pets and trains.

[RR Redneck]

We have a chihuahua puppy that likes to ride in the gondolas of my Lionel and Ariso-Craft trains. It is a gem to see.

[palallin]

A cat has begun hanging around our place, but it isn't allowed inside.  In addition to the fact that I don't like cats, my son and I are seriously allergic to cat hair.  The cat hasn't figured out that I keep it around only that it might do a little mousing, but apparently God didn't provide this one with that skill. 

When the Christmas layout goes down on the floor, our dogs might get to see it, but neither seems remotely interested (though my wife's spastic Terrier did the Godzilla routine once across the board--fortunately, Standard Gauge stations are pretty heavy and solid!).

I used to have a cockatiel that would take a short ride on an O gauge gondola, but she's gone now.  The current two don't get out as much (more kids, less time).

[MikeSanta]

We have a cat and a 42 inch iguana. The cat mostly pussyfoots around the layout: she'll sleep on it some but the minute I run something she splits. The lizard, however, is a different story. She's not afraid of the trains which is surprising because you figure that since boa constrictors are their mortal enemies a train would not be a welcome sight. She can knock stuff over but so far has not done any permament damage. After all, they're family, too.

[Anonymous]

See after the second or third time I would have started looking for a decent replacement.

For the foam or the cat?

[RR Redneck]

See after the second or third time I would have started looking for a decent replacement.

[cnw1995]

 One of our three cats has recently taken a liking to the foam rubber I use for walls. Yesterday morning, I found them all pulled up and neatly gathered in a corner of the layout. This is the nth time she's done it - and finally I'm going to start looking for a substitute.

[RR Redneck]

Well I mourn your loss. lol

[Anonymous]

My wife has five...Yes five...cats and they just love my HO scale layout.

The layout is in the spare room so I can usually keep the door closed and the cats out but every once in a while I'll notice something missing. For instance, last week there was a kidnapping...A poor unsuspecting roadworker was taken....I found him three days later on top of the refridgerator....

Let's have a moment of silence....HaHa.

Matt Kessenich
Webmaster Little Choo Choo Shop
Visit www.littlechoochooshop.com.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your comments, Lee. The houses were all cheapie Piko "Wild West" things with the false fronts gabled to look more like eastern company town cottages. After the idiot dog & cat were done they were all split level (you know, partly split and mostly level).

The dog was also dragging her chain & stake through everything. I found a LOT of the pieces and about half the toy cars in the pond...I think I'll stand by my description.

Due to available space, the new layout will have to be built on a diningroom tabletop (yuck!). I'm currently looking for houseplants that will survive on indirect light so I can at least pretend somewhat that I still have a garden RR. (Anybody have any they want rid of?)

[phillyreading]

ElMik,

I live in hurricane ally in south Florida and can tell you that hurricanes are very destructive maybe more destructive than you mention about your layout with the cat and dog damage.

With hurrican Andrew(August 1992, a catagory 5 hurricane) most of the trees were stripped of thier leaves and broken off at about 12 feet high, a lot of houses were totally destroyed(beyond rebuilding financially), cars were thrown into the front windows of houses or landed on one another in the parking lot. Damage to mobile homes looked like somebody put a large firecracker inside an aluminum soda can and lit it, other damage to mobile homes included tree branches impaling them thru the sides. Needless to say Homestead Florida looked like the aftermath of an atomic bomb going off, what was not stripped by wind was damaged by rain weeks later. Looked like a squadron of flying chainsaws came thru followed by an army of giants kicking houses and cars all about.  CSX railroad even had a frieght car(gondola) or two overturned outside of Homestead.

My layout got soaked from the rains after the hurricane but I saved the trains, also lost some track but the transformers stayed dry.

Much success on your new layout, and keep the pets out!

Just for your info I went threw a divorce just over three years ago, and now am happily remarried to a wonderful woman.

Lee Fritz

[Anonymous]

My daughter's cat has cerebral palsy (for real, he walks like he's drunk), anyway he ate or stole all my little peoples in the garden, then proceeded to dig up all the mulch and scatter it for his latrine -- a short plastic fence around the layout slowed him down for awhile--at least till he broke it trying to squeeze his fat butt through. (He's fixed, so he's part house, part cat, but definitely NOT a housecat)

THEN one day the idiot dog got loose and chased said cat through the little village. It looked like the aftermath of a hurricane. I STILL haven't gotten all the buildings fixed.

At least I won't have to worry about all that anymore.... My dear wife has filed for that nasty "d" word, so all I can now afford is a 2nd floor apt that doesn't allow pets -- and I've never heard of a fish destroying a train layout.(yet)

[perry1060]

No pets allowed other then a few lizards and scorpions that visit from time to time. I once had a spider that took up residence in a stalactite cavern on a previous layout. We fed his web with bugs and then watched him come down for the feast. He soon moved out once he realized he was not living in the real world. Cats are more dangerous and scary then most will ever know...unless they build layouts.

[laz 57]

I have my trusted companion JANE my black Lab, aka DOGZILLA.

I just made a tunnel out of paper mache and the next day it was half  eaten.  Oh well could have made a great monster movie?

laz57

[phillyreading]

Any time that I had a cat in the room when I started to run my trains was a real disaster! Either the cat would bolt for the door to leave or scratch my leg from fear.  Another time I caught two of my cats sleeping on my layout at the curves, needless to say a few frieght cars were derailed and at least one was on the floor.  Now all my cats are prohibited from entering my train room, I keep the door closed!

As for model race cars, H.O. scale, the cats try to knock the cars off at medium to high speed. Not as worried with the H.O. cars as most are less than $20.00 to buy, I don't run my 1965 Aurora H.O. with the cats.

Lee F.

[RR Redneck]

That might be just a wee bit big for an o scale german shepard.

[MartyE]

I thought that was an O Gauge German Shepard.

[RR Redneck]

Our dog thinks she's going to McDonalds !!

Some guys have all the luck. A guard dog in a pint size package.

[tmcc man]

I don't have a cat, but I do have a dog. I have my Lionel's in the basement, packed away right now for a layout overhaul, but he never really cares about them. But, when I put my Large Scale trains in the family room for Christmas, things change quickly. He jumps over the trains, barks whenever the sound comes on, and steals the figures from the station platform. He is pretty funny when he see's the trains.

 

Here he is.

[4kitties]

I once had a cat that used to chew on my telephone poles and block signals!  None of my current 3 cats are allowed in the train room because I'd rather simply avoid getting upset about them damaging something, which they surely will:  one of my boys recently did a number on the Christmas tree of my brand-new Lionel Nutcracker Automatic Gateman when I had it on display upstairs.  I learned my lesson and it's put away now.

Joel

[1688torpedo]

Hello All!    CSXJohn-  Now we know what happened to the Taco Bell Dog. He is now employed as a Guard Dog for your layout. He helps to keep your layout Grits free. Good thing you have no Standard Gauge or else he would be begging for rides in the Gondola Car's. Take Care.

[RR Redneck]

Beagle-Australian Cattle Dog mix. She will sit there and watch the trains go for hours. Now my sisters Golden Retriever on the other hand runs the other way when she hears the blast of the horn.

I wish my girlfriend's blue healer was that well behaved. It jumped up on my layout. So I dont trust it around my trains.

[csxt30]

Our dog thinks she's going to McDonalds !!

[spankybird]

Here is Buckeye's secert training

 

But it doesn't work on Birdzilla

 

[Anonymous]

Beagle-Australian Cattle Dog mix. She will sit there and watch the trains go for hours. Now my sisters Golden Retriever on the other hand runs the other way when she hears the blast of the horn.

[njalb1]

I don't have the problem with my pet Rusty and trains. He is well behaved and just watches. My problem is that he loves to use my computer !

[RR Redneck]

I am writing a new book, How to Train Your Cat to Run Your O-Gauge Trains.

I do hope you all will purchase a copy.

Just like my cat Challenger. When he hears the whistle, smells the smoke, or both, He comes running to find me. He loves my Lionels as much as I do. He will actually fall asleep while the sound is on and it is running full blast. His stupid sister Chesa, runs away from the trains though.

[csxt30]

I am writing a new book, How to Train Your Cat to Run Your O-Gauge Trains.

I do hope you all will purchase a copy.

I'd be glad to have a sighned Complimentary copy !!

Thanks, John

[Buckeye Riveter]

I am writing a new book, How to Train Your Cat to Run Your O-Gauge Trains.

I do hope you all will purchase a copy.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Our cat will ocasionally get on the layout and knock a few things over, but nothing is broken.  On the farm where I used to work we kept black snakes to keep the vermin, including to two legged kind under control.
Jim