Contactor that came with this accessory. When this contactor is hooked up, and adjusted properly, the crossing gate arm will lower automatically caused by the weight of a passing train. The No. 145C was always supplied with this gate and came in envelope No. 252-49 illustrated to the right. The wiring for this gate is illustrated on the FRONT page of the No. 145-40 Instruction Sheet dated 2-53.

It uses a clear No. L363 bayonet based lamp to light the gate. This light was transmitted to the RED warning lights on the gate by a transparent square plastic bar. No instruction sheet was included, but the proper wiring of the gate was always shown in the instruction sheet that accompanied the No. 145C Contactor. The number of this sheet changed over the production time of this contactor. The last issue, No. 145-56, still showed the gate’s wiring diagram two years after the gate was last shown in the catalogs in 1963.

According to the Lionel Service Manual there was only one production change during the 14 year production span of the crossing gate. In 1951 the pivot axle of the gate that has square ends was oriented 45 degrees, and the position of associated cam was changed to account for this. According to the manual this was to improve performance.

This gate was replaced in 1962 by the No. 262 Highway Crossing Gate. Because of this, it is unlikely that production of the No. 252 extended beyond 1961.

There are two variations:

Variation A: Has a crossing arm that is WHITE.

Variation B: Has a crossing arm that is CREAM. This was caused by impurities in the plastic that afflicted many other Lionel products in the late 1950’s like the No. 57 AEC Gas Vulcan Unit and the No. 6376 Circus Car.

This crossing gate is occasionally found with RED instead of BLACK hash marks on the arm. These gates are an early MPC production that still have the Lionel production markings.

Dimensions: Base is 3-1/2 inches long by 1-5/8 inches wide. With the arm in the raised or lowered position the height and length is 9-7/8 inches.