New Laws governing Model Railways

ScaleCraft Jan 23, 2013

  1. ScaleCraft

    ScaleCraft TrainBoard Member

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    New York (CNN) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo beefed up New York's infamous model train laws last Tuesday by signing into law a new package of regulations, regulations that mark the nation's first since last month's train show tragedy in Buffalo when a runaway BL-2 derailed on a HO layout, falling onto the floor and bursting into flames.

    Cuomo, called it a "common sense" measure before enacting what are widely seen as America' s toughest model train laws.

    "You can overpower the extremists with intelligence and common sense," he said before inking the deal in Albany. "But anyway you want to look at it these are still grown men playing with model trains."

    The laws fortify New York's existing model trains ban, limit the number of cars allowed in a consist and strengthen rules that govern the mentally ill, which includes a requirement to report potentially harmful behavior before purchasing any train set.


    The Democratic governor had called for a tightening of the model trains ban, background checks at train shows and restrictions on magazines featuring the model train hobby.

    After two days of voting in the state Legislature, Cuomo signed the deal around 5 p.m. before telling reporters that speed had been essential so as not to create a rush on the model train market. "There has been all sorts of reports that even the contemplation of this law caused an increase in (train) sales."
    The new laws include a statewide locomotive registry and a uniform licensing standard.

    Residents are now restricted to purchasing locomotives that can only pull seven cars, rather than the industry' s previous standard of 10 or more.
    "That pretty much rules out any big C trucked GE or EMD on my layout" , said one World War II vet who asked to remain anonymous. "And as for my SP Cab Forward, I've already been told that I might be charged with a felony for even having one on my layout."

    A 1999 law grants New York judges the authority to require residents to undergo psychiatric treatment if they meet certain criteria such as removing the road name from a high dollar locomotive in an attempt to alter its true identity or for a private pike's own roster.

    "We' re opening up an window into what goes on in a model train room," said Dr. Fleishman woo woo woo, director of Psychiatry at the Bachmann University.
    "Before now much of what took place on model train layouts was strictly taboo and never discussed in a forum, much less in public. One example is for years now there have been modelers buying high dollar models, stripping their shells in unknown solvents and having them repainted in schemes previously unheard of. When one accidentally screwed up the paint and decals, the end results were often catastrophic, violent temper tantrums by grown men ."
    "It would effect a the confidentiality in the model train hobby community." woo woo woo added that what we are proposing is that all doctors be required to ask their patients if they owned a model train as a child and if a patient tells them that they did, that the doctor must immediately contact the Office of Homeland Security and have the patient' s name added to a list. The modeler will then be contacted by the ATF (Atlas Track Federation) and given ten days to provide a full disclosure of their model train collection to a national registry. Failure to do so would be a felony under the new law.

    The vote coincides with a series of recommendations put together by Vice President Joe Biden meant to address the nation's model train violence. "I simply cannot stand by and do nothing while another freight train pulled by a BL-2 is out there folks", Biden said. "The BL-2 is one of the ugliest looking locomotives I've ever seen and they should be banned permanently from all layouts. I also have to question the number of bay-window cabooses that a modeler can have. I simply do not understand those who feel that it's within their constitutional rights to own a layout with ten cabooses.
    Now does it really take ten cabooses to move a train around a circle? Of course it doesn't. Two cabooses, bay-window or not should be more than enough."

    Biden's remarks have been well supported by the majority of wives in the United States. Lawmakers in at least 10 other states are reviewing some form of new train show regulations in the new year.

    Biden "We' re not saying that you can't have a UP diesel on your layout, but why something like a DD40X with its high capacity fuel tank or a UP Big Boy with that high capacity tender. It's the tender and fuel capacity on some of these models that are nothing but overkill in my opinion and I seriously doubt that the founding fathers gave much thought to the Union Pacific going nuts like that when the constitution was written on May 10, 1869."
    "It was written in 1869 wasn't it?", asked Biden. "I've never actually read it."
     
  2. Kenneth L. Anthony

    Kenneth L. Anthony TrainBoard Member

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    (from a Texan on the Santa Vaca Railroad, Holy Cow!):
    Son of a gun. This is a loco law.
     
  3. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Man, doesn't your cheek hurt, with your tongue planted so far and hard into it? :wideeyes:
     
  4. ScaleCraft

    ScaleCraft TrainBoard Member

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    My whole FACE hurts, trying to keep it straight.
    Dave
     
  5. HOexplorer

    HOexplorer TrainBoard Supporter

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    You mean this is not true? Jim
     
  6. MisterBeasley

    MisterBeasley TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hey, Joe, where you goin' with that throttle in your hand?

    Here in Massachusetts, we have a different worry. Sure, right now they're only counting rivets, but next thing you know they're going to tax them.
     
  7. Logtrain

    Logtrain TrainBoard Member

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    Its on the internet, it must be true! Sure sounds true!

    If it isn't true you gotta hand it to whoever wrote that and give them an A+ for creativity.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 23, 2013
  8. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    I hope no one that actually thought this was true. However, the mere mention of the destruction of a BL2 in this manner is a tragedy in and of itself.
     
  9. ken G Price

    ken G Price TrainBoard Member

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    The truth is, Biden knows more about what is in the constitution than probably all of us combined.[​IMG]
    Now saying that, I', not sure "the BL-2 is one of the ugliest looking locomotives I've ever seen and they should be banned permanently from all layouts. I also have to question the number of bay-window cabooses that a modeler can have. I simply do not understand those who feel that it's within their constitutional rights to own a layout with ten cabooses."
    [​IMG]
    Though I feel that the constitution states emphatically, that only a well regulated train club should be able to run a BL-2 and own more then ten bay window cabooses.
     
  10. Metro Red Line

    Metro Red Line TrainBoard Member

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    Not to mention miles on Amtrak :)
     
  11. ratled

    ratled TrainBoard Supporter

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    I hear there is a plan to include a limit on "high capacity" trains and limit all trains must be 10 cars or less.

    ratled
     
  12. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Passenger trains would be restricted to less than ten riders per car.
     
  13. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    and Amtrak would be restricted to less than $10 per year.....:rolleyes:
     
  14. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Or 10 mph, whichever came first.
     
  15. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    I'ma sure I have no idea what I'ma talking about. What worries me is how familiar this all sounds. Seems to me I've heard a lot of this kind of thinking. Where was that? Oh, yes it was DUI's and the number of cars on the road. Got to do something about all this. I'ma sure the forefathers didn't see automobiles and freeways as protected by the constitution. Sure is interesting how they can twist things about now days.

    Well, I'ma thru buying locomotives for my layout. No DD40X's, AC's or higher horsepower running around on my layout. Does this mean I'ma in compliance with these new radical laws? Gosh! Sigh! LOL
    Nope, I like to do my own freelancing of diseasels. Wow! Off to jail for free meals, TV, health care and conjugal rights...ahh....or wrongs. Say What?
     
  16. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Oh I couldn't agree more! I feel the same way. :-X
     
  17. chuckc

    chuckc TrainBoard Member

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    Now is this law for N Scalers only or is it for all scales?
     
  18. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    Wait until the BL2 Conservancy weighs in! There will be shrill protest marches with placards reading "Will somebody PLEASE think of the BL2s!":rats:
     
  19. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    Just watch out for the "God Hates SD70MACs" crowd with their signs.
     
  20. Wrath0fWotan

    Wrath0fWotan E-Mail Bounces

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    Guess we'll just need to get bigger, more powerful cars, huh? Why run a 40 footer, when you could be running 50 footers or 86 footers. I mean they would really give us more bang for our buck! :teeth:
     

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