Mine is 9 years old, having started it in 2005, but that includes two more recent additions to it in 2007 and 2009.
I just wonder how old are some of your layouts?
Rich
Alton Junction
I started mine 9 1/2 years ago. I began work on Phase 2 4 1/2 years ago, and Phase 3 started this past summer.
Some of my trains, though, go back to the Eisenhower administration.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The SIW is roughly 4 years old. Started right before I got married.
Joe Staten Island West
-2, I figure it will be 2 years until I get the basement redone and suitable to start construction, and get a finalized plan that I like.
Previous one made it 5 years until I moved here.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I started in 2001 as we had just moved into our newly built home in 1999. The main basement was 25 x 75.
Had the layout Mainline done by 2004 and had about 20 or so OPs Sessions.
Scenery was very basic.
We added an 16 x 16 Sunroom to the house in 2008 and this included a layout addition off the main basement.
In 2011 - I cut a hole in the Block wall and added layout in my basemnt office - that was another 14 x 28 area.
Currently the total basement layout is over 2500 sq ft.
We host OPs Sessions every 2 weeks!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
My previous 11x15 HO layout was started in 94 and stayed intact til 07 - up for most of 13 years. A total replacement was started in 08, and up and running in 09. But, I have since seriously bogged down, stalling in the midst of final scenery..........
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I started mine in January 2011 out of boredom and a need to do something in an empty livingroom. It now takes up the livingroom, dining room, and kitchen at 14 x 19 x 9 in the shape of a 'C'. I'm thinking about expansion over the breakfast bar, down the hallway to other rooms with the walls as tunnels. I have no 'other half' to call me nuts, my dog and cat look at me as though I am. LOL.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
The oldest part of the current layout is Red Mountain, which began as my first narrowgauge on a module of Red Mountain in 88 or 89. That module was included in the plan for the layout here. The house was purchased in 1991, the basement remodeled in 1992 and construction on the current began after that. The mainline was completed in 2003.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Planning started in August of 2013.
Saw hit lumber in December.
Just last week I hooked up the Digitrax system and ran a test train.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
I looked at an old photo my son took of me the first few minutes I was in the garage starting the benchwork. It was dated September 30, 2007. Even though the layout looks closer to the start of construction rather than the end, there are a whole lot of enjoyable hours accounted for.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Started on mine 1981...has been redone, downsized for being too big and now one end section being completely redone and of course it will never be done. If it was....it would be boring to me. I enjoy, building, not playing. LOL.
Take Care!
Frank
All very interesting so far. Started in 1981, Frank's would be the oldest so far, but if it has been "redone", it may be newer. Hoping to hear about some more ancient layouts.
richhotrainFrank's would be the oldest so far
That's because Frank is the oldest.
BATMAN richhotrain Frank's would be the oldest so far That's because Frank is the oldest.
richhotrain Frank's would be the oldest so far
I resemble, that remark! LOL.
Yours truly, with His new 1993 Freightliner at 51yrs old:
I started my N scale 15'-12' MKT Ozark division one year ago to the month! It took me about 10 months to finish the benchwork, and for the last two months I have been laying track. I'm hoping to do some wiring this weekend and have a train running by next week!
Hi Guys:
Started remodelling the basement in 2002, first operating session in Dec of 03.
Some sidings and lots of scenry added since, as the first session was on bare plywood with cardboard boxes in some places for industries.
Dave
I'm getting the feeling that most of our layouts are 10 to 15 years old.
A good lookin guy Frank. I'm sayin that because you kinda look like me. My wife walked buy and did a double take, I think she was wondering why I was on a CSX truck. I never did any long haul trucking, The extent of driving tractor's was relocating one or taking it from the airport to the shop or something local in an emergency when the regular guy got hurt or didn't show up at the last minute.
I drove an awful lot in my job and that included a lot of weird airbrake and/or electric vehicles that you might see around an airport or other similar place. Mostly it was a pickup, van or car between the airport, docks or railyards. I drove enough that I got inducted into the million mile club after 21 years. I retired from working logistics with the the Federal Government with 36 years of accident free driving.
I started this layout in 1988 and have been working on it for 26 years. 20 locomotives and 130+ freight and Passenger cars later, the layout seems to take a back seat every once in a while to R/C airplanes. I have determined that maybe 20 locomotives is 10 to many, the maintenance on that many, takes up to much time. I suppose if I'd bought all DCC ready locos the maintenance would be less. Still, I sort of enjoy taking DC locos and converting them to DCC.
I had built 4 layouts when I was kid. So, I’ve been at this hobby a good long time
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
NP2626Still, I sort of enjoy taking DC locos and converting them to DCC.
I've got a pile of Proto 2000 GP9's you can convert if you need a "fix".
About 9 months old - still being built.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
NP2626 I started this layout in 1988 and have been working on it for 26 years. 20 locomotives and 130+ freight and Passenger cars later, the layout seems to take a back seat every once in a while to R/C airplanes. I have determined that maybe 20 locomotives is 10 to many, the maintenance on that many, takes up to much time. I suppose if I'd bought all DCC ready locos the maintenance would be less. Still, I sort of enjoy taking DC locos and converting them to DCC.
richhotrainyour reply to another thread where you mentioned 26 years that inspired me to start this thread. My goodness, that is a long time.
Kind of reminds me of the Japanese kid that gets a Bonsai tree at birth and seventyfive years later it is still only a foot tall. We'll call this Railroad Bonsai.
Buckskin & Platte (BS&P) Coal Brick Loop - Consolidated Materials Group.
Est. June 2, 2004 (N.M.R.A. 14-006). Reporting mark: BS&P R.R.
Five-months, 15-days- -and it looks like it!
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Per carl425 "I've got a pile of Proto 2000 GP9's you can convert if you need a "fix"."
These are pretty easy to do, if I remember correctly, its simply a matter of removing the circuit board they are provided with and installing a drop in decoder.
I started on my layout in January 2011. I can always add detail,more lighting,etc.,but it's basically "done". I plan to run/work on this for at least a few more years - I am still having fun with it,but at some point I'll tear it down to the benchwork and build an On3 layout in it's place...or not...
Mike
How old is my layout? What time is it?
We moved to our current house for good (it was our vacation house prior for about a year) this June, and in late August She-who-must-be-obeyed gave me dispensation to take over the 3rd bedroom for my trains. Just got the last of the benchwork up last week, using wall brackets and 80"x18" folding doors I got from Home Depot.
Unlike my previous layout in our last house that I started building in 2003 with stand-alone cookie-cutter benchwork, and never really finished because it got away from me (plans didn't match reality, a sad, often heard tale), I'm keeping this one simple. Around the wall (U-shaped with removable staging tracks at each end) switching branch line, combo of pink foam and Woodland Scenics SubTerrain, with mostly a single track with two passing sidings and a bunch of industrial sidings.
I have most of the base scenery for one of the three sides done (ran out of foam and waiting for more to arrive), and should have it done enough to have trains running on it by Thanksgiving.
So my layout is probably the "baby" of the bunch here. :)
NP2626 Per carl425 "I've got a pile of Proto 2000 GP9's you can convert if you need a "fix"." These are pretty easy to do, if I remember correctly, its simply a matter of removing the circuit board they are provided with and installing a drop in decoder.
Mostly, although I rip out the incandescent bulbs and add LEDs with resistors, and just use a regular wire harness decoder. End result is 0 worries about any defects on the factory circuit board and lights that will outlive my grandchildren, should I ever have any (not in any rush here...)
Only about 2.
Have fun with your trains