Cats & Dogs Workin’ on the Railroad

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

In the field of Model Railroading pets can have a major impact on one’s layout.  Dogs are often content to watch the trains roll by like fish in a tank.  Cats are another story. Cats most times want to be right in the middle of the action. Often knocking over rolling stock and buildings and laying siege like some 10-pound Godzilla. 

In another life this writer had a great Tabby named “Sassy”. Sassy was very comical in her antics around the house, however one such antic was frowned upon.  Getting up on my O Scale layout. With a small artistic flair, a hedgerow of bonsai trees was planted around my “Mel’s” Diner at the NE corner of my layout. After pouring a cup of coffee one morning the iron horses whinnied to be set free. After getting everything powered up I noticed there were tree trunks where the Banzais stood. An image of a 5-inch Paul Bunyan came to mind. However, the stumps were devoid of greenery like they were hit with Agent Orange.  Upon climbing up on the table I noticed there was residual greenery on the tabletop, and even worse: there were cat prints in said greenery.  A lesson in Cat Etiquette ensued. (water squirt gun) 

Reaching out to my train colleagues I found my good friend Bill Leminen has a feline called Leroy Jenkins that loves to be a part of the train operations. Leroy will get right into the think of train ops, walking in and among the moving trains.  Bill states Leroy has never knocked over a building or figure. 

Dogs on the other hand are respectful and are content to watch the train operations from afar. My Golden Retriever, Jada, actually likes to follow and photograph real trains to boot. Now if only I can get her to hold the camera correctly…

Here’s Jada…

Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, and Woods Hole Laboratories. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Gross says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”. Gross is a Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner.