# World's ugliest model train nominations



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Alright ... somebody needed to start this thread, so I guess I'll jump ...

I love old Fleischmann HO trains, and happily have a few. On occasion, I poke around ebay to see what other Fleischmann stuff is for sale. To my horror, I came across this abomination. What the blankety-blank is this? Was this a real train, or just some modeler's nightmare? Yuck!

So, here goes TJ's challenge ... Can you top it? Post some pics of what YOU consider to the the UGLIEST model trains. (Hopefully, they're not any of your own!)

TJ




























and ebay auction link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fleischmann-N-7...wItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item51902dab0c


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

A Bachmann made for the Chinese market...


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Jeez Louise ...

One post from Shaygetz, and I loose the lead already! (My eyes hurt!)

TJ


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

...can you believe that thing actually ran somewhere in the world?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I believe that those ran under the English channel before the tunnel was there.

They turned into Submarines.:laugh:

TJ paint yours pink with yellow poka dots and you got him beat.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

That almost looks like a Third Reich eagle w/swastika emblem on the side. Maybe it was from Raiders of the Lost Ark. *L*


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Reckers said:


> That almost looks like a Third Reich eagle w/swastika emblem on the side. Maybe it was from Raiders of the Lost Ark. *L*


I was thinking the same thing about that emblem.
That purple/yellow........ _thing_ is just utt bugly!!!!


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> To my horror, I came across this abomination. What the blankety-blank is this? Was this a real train, or just some modeler's nightmare? Yuck!


i take it you are not aware of armored trains
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoured_train


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Tankist,

Yeah, those armored trains are pretty ugly ... but at least they served some specific purpose. Which gets me thinking ...

Maybe "militaries of the future" should use trains like the black and pink beauties shown at the top of this tread ... the enemy would either:

a) have their retinas fried, or

b) die laughing!

Am I wrong? :laugh:

Keep thinking / adding here guys ... I'm sure they're are some more "beauties" out there!

TJ


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

I like armored trains----not very practical, but cool!


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Reckers said:


> That almost looks like a Third Reich eagle w/swastika emblem on the side. Maybe it was from Raiders of the Lost Ark. *L*


That is a model of the lead engine on Hitler's personal train...I was offered one some time back in exchange for some assistance on a layout but had to turn it down for time constraints.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Reckers said:


> I like armored trains----not very practical, but cool!


I agree...

Nothing with a gun on it is ugly.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

shaygetz said:


> A Bachmann made for the Chinese market...


Wow... a tropical fish engine.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

shaygetz said:


> That is a model of the lead engine on Hitler's personal train ...


Seriously ???


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Tankist,
> 
> Yeah, those armored trains are pretty ugly ...


this was really to answer your "_What the blankety-blank is this?_" question. I didn't imply i find them ugly.


quite efficient things they were. just roll into town, fire all guns , deploy infantry if any and the most important building in town - the railway station is yours. today of course such behemoth not going to travel far out of its depot before jet or attack copter has its way with it, trapping it somewhere by destroying the tracks.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Tankist, etc.

Thanks ... lots to learn.

When I first looked at that black loco, I was thinking it was some strange attempt at streamlining. I wasn't thinking about armor. Clueless on my part, I guess. Makes much more sense, now. Kinda gives me shivers if it was really (per Shay's comment) Hitler's train.

Risky venture, though, as you say ... it could have been a very armored sitting duck.

Thanks,

TJ


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

back at a time it wasn't. train was the most mobile platform out there and had all the equipment required to repair the tracks as those would be often damaged during artillery exchanges. it even had the means to restore bridges that were blown to keep it out. 
but during WWII, with introduction of armor that actually was mobile and quite fast + efficient air-forces, impact of armored trains diminished. yet polish and later russian armed forces used them to some degree of success (i guess survival is a success in a way) adding FLAK cars to consist. was actually a comfortable platform to guard a remote bridge , station or key railroad junction from enemy aviation deep raids on infrastructure. Germans had those as well (modeled very often actually too) guarding trains delivering armor to eastern front.


about 200 of these towards the end of the war. more recently Serbs used improvised train in early stages of Yugoslavian civil war - with M18 hellcat sitting on flat car, mortars, bofors gun and some machine guns.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Tankist is right---when WWII started, long-range bombers and fighters were all still on the drawing boards. Biplanes were still in use by most air forces, and horses were the primary motive power for Germany. Cavalry units of the Polish Army were used as mobile infantry, and the U.S. still had cavalry in the Philipines. By the war's end, though, that train was a sitting duck.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Hey, Tankist---did you know that Hellcat could outrun an M1A2?


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Wow ... this is all very interesting WWII history. Reck, you're right ... the transformation of technology over the course of the war was incredible ... on both sides. Tankist ... thanks much for the info ... you seem to be quite knowledgable on this stuff.

All of this talk is making me feel a little guilty ... I posted the thread thinking we'd all have a good laugh ... little did I know it would lead to discussions of Hitler and the Germans.

Sorry ... not my intent.

I guess one never knows what twists and turns lie within a MTF thread!

TJ


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Don't feel guilty----give it some time and let it follow it's natural course. That's part of the fun, here. Besides, I don't have any ugly train pics to contribute! However, I do have an ugly train WRECK to offer:


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

tjcruiser said:


> Seriously ???


Yes, seriously...I've wanted one for a long time. Apparently I had two leaves on the family tree that worked on his personal housekeeping staff. Things got really uncomfortable around the house in 1943 when that hit the headlines of a national news rag back then.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Reckers ... HOLY SH*T ... now THAT's a wreck! Yoww. "Oui, Pierre ... turn left at that next switch. Or should it be a right? I'm not sure ... What's the worst that could happen?"

Shay ... Thanks for cluing me in on the train. I had no idea. I thought it was pure streamlining whimsy. Armor plating makes much more sense. That's some serious family history ya' got there. I hope it's all written down for you and future generations.

TJ


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Definitely interesting, Shay---thanks for sharing it. Those were difficult times for loyal immigrants. 

Hey, TJ----how do you get a train to fall out of a second-story window, anyway? *L* "It was my wife's fault---Nanette left the window open and the breeze picked up!"


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## aionta (Apr 9, 2010)

That one train must have been commissioned by Barney!

yuck-ooo


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> Shay ... Thanks for cluing me in on the train. I had no idea. I thought it was pure streamlining whimsy. Armor plating makes much more sense.
> TJ


Put that thing up against a loaded P-47 Thunderbolt, and then we'll see just how well that armor works!:laugh:


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

shaygetz said:


> A Bachmann made for the Chinese market...


I never thought I would call a locomotive disgusting, but... It reminds me of Teletubbies, yuk! :lame:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Boston&Maine said:


> I never thought I would call a locomotive disgusting, but... It reminds me of Teletubbies, yuk! :lame:


I think it's sort of cute.
Just needs some pink poka dots on it. And a periscope.:laugh:

Edit, maybe some daisy's painted on it also.:laugh:


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## aionta (Apr 9, 2010)

Gross gross gross - If you can stand to look at it - it is built like an automobile with the 
body of the 'thing' dropping around the wheels.

Yuck - maybe we could get it to run Barney over!


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## bradimous1 (Mar 3, 2010)

I actually think it would be pretty cool to have one... talk about a conversation piece!!!


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

I agree with you, Brad...it is DCC ready and it was a real loco...talk about turning heads at the show.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

OFF-TOPIC
and while i was looking for this i came across tank limo services. holy crap


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

The perfect thing to make one's bride-to-be sign that pre-nup agreement before the wedding!

Too funny!

TJ


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Could it be? Is it possible?

Dad ... meet Mom. Mom ... meet Dad. I'd hate to see the offspring.



















" ... one of the streamlined pacific steam locomotives built for Iraq by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in 1940."


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

For god's sake... keep 'em apart. 
Don't you know what happens 
when guppies spawn?


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