Is it me or do you guys have the same problem when visitors come to see your layout? Normally I can go down to the basement do some work, have the train go around the track with no problems. Yet when company comes (this time from Ontario) I have cars flying off the track, engines stalling and I’m left standing there with my safety’s ready to pop!
Now I’ll be spending the better part of today looking for these pesky critters.
Does anyone sell traps that work on these guys?
Signed
Frustrated
It happens to me all the time. I think the layout is where the computer bugs hide when I turn of the computer.[:)]
But,of course! I pride myself in having the most smoothest and slowest running locomotives and my cars are well known to be trouble free and free rolling at the club…[:D]
Well,comes my song of woe.The club invited another club in for operation and it was bring your engines if you so desire.All was going as along like a old shoe…Then there was that Athearn covered hopper that kept jumping the track…Finally as the Superintendent of operations I told one of the guys to remove that car and take it to its owner and tell him I would like to see him in my office after operations.[}:)] [:p][B)]
You know somewhere the birds was singing and hearts was full of joy…There was no joy at the club that day when Frank handed me that troublesome car…[:0][B)][8][#oops][tdn][banghead]
Absolutely! Not only does the railroad choose to act up and misbehave when company comes to see it or run it, but if I’m going to go brain dead and do silly things with it, that’s when it will happen. If it’s not a corolary to Murphy’s law it should be.
Have Fun Anyway,
Tom Watkins
I’ll catch all three of you at once since I’m hopping to see ya’lls layouts. Fergie, Brakie and Tom not only do the gremlins come out to play but I’m bringing some of them with me. Tom (der5997) was the one that told me to be sure and bring some in case you guys didn’t have enough.
Brakie:
I may be jumping the gun with you - since I haven’t heard back from you yet.
Ya’ll have a blessed day
Bob
Bob,I think I missed something??? But,still you are welcome to visit my small layout…If you drop by on Friday or Sunday I will take you to the club and let you see a real layout and of course let you run some trains as well.
Teffy: if it wasn’t for the kids, courses, commitments etc; This could become one heck of a
rail ROAD TRIP!!!
If you bring gremlins better keep them caged as mine seem to hate competition[;)]
Regards
Well, I’ve never had any gremlins at all… because I’ve never had visitors, yuk yuk yuk!
It is a very common and rampant problem. So much so that in the great book of model railroading rules. the #2 rule states.
"Come the ocasion that guests and or other people whome you desire to impress arrive, the gremlins shall come out of the woodwork and wreak havoc on the model railroad.
James
This is the first axiom of model railroading. But if you think you have problems when the visitors come, wait until you try doing a video shoot! I had the pleasure of helping out Howard Zane when Allen Keller came to shoot the second visit to the Piermont Division (Keller’s Volume 44). It was amazing…we could back trains up without a single car derailing to get ready for the next run by shot, then when we ran them forward with the camera on, cars would derail right in front of you. It was the darnedest thing. Allen says it happens to every layout he visits.
It’s at least some small comfort to know that it happens to everybody, even the people whose railroads we’ve seen in the magazines and videos.
Have Fun,
Tom Watkins
Bob: Now Suh, this is a point of Honour!
What I wrote to you was
Bob: Good to hear from you. I’ve never held a “Tour”, but if you find yourself in the area, and can put up with the gremlins that visitors bring to model layouts :D, give us a call.
That didn’t include “told me to be sure and bring some in case you guys didn’t have enough.”
Your timely retraction will prevent ill will between myself (der5997) and the three esteemed gentlemen (whom I have yet to meet) you name in your post.
[:0][:0][:D][:D][:D][:-^]
Y’all have a blessed day too, John Wood.
John:
I stand corrected!! I went back and reread my e-mail and you did say “…the gremlins that visitors bring with them”. Well I’m bringing a whole box of TEXAS size gremlins. I just hope I can get them through customs. If they don’t let me bring them back into the USA Tom and Brakie will get off easy.
Brakie:
I’ve tried to catch you on the forum but this is the first time we’ve been able to connect. On our vacation we’ll be comming down through Alabama on probably I-85 to B’ham and then what ever way we feel like going. Tom said that it’s easier to get to his house from I-85 then comming through Chattannoga on I-75. Where in AL do you livr? If you would e-mail me at teffy@pernet.net I sure would appriciate it.
Have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY
Bob
I have no visitors. So problems don’t magically appear when they come.
Bob,I tired to send you a e mail…But,it appears to be down…I live in Ohio but,your still welcome.[:D][:D]
Gremlins–so that’s what’s causing it. Who would have known. My layout runs perfectly when I am alone, but if someone comes to visit–well you know what happens.
Not only do the gremlins come, but they bring about 10,000 of there closest friends and come out with Guns a Blazin’!! Even if I leave for 10 seconds to get my dad and show him something new that finally worked for me, when he gets there, I swear I see them gremlins hopin’ 'round the corner, as it never works for him. I agree, any traps? Maybe a decoy layout?[:D][?]
Noah
BRAKIE:
The reason I thought you lived in Alabama is because that’s what is in your MR profile. Where in Ohio do you live? We’ll be going through Ohio at the start of the trip because the wife has never been to Niagra Falls and wants to go. We will be going from Indianapolis to Detroit on the third day of the trip. Is that anywhere around close to you. I can’t be more specific right now about when we’re going to leave as that’s all up in the air. All I can say is late Sept. or early Oct. This is a fall color trip for Stephanie. We’ve been in the tour business for 24 years, she has planned trips all over the country and Canada but has done very little traveling herself because “someone had to stay home and watch the shop”. Now that she’s had a stroke and can’t get around very well I’m taking her to the places see wants to see. Last year we went to L A and visited with the kids for Christmas, went down to Mexico and out to Catalina Island. We just played tourist. I also got to go to The Origional Whistle Stop hobby shop and Allied. This is the first trip that I’ve tried to see home layouts and I’m really looking forward to them. It’ll be interesting to see how other people have solved some of my problems.
Have a blessed day and remember
Bob