I keep a small box of loose parts that I have found on the layout. Stuff like brake wheels, grab irons, hatch covers, you name it. The only real indentifier is the color, making it a little easier to match up the loose parts with their rightful owner.
But some parts have never found their owner.
Some parts have been lost, never to be found.
Am I alone? Or do others have the same problem?
Rich
Rich,No you’re not alone…I’ve lost parts on my small ISLs never to be seen again.
Think on it how does anything completely disappear on a 1’ x 10’ switching layout?
Are there forces at work that borders on the paranormal?
Does the layout eat such things?
Are there evil grimlins at play?
I lost a 1/87 scale cow once, I found it in my Grand daughters little hand. [(-D] She said, it fell down and was keeping it warm, for me. [:D]
Frank
Frank, you reminded me of a missing person on my layout. I had a group of fishermen under a bridge.
One day, one of the fishermen was missing but his fishing pole remained.
To this day, I have never found the fisherman, and Gracie remains a feline of interest in my ongoing investigation of this missing person.
Rich
Rich,
Did you happen to notice, if the fish was missing too, that was on the end of the pole? [(-D] [(-D]
Frank
My theory is that the missing items end up the same place as the socks from the dryer that go missing. Solve that mystery and a pile of model train parts will be found as well.
At our club we have filled several junk parts boxes with things that have been found on the layout over time. What’s really strange is when we find a major part such as handrails off a diesel locomotive that we know came off of someone’s engine, but no one claims it.
I have small parts divided plastic tray box (like a fishing lure box) that has some items in it. The most curious one is an apparent steamer (probably vertical) handrail that I encountered. The funny thing is I only had 3 steamers at the time and when examining them could not see anything apparently missing (like a twin on the other side). No way it’s from a freight or passenger car or diesel, so I’m stumped. I’ll have to try again, or post a photo and ask if a forumer can (with locos specified) solve the puzzle.
An idea: after enough parts are accumulated, build a car from it (a Frankenfreight?).
I keep a special little container where the Lost and Found parts off the layout go. It’s important to keep these seprate so to make it easy to find when you spot something missing on a car or loco. It may take a few years, but I’ve often been able to reunite the separated. In other cases, it’s a handy source of a part I can put to better use on something else.
I spent some time today matching up some loose parts with their rightful owners, including some brake wheels and covered hopper hatches.
But this one stumps me. It is black plastic, and not really a finely detailed part. Must be for a cheap piece of rolling stock or signal bridge or something. Any idea what it is? I have included a side view and a somewhat frontal view. You can see two tabs on the bottom of the part, so it obviously gets pushed into a larger part.
Rich
Looks somewhat like sill steps for something, although your photos are upside-down if that’s the case. [swg] I’d guess perhaps a covered hopper, as that’s the only type of car I can think of which might sit high enough to need so many rungs. I would think that the colour would be a major clue - what the heck are you running that would be that colour? [(-D]
Wayne
Rich,
I’m inclined to agree with Wayne, that the two tabs are not the bottom, but the top,to be inserted into the side ends of something, maybe a hopper car, as suggested. Maybe a brake wheel platform?
Frank
LOL
A photographer, I’m not. I simply cannot work a camera. The color is actually a shiny jet black.
Rich
OK, thanks, i will try to match it up with one of my hoppers or gondolas.
Rich
Rich,
An after thought: Possibly from a steamer? Tender at the cab end? [:)]
Frank
Frank, the thing that puzzles me is that the part does not appear to be broken but, rather, a snap in piece.
Not much of my stuff was in kit form, mostly RTR.
I like your suggestion about it being a part from a tender. I wasn’t even thinking about that.
I gotta go down to the layout and take a look.
Rich
I can’t find the little box where I keep my Lost and Found parts.
Sounds like something from Larry the Cable guy,‘’ What’s the number for 911.‘’ [(-D]
Frank
LOL
I can find the little box, but now I cannot find the lost and found parts that I normally keep in there. [(-D]
Rich
Rich, that ladder/step part may also be from a highway-type truck or trailer - perhaps a tanker. Have you had any grade crossing accidents lately? [(-D]
Wayne