# A funny story about what happened to on my layout



## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

I was running a two engine freight and my two grandchildren, along with my daughter were standing there watching it. All of a sudden my grand daughter yelled, "Grandpa! Grandpa! Look! There's an ant at the crossing!" I looked down, and in front of where the road was crossing the track stood a big black ant. I have no idea where he came from. Anyway, he started walking toward the track, but then the train was coming, so he stopped.

His head then began to move back and forth like he was actually watching the tain go by in front of him. After the train left the crossing, he head moved to the right and then towards the left, and then mister ant proceeded to walk across the track. Well, at that point we all begin to roll, as it was the funniest thing I think that any of us had ever seen. I mean, to think that this ant was actually standing there waiting on the train to go by, was just too much. Also, afterwards, my grandchildren asked me if the ant thought that it was a real train? A little while later when Grandma came home, my grandchildren ran over to her and had to tell her all about it. It was a scene that was so very precious.

Afterwards, because of what we had seen, I didn't have the heart to kill the ant, so I picked him up with a piece of paper and took him outside. I just thought I'd share this with all of you, and I hope you'll find it as funny as all of us did.

~Routerman


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## Smokestack Lightning (Oct 31, 2010)

Great story. Thanks for sharing. On a sidenote, if that was a carpenter ant. You should get an exterminator as they can damage your house. (or worse)


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## bakkers2005 (Nov 12, 2010)

hi, what a nice read. a fellow model railroader friend of mine here in tropical nth queensland, australia had a similar experience, except it was a 9ft carpet python. needless to say we didnt use a piece of paper to remove him. it did however take 3 of us to put him outside. regards bob


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Nice story.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

JZ,

What you didn't realize is that he was a union employee. Part of a track inspector team, sent out covertly by Model Train Forum. Guys like him will be showing up at most members houses, so be on the lookout.

Tankist outfits them with super tiny cameras, and very, very detailed instructions on how to use them.

T-Man gives them a tiny pouch of two-part epoxy, with instructions to fix anything that remotely looks like it might have a crack.

Reckers and Stillakid have trained them to release little ant pheromones that have been genetrically altered to prompt love and devotion to anything S scale.

Big Ed arms them with careful instructions to take photos of obscure nooks and corners, and then post them on a silly "Where Did I Go" thread.

Choo Choo has pleaded with them to grab and bring back anything microscopic and ant-sized that he might be able to use to construct an even smaller caboose.

And TJ ... well, he's still a bit pissed off, 'cause he pleaded with other forum members to staff the union inspectors with a team of giant praying mantises, but they flat-out refused.

So, see ... it all makes perfect sense!

TJ


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Inspectors?
A while back I had a large layoff in the garage and none survived.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> JZ,
> 
> What you didn't realize is that he was a union employee. Part of a track inspector team, sent out covertly by Model Train Forum. Guys like him will be showing up at most members houses, so be on the lookout.
> 
> ...


My silly thread huh!:knock_teeth_out:

If it was a BIG BLACK ant it could have been the Queen looking for a new spot to bring the gang to destroy.

I did battle with them at my house. 
I am constantly on the lookout for them.
When I first moved into the house, I replaced a piece of my fireplace insert that they ate, a corner around 3' x 4'. It was old damage and the seller must of had someone get rid of them but never fixed the damage as it was under the siding and you couldn't see it. 
Later it was the bay window inside. (the piece where you place knickknacks or plants what ever it's called,a sill?) They had hollowed out two 5/8" sheets of plywood in the inside to 1/4' THEY ATE ALL THE REST.

When I was replacing my windows I found 2 that they where eating out the middle! The little buggers!

The last battle was 5 years ago was the bay window sill, I ended up putting a whole new window in.
About a week later I was laying on our family room floor (where I fixed the fireplace years earlier) and eagle eye Ed spotted the biggest black ant I ever saw! It was a inch long! I captured it after a fierce battle and put it in a jar.

My friend is a exterminator and I showed it to him he said it was the queen and she was probably looking for a new home. Most likely escaped from the picture window.
I have been carpenter ant free now for ten years but when I work around the house I am all ways looking for those little buggers.

You should have smashed it.
Or kept it as a pet.

If you see any big black ants take the time to see where they go.
Follow them.
They like a spot that gets wet, that's where they will set up home.
Sometimes it's under your siding and the only way you will find the nest is to let them bring you to it.

The way I found the ones in the bay window was one quiet morning I was looking out the window drinking my coffee and spilled a little.
I got down on my knees to wipe it up off the floor and I actually heard them eating, munch munch munch.
I took off the molding and out they come! 
This was around 6:00 am on a Sunday morning with all sleeping.
Well I got my circular saw and cut the whole base out right then! Thousands of ants went running. With me running after them with ant spray.
I threw the cut out piece in the street, poured some gas on it and lit it up. burn buggers burn!
The whole neighbor hood thought I went nuts. Plus my family.:laugh:
I think I did go temporarily nuts when I saw how many there were.
But I got them!
I have not seen one around my place for years now. I think the word spread out to stay away from my house.:laugh:

After that I did war with some carpenter bees! Wiped them out too.
They went next door.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I don't trust 'em either, Ed ... they're all Union types ... Carpenter's Union.

We had a problem with tiny ants when we bought our house a few years ago. No wood munching, but we had an exterminator spray, anyway. They've been gone since ... knock on wood ... uh ... us, not them.

I've learned that ants don't like citrus juice/odor. On occassion we'll sprinkle a little lemon juice around the foundation near our back deck. I think it works. I've also heard that GooGone works ... it's citrus based. And, if for some reason it turns out those little ants actually like GooGone, maybe I can train them to crawl around my trains, cleaning brushes and armatures and the like ... all those tiny places!

Cheers!

TJ


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## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

*A funny story*



tjcruiser said:


> JZ,
> 
> What you didn't realize is that he was a union employee. Part of a track inspector team, sent out covertly by Model Train Forum. Guys like him will be showing up at most members houses, so be on the lookout.
> 
> ...


I love it ! lol Thanks all.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> JZ,
> 
> What you didn't realize is that he was a union employee. Part of a track inspector team, sent out covertly by Model Train Forum. Guys like him will be showing up at most members houses, so be on the lookout.
> 
> ...




You caught on to our plan, huh? That part was actually pretty easy. It turns out ants respect quality and are naturally ANTagonistic to any scale but S scale! Have you noticed a sudden increase in derailments on your O gauge layouts???::smokin: Viva la revolution!


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## modeltrainhead (Nov 15, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> JZ,
> 
> What you didn't realize is that he was a union employee. Part of a track inspector team, sent out covertly by Model Train Forum. Guys like him will be showing up at most members houses, so be on the lookout.
> 
> ...


i will be on the lookout and STAY AWAY FROM ME MOTHER


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## Smokestack Lightning (Oct 31, 2010)

"Well I got my circular saw and cut the whole base out right then! Thousands of ants went running. With me running after them with ant spray.
I threw the cut out piece in the street, poured some gas on it and lit it up. burn buggers burn!"

LMFAO:laugh: Good story. I hate ants. They will be here long after we are all gone.
Sorry about the quotes. I can't figure out partial quotes off posts.


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