Who's all touchy feely?

[marknewton]

...if you want to sit in your basement and admire your wonderful work and paint and all the other things, and not share, that is your right.  I just don't understand it.

Sharing is one thing, having someone carelessly damage the models you spent hours building, detailing and weathering is another. What's so difficult to understand about asking people not to touch your models?

Cheers,

Mark.

[howmus]

I sneezed on a freight train once.

How I got on that freight train I'll never know.

Hey, I didn't know Groucho was on this forum!

Say goodnight, Gracie.

Goodnight Gracie! 

[mononguy63]

I sneezed on a freight train once.

How I got on that freight train I'll never know.

Hey, I didn't know Groucho was on this forum!

Say goodnight, Gracie.

[pastorbob]

Bad??????  That was awfulllllllllllllllll!

Bob

[DingySP]

I sneezed on a freight train once.

How I got on that freight train I'll never know.

 

Sorry, that was bad.

[AntonioFP45]

I sneezed on a freight train once.  Does that count?  Must admit I find this thread amusing.  I am surprised at the number who are so protective.  They are just adult toys you know.  Guess to me there are more important things in life than my trains, and I have a large investment in them.  But I don't mind reaching over and picking up an engine or car to rerail it, replace it, to move it on or off the railroad.

But to each his own.

Bob

Hmmmmmmmmmm.   Well, perhaps if a car or two were knocked off the track, that could be attributed to a "scale" tornado or microburst.

[mononguy63]

Are you kidding? My 0-5-0 is the busiest switcher on the entire system!

Given that I have a 3-year-old son and a step stool next to the layout, my rolling stock tends to be handled pretty regularly. He enjoys touching every car as a train rolls past him. That's why I run mostly Blue Box cars. My top-end locos are Spectrum steamers and an assortment of P1K and comparable diesels. I don't bother trying to super-detail anything. Heck, I can't even keep what few trees that have been planted fully upright.

Our rolling stock's not toxic. We won't be struck down by lightning if we touch something. I know I'd probably feel differently if I had a super-detailed and weathered brass loco that cost me hundreds of dollars and countless hours of labor to get just right. But I don't have anything remotely approaching that. If it can stand up to my little helper, it's good enough for me at this stage.

Jim

[aloco]

What about when other people just have to touch your detailed locomotives!

I don't run my detailed locos on the club layout. 

[Tracklayer]

If you want to sit in your basement and admire your wonderful work and paint and all the other things, and not share, that is your right.  I just don't understand it.

Bob 

 

It's called being selfish and overly protective which is how I am and for good reason... No one cares about or respects my belongings as much as I do.

Tracklayer

[pastorbob]

I was going to refrain from further comment, but, as far as layout tours, I am on tour often for Santa Fe Modelers, for the NMRA regional (and national when in Kansas City), and for visitors, who sometimes bring sticky fingered kids.  Then there are operating sessions.

My damage from all these tours and sessions is very slight, most adults and kids are very good without being told.  If I had to put signs out telling everyone to keep their hands off, I just wouldn't bother letting anyone in the basement.  In fact, I probably do more damage with my boo boo's than anyone.

But hey, each of us has tolerances and wills and won'ts, so if you want to sit in your basement and admire your wonderful work and paint and all the other things, and not share, that is your right.  I just don't understand it.

Bob 

 

[4merroad4man]

In the case of the Los Gatos Sub:

Rule 895a:  Operators and other employees of the railroad are advised to warn and if necessary, admonish visitors to keep hands away from the railroad, including structures, track, rolling stock and scenery.  Signs asking visitors to keep hands off layout are posted at each station location.

Boy that must look real pretty.   Nah.  Just says "If you want to touch something, go to a petting zoo." :0)

The damage factor is also why I have stopped opening my layouts for tours during shows and conventions.  Most folks are very respectful, but there are just enough that have to grab something or who can't control their kids that it makes the whole effort frustrating.

[Driline]

In the case of the Los Gatos Sub:

Rule 895a:  Operators and other employees of the railroad are advised to warn and if necessary, admonish visitors to keep hands away from the railroad, including structures, track, rolling stock and scenery.  Signs asking visitors to keep hands off layout are posted at each station location.

Boy that must look real pretty.

[shayfan84325]

For me, it's a question of pride more that fragility.  My locos are brass (pretty and durable) and my cars are all wood and metal.  I take a lot of time laying track and I work hard to get it just right (I also have some pretty solid benchwork).  I've lost track of how long it's been since an operating derailment (well over a year).  I don't touch them because it is so elegant to move them under their own power - it sort of reminds me of the value of attention to detail and allows me to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

[pastorbob]

Well Said, Brakie!!!

Bob 

 

[BRAKIE]

I sneezed on a freight train once.  Does that count?  Must admit I find this thread amusing.  I am surprised at the number who are so protective.  They are just adult toys you know.  Guess to me there are more important things in life than my trains, and I have a large investment in them.  But I don't mind reaching over and picking up an engine or car to rerail it, replace it, to move it on or off the railroad.

But to each his own.

Bob

I'm not surprised. Don't you remember what most of these guys look like?

I let my 11 year old nephew move the HO people around the layout, and I let him run the trains. I keep an eye on him though. Hopefully this will spark a love of trains for him so that someday he can enjoy this hobby too.

 

[howmus]

I think this says it all:

[johncolley]

Not only for the possible detail damage mentioned in other posts, but I try to handle my power and rolling stock as little as possible because nothing says "Toy" as much as dusty oily fingerprints! And these can't be helped unless you wear rubber gloves, every time the light hits the side of a car just right they will show up! jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA

[dale8chevyss]

I don't mind moving my trains by hand but I tend to leave them be as much as I can as I don't like fingerprints and I don't like risking the possibility of dropping them.  I'm just waiting (and praying it doesn't happen!) for the day when my favorite loco hits the cement. 

[Driline]

I sneezed on a freight train once.  Does that count?  Must admit I find this thread amusing.  I am surprised at the number who are so protective.  They are just adult toys you know.  Guess to me there are more important things in life than my trains, and I have a large investment in them.  But I don't mind reaching over and picking up an engine or car to rerail it, replace it, to move it on or off the railroad.

But to each his own.

Bob

I'm not surprised. Don't you remember what most of these guys look like?

I let my 11 year old nephew move the HO people around the layout, and I let him run the trains. I keep an eye on him though. Hopefully this will spark a love of trains for him so that someday he can enjoy this hobby too.

[pastorbob]

I sneezed on a freight train once.  Does that count?  Must admit I find this thread amusing.  I am surprised at the number who are so protective.  They are just adult toys you know.  Guess to me there are more important things in life than my trains, and I have a large investment in them.  But I don't mind reaching over and picking up an engine or car to rerail it, replace it, to move it on or off the railroad.

But to each his own.

Bob

[Midnight Railroader]

Can't stand the magnets. I use an uncoupling tool. Sometimes that means I touch the cars.

[4merroad4man]

In the case of the Los Gatos Sub:

Rule 895:  Except in cases of accident, derailment or other unusual occurrence, operators must not pick up, touch or otherwise handle equipment which is in service on the railroad.  Equipment waiting for service in staging drawers, or at other locations designated by the Superintendent, may be handled, but only to the extent necessary to either place in or remove from service. 

Damaged equipment must be immediately sent to the repair facility with bad order tag attached.

In cases of accident, derailment or other unusual occurrence, notify the Superintendent and dispatcher immediately.  "Oklahoma Hook" will be dispatched to remove and/or rerail equipment.  Protect accident site by placing signals at stop indication or by flag protection until arrival of hook.

Rule 895a:  Operators and other employees of the railroad are advised to warn and if necessary, admonish visitors to keep hands away from the railroad, including structures, track, rolling stock and scenery.  Signs asking visitors to keep hands off layout are posted at each station location.

[Tracklayer]

I won't touch my locos or rolling stock unless I wash my hands real well first. And I've freaked out more than once in the past when friends or guests have touched or picked up one of my cars which I wiped off with a wet paper towel as soon as they left. I'm real funny about that.

Tracklayer

[AntonioFP45]

What about when other people just have to touch your detailed locomotives!     Hmmmmm. Let's see, where's that sign?  Oh there it is!  Better hang it back up on the wall:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                     

                                                                          Warning! 

Now looka here yall!  If you or your yung' uns put your cotton pikin hands on these here trains without permission..........yall  will git a "cooter sized" bite by this here railroad's owner!  That's me!   Oh sure! Yall  can dream about a  touchin......but DON'T DO IT!   

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

[HEdward]

I was thinking of running the engines around and picking up the cabooses in staging all no touch even tho it is "hidden" just because my planned layout is small for an operational emphasis.  With the layout height at 50" minimum, the no touch unless absolutely unavoidable rule will be in force.  Perhaps a DCC operated crane car to lift derailed rolling stock back on track might be a good project for some brave soul.

[aloco]

I'm not afraid of handling my equipment.  If I bust anything, then I fix it.  If I can't fix it, I replace it. 

[Texas Zepher]

There are a few cars on the club layout that have been touchied so much they have rings where the hand dirt/oil has been laid down and then worn off ---- cringe.  It doesn't look like "natural weathering" either. They need a real bath.

[R. T. POTEET]

Ed Ravenscroft used to run a wreck train out to the site of any derailments before he called upon the notorious 0-5-0 switcher to perform it's nefarious tasks.

[modelmaker51]

I really don't worry about it. All of my engines are either built or detailed by me and I build them rugged, I used to be part of a modular club, so I learned to build things to take the abuse. All of my rolling stock is weathered and sealed, so I'm not too concerned about finger prints. I do have a sign in my adjoining work shop that says to pick up locos by their fuel tanks (we don't see much steam power). Since I'm a model builder, if something breaks I just fix it and make it look as good as it did before, (I didn't say "like new" because nothing on my layout looks "new"). We use skewers to uncouple, so there's always a certain amount of touching. We run hard, mainline trains can be up to 85-100+ cars and accidents happen. If I had to worry about handeling and breakage I wouldn't ever run anything. That's not to say we're not careful, we are, but we're not anal about it. MRing is suposed to be fun, if we constantly have to worry about it, why bother, leave everything in their boxes or in a glass case.