Rare Dankness Runtz Ghost Train

[theZientist]

Hi everyone!
For a while I’ve wanted to try the famed Ghost Train Haze#1.The full lineage is Ghost OG x (Nevil’s Haze '97 x Trainwreck).

Back in last year’s Spannabis, I fortunately had the chance to meet Scott from Rare Dank and after a while of talking with him, he ended up introducing me to one of his most recent crosses: the Runtz Ghost Train.

I ended up grabbing a couple packs from Scott and decided for the RGT over the GTH#1, as these were more berry/sweet leaning than the original and according to the man there were uplifting and get-stuff-done type of things still to be found, yet in a more practical template. The aromas on the parent GTH#1 leaned more towards the dutch Haze, with an added OG layer and most packed a pretty decent and overwhelming punch (those are fine too, but not all times). These seemed to be more suiting towards my goal for this hunt.

With hopes of finding that berry spicy and uplifting pheno I popped a pack. Never having tried Runtz before (or anything with it), I can admit that I was also a bit curious about it.

Wasn’t so luck about getting them to germinate. Generally I get close to 100%, specially with small batches like these, though this time out of a 6x pack only 4 came out.

They are currently at about day 50 of flowering, went through a few small mistakes on my behalf. They are cruising through without much hassle.
They turned out to be pretty light feeders and vigorous growers. As far as aromas are concerned, apart from #4, which I’ll get onto later, 1,2 and 3 are basically pretty much the same at this point in time: sweet and earthy, with #3 leaning berry-ish and starting to purple up a bit too. These three sibs are all low projection (they aren’t loud at all). Nothing exciting just yet.

They aren’t particularly pretty as you can see, as far as bud structure and trichome development is concerned. I’ve seen and heard reports that Trainwreck hybrids, and some Haze ones too, can come out like that and be particularly leafy. Whichever’s the case, structure and visual appeal of these three isn’t anything to rave about (the pinkish stigma on #1 is cool trait nonetheless!). Though this means very little about the quality of their final product. Despite some of these traits currently not being their strong suit, there is still a window for them to mature differently. Between them and their maturation peek point still lies a few weeks. They seem like they venture into week 10-12.
Although I haven’t lost hope for them just yet, can’t say I’m all that excited for these.

They are gonna yield for sure, though I don’t necessarily care too much about it, rather effect and aroma are way higher on my list.

[the_bot]

i grew ghost train haze. in terms of bag appeal only 1 of the 6 was pretty - it’s a fucking leafy plant with ok trichome coverage, but if you look at my profile summary youll see ghost train haze as my favorite. So hopefully your story ends similarly

Btw gth (fem) was very orange/citrus tasting

[theZientist]

Now. As for the #4.

Not wanting to get ahead of oneself, it seems this one reunites some of the traits I’m looking for and to be an overall more promising phenotype: A Haze-type hybrid with some of the practical aspects of modern OG-type plants and a fair blend of the traits of the too as far as other aspects are concerned.

Not having sampled her yet, the aromas she gives off remind me greatly of the best Amnesia cuts I’ve sampled in the past both from Spain and Amsterdam, but overall more interesting and complex, projecting, spicy and pungent!

She’s a fresh lime and green pineapple incense on a stick. Her growth habit is pretty equatorial leaning, she’s proving to be quite easy to manage indoors despite growing a bit leggy (30-40% more stretch than her sibs). On top of that she keeps stacking and her long internodes are filling in. She’s most probably going to be the highest yielder and take a few more weeks that the others, around 11-13 weeks I would say.

Her leggy habit brought her three spears uncomfortably close to the LED fixture, hence she’s experiencing a bit of photo damage as you can see.

Her bract-to-leaf ratio and other agronomical traits are neat!

I’d like to take the time to highlight that whatever is my final judgement about these plants, you can’t judge a variety or cross based on growing four plants in a closet. The amount of possible combinations in this polyhybrid far exceedes the pictured created by my efforts of sifting through these few individuals. Just wanted to share with you my limited experience and not make a definite statement about the variety or Scott’s work.

As for Scott, he was quite a nice guy and chatting with him about his time on the US scene, the background of his cuts, lines and breeding designs was a real pleasure and a great opportunity.
Brought several packs and Scott sent me home with a hefty amount of Rug Burn OG freebies for me to explore! Thanks Scott!

That is all for now. Thanks for reading and I hope this report is of use to you.

[Carty]

Your plants look sticky and amazing bro… these are certainly not showing a heavy leaf to calyx ratio. leave them fan leaf’s on until you chop it down…

sounds like your gonna be busy and Scott hooked you up nicely… Kudos to Scott for being so cool. good luck man

[theZientist]

Thanks peeps. @the_bot @Carty

Pretty is overrated, what really matters in the end is effects and taste, the overall sensorial experience. At least to me. With that in mind, it’s always best to have something pretty to look at ain’t it?
Besides everything I’ve already said about her, #4 has subtle equatorial traits that I find visually appealing, albeit she’s a bit hairy and what not. Hope she doesn’t burn too hot or harsh.

Feel free to post pictures of your keepers @the_bot , always great to see those. Why did GTH became your fave?

I’ll keep a close eye on them, and try to pick them when they’re at their peek point of maturation. I’ll update you then on how they’re doing and eventually how the end product turns out to be.

[ShiskaberrySavior]

I’ve got some ghost train going next time I’m going out I’ll snap a picture there starting week 3 of flower.

[theZientist]

Harvest day, D73.

They could have gone a couple weeks longer, though I had to harvest early.
They have been responding negatively to cold room and leaf surface temperatures, and a high light intensity output from the leds. Even at 60% power for the last couple of weeks. At least, that’s my reasoning from cross checking data, it seems like it’s a lack of thermal radiation combo of some sort.
The leds are from Lumatek, Attis 200W.

The cold/high light output has been affecting specially #4 which is the most equatorial leaning and features a nice influence of Trainwreck and Haze. #3 was shaded for a while, so it could also use a few more days to reach peak point maturity.

Overall they are easy to grow plants, besides the aforementioned situation. The LB cut I was growing along side them didn’t care one single bit and came out perfect.

Aroma-wise, #1 and #2 don’t tick any boxes.

They have some reminiscing tropical/guava sweetness, #2 being the blandest. #1 has pinkish stigmas when they are viable, the ones on #2 really turn out deep orange as they wither. That later one also shown intersex traits mid flowering and yet again during the last couple weeks.

#3 was more acrid and slight berry scents could be noticed earlier on. Nothing special.

#4 is a stunner. Intense smell, vigorous growth and impressive bract-to-leaf ratio. The aroma profile is stunning really, has the best from the Haze/Train side: Incense, camphor, eucalyptus with lime and green pineapple scent. But with a very desirable intensity of an OG. There are some fine woods in there too, much of a complex smell. Each angle you take gives you different notes and they blend out perfectly. Can’t wait to sample that one, goddamn!

Enjoy them, though not grown to their full potential.
tZ

[theZientist]

Despite nothing going on the aroma department, RGT2 colors did turn nice. Grotesque bud structure though.

Strange bud structure on RGT3 lower buds, reminiscent of DJ’s Blueberry

Lower buds of the RGT4 are still pretty caked, they have that hazy look too

Orange stigma on the RGT2

While observing their roots post harvest, I’ve noticed these structures. They look like hyphal development, perhaps some type of ectomycorrhiza? Can anyone shed a light?

[Stinky]

Sounds good man! Imagine a room full of them now that you got to know her better.

[theZientist]

The LB1 that I was growing alongside, as a reference for the high ppfd/leaf temp/air temp theory:

@Stinky Oh man, let’s hope her effects match the scents I’ve been getting from her. That would be stellar.
I do have trouble doing cycles of only the same cut, I can’t skip that diversity.

[Stinky]

haha, you need more room!

[Carty]

No doubt huh Stinky? Brother needs more room… Have a pack of these myself so looking forward to a smoke report. The last plant is a breeders dream. If she has potency, she sure has the white hairs to produce thousands of seeds…

Looking forward to hearing the taste and affect report bro

[theZientist]

Hi Carty,

More room for sure. A plot with a few greenhouses if you will?

The plant you are referring to as “last” is RGT4 or LB1?

As for the report on these, somehow I still have to have a couple more sessions with them before dictating the final verdict, although RGT 1,2 and 3 are not making a strong case.

#1 seems to be pretty bland effect wise, not getting me in the right place. Although it lasts, but not that high grade experience I was meaning to get. Aroma wise it’s just the same, hayish slightly sweet and acrid and a bit nutty. Tastes like wet cement on the mighty. Not amusing.

#2 is practically devoid of THC, even for a softy like me these days. I would like to test it just to see were it sits, but feels pretty much like a CBD without those strange orangish/hops aromas they have.
My partner enjoys the effect, very easy to titrate and can be vaped while working without worrying about it getting in the way and still bringing positive feelings. Not bad there, but flavor wise it’s a disaster. Extremely low odor with the strangest nutty, chlorine smell. Something like a green tea, not in a good way. Tastes like… well nothing you want to vape.

#3 I’ve only had a couple sessions, but the impression is somewhat the same as #1, without more acrid and slightly sweet and louder expression. Meh.

These three I will end up composting.

#4 is where all the glory is at. Impressive plant.
Cedar/camphor and lemon smint aroma. There eucalyptus or mint in there too. It translates extremely well to taste and the effect just hits me right in the spot. After you vape, the way your lungs expand and remain fresh for a while really buffs the experience. It’s functional, lasts long and stacks. It’s blissful, sometimes trippy. Sometimes very trippy and lysergic. It constantly triggers insight, and how I love that feeling.

I’ve had the chance to show them to Scott from Rare Dank during the last Spannabis, and he was happy I found such GTH leaning phenotype. He said she looks exactly like a saucy Ghost Train Haze #1.
I have to say it was a bit hard admitting to him in person the others didn’t shamefully make it, but #4 makes it all worth.

The discrepancy among them is astonishing. #4 is some of the highest grade of bud I’ve had around, resonates with my biochemistry a whole lot. The others some of the worst plants I’ve had the chance to meet.

After finding such great phenotype in this small batch, I’ve been wondering about what lies in the regular Ghost Train Haze#1 release. I should have brought a pack of them home, but my cue at this point is long and I’m already happy I found this one from this pocket.

Hope that helps, although somehow a conflicting report. I remind you that #4 was one of the best plants I’ve found in more than a decade. Makes Amnesia want to be born again, better and richer. Just joking, all you Amnesia lovers.

[Carty]

It sounds like these are F2 seeds, which IMHO shouldn’t be sold unless for breeding stock. This is known as the pheno hunting F mode… shows the biggest and most variance representing both parents and at times, their parents. A good stable cross though will usually throw 3-4 phenotypes to choose from. but damn, only 1 worthy… again, I go back to stability…

Funny thing, if I start 8 seeds of a strain, usually it’s the #2 plant that shines.

[theZientist]

That is true. Most things offered today are more or less complex polyhybrids. They are necessarily stuck in F2 segregation hell.

I understand your angle, despite the fun of exploring these seedlots sifting through they hay does come at an expense and it’s a combersome process. I would be happy to sift through 30-50 of these subpar ones just to find #4.

Thanks for sharing