#model trains

Little fence train, hard at work

Imagine, shuddering as you enter their halls of evil, unsure if you'll ever make it out alive, only to walk in to a huge room full of model train sets and Caius on hour three of explaining the difference between train car designs from 1920 and train car designs from 1974. Marcus is sitting in a chair looking like the vampire equivalent of a brick, begging for someone to throw him into the ocean.

Vectron locomotives on my modeltren layout

If you look at my recent gaming board build, you'll see that there are sections (rectangular ground pieces and a road) modelled with model railroad ballast. I wondered what it was made of today and, as it turns out, the brand I used is made from... walnut shells. I have a nut allergy.

Now, there is a printed warning on the back of the packaging but, not being a food product, I didn't read the back of the packaging. They also have a warning on their website under the product information. A larger warning on the front of the package would be nice, imo, but they did their due diligence and I did not.

I am fine, the stuff on the board is sealed and I never inhaled sufficient dust to cause a reaction, but I will be masking up and remodelling those sections this weekend. I've also disposed of the rest of the ballast I'd bought.

So, if you're like me and have a food allergy, just remember that things can show up in the weirdest places. Be more careful than I was.