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Georgetown & Allen Mountain Railroad 5.0

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  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Monday, July 2, 2018 7:01 AM

As much as I regret Michael´s decision, it did not really come as a surprise. When he posted pictures of those German trains that kept coming in, I somehow knew that his N scale layout was doomed! His interest in German railroading was just too obvious.

His decision to pack up everything for the time being - as sad as it is - may be the right decision for the time being. Stepping back for a while and doing other things will help to clear the mind.

I am sure we will see more from him - when the time comes!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Monday, July 2, 2018 5:56 AM

Wow, I have to say, we could certainly see this coming.

I guess that I shouldn't be all that surprised.

I did the same thing with tropical fish breeding. Got into it big time, and then, for whatever the reason, I pared back and then exited the hobby.

I really hate to see a guy as talented as Michael leave the hobby, but it happens. Maybe too much, too soon, too all encompassing. Michael accomplished so much more in a year than I have accomplished in 14 years, and I thought that my efforts were ambitious.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Monday, July 2, 2018 12:34 AM

Thanks for the feedback, you can always keep in touch with this thread even if you aren't doing anything.

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 251 posts
Posted by tedtedderson on Sunday, July 1, 2018 9:29 PM

Good luck, Michael. 

You're certainly talented. Hope you get back into it later. 

I really enjoyed seeing your work on the most recent iteration.  Thanks! 

T e d

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • 7,500 posts
Posted by 7j43k on Sunday, July 1, 2018 7:09 PM

Michael,

If ya don't wanna, ya don't wanna.

I was out of model railroading twice, for several years at a time.

Take care of yourself,

 

Ed

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Sunday, July 1, 2018 3:50 PM

I'm getting emails from members asking me when I will start working on the layout again. So I thought to post my answer here for everybody to see.

After watching the layout collect dust for several months I decided to take it down. I've packed all the rolling stock, structures, and track in moving boxes so nothing bad can happen to it. 

I still have the bench work in case I would want to start a new layout. I've even created what I believe is a good plan for a German H0 layout which might make my wife happy but I don't have any interest in building it. So for now it looks like I'm leaving the hobby. Maybe at some point in time I'll be back, maybe after I retire. We'll see. In any case it was a lot of fun being here and getting to know all of you. Thanks for all the friendship, support, and advice.

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 251 posts
Posted by tedtedderson on Thursday, May 24, 2018 8:40 PM

Michael-

Is your layout still N?

T e d

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Thursday, May 24, 2018 7:34 PM

wow, that is a long time, though I remember back in the day people waiting that long or longer for a certain brass engine to be built.

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Thursday, May 24, 2018 7:11 PM

rrebell

Not to question your decisions but how could anyone have so many fogotten backorders? Just wondering. Like those German short trains by the way.

 

It's simple, really. The importers of German models do not often have stock so whenever you order something you might get it in a few days - or in a few months, sometimes it takes more than a year. Right now my backorder list goes back to 2015 Big Smile...

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Thursday, May 24, 2018 5:39 PM

Not to question your decisions but how could anyone have so many fogotten backorders? Just wondering. Like those German short trains by the way.

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Thursday, May 24, 2018 11:24 AM

Today must be a special day!

UPS just stopped by with another train laugh​. It looks like somebody is seriously working on my list of backorders!

 

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Thursday, May 24, 2018 10:06 AM

Today the mailman delivered another short German H0 train so there seems to be a certain tendency...

 

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 2:47 PM

Nature can overgrow anything, I have seen some German forests that you could swear were in North America, that being said it is true that alot of his stuff is HO.

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 9:54 AM

rrebell

Land is land. A forest in Germany dose not look much different that one in the U.S. Change a few buildings and wayside details and you have a German layout. In fact the thing (that not everone models) that is most different is that in Europe, right of ways seem to be cleaner looking. 

 

 
A forest in Germany does look different, as we have hardly a "natural" forest left in this country. But that´s not the issue, as Michael has not yet "planted" any trees. The track plan may require adaption to some peculiarities of German railroading, like trains running on the right side and not the left side, sidings secured by "catch" track and maybe more emphasize on passenger trains. No doubt that this could be done without a major rebuild.
 
However, Michael´s German trains are in HO scale, while the layout is N scale.

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 9:41 AM

Land is land. A forest in Germany dose not look much different that one in the U.S. Change a few buildings and wayside details and you have a German layout. In fact the thing (that not everone models) that is most different is that in Europe, right of ways seem to be cleaner looking. 

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 251 posts
Posted by tedtedderson on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 9:05 AM

Michael, 

Assuming your question isn't rhetorical, I'd say (and hope) that you keep the G&AM.

T e d

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 8:59 AM

Michael,

did you know, that the restaurant car had the nick name "cockatoo"?

As much as I would like to see your talent and energy going into a Deutsche Bundesbahn themed layout, I think you have come too far with this N scale layout not to finish and enjoy it! Maybe there is a chance for a smaller HO scale layout in addition?

I meant to ask you a long time ago - whereabouts in Germany did you go to?

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 8:31 AM

We made it back smiley​. We had good weather, good food, saw friends and family, and looked at a house that we could buy. The house was a disaster, filthy, badly maintained, so we didn't even consider buying it. That leaves us with only one option at the moment: to stay in Florida. 

While in Germany I visited my old train store and found out that it has a new owner who knew me because we're both members of the same German model railroad forum. Small world!

I ended up with a new dining car made by Roco:

 

Now the big question is: do I keep the G&AM layout or do I pick up the hint that my wife gave me and switch to a German layout?

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Friday, May 4, 2018 10:08 AM

As I'm not working on the railroad while we prepare for our trip to Germany I have no progress to show. Instead I cleaned up this old German train station that has been sitting underneath my bench work for years. Looks good with that train!

 

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Friday, May 4, 2018 10:07 AM

hon30critter

I'm sorry Michael, but you have failed miserably!!Smile, Wink & Grin You have not discussed the huge building that sits behind your new train! I thought that the structures that you had produced with your laser so far were impressive, but that building is amazing! It just says "WOW"!

So, if you don't mind, perhaps you could do a post on how you built it, please.

Thanks,

Dave

 

Dave,

That's one of my first attempts with the laser. I built this station when I first got the laser and it's far from perfect. If you're interested to see how I built you can find it here: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/14886?page=69

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 12:54 AM

I'm sorry Michael, but you have failed miserably!!Smile, Wink & Grin You have not discussed the huge building that sits behind your new train! I thought that the structures that you had produced with your laser so far were impressive, but that building is amazing! It just says "WOW"!

So, if you don't mind, perhaps you could do a post on how you built it, please.

Thanks,

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: The Villages, Fl
  • 59 posts
Posted by bavrail on Monday, April 30, 2018 7:41 PM

I like your mailman. 

WS

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Monday, April 30, 2018 7:01 PM

rrinker

 Did you actually preorder all this stuff and forget about it, or is the wife secretly ordering things to make a not so subtle hint on what you should do next? Laugh Laugh

                                   --Randy

 

Honestly? My H0 backorder list still has about 20 entries, some dating back to 2015. And there's a N scale backorder list as well Big Smile...

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Monday, April 30, 2018 6:45 PM

 Did you actually preorder all this stuff and forget about it, or is the wife secretly ordering things to make a not so subtle hint on what you should do next? Laugh Laugh

                                   --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Monday, April 30, 2018 6:08 PM

More temptation...

Today the mailman brought me this wonderful German express train:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2016
  • 3 posts
Posted by rteusink on Friday, April 27, 2018 7:47 AM

Thank you sir for the prompt reply!

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 967 posts
Posted by michaelrose55 on Thursday, April 26, 2018 7:58 PM

rteusink

Micheal,

Forgive me if this has already been answered, but what make and model is your laser?


Thanks,


Bob

 

Nothing to forgive Big Smile! It's this one: https://www.fslaser.com/Product/Hobby

  • Member since
    November 2016
  • 3 posts
Posted by rteusink on Thursday, April 26, 2018 2:29 PM

Micheal,

Forgive me if this has already been answered, but what make and model is your laser?


Thanks,


Bob

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 12:28 PM
Michael, Your mountains/canyon walls are amazing and an inspiration as I start to construct mountains/canyon walls on my layout. Doug PS: My wife Kelly says 'Hi'.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

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