Ever model a train wreck?

[Boyd]

Not in any way to make fun of the tragedy that happened today in SC,, but has anyone ever modelled a train wreck? Bent and mangled cars, spilled loads of grain, 2x4s and logs spread all over, catapillars with side-booms cleaning up the mess. I once watched a train wreck being cleaned up,, it was quite interesting. Another one that could be modelled was a picture I saw in trains magazine from 10-20 years ago with a giant crane pulling a Diesel Locomotive out of a lake that it had gone down over 150 feet down. That could be a lake scene.

[Roger Bielen]

Not on purpose.

[FJ and G]

Not yet, but planning on cutting up one or two K-line $8 PRR-series boxcars and painting with rust and melting and warping some of the parts and scattering the parts on a sharp curve. The wreck, then, would represent an old wreck not completely cleaned up. I've seen these before lingering for years along ROWs, esp on shortlines.

[mersenne6]

Its been done from time to time. Way back in the 1940's and then again in the 50's and early 60's you could see models of train wrecks in the Trackside Photos section of Model Railroader. Probably the best setup was a shot taken by John Allen on his Gorre & Daphited in 1947-48. The picture was published in Trackside Photos and also appears in Linn Wescotts book about John Allen. As an interesting aside, John also let a sheet music pubilsher use the picture on one of the prints of a railroad song.

[FJ and G]

mersenne

The one I remember best is an avalanche with a crane hoisting a locomotive up side of a mountain cliff, perhaps in MR, long ago

[Anonymous]

Not personally, but the Railroad Museum in Brunswick, MD, has a wreck on its HO layout. Although the line is basically diesel, the wrecked loco is an on-its-side steam engine. The firebox and spilled embers flicker and smolder to this day.

My granddaughter Carrie, who lives in Brunswick, is facinated by it.

Wolverine49

[fjerome]

i like roger's answer best [:D]

[Anonymous]

You bet I have. I staged a wreck with ahead on with two trains. I used foam rubber on my homemade X-10 camera car (rubber could not be seen in camera) and ran it head on into another train on a curve to boot. I video taped it in color and sound. The X-10 transmits to the color TV and I taped it off the TV.

I then removed the camera car and put another train and loco in its place, on its side of course. I use the X-10 camera to tape the wreckage and then tape a switcher getting the crane car and wreck caboose from the roundhouse, going to the wreck and replacing all back on the track. Then the crane cars were returned to the roundhouse.

Worked out well and no real damage. I can watch and show as I like. Worth the effort.

Link to picture of camera car in front of turntable without foam below.


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cf22b3127cce999992ef641c00000026108IYsmrRoyb6

Charlie

[Anonymous]

Well, I was thinking I might... Since I slightly melted a corner of a cab on one of my GP-9's by leaving it too close to my halogen work light while building the layout, I was thinking maybe when I make my mountainous industry area, I'll park it with a tree fallen over onto the cab.