I will leave no giraffe behind......unless they are over $35.......

Peter - I absolutely love your post. So much fun. Thank you for sharing.

Paul

Haha!

To the Distinguished Professor Peter of the Putnam Division,

The Academy of Railroad Zoology commends you on your outstanding conservation work and improvement of the breed Giraffa Camelopardalis. Through your tireless efforts these magnificent and majestic animals have been given a new life in which they can flourish and pursue the greenest of foliage via rail. Your devotion to the rehabilitation and care of these, the tallest living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants on Earth is truly an inspiration. Even Noah himself only managed to transport just two giraffes. You have far surpassed his accomplishment which is universally acknowledged as being of Biblical proportions. Serious students of the biological classification Order of Artiodactyla applaud your achievements, while you bring knowing smiles to the faces of even the youngest generation.

A great idea for shows, the kids must love those!  You need a couple with command control so you can randomly have one duck.

@Putnam Division posted:

I love the 3376 Giraffe car (and, the 3386 Giraffe Car which came exclusively in uncataloged sets). I am not a fan of trying to get the giraffes to work with the tell-tale pole....especially with Ross track, roadbed and ballast. But, a string of giraffes running along the track is a crowd-pleaser at shows.

Fantastic idea!……but watch out with so many in one place……it will become Toys R us……LMAO

Awesome Peter.

The Honorable Lord of Gi-raffe's @M. Mitchell Marmel would be impressed.

Bob

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

A great idea for shows, the kids must love those!  You need a couple with command control so you can randomly have one duck.

That's what I was thinking! He could cue it with a lion's roar sound effect.

@Putnam Division posted:

Then, one of the guys needed neurosurgery......I performed my 1st cervical fusion!

The passengers on the New Haven pasenger train leaving the Bronx, got a real treat watching the train head for the Bronx Zoo!

Peter

Peter;

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons would like to discuss your recent surgical adventure (something about CA glue not being FDA approved!!!).

Definitely an amusing, eye-catching display sure to get attention. But the internal furnishings of those stock cars seem to be pretty rough - maybe you can add some giraffes to the NH coaches

@ThatGuy posted:

Fantastic idea!……but watch out with so many in one place……it will become Toys R us……LMAO

Actually There were Toys R Us giraffe cars. I was in the store and found one laying on the shelf without a box. This at the time that the stores got trashed by customers. When I took it to the register the clerk said she couldn’t ring it up without a sticker. Low a behold there was on sticker on the floor. I picked it and stuck it on. She was happy and I was happy.
Here it is running on the clubhouse Christmas layout.

@Apples55 posted:

Peter;

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons would like to discuss your recent surgical adventure (something about CA glue not being FDA approved!!!).

Definitely an amusing, eye-catching display sure to get attention. But the internal furnishings of those stock cars seem to be pretty rough - maybe you can add some giraffes to the NH coaches

Peter

No wonder I couldn't find any.  Will look foward to seeing your train running during the VTC show.

- what sound does a giraffe make?

@pennsyfan posted:

Actually There were Toys R Us giraffe cars. I was in the store and found one laying on the shelf without a box. This at the time that the stores got trashed by customers. When I took it to the register the clerk said she couldn’t ring it up without a sticker. Low a behold there was on sticker on the floor. I picked it and stuck it on. She was happy and I was happy.
Here it is running on the clubhouse Christmas layout.

Fantastic……my hero

Mitch and his Giraffe's are still up and running. He is in ORG jail for a picture copyright problem.

Pic of Mitch and his Frisco Giraffe's a few years ago....(NOTE from Publisher....Mitch is no longer in "OGR jail")

@Putnam Division @ThatGuy @pennsyfan

In case you're wondering what Geoffrey the Giraffe did after he retired (or got laid off by ToysRus when they closed down)...

...he was last seen on my 2019 layout enjoying a post-retirement train ride with Met & Yank from the Bronx Zoo and another giraffe who goes by "Anonymous" from some other zoo!   :-)

@CBS072 posted:

Mitch and his Giraffe's are still up and running. He is in ORG jail for a picture copyright problem. NOTE from Publisher...Mitch is no longer in "OGR jail")

Pic of Mitch and his Frisco Giraffe's a few years ago....

I've been wondering where he's been. Please share this with him.

Thanks

Might be fun to have several 'trips' along a straight section of track to watch them randomly popping out and back.

Peter

I do not know if you could add rails, instead of tell-tale poles,  like I did below, on O27 track, with your Ross track, roadbed and ballast.  It would depend on how close to the rail you could add triggers like below.  The trigger rails allow the giraffes to duck, stay ducked and un-duck for longer items like bridges.

I made the triggers, along the straight rails, from some junk slats from old wooden shutters.  I had to slide the black metal section further out on the yellow plastic trigger arm on the car, to allow more space between the rail and the trigger so the valve gear of my Lionel 2025 and 2035 engines miss the trigger.   You can see the wear on the trigger from the 2035 valve gear and the slots on the screws used to hold the rail down for adjustments.  The total length is that of the bridge, maybe 24 inches.  I have a similar triggers on my two bridges and all tunnel entrances and we get to see them ducking often.  We like running 5 giraffe cars and that train is always on the layout.  The 2 foot bridges are great with a 6 foot long train and those giraffes ducking down and up in sequence.

PS:  Peter    One way to add a trigger to a few sections of Ross Track and not interfere with the ballast would be to use a 2 foot piece of 10 gauge copper wire for the rail.  It would be easy to bend the curved part needed for the trigger rail.  Four or so, C shaped bracket pieces of light 1/2 inch wide metal (like pipe strapping) could be used to hold the trigger to the correct height and distance from car yellow trigger arm.   These metal brackets could be easily soldered to the copper trigger rail and the other end of the C brackets can be screwed the train table.

I believe the most fun and of these giraffe cars is the ducking of the necks and heads and the kids all like them the best on my layout.

Charlie

Another picture of the wooden giraffe trigger showing the way it is held down with side pieces with slots to allow adjustment of distance from rail to trigger.  The hold down is only on one end and adjusts the whole trigger.

If everybody's replies include all of the original pictures, many would stop enjoying their read of this thread.  Further, if that action were to continue in all the other threads where pictures are quite common, the forum servers would fill up faster than they do now and increase the operator's cost.  AND, we all know what increasing costs mean, right?

Chuck

I agree with Chuck aka "PRR150".

Chuck is 100% correct: ALL photos in a post, whether original or quoted, go to the server and use up valuable space.

I try to edit my quotes w/pics to include ONLY the pic (or two) that I would like to comment concerning.

I do this as an attempt to do my part to help OGR in their efforts to provide us a forum.

I sincerely hope more of you will take the few seconds it takes to edit a quote to only include the content you will be referencing.

Andre

I left the last two comments up even though others I deleted.  Both of these comments are good info that helps this forum and the members directly.  Not everyone realizes this so no need to beat someone up over it.  Now lets get back to Peter's great topic.  Love those Giraffes!

Oh...and Mitchell is out of jail as he served his time!

FREE AT LAST!   

And excellent gi-raffe work, all!  I'm most proud of you all! 

Now, back to work.  I'll be busy herding gi-raffes and excursionists at the A&M RR through the end of the year, so won't be posting much here, but expect the occasional treat, like the Razorback Traction Co.'s "Car 22, Where Are You?" 

Mitch

Peter,

Super job! I love the long consist of the giraffe cars. I have one (brown color) on my layout for the grandkids to enjoy the popping head. If you want to engage any kids...or the kids in us...I suggest you add a trigger as suggested on this thread. Would be fun to see the popping heads as each car runs through the trigger. Action always is attractive to kids.

Michael

@Apples55 posted:

Peter;

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons would like to discuss your recent surgical adventure (something about CA glue not being FDA approved!!!).

Peter,

No worries.  I may still have some medical grade CA. 

Lou N

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

FREE AT LAST! 

And excellent gi-raffe work, all!  I'm most proud of you all!

Now, back to work.  I'll be busy herding gi-raffes and excursionists at the A&M RR through the end of the year, so won't be posting much here, but expect the occasional treat, like the Razorback Traction Co.'s "Car 22, Where Are You?"

Mitch

… and now, Ladies and Gentlemen, it was here where this thread began taking its dramatic turn. A fun and whimsical posting of giraffe railroad cars brought the members of O Gauge Forum together in lighthearted enjoyment. Little did they know, but a new genre of the hobby was born. Railroaders! Let’s see your giraffe-themed layout items! Got something you think is good? Add a giraffe and make it GREAT!  It could be debated whether this would be off topic or not. Maybe it needs its own thread. But perhaps we do not truly perceive the ferocity of what has been unleashed here. A torrent of giraffes running loose? Perhaps we should spin off a new website named “O Gauge Giraffe Forum”. That might be able to corral the herd of ideas.

Great fun everyone...here are my "Giraffe" car adds:

A Japanese penny toy sets up the scene

A Lionel Circus Train, including both Giraffe's, horses, and small animals in the Circus car.

When the Circus train arrives, everyone has to get off and march to the fairgrounds

"Geoffery" gets in the act in 2 Toy's are Us cars from Lionel

A less common Giraffe car from Lionel, this one from the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, N.J.  (Note, we lived in Orange, NJ when I was a child under 5, my parents took me to this zoo.  My grandchild in 2022 was living in the same area and told me that the zoo is still operating and doing very well).

Best Wishes Giraffe Fan's!!

Don

With all those giraffe cars on your layout, aren't you concerned that some may derail and cause a giraffic jam?

I know, I know. Bad puns like this one are a pain in the neck.

@Norman R posted:

Railroaders! Let’s see your giraffe-themed layout items! Got something you think is good? Add a giraffe and make it GREAT! 

Funnily enough, the Arkansas and Missouri RR has plush gi-raffes for sale in the gift shop, and we're working on "Gerry the Giraffe" as a mascot...  ;-)

(reproduced with the railroad's permission, as I did put this together on company time)...  ;-)

Mitch

@Don McErlean posted:

A Japanese penny toy sets up the scene

Mitch

@Jim Brenner posted:

I know, I know. Bad puns like this one are a pain in the neck.

As I tell visitors to the museum, "They duck their heads so they don't get a headache. Only thing worse for a gi-raffe is a SORE THROAT!"

Mitch  (taking a day off due to a stomach bug)  (and when you have a tum-tum like mine...Well.)

Peter ... FWIW, if desired, a simple trigger can be made by bending a 1/8" diameter brass or steel rod as shown in the attached pics and inserting the ends into the layout base (mine was designed for Fastrack). I painted mine flat black to help disguise it and re-located it to the inside edge of the track after these pics were taken. It needs to be mounted close enough for the yellow rod to travel over, but not so close as to catch on anything protruding out from a piece of rolling stock or an engine - like curved steps on a passenger diesel (don't ask how I know ).

Here are a couple of videos of 5 giraffe cars in operation ducking so everyone can see why all the kids love them.  Maximize videos for better viewing.

Faster running train.

Slower train and a lazy Giraffe, first time I have seen a giraffe miss the trigger

Charlie

@Richie C. posted:

It needs to be mounted close enough for the yellow rod to travel over, but not so close as to catch on anything protruding out from a piece of rolling stock or an engine - like curved steps on a passenger diesel (don't ask how I know ).

I actually had to shave down the steps of my GG1 in gi-raffe service to clear the actuator...

Mitch

So much fun!!  What's not to love about giraffe cars?  In action, they are even more fun.

Made my day!!  I know I need to get out more.  LOL

Art

@Choo Choo Charlie posted:

Here is a video of 5 giraffe cars in operation ducking so everyone can see my all the kids love them.

Charlie

Charlie, the gi-raffes ducking under the bridge and tunnel is way better than the tell-tale poles… great job!!!

Rich C

Your giraffe car tripper rail looks great and much simpler and easier to make than my suggestion.

My point was to get Peter and others interested in installing some tripper rails to allow the giraffe cars to duck, which is whole purpose of a Lionel ducking giraffe cars and the reason all the kids, big and small, love them.

Charlie

I love Giraffe (and similar) cars too, and run a bunch of them in "The Alcove" - see Two layouts in an unexpected space (warrenvillerailroad.com)

I use bent coat hanger wire for triggers - unobtrusive and you could make them any length, and even use them on curves. Hidden by small bushes in the pics below are two small loops bent into the wire for screws to attached them down to the layout.

And here I was thinking the authorized RTC spelling was Gee-raffes! I duck corrected.

@Putnam Division

Just look at all the fun you've incited with this Giraffe thread! You'd best be careful or some of the curmudgeon's may actually smile!

I must admit, it had been decades since I've seen one function... so I got a hoot out of the videos posted by Choo Choo Charlie!

Those giraffe cars look like a lot of fun, and I'll bet kids love to see the ducking for bridges, tunnels and other such!

Andre