I know this has been brought up before but I would like to know what your layout size is, how fast you run your trains and how you combat boredom when you cant enlarge your layout?
Currently, it is 10'x9', and is 3 independent loops and a yard. The trains aren't run very fast, as I use 027 curves.
Don't get bored. Get a few extra cars, change things around. Do things a different way now and then. As for speed I would call mine medium. At our club meets it drives me nuts to see a crack passenger train running at freight speed. A good question about speed, think I'll post it on another forum see what happens.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
I stole your question about speed and posted it elseware. Let's see what others say.
EDIT: no it's on a 3 rail forum.
So far the answers have been scale speeds which would seem slow to most of us.
On the boredom count, try modules for the scenery that can be stored underneath, and swap them out when a set gets boring.
14 ft x 22 ft atop a raised crawlspace. I run medium to slow - because it's a rural branch line in no particular hurry. Changing the layout theme keeps everything interesting for me. In the 15 years I've had this basement, I've changed theme several times (Circus trains, interurbans and trolleys, Thomas the Tank Engine, and currently Ivor the Engine)
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Thanks to all for the replys.
Ours takes up a 23 x 12 foot area but the tables have room to move around in the middle. Back stretch is 23’ long and connects a 6x10, to a 16x4 2x4 and a 8x8 section. I like to build scenes and swap out engines and rolling stock to keep it moving. Working on the scenes is as much fun as the trains for me.
This picture kind of shows it right after I put the north addition on so you can see what I am talking about.
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
Like a lot of the replies, I switch things around occasionally. I rearrange the buildings, and take trains on and off the tables.
I also improve the layout on a regular basis. Lately I've been adding interior lights to some of the buildings. I also replaced a 154 crossing flasher with a prewar version (with the orange base) and wired it to a flashing circuit. Little projects like that make the hobby more interesting to me wothout making the layout inoperable or eating up all my (very limited) spare time.
The trains mostly just run in circles though, and my mind usually just wanders to the past while they run.
J White
As of this morning there were 42 replies about layout speed. The answers were mixed, from scale speed to pretty fast so it all comes down to what we like for ourselves.
S.J.
I make layouts on the floor, and don't make scenery or buildings. I like complex layouts with lots of switches and crossings. The last large layout I had was 5 years ago, and it occupied two bedrooms in a 3 bedroom town house. It hade 50 022 switches and 7 or 8 crossings. It took the train 22 minutes to traverse the entire layout and get back to where it started. The switches were all wired in pairs so that when a train went through a switch, the anti-derail circuit of that switch operated the switch the train went through and it also operated another switch. This made running the trains automatic. I just got to watch and stop everything if the train derailed. This layout would one, two, or 3 trains. Running 3 trains at once was interesting and entertaining. At one place on the layout, the trains were running on parallel tracks so it was a race. I reworked all of the switches so that derailing was rare. The trains would typically run for an hour or two without derailing. The post for the switch modifications is "022/711 switch operating pblms" Search for it using Google. It is quite long and thorough.
BTW, I have been making complicated layouts with many switches since I was about 11 years old. It's not prototypical, but I find it to be a lot of fun. Also, with a floor layout, it is relatively easy to change the layout. And if the train falls off of the track, it lands on carpet.
Carpet layouts are a lot of fun, although I haven't made one in years(except for a few large ovals) yours sounds interesting.
The O27 Postwar layout is 14' x 8' with 3 lines.
We have a Lionel Scale Speed Sensor. The scale speed is usually between 24 and 31 mph through the bridges and a little faster on the rest of the runs.
I've longtime realized that I don't have the means or space to enlarge this layout.
To "combat boredom", I like to enhance the basic scenes.
Examples: If there is a street through the town, I might set up a road-repair detour... Utility crews have to work on telephone poles....Houses have to be painted by O27 people with their ladders and such.....
Of course, running different consists helps.
Then, there is always maintenance. (Like, pardon the expression, dusting the layout)
PS...Sometimes I leave the O27 layout and work on our HO (6' x 6') layout.
Thanks for asking.
Servo guy,
IMO FUN is what it is all about. If a person has a hobby that is not fun they
need a different hobby.
I have a 14' X 20' sceniced layout now but remember the complicated floor layouts from 65+ years ago that I had then.
My layout's the basic 4x8, all I've got room for. It's primarily a stage for my collection of locomotives to strut their stuff on. Can't say I get bored as when I set 'em up I try to go for a story in a particular area.
For example in a Northern New Jersey scenario I'll do the old Jersey Central main line, so there'll be a CNJ passenger or freight with a B&O passenger or freight, or a Lackawanna train. I might even go with the Lionel NJ Transit set on one track and a "steam excursion" on the other.
Sometimes it's the Erie, and other times I'll switch to the Richmond, Va. area and run a N&W passenger train and an RF&P freight, or vice-versa.
I'll run them for about 30 to 45 minutes or so, then I'm done for the day.
I keep the speeds moderate, don't want any flying locomotives!
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