pets and trains.

[Anonymous]

The first step to building a train layout, even before preparing your train room, is to shoot your cat... (JUST KIDDING!!!).  Seriously, my wife's cat loved my layout.  Loved to knock trains onto floor, knock over trees and other details, loved to dig in the styrofoam scenery.  And also got very adept at opening the door to the layout room if the door wasnt actually latched.

As for my dog... I put a cirlce of track under the tree every year (22 years and counting).  It is Lionel and other such sized trains.  I put a dog biscuit on a flat car or boxcar roof when runng the train.  The dog is quite good at snatching the treat off the train and not derailing the car.  When I begin to set up the train, she gets excited, thinks the train is just for her now.  The cat (died of old age 5 years ago, really) used to chase the train around or try to swat the engine off the track.   Running heavy die-cast steam engines cured the cat of swatting!

[dwiemer]

Sorry, not a cat guy. When growing up, we did have a cat at one point. I don't know about the thing about God sending them to take care of our dairy farms, but I do know that they like to chew on wires. Ours bit through a lamp cord behind the couch. We hear this racket from that side of the room and all of a sudden the lamp dances across the table, the cat jumps so that it's two right paws are stuck on the curtains, the two left ones are on the back of the couch and the cat is shaking its head with a power cord in its teeth. Looked like something in a Linda Blair movie. I say this so that those who have cats will be on the watch for all the tempting wires in your layout.
Dennis

[3railguy]

Don't blame the cat and keep your train room locked up if it's a problem. It is a God given instinct for a cat to stalk and inspect any small thing that moves. Cats were put on the earth for a reason. To keep cow barns free of disease carrying mice and rats. Diseases that get into our milk and meat supply. The same goes for corn cribs, grain elevators, etc. Why do you think cats naturally poop in a box and constantly lick themselves clean. It's a hygene thing so they themselves don't contaminate our food supply as they do their job. Visit just about any homespun dairy farm and you will find cats sprawling all over. Ask the dairy farmer where he got his cats and he will tell you "I don't know, they've always been here". Again they were God sent.

So, next time you digest that steak and glass of cool milk, thank a cat that you're not croaking with bocholism. On further note, if treated right, cats will be loyal to you and don't care if you suceed or fail in life. Everybody should have a cat.

[BR60103]

I used to have a cat that would spend his time in an undeveloped area inside a loop. We called it "Mischa's Meadow". The bround foam collected a lot of fur.
Our latest cat had ADHD. He just races around the house, not worrying about what's in his way. (I've had to revise my old saying that "A cat never knocks anything down accidentally".) Cat also chews paper/cardboard and plastic insulation. I've had to install a door across the basement stairs.

[Anonymous]

I used to have a cat that liked to curl up in the turntable pit.

[Anonymous]

One of the cats likes to "stalk" the trains on the Christmas layout, or rather it likes to stalk a "speeder", full blown train is a little too big/noisy. It also likes to do the catzilla routine walking trough the "village". I had to hotmelt glue everything down to keep the town from becoming a stand in for a Japanese village in a 60's horror flick.

[colbalt]

we have 2 cats and a 6 mth old kitten. I'd love to set up some type of layout, but with my gf it is impossible...
Cats, where I used to have a 16ft at my parents old house before everyone moved used to pussyfoot around the trains. Hannah the youngest would find a spot in the middle and sit and watch as the trains made thier way aroundthe trackside

[1688torpedo]

Dave- Sounds like you have a group of "Hobo Wasp" in your Boxcar who have a taste for Pickles. If you hear your Trains running at night.Then; That means the Hoboes' have taken it for a Joyride.[;)][:)][:D] Wasps probably like K-Lines for their value & variety also[;)][:)][:I] Look out though if they form their own Outdoor Garden Railroad Club[;)] Take Care.

[FJ and G]

some pet wasps made their home inside this K-line Pickle boxcar. Gives new meaning to "Being in a Pickle"

[cnw1995]

One of our many cats is very bad - somehow crawled behind the backdrop last night and couldn't get out so ravaged around knocking everything down just like in a cartoon. I was going to strangle her, but of course, she didn't mean it. Argh.

[kblester]

Pets can help visualize what a large mountain would look like on your layout.


Ken Lester

[pbjwilson]

Just got a kitten a couple weeks ago. I didnt think about the train layout. She likes to hide in the tunnel. And knock over trees, signs, signals, buildings, etc, etc, etc..............

[Locomotive681]

I had a 45 pnd stupid calico a few years back when I was into ho
and that fat thing would jump on the 4x8 table and knock all the cars the poles and use the brige as a pillow I got him one day with a athern sd70 mack full bore and he learnd his lesson.
Locomotive681[:)][:D][8D]