# Question for Train People



## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

OK there is a little bit of a story before the question. One year my wife gave me a chunk of coal for X-mas. I loved it, being into trains and all. I have had this piece of coal on my desk ever since. I was just fiddling with it and it got me thinking. If giving a lump of coal is a bad thing at X-mas to everyone but train people, what do you give train people?

Massey


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

steel wool...


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

um... I think you are asking what you would get a train person for X-mas and that seems obvious to me. More trains.


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

well more trains would be a good thing... Since a lump of coal is bad to most people but good to train people what do you get that would be bad to train people (coal does not count it is a good thing... you can grind it up to make coal loads!!)

Steel whool could be kinda a good or bad thing... it has track cleaning abilities... unless the track is powered up at the time!  
:hah: :rippedhand:

Massey


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

oh in that case. I would have to say a new car or anything non train related for that matter


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

This...


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Good heavens! They finally did it. An Easter Egg train. Pete


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

easter egg train?? I was thinking that Barney got hit by a train!

Massey


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

A bad train man would get a Lump Of Dog _hit.!:laugh:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I think Barney got hit by a fast moving egg, it's splattered all over his face!


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

I don't know that I would say a train lover wouldn't like it because it is afterall unique and can of coarse be painted over. The wheels on the engine look rather detailed. The wheel configuration also matches that of the Hiawatha so it could be that clas of engine streamlined in some other country. Sure would like to know if it is prototypical.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gc53dfgc said:


> I don't know that I would say a train lover wouldn't like it because it is afterall unique and can of coarse be painted over. The wheels on the engine look rather detailed. The wheel configuration also matches that of the Hiawatha so it could be that clas of engine streamlined in some other country. Sure would like to know if it is prototypical.




What are you talking about? The lump of coal was the question.


Are you talking about Shay's purple/yellow submarine engine?

That just needs some hippie flowers painted on it.:laugh:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Massey said:


> well more trains would be a good thing... Since a lump of coal is bad to most people but good to train people what do you get that would be bad to train people (coal does not count it is a good thing... you can grind it up to make coal loads!!)
> 
> Steel whool could be kinda a good or bad thing... it has track cleaning abilities... unless the track is powered up at the time!
> :hah: :rippedhand:
> ...



Massey,

if I can politely disagree with you....steel wool should not be used in cleaning track. Not only will it remove any conductive surface, such as nickel-silver, and reduce the level of polish necessary for good conductivity, but it will also leave small fragments on your layout. These, in turn, will get picked up the electric motors in your locomotives and slowly chew their hearts out. A better choice is a nylon scrubbing pad: it will not make a zillion micro-scratches in your track's surface. Those scratches become arcing points as your whels pass across them: the sparks leave carbon when they leap from track to wheel, and carbon is an insulator. If I may be allowed a suggestion, Use GooGone (to remove grease and oil) with a paper towel or nylon scrubbing pad, then follow that with a wipedown of the highest concentration of isopropyl alcohol you have on hand to remove the Googone. Finally, a liberal application of ethanol should be applied internally, to put a smile on your face for doing such a good job!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I use Scotchbright, but never steel wool! I have a number of magnatraction locomotives, steel wool and magnatraction are a deadly combination! I also demagnetize the track with a VCR bulk eraser periodically.


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

Reckers, you should not take me so litterally! I didnt say it would be a good cleaning idea just that it has cleaning abilities. Yes it would cause more havok than anything else and if your track was powered a fire too! Ever try to put out a steel whool fire with your shoe or by blowing it out? yup it dont work too well does it. That is also why I put the smilies there, Notice the little yellow guy laughing at the one that is mad and says he got ripped... Yup I was making a joke.

Massey


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It's easy to misunderstand such jokes, because plenty of people still actually use steel wool.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

To the question at hand:

Books! Books on model trains. History, pricing, indexing, old catalogs, etc. Love the stuff.

As to whether "Barney the Dinosaur Train" is protypical ... 
See this thread here ... Post 34 ...

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=3477

TJ


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

TJ I think you are missing the point here. Coal is a bad gift for non train people. So what would be a bad thing to give train people when they are bad?

Massey


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Are train people ever really bad?!?!?


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Massey said:


> Steel whool could be kinda a good or bad thing... it has track cleaning abilities... unless the track is powered up at the time!


Steel wool is very bad *all* the time...
...because if you use it to clean track, the first time you run your engine it will get buggered when it magnetically picks up the metal fibers. 

It's the *worst* gift for a model railroader I can think of. :thumbsdown:

Greg


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Massey said:


> TJ I think you are missing the point here. Coal is a bad gift for non train people. So what would be a bad thing to give train people when they are bad?
> 
> Massey


 Ahem....steel wool?


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

OK OK I got it Steel whool! Any other ideas!

Massey


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

a bill.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> Are train people ever really bad?!?!?


My Probation Officer and Psychologist say so  Jamming Gears ED and Gun Slinging John would be prime living specimens :laugh: then you have to watch out for the Boat Designing Mod around here, he is one real bad [email protected]  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

These guys need their O's taken away and replaced with z's while they are sleeping :lol_hitting:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Xnats said:


> My Probation Officer and Psychologist say so  Jamming Gears ED and Gun Slinging John would be prime living specimens :laugh: then you have to watch out for the Boat Designing Mod around here, he is one real bad [email protected]  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> These guys need their O's taken away and replaced with z's while they are sleeping :lol_hitting:


You can have my O's when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Xnats said:


> ... then you have to watch out for the Boat Designing Mod around here, he is one real bad [email protected]  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> These guys need their O's taken away and replaced with z's while they are sleeping :lol_hitting:



Me? A bad a** ??? Cool! Way cool! 

The only Z's I want are the ones I'm snoring while sleeping!!!


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

lol so there you go Massy. O Scale Folks get Z scale stuff for Xmas 
Now what do real model train enthusiast that run HO and N get  

p.s.
I feel for the slob that draws the short stick and gets stuck trying to take John's Trains :laugh:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I just used steel wool on my track and now my wheels are all fuzzy.

Will that effect the running?

I think they look good all fuzzy.:thumbsup:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Xnats said:


> I feel for the slob that draws the short stick and gets stuck trying to take John's Trains :laugh:


Come and get them. Bring help.


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