Im not going to say anything more than.... Ever forget momentum was turned on?
Alec
One very important thing I forgot to mention in my post was a great idea/fix for the prevention of many such disasters. Well it won't keep your stuff from falling off the tracks etc. but to keep them from crashing onto the floor and smashing into a million pieces at my wife's suggestion I've placed netting around the entire perimeter at places where the railroad runs near the edge f the bench work. She had some old cargo type netting they use in kid's rooms to hold stuffed animals. These things are very stretchy and al I did was screw in a couple of cup hooks into the bench work and prop the netting open a bit just wide enough to catch a falling train with a thin piece of cardboard about an inch wide folded to a 90. NO! I haven't tested it with one of my BigBoys or Challengers but I'm confident it will work. Leave it to a non-railroad person like my wife to come up with a good idea. Now if I can only get her to weather all my rolling stock I'll be set. She did one boxcar that would rival anyone's work. I guess it's all that arts & craft nonsense..........lol
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
My worst wreck involved my FA1 A/B set and a Bowser K4.The side swipe happen at the club when the engineer of my FAs overshot the signal and fouled the fouling point-the block gap is at the switch-and was struck by the K4..The FA cab unit rolled down the hillside and on to the big catch-thats the floor..Needless to say the cab unit was totaled.
The engineer was suppose to stop at the signal.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I had gotten back into model railroading because I had heard that the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative was going to get Talgo equipment (fat chance, money never came through), and I wanted to build a working guided-axle model to exhibit as part of a passenger-rail advocacy campaign.
So the guided axle trainset (a trainset in transit or transportation lingo is a group of cars that form a passenger train, semi-permanently coupled like Talgo or otherwise) is in a rough, undetailed state, but there are all this little ABS links and brass pins making up working axle steering and pendulum tilt; the layout (still a layout or a pike, a trainset means something different) is still under construction and as far as I have gotten is a single track, point-to-point, with just one curve in it.
So I was running "pendulum banking system tests", where I accelerated as fast as I dared to see if the pendulum tilt suspension was banking the cars into the turn on the one curve, and then stopping short of the end of the line. In one test, the loco stopped at the right place, but the experimental trainset managed to separate at a Kadee coupler. The loco was safe, but the trainset went past the end of the line, flying past the precipice in a classic parabolic trajectory on to the cement floor below.
I spent the next hour picking up scratch-built ABS guidance arms and brass pins. Since this was a scratch-built model that was roughly built as an engineering prototype, I got it all put back together in working order again. I have built three more generations of guided-axle train models, but I still keep and operate "Pioneer Guided-axle Train" as a reminder of how far I have come on the "learning curve" scratchbuilding working guided-axle trucks.
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
I've been pretty lucky so far, though minor accidents eem to happen to usually perfect rtrains whenever anyone else is watching.
The worst in terms of spectacle was whan my son's Model Power Rocket Forces train, actually two of them, picked a turnout coming down the 5% grade just before the tunnel. We ended up wth about 15 cars accordioned against the mouth of the tunnel, but no damage to train or layout.
The worst in terms of cleanup was when I was testing out a newly completed and weathered old time work train, just after running an OT passenger train that was parked on hidden staging. Apparantly the power was left on to the staging track, and the passenger train backed off the end of the siding, just far enough to unrail one axle of the MOW train, one of those stealth derailment type of things.
I thought I heard a little extra clickety-clack but then it quit, and about a minute later that car came off, which derailed the whole train on the steep grade. It was sort of a stringline deal, all the cars fell over to the inside of the curve, and down the embankment to the next level, 4 inches below.
The ballast gondola from the MOW train was filled with, yes, loose gravel, and it went everywhere. It took most of a day to remove all the buildings and trees, get the shop-vac in there, clean up the mess and replace everything.
We have a rule, now, no loose loads.
Otherwise, fingers crossed, we've been lucky.
A train wreak? never had a ''wreak'',
Years ago I had a lot of TYCO stuff and my dad [THE fix-it wizard] got some broken locos we found at a 2nd hand store running, there was one...an F7 I think.....that was wired so that it ran the opposite way the others did...and I played Gomez Addams a few times, only broke the couplers and scuffed up the front. That was ''on purpose wrecks''
The only ''wrecks'' I've had recently were from me dropping stuff...like a brand new Athearn SD40 [fortunately it was the dummy half of the set],I picked it up and it slipped right out of my hand and hit the floor.....only thing that broke was the coupler cover and the corner of the steps...a little glue fixed the steps and a quick scrounge in the parts box produced a coupler cover.....I was very happy it wasn't the heavier powered half of the set...that woulda made me say bad words!!
Of course I have the ever present derailments, but they never result in damge to anything but scenery.
I havent finished a railroad yet but.... My worst wreck came on my Birthday! My dad wanted to run 2 locos at once. So they meet at swith and one loco knocked my B day present off the layout . The moter was shorted out, luckily I was able to get credit and pick up some extra track.
TK
SD60M wrote:Man you guys have seen some bad ones! Good news though i got my SD70MAC back up and running the only problem is i have to put some new headlights in on the front but the ditchlights still work THANK GOD! Anyway keep it coming!
Man you guys have has some bad ones. The worst one happened when one of my GP9Ms fell off the layout because of a faulty switch. It fell about 3 feet off the table. The body was kinda smashed up, but I got it back together. I really hope none of these wrecks happen to my new P2K SD45.
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/JR7582 My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wcfan/
You mean your not supposed to wreck trains on a daily basis? I've been nick named Gomez Adams by some of the guys in our club I have so many wrecks. One of my most recent disasters was with an Athern CNJ SD40. I had been waiting for it to come in at my local hobby shop for about a month. I get it home and I'm like a kid with a new toy. Well that never changes no matter ho old you get. So I put the SD40 on the mainline hooked up to a 38 car train and head off in to the HO sunset. She climbs the steep grade to the summit and just as she's about to cross the steel girder bridge she decides to male a hard left turn and take just about every car with her over the edge. It was nothing short of havoc. Cars and parts all over the floor four and half feet below. Amazingly the only damage to the SD40 was that the front truck came completely off. I carefully placed it back in the box and the next day I brought it back to the shop with my head hung in shame. After giving me a good ribbing which lasted for about an hour the guys laughed and said oops it was like this when we opened the box. I guess you get a little preferential treatment when you pay the guys rent every month. But wait it gets better!!! He tell me hey we have some good news for you, your two CNJ RS1's came in today. He said lets check them out and make sure there's nothing wrong with them before you go home and try and commit suicide by jumping out the basement window. So he opens the first box places the engine on the test track it makes a loop and a half and stops dead and starts SMOKING!!!!!!!! We couldn't believe what we were seeing. We take #2 out of it's box and the body shell come clear off the frame! I was like thats it I'm going to take up something safe like stamp collecting. Luckily we fixed #2 with a couple of screws that were laying in the bottom of the box.
Needless to say the guys in the club don't like me even getting close to their more expensive stuff...............lol
Taking the reciprocating saw to the layout in the "house we were never going to move from" when we moved...
A different type of wreck, but a wreck all the same.
Now I build modular!
Craig
DMW
Is that SD70MAC in N scale? If so, how do you like it? Any you like better? (it's one of the locos on my wish list)
Rob
My worst... I was about 4 or 5. My dad and I had just finished installing a loop of track around my bedroom, about 7.5 feet off the ground. My one and only locomotive at the time, a PC (IHC) train set Mikado fell off on the inaugural run. We forgot to nail one end of a piece of flextrack to the shelf and the track slipped out. It was the first go at a layout for me, and since my dad (unfortunately) isn't a model railroader, same with him. He was running the train way too fast. Even I at that age wouldn't have run the train at full speed when the track was only three inches from the edge of a seven foot shelf (I am happy to have been gifted with a strong appreciation for all things over 100 dollars). My Mikado plummeted to the hardwood floor and snapped. The cab was destroyed, the boiler knocked off, and I had to chase my pilot truck down the stairs. We brought the train to the LHS and they told me it was not repairable.
Ghonz
- Matt
Howardr wrote:In 1946, I'm almost sure it was 1946, just after the war, my dad bought me a Lionel set.Had a 2-6-2 steamer, tender 4 freight cars and a caboose. I build a layout in my dad's basement...2 4x8's, automated milk car and what not.Ran the engine off the back end of the table. Cracked the tile floor. Tender was o.k also.Engine never ran better. That stuff was kill proof.
In 1946, I'm almost sure it was 1946, just after the war, my dad bought me a Lionel set.
Had a 2-6-2 steamer, tender 4 freight cars and a caboose. I build a layout in my dad's basement...2 4x8's, automated milk car and what not.
Ran the engine off the back end of the table. Cracked the tile floor. Tender was o.k also.
Engine never ran better. That stuff was kill proof.
lol mine was when my Santa Fe F7 was on an incline plane about 3* i didnt realise that there was a gap in te track and it fell about 7 inches The coupler broke (front) and a window fell out
Now there's a reason I love and hate the metal frame on Atlas GP7s. My brand new one decided to take the plunge 42 inches to the hardwood. I managed to, through my ever-so-cat-like-reflexes (yea, right) grab hold of the shell hoping to catch the engine. Well, the shell stayed in my hand just fine, but the rest of it kept going, and made a nice little chip in my floors. However, because it was a metal frame, there was no damage, save for needing a new set of handrails since they got mangled when the shell came off.
Cheers!
~METRO
davidmbedard wrote: What is a wreak? I dont have any wreaks on my layout, let alone bad ones....David B
What is a wreak? I dont have any wreaks on my layout, let alone bad ones....
David B
corksean12 wrote: i was just after adding a lake with that resin stuff that dries to look like water and was running my only loco and all my boxcars when it derailed(on a moth it had chased out of a tunnel), rolled down an embankment and into the lake.... which wasnt yet dry.l had to repaint everything and replace all the trucks on the boxcars, the loco still doesnt run as good...murpheys law, i guess. it would have to derail at the worst possible time.
i was just after adding a lake with that resin stuff that dries to look like water and was running my only loco and all my boxcars when it derailed(on a moth it had chased out of a tunnel), rolled down an embankment and into the lake.... which wasnt yet dry.l had to repaint everything and replace all the trucks on the boxcars, the loco still doesnt run as good...
murpheys law, i guess. it would have to derail at the worst possible time.
Ouch! YUCK!!
Wow This is Weird,
I had two happen today at the MR club meet. I was running the club's Mike, and doing some switching at one of the stations on the branch. Well, the yard limit ends at the trestle, and one of the cars de-railed through the unset switch, which sent 3 cars over the side, however, the mike that was pushing stopped before the trestle.
The next was when I was running an old Mallet which is hardly ever used. After oiling it, it ran fine, with a lengthy train on the main. Well, my brakeman (operating partner) set the wrong switch, and I rear-ended a passenger train stopped at the depot. I meant to pass it, but, my switchman was not to familiar with the switch boards. LOL.
The passenger cars were scattered everywhere, and the Mallet came to rest on some people on the platform, with a pile of heavy (they had weights and metal wheels) cars behind the engine. luckily, there was only 2 or 3 broken couplers, which were soon re-placed with some spare parts from the club's junk bin.
Cheese
Nick! :)
This is one of those times finding the prior thread of the same topic and adding on to it would be advantageous:
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/854207/ShowPost.aspxhttp://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/477237/ShowPost.aspx
loathar wrote: My cat "wreaked" havoc one time and knocked my new Bach Spectrum Dash 8 4' to the cement floor.Why is it only my good stuff takes the plunge? Never the real cheap crap.
My cat "wreaked" havoc one time and knocked my new Bach Spectrum Dash 8 4' to the cement floor.
Why is it only my good stuff takes the plunge? Never the real cheap crap.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Wow, some really wicked wrecks some of you have had.
My worst was when I caught the cord of an old Southern Crescent Limited steam locomotive "phone" and sent it flying to the floor where most of the details shattered. That phone lost all sound effects after that incident.
Other than that, I'd have to say the cumulative wrecks of my oldest brothers Lionel steam train around the ol' Christmas tree while growing up. That poor abused loco & cars never quit running and even most of the animated cars survived all 5 kids over the years. Tough design!