I chose this name because, like a break room at work, crews tell stories, jokes and other tid bits in a building, or room called the "crew quarters". So lets all grab a cup of coffee, snag a chair and sit back and jaw for awhile..
One day,I was working on some electrical, in my engine facility making dead track.I was connecting wires to track and then to some dpdt switches. After each connection, I would open up my throttle full, and using my super detailed, New Haven retro paint Athern GP-60 as a test to make sure the track was dead.
At one point, I had the GP-60 on the engine facility lead, and my CNE GP-9 on the track I was working on.After finishing soldering the switch, I turned on the power pack, opened the throttle full, the GP-9 didn't move, as didn't the GP-60.
Sucsess!. I then went to check to see if the electrical woild work. Without having marked the switches yet, or having them mounted in a board, I grabbed a switch, and clicked it on. The GP-9 didn't move, though it was suppose to. But the GP-60 blasted out of the lead, hit the main, and before I could say: "@#$% !", flew on to the unfinshed secondary, that went nowhere, but to the edge of the layout.
It careened off the edge of the layout like an F-14 being catapulted off an aircraft carrier, and landed hard on the carpeted floor, rolled on its side a couple of times and stopped at the edge of the attic stairs. I thought that was the end of it, but like a script out of a movie, it rocked once, then tumbled down the stairs.
Unfortunatly, the damage was extensive. The cab was cracked and had come off the frame. The log hood was damaged beyond repair. I was picking up the little stanchions for days, after which they became known as "Dammitts". Just try stepping on one in your bare feet.
Do GP-60's fly?...Yes. Will I use one of my top of the line locos for testing? You know that cheap Bachmann F-9 someone gave me for Christmas, the one that came with the free caboose.............
