Your most valuable lessons learned

[laz 57]

Have fun watching them go, don't worry if all the rivets are in the right places.
laz57

[TurboOne]

My best learned lesson is that my kids are more important than my trains. Do what they want, keep them interested, and the layout will be taken care of. My son shows everyone how he put the carriage bolts together on the benchwork, and that his military train is running, or Thomas.

Keep it fun and simple.

Tim

[Anonymous]

DOn't be afraid to redo something if you don't like it.

If you can't figure out a problem, take a few days away from it, the solution will pop up soon enough.

DOn't judge yourself to harshly. Those fantastic magizene layouts often take many years to achieve that level of detail.

Don't impose to much on your layout, let it revel itself to you. Like the sculpture who says he only removes the extra stone hiding his statue.

[Buckeye Riveter]

They are only toys.

[palallin]

Point about the back drop is well taken, but there may be a problem with doing it the very first: you don't know where the various buildings, streets, etc. will end up, and the backdrop may end up with a painted lake in the middle of a road or vice versa.

[jonadel]

4kitties,

AMEN to that!!!!! We've done so many things backward on our first permanent layout and this was the last thing to be done and it should have been #1. Lesson learned.

Jon

[4kitties]

If you are going to have a backdrop, install it before you install your benchwork. I added one after-the-fact on my prior layout and it was a very difficult job.

[underworld]

Have a refrigerator or cooler close to your operators position! [:p]

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

Analyze ALL your trains for track width clearance required. I got all set up, screwed it down to the board, had fun for about a week, and then moved my little 4-4-0 American to the inside track where it promptly swept my DRG steamer right off the outside track with its cowcatcher. Runs fine on the outside, because that cowcatcher sweeps to the outside.

[Anonymous]

Never, ever, store track and pool chlorine in the same space--enclosed or ventilated: doesn't matter.

[jonadel]

1. Everything has to be within an arm's reach.

2. No curves less than 54 or 42 (that will be my #1 priority on next build)

3. Plan, plan, plan.

4. Do not be in a hurry just to lay down track and run trains.

5. Involve your significant other, the dividends are amazing.

Jon

[cnw1995]

- Make sure you can reach inside your tunnel or easily access its innards because invariably your train will derail in its most inaccessible place.

[overall]

Do not use foamcore board to model streets. When you paint it grey to simulate pavement, it shrinks and leaves gaps between pieces.

George

[laz 57]

Have a dehumidifier on over the summer. And have your layout elivated off the cellar floor. Did this the first summer I had layout and came back to running in September and found 50% of track was rusted that is when I took action and started building bench work. Ask advice from all these GREAT GIZ on this here forum. laz57

[cnw1995]

- Never solder under the layout wearing shorts - this from my n scale days.
- Always negotiate the most household space possible for the layout - you'll fill it up eventually - if you start small, you'll find your potential expansion space mysteriously filled up with other things.
- Always differentiate between wants and needs when looking to fill a hole in your collection or add something to a layout. Related: Always determine your needs first.
- Learn what 'good enough' means for you.

[FJ and G]

ask on the forum before doing it

[Anonymous]

The odds that the toast will land buttered side down is directly proportional to the cost of the carpet.

Always wear eye protection & a dust mask before turning on the table saw or doing any wire pulling in your home.

Never put your fingers within 6 inches of the table saw blade while it's running (I have the scar on my thumb to underscore this one. Thank God I stil have the whole thumb).

If you have to glue an MTH saw buck crossing signal back together, make sure you brace it so that the signal stays straight before you go to bed.

Tony

[andregg1]

I think that our layout capture our life style mean, our internal world.
Sample I will never put canon or missil on my layout or like a Bin laden car with Bush
for me is sad. so if you are complicate guy you layout could capture your style.
Andre.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Buy quality not quanity. One really nice piece is better than three you'll never really be satisfied with.

[brianel027]

This may not be a concern for many of you, but when repainting large quantities of Lionel/K-Line trains at one time, ALWAYS take the extra minute to look at the paint color before you eagerly start spraying.

The Lehigh Valley was noted for it's many color schemes, but bright green was not one of them.

And when applying decals to more than one car at the same time - especially cars of the same color - it's a good idea to look at the side that's completed first.

Of course it could be possible that somewhere rolling on the real rails right now there's a CSX gondola with Norfolk Southern markings on the other side. Hmmm, me no think so.

[espeefoamer]

If you see a piece of equipment at a good sale,BUY IT!!! If you go back later,it will be GONE![:(!].

[Bluecometk]

My Dad always said . Person who sit in jelly get a$$ in jam.[:D]

[Anonymous]

NEVER,NEVER, NEVER buy from Hobbytown USA stores!

[Anonymous]

If there is anything I have learned over the years it would be never to trust track pins or other connectors for any long term installation. I always solder a wire to EACH PIECE of track. It has been my experience that pins either corrode or gunk collects in the joint between rails which really interferes with conductivity. Track that has operated perfectly can little by little grow unreliable as the pins corrode while the track looks just as good asit always did. So MAKE GOOD ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS and you will be very happy. Odd-d

[Anonymous]

1) Dream big, start small.
2) Echo thoughts above about having fun. If it stops being fun, if you're tired - take a break: 10 minutes, 10 days or 10 weeks...
3) Seek and respect advice from others - but remember its your choice and you can do whatever makes you happy. (Example: "A bridge there wouldn't look realistic." Exception: "That gauge wire is a fire hazard.")

Allan Wright

[FJ and G]

Bill,

Mine would be to find and KEEP that special lady. They seem to come and go.

[MartyE]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BillFromWayne

1. Find and marry a good woman. A woman who enjoy's seeing her man happy when he's playing with his trains.

All the rest is secondary.
BillFromWayne

So that's where I went wrong.[(-D][(-D][(-D]

[Anonymous]

1. Find and marry a good woman. A woman who enjoy's seeing her man happy when he's playing with his trains.

All the rest is secondary.
BillFromWayne

[FJ and G]

Jim H,

I agree w/your (and Dr. John's) lessons learned. But I run my Williams diesels with my variable controls on DCS, so I don't think a separate layout is needed. You can isolate the command control trains by shutting off power to a siding or spur containing those locomotives while running conventional and visa versa