Ouch! metal wristband across live tracks

a single Z1000..powers 2 loops 2 and 3 rail. often several locos running at once.

Never happened to me but I believe you...

True story....about 40 plus years ago I was visiting a friend in the next neighborhood from where I lived and in his basement was a 12x8 Lionel layout that belonged to his older brothers who were away in college.

I was there one day and we were running the layout and I looked at the clock and saw it was time to go home to eat...I had about a 15 minute walk home so I wanted to get going.

I was walking out of the basement and I saw his mother and made sure I said goodbye to her.She knew I had a long slog home so she offered up her oldest daughter to give me a ride home because she was sending her out on a errand anyway.

I took her up on the ride and vividly remember the family car being a late model Olsmobile Vista Cruiser.We were making small talk during the ride and she mentioned that her mother really likes when I come over because I don't "rough house" like Jim's other friends....I told of course not ..."you cant rough house around the trains something might get broke !"

She then exclaimed !!! "Oh those trains I hate them !!!" and then she extended her right arm out with the wrist up to show me a scar on her wrist that she received from the layout she had a metal bracelet on and it made contact with the live track and it burnt her bad enough to leave a very noticeable scar !

I realized right then that those ZWs where very unforgiving.

i got a decent size burn mark...honest mistake.

We & they may call our trains "toys" but electricity is serious stuff even at low voltages, 1/10 of a amp can kill you, ALWAYS use caution with electrical equipment, if you're not sure if there is power there treat it as if you know it's got power and test it with a meter. The only way to be sure is have EVERYTHING going to the layout area UNPLUGGED, then put a light bulb in a socket with the leads across the hot and common rails, you never know where there might be a capacitor storing power. It's better to be safe than sorry and anything metal on you including watches, jewelry, (yes, your wedding ring too) etc have no business being around a layout unless you take it off or insulate it. My wedding ring doesn't come off so I ALWAYS completely cover it with electrical tape when around anything that I could get a shock to it. We want to keep everyone safe to enjoy their trains.

I somehow thought this was going to be a different type of story....

I would not wear a metal watch or metal jewelry. One reason is that I had to constantly take off the watches to repair or maintain used automobiles. Another reason is that metal items can get too cold in the winter.

Andrew

These burn stories are precisely the reason I put a postwar Lionel #91 adjustable electromagnetic circuit breaker on each of my "HOT" transformer outputs. When adjusted properly, the trip instantly.
My burn came from the wire handrail of a derailed (and flipped) steam engine that was shorting the rails.

I have a friend that lost a finder due to a 12V car battery.  His wedding ring shorted on the starter solenoid and literally burned his finger off!  I don't wear any jewelry, especially working around electricity.

Now lets all remember this post when certain retailers indicate that these are NOT toys, or manufacturers recommend 14 and up...... no more outrage at these warnings.....O.K.?

Yeah, me too. 

A fond memory of Chrristmas' past and my Dad. Each year, S.S. Kresge, a "dimestore" in SE michigan area would set up a Lionel train layout in their stores. These were staffed by young girl clerks, and Dad would short his wedding ring across the tracks when the store clerk wasn't looking. He sure got a "kick" out of that.

Great memories as Dad was the one who stimulated my interest.

Dave G.

Notice that we all have hurt ourselves with our trains but mostly it's recently not a long time ago? You honestly think those warnings are for the kids?

Makes you think!

Jerry

.... I was 8 at the time !

Yeah, me three. Eight, shmate...This is the internet afterall.

Reminds me of the time I put a 9 volt battery in my pocket. It didn't have the plastic cover on the contacts. My pocket had the usual loose change. Shorted the battery. Should have seen me trying to get the battery out of my burning pocket....