Wulp. Puttering around last night, I bumped the layout. I still have it sitting rather precariously on an old bookshelf. I bumped...it wobbled...and Engine #1, my two Mount Blue passenger cars, and the Pine Flat tank all went on the floor.
I guess it could have been worse. They landed on carpet, not concrete, so the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been.
The spout cable busted loose from the spout, and the ladder broke off and lost one rung, but other than that the tank was okay
Both passenger cars appear to have landed ene-first. Both had broken end sills, loose end railings, and missing couplers. I managed to find all the parts except on coupler box cover and one of the passengers from the excursion car.
The engine looked undamaged at first. In must have landed on its wheels, or a wheel -- one driver was cockeyed on the axle, and one closer examination I found it is loose on the axle, out of gauge and out of quarter.
After giving myself 24 hours to calm down, I spent some time tonight fixing things. The tank wasn't hard, just finicky.
The combine just needed an end beam glued, a step replaced, and a coupler reinstalled. I've been meaning to add some weight to these cars, and while I didn't get to it tonight, I'm planning to do that before I finish it up tomorrow. The excursion car needs a little more work. I'll get to it in a couple of days.
The biggest issue and the biggest disappointment is the engine. I may be able to get the loose wheel reset on the axle and secure it with some CA. I'll try that first. Failing that, Bachmann has replacement driver sets on their parts site. Or I can keep my eyes open for a damaged or non-operating engine and part it out.
For now, I've set the engine aside. I have 0-4-0 #6, recently repainted and lettered. I bought it shortly after 0-4-2 #1, specifically as a backup in case "something" happened to #1. That turned out to be a good decision. I've also got my DCC 0-4-2, #18. Lettering and weathering it is probably a more efficient use of my time, at this point, than trying to repair #1. Those two will be enough to operate the Canyon at Gary Beatty's Mini-Fiesta in a couple of months.
Picture of the train, pre-wreck, to remind myself to be more careful -- and to build the stand I've been thinking about.
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