What's the dumbest thing you've ever done in model railroading ?...

[Anonymous]

took a 2 dolar life like a unit( musta been 25 years old) and jumped it into a can of bright pink paint!
it still ran but it looked like bairbie!!!!
i burded it

[spidge]

In the early '90's I had a 3x6 N scale layout that atracted the entire neighborhood, and I thought I could do better and bigger (of course) so I dissmantled it(arg!)

ten, yes ten yares later I had a 12x12 corner layout ( no scenery) that ran great, and again I dissmantled it for bigger and better.

now its been over a year and i still have no layout to at least run that concor gs4 the little woman gave me for christmass.

so the new thought is to always have something to run trains on, not just sit in a display.

[jeffers_mz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by brown_royce

Paid seven bucks to get in to a Great American Train Show. 10 minutes later I realized its not a train show, but a flea market of junk. No clinics, no contests, nothing but junk!

Interesting reaction. I went to this one yesterday, with my 11 year old son and 6 year old daughter. We run one layout in two different eras and styles, old time steam for me, modern diesel for the kids. I look for the most accurate period pieces I can find for the 1890's mining operations, and I look for the best looking locos and rolling stock I can find that fits the kid's Santa Fe diesel needs in a price range where I don't worry much if one or more hit the floor.

Going anywhere with the kids is slower than I move alone, I expected crowds, confusion, and the constant risk of losing one, but we still managed to make it past every aisle and display in about three hours, with only a minimal bit of
My feet hurt" and "Are we done yet" towards the last half an aisle. The plan going in was to see it all first, then deicde what we were going to buy.

Then it took less than 10 minutes to grab the items we had decided on. I was looking for old time prototype steam, and the railroad I'm modeling used 90% Baldwin 2-8-0 50's and 60's, 10% or less 2-6-0's, all either rented or purchased from the D&RGW, with the exception of a single 37 ton two truck Shay. I wasn't looking for a Shay, I have the Spectrum iteration and am not ready to deal with the machining necesary to make the available options in two truck locos I have to choose from run right. I needed a fleet of prototype 1890's locomotives, and wound up with 3 period 2-8-0s, two Model Power RTRs (one in D&RGW colors, the other SP, ) and one MDC kit in UP. I found two MDC OT 2-6-0 kits, both in D&RG colors, and picked up a Spectrum Climax for less than half list price, still in the shrink wrap. The kits include enough variants for the smokestacks to outfit every period steamer I have with the diamond types to fit prototype, and now all I have to do is paint the oddballs, and apply the D7RG decals already located, and find the older style pilots and I'm in business. I woke up wondering if the project was doomed for lack of motive power, wondering if I was going to have to go brass which probably wouldn't climb the grade well, since intensive web searches show these wheel arrangements to be nearly non-existant, and went to sleep with a fleet and spares in possession.

I doubled the kids' GP-38-2, (Lifelike, and the consist runs very smoothly and pulls very well up the 4.3% grade), snagged a pair of AHM C-Liner unpowered B units in cherry condition for 8 bucks apiece, giving them a perfectly matched ABBA consist for their passenger train, and picked up a Santa Fe switcher to complete their motive power requirements. Between the two of them, they now have 6 full trains and lots of spares to run on a layout that will support five at a time at most, and also managed to find 5 M1 Abrams and 5 Hummers for my son's military train for a buck apiece, when Walther's wants roughly 11 times that. We also got a pair of flatcars each carrying an M-119 Paladin self propelled artillery tube, and a bag of army men, plus a lighted Santa Fe yard tower and a couple of tank cars just for the heck of it.

I'm planning to scratch build the water tanks for my steam engines, but wanted any old model with the spout since that really requires a lathe or a casting to be done right, and found one from Tyco for $5.

After the business was transacted, the kids got balloon animals from a friendly clown, we all rode the train, and checked out some very impressive Lego structures that were on display in addition to several layouts, one of which they let the kids run, slightly supervised.

Ten locomotives, five RTR, three kits, and two unpowered, several cars, military vehicles, structures, balloon and a train ride for less than $500, and a line on locally available great looking pine trees for less than a buck a tree (a good thing since I need about a thousand of them) I'd have to classify the day and the show a 100% success.

I did notice an unexpectedly high percentage of local and regional dealers, so maybe the show changes from town to town. In any event, I'm sorry you had a bad day, but ours went much better than expected, nothing short of great.

[jwar]

Took my wife to a hobby shop...then took me shopping..then the little lady said somthing like "mommaas not going to be a happer camper if ya dont give me the check book"...Hey honnney..now thats one expeeensssive coat, .....Owell I guess I have a lifetime to get my layout done...

[davekelly]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Texas Zepher

QUOTE: Originally posted by camarokid
I have engines and cars that have not seen the light of day in over 20 years!

I thought that was the norm....[;)]

Oh . . you mean a model railroading time capsule? I gots a couple of them!

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by camarokid
I have engines and cars that have not seen the light of day in over 20 years!

I thought that was the norm....[;)]

[camarokid]

I needed a 1/2 inch hole in a short piece of 1x2. Held it in my hand. The scar pulls a bit when I stretch my fingers out.
Was scraping rivets off a plastic bridge. Knife slipped. Nice 1" scar on my left index finger by the knuckle. Just happy I didn't slice through the tendon. Needed 4 stitches. You too can view this scene by stretching out your left hand (palm down) and flexing or moving your pointing finger up and down to watch the tendon move about under your skin. When your finger is straight out, that's where the scar is. Ain't it great!!
I am now starting my 8th layout in the 31 years living in my house. This one is going to be built the correct way with all planning done before hand. I have engines and cars that have not seen the light of day in over 20 years! How dumb is that?
Archie

[Eriediamond]

Second dumbest thing was watch that trainman video, first dumbest thing was to leave the hobby for a couple of years. Ken

[AggroJones]

I some times blow my fancial savings on certain locomotives because they're on some super clearance sell or whatever. And I'm an idiot. [D)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MisterBeasley

I watched the Atlas Trainman animation on their web site.

Twice.

Go ahead. You can be as dumb as me...

http://www.atlastrainman.com/tmovie.htm

I watched the video just to see what all the hype was about [:(!]. 2 seconds later I made very good use of the 'X' button in the top right corner[:D].

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by modlerbob
Put a ball bearing (small) in a bottle of paint so it would mix better, shook it so hard the bottom of the bottle blew out and I got rust colored paint all over EVERYTHING.

I did that. And it was Scale Coat II paint. Talk about a mess.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dingoix

QUOTE: I watched the Atlas Trainman animation on their web site.

Twice.

Go ahead. You can be as dumb as me...

http://www.atlastrainman.com/tmovie.htm

I've done that too

Mwe three [D)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: I watched the Atlas Trainman animation on their web site.

Twice.

Go ahead. You can be as dumb as me...

http://www.atlastrainman.com/tmovie.htm

I've done that too

[Anonymous]

Put a ball bearing (small) in a bottle of paint so it would mix better, shook it so hard the bottom of the bottle blew out and I got rust colored paint all over EVERYTHING.

Bob DeWoody

[RMax1]

Don't take those little Mantua 0-6-0 apart! It runs ok but what a beast to put back together.

RMax

[Anonymous]

first thing was when i tried to slice my finger off with an x-acto knife. the second stupidist thing was to buy Bachmann Spectrum diesels.

[MisterBeasley]

I watched the Atlas Trainman animation on their web site.

Twice.

Go ahead. You can be as dumb as me...

http://www.atlastrainman.com/tmovie.htm

[Tracklayer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cwclark

The dumbest thing i ever did was lay across the rails reaching for a part across the layout.... hot ,sweaty, and without a shirt on and the throttle was wide open (MRC packs have quite the kick)... it lit me up like a Christmas tree!.... good thing ithe current didn't travel thru my heart....chuck

Hey Chuck. Nothing to do with model railroading, but I was using my teeth to strip some live telephone wire one time and got a good tongue shock. That was fun...

Tracklayer

[Tracklayer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bcammack

You mean, besides taking up the hobby? :)

If not, then probably taking up N scale when I'm practically legally blind.

I'm right there with you bcammack. But I don't have the room for HO, so what can you do...

Tracklayer

[bcammack]

You mean, besides taking up the hobby? :)

If not, then probably taking up N scale when I'm practically legally blind.

[Anonymous]

The dumbest thing I ever did.

Buy 6 Monogram Union Pacific Big Boys and 8 of their New York Central Hudsons (in NYC ATSF and C&O roadnames) with grand intentions of powering them up.

I actually figured out how to do so. But now that I model 1969 GN. I think I am just going to put all my Static Monogram Locomotive Models in a scrap yard scene depicting various states of disaseembly. I think I will power one Chessie Steam Special kit though. Even though its totaly bogus. It has a tremendously high amount of "cool" factor.

I also saved up about 100 of those plastic register tape cores from when I worked as a cashier at a local department store. My grand plan was to use them as some kind of flat car load. But why did I get 100 of them????

and my third dumb thing that i have accomplished. I purchased alot of Atlas block control items like selectors and connectors and such. Then three weeks later. Decided to switch to DCC.

A dumb Idea avoided. Using a bunch of those noch "Sexy Scenes" to depict an orgy in a dome car.

James

[selector]

QUOTE: Originally posted by brown_royce

Paid seven bucks to get in to a Great American Train Show. 10 minutes later I realized its not a train show, but a flea market of junk. No clinics, no contests, nothing but junk!

[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D] Now THAT's funny!! Although, probably not at the time. [:D][:)]

[Anonymous]

Paid seven bucks to get in to a Great American Train Show. 10 minutes later I realized its not a train show, but a flea market of junk. No clinics, no contests, nothing but junk!

[Train 284]

Not planning ahead on A LOT of things, trackowrk, wiring, etc.

[cwclark]

The dumbest thing i ever did was lay across the rails reaching for a part across the layout.... hot ,sweaty, and without a shirt on and the throttle was wide open (MRC packs have quite the kick)... it lit me up like a Christmas tree!.... good thing ithe current didn't travel thru my heart....chuck

[Anonymous]

Buying cheap DCC decoders that don't have silent drive or BEMF, yep, I'm talking about the Bachmann ones! I think they'll end up running directional lighting on cab cars as the lack of a motor should stop them from making the usual racket.

[Anonymous]

Playing with trains without a bumper at the end of the track. I bumped my throttle up to high... I never thought an engine could fly. Broke a brake wheel and many other things I haven't discovered. And I bumped an N-Scale engine of the table and my horn broke off..[oops][#oops][soapbox][banghead]

[Anonymous]

I had misplaced the hole in under a #4 Atlas switch, for the tortoise arm to go through...so instead of removing the switch and drilling a new hole, I thought it would be a simple matter to drill up through the plywood with a correctly locate hole. Unfortunately, the drill bit was really sharp and ripped through the 3/8" plywood like butter and decided to eat the points of the switch for dessert! Doh! An emergency trip to the LHS insued...I now remove track before working around it with power tools.

Trevor

[skerber]

I had a squeak in my HO Atlas Dash8-40b locomotive. It was in the motor area. I applied regular hobby oil to the area. Now my loco smokes from underneath and basically doesn't work! That was my favorite model. Now it sits on a book shelf, looking pretty and collecting dust.

Steve