Modeling Roadkill ..along the Rock Island Line

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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…or elsewhere… NS, UP, SP, BNSF…

Living in the Illinois Valley area of North Central Ilinois we apparently have a lot of deer hits on the highways, roads, mostly Raccoons, sometimes a squirel, rarely a skunk or possum, about 4 weeks ago my modeling took a hit when I hit a deer with the car, using up a few years of car insurance payments. Becoming common here, we need more Pumas or Panthers as they’re known here to control the population.

Have lived a few places with lots of Roadkill, wondered if anyone models that, maybe a few loose deer next to a highway or track near the woods or creek area near a bridge. Wondered how many trains hit deer as they cross areas, or if the railroads provide underpasses for “game trails” where the animals go to a water source. Saw a bunch of Wild Turkey’s next to the old RI line in town the other day, next to the river.

Thought about train hits, cowcatchers, guess thats a function those snowplows that came with the SD60M might serve, prevent derailment on a large buck. Put some roadkill, wrecked up car in a scene. Until recently, managed to miss most animals, wild pigs in Arizona, and cows on OPEN RANGE where the roads have cattle guards. Another thing to model in the west.

A road trip along the SP line in California led to a stop in a small town store for soda and snacks, a couple of packages of Roadkill brand beef jerky. The label had a cow running like heck as a diesel truck bore down it it. :slight_smile: I bought some!

A great scene might have some buzzards too, depending on where, or the distinctive black and white of a striped skunk.

Take a deer figure, soften with hot air dryer or hot water to get the deer figure limp… let your imagination run…

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I’ve read stories of engineers reporting hitting deer, cows, and all kinds of wildlife.

I like realistic modeling. Litter, some trash on a city street but roadkill, honestly, that’s a little to morbid and depressing for me.

Just my 2 cents[;)][;)]

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There was an article a few years ago in the “Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette” on modeling a roadkill cow by the side of the road, so you are not alone!

Bob Boudreau

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Well, I’ve got some deer near Yuba Pass, but so far they haven’t gotten near the tracks. Hopefully they won’t, but then my trains are running so slow on that particular 2.2% grade that they’d be able to get out of the way with no problem, LOL! Besides, I’m looking for an HO scale cougar to help control the population, anyway.
Tom [:P][:P]

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Didn’t a company come out with roadkill as brass photoetched parts a couple of years ago?

I’d definitely add a roadkilled critter to one of my roads, if I was modelling any long stretches next to the tracks. Possibly a bit gross, but realistic!

As it is, I found HO scale squirrels and bunnies that I plan on adding to foreground scenes! I’ll probably paint a few pigeons up as redwing blackbirds as long as I’m at it!

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BAAAAAAAD!!! You don’t want panthers or cougars…we have both in Oklahoma, even though the wildlife department won’t claim it. I have personally seen a cougar, and would not have thought twice about shooting it if I had had a shotgun in the pickup (yeah, it was that close) because it was prowling in our cattle herd. The best way to control wildlife is to extend hunting seasons, and allow farmers to harvest predators at any time, we usually know what is best when it comes to maintaining a balance of animals. As a matter of fact the only confirmed cougar in Oklahoma was killed by a train in the northern part of the state.

But that is a good idea for modelling, we have plenty of roadkill in Oklahoma, skunks and armadillos are the most common, however during gun season deer are very thick too. Thanks for the idea, I might have to try that.

Greg

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Don’t remember seeing roadkill as such on a model but i saw a very funny scene on a G scale outdoor railroad once, there was a guy laying flat on his back with a grand piano upside down on top of him, it was placed so it looked like it had fallen off his truck, all you could see were his feet and lower legs, (sort of roadkill)[xx(]

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It’s an interesting thought,prieser and now woodland scenics have come out with alot od different kinds of wildlife the last couple of years.I just picked up the “pesky raccoon pack” from woodland scenics hmmm now I have other uses for them.Slightly off topic the club I was amember of had a group of morbidly minded members(okay I was the ring leader) at one point we had bears attacking campers and in one town we actually laid a prieser figure down and did a chalk outline on the road.So yuo are not aloneBTW there is help for modelers like us. Enjoy Rob

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I like your idea and know exactly where you’re coming from as it sounds like we may be “neighbors” in the sense that I’m from north-central Illinois, too -

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Heyas,

Having lived in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania all my life before relocating to the open expanse of South Dakota I’d had a number of opportunities to witness the evidence of eighteen wheeler VS whitetail along the highway. Layout representation wouldn’t require softening or melting any creature figures; all you’d have to show would be the appearance of a 55 gallon drum of blood spilt in a long splash and a couple hunks of speed rolled hide for that special effect. You could tell the difference between a deer hit and a smaller varmint by the volume of evidence.

I’m intrigued by the idea of the guy under the piano and the chalk outline as I’m considering a scene of like psychology on my own layout. At work (Alcoa Extrusions) we have a board the currently shows we’ve accomplished 493 days without suffering a lost work day accident.[bow] My layout will have a railcar repair shop with a similar sign out front showing 1263 days as the current (previous) string of days. A workman will have a ladder leaning against the sign with a number board (zero) ready to be hung up once the old record has been brought down. I’m certain there will be an ambulance in the parking lot but I’m deciding if it would be over the top to actually have the Paramedic squad carrying a stretcher borne worker toward the rear doors. [}:)]

Gawd, there’s always something to think about when yer a model railroader!!!

Dave (dwRavenstar)

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DwRavenstar, you won’t need a figure on the stretcher, you could just use a black bag , when you say “You could tell the difference between a deer hit and a smaller varmint by the volume of evidence.” it reminds me of a scene i saw as a boy, some cows had gotten onto our local line in the dark and when we walked to school bits of cow were everywhere, they do make one heck of a mess when hit by hundreds of tons. i would not model this scene as it would give the kids nightmares

[:O][:O]

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Or in light of a recent topic, you could always do a tagger hit by a train[}:)][:p][:D]

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And what about Snidley Whiplash, with the damsel in distress tied to the railroad tracks, with Dudley Doright riding to the rescue?

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Sounds like a narrow gauge or logging road scene. Break out the Bachmann old timers. Tie her down on a log for the working sawmill. That would be a good place for some Vultures, on the fence next to the tracks or mill.

I think maybe Daneville, California needs some jackrabbit roadkill, and a California Condor nearby. Too perfect, also needs some rusted out and abandoned cars, especially around Tom’s place.

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My brother-in-law worked for CP Rail years ago and told me of the time they hit a huge moose that nearly derailed the engine. They also hit deer, a bear and had a Canada goose hit the windshield and end up in the cab. He brought the goose home and had it for dinner.

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Of COURSE I want a Cougar! I’m modeling a largely unpopulated area, and cougars are native to the High Sierra. When I was putting myself through college, I worked for the Forest Service, one of the Rangers had a cougar cub whose mother had been killed, and he was raising it until it could survive on its own (he let it go later, up in the high country). You’d never mistake the critter for a house-pet, but damn, was he a character!
Tom[:p]

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Dave another possible for your scene. You could have the accident just happening.Have the guy painting the work safe sign changing the date to the next accident free date.Only he’s fallen off the ladder so you just put a streak of paint going down the sign and on the siding of the building.For a bit of extra hummour you can have the poor chap lying on the ground with the paint can stuck on his head.Wacky but funny at the same time.Wow much to late at night cheers Rob

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I have live roadkill on my layout . It’s Bubba (>^…^<) Kinda out of scale but live nontheless. He’s usually fine but when he sees a Chessie car with that kitten with it’s paw sticking out, he thinks it want to play or something, then it hits the fan so to speak!!!

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I had a roadkilled deer on my layout . It didn’t look right to just lay the figure on its side, so I hit it VERY briefly with a propane torch, to sorta “spread it out” some. Looked pretty convincing.

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Anybody seen the JOHN ALLEN scene with the DEISEL SALESMAN hanging from he overpass by a rope! Now that was ROAD KILL!!LOL