[tjcruiser]

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

 

[shaygetz]

A Bachmann made for the Chinese market...

 

[tjcruiser]

Jeez Louise ...

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

TJ

 

[shaygetz]

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

 

[Big Ed]

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.

 

[Reckers]

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

 

[flyboy2610]

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!!!!

 

[tankist]

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

 

[tjcruiser]

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

 

[Reckers]

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

 

[shaygetz]

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.

 

[tooter]

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

I agree...

Nothing with a gun on it is ugly.

 

[tooter]

A Bachmann made for the Chinese market...

Wow... a tropical fish engine.

 

[tjcruiser]

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

Seriously ???

 

[tankist]

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.

 

[tjcruiser]

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

 

[tankist]

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.

 

[Reckers]

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.

 

[Reckers]

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

 

[tjcruiser]

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