I anticipate a home move in about a year, and am developing some plans for the move, and model railroading after the move.
The current set of railroads can be viewed at http://canalligators.altervista.org/RR_Website_0_Main.htm
It is currently operational and some scenery is done.
The original railroad came into the basement in two parts making up a 5' by 11' benchwork. It moved in from my previous home. I'm going to abandon all but this original part, then add a small loop to that once I get settled.
Here are my ideas:
BTW, the freestanding N scale goes to the grandson that is building it with me, and the freestanding museum will go to the granddaughter that's building that with me. The Lionel underneath dispostion is TBD.
Anybody have additional ideas?
Genesee Terminal, freelanced HO in Upstate NY ...hosting Loon Bay Transit Authority and CSX Intermodal. Interchange with CSX (CR)(NYC).
CP/D&H, N scale, somewhere on the Canadian Shield
"...set of railroads..."?!?!
I have enough trouble just trying to build one! My hat's off to ya!
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
My advise, start over, the other layout never seems to fit and you have gotten better. I had one buit specificaly for a move, nothing moved as far as layout.
Keep all the layout sections small. I still have a mostly-dismantled 5x10 foot section in my garage that simply couldn't make it upstairs and around the corner into the train room. The new train room isn't as big as the old one, anyway, so this part will be recycled as lumber for new benchwork.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I have found that, while it can be done, it's rarely the case that the move of an entire layout is going to be seamless and damage-free, and that the item, once erected, will require either substantial alteration or something akin to a complete do-over. It's cheaper than an complete rebuild, but.......a rebuild is a fresh start where you can craft something novel or at least greatly improved from the previous concept...AND...its execution. That is to say, we all make plans, and we make compromises as we execute the plan with real construction, yet when we look back, we know what we have done that was a required correction has left the whole thing cluttered, looking ad hoc, mediocre, hastily corrected, unplanned...
Starting over with a new design will hopefully make the final product more carefully and comprehensively considered, will make it more durable and fun, and will make it a custom-fit and constructed invention that you would be proud to show to others.
I have removed five STRATTON AND GILLETTE railroads with saws and hammers, and they all went to the landfill.
.
Your skills and ideas will have improved so much, saving anything can really be a step backward.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Save everything !
I have the same layout which follow me since 45 years when I begun it.
When I was 15 I already dreamed about a live railroad project; but life is more difficult we all think about, so I have wait nearly 45 years to be able and fortunate enough to build the dream layout.
Because of this point of view, any plans I have made included the parts which has followed me along my life.
I have made many changes and upgrade on this layout and I have save it all the long way of my life which was not for sure a calm river.
He survived severals moves six or seven don't remember, including a travel across the atlantic from Belgium to Canada where I live now.
It's full of memories including some dad work which still exist on the layout now.
It has a few issues in the design but I love him and I never had the courage to tear it down for all these reasons.
And personaly for many intimate reasons I need memories including this layout.
So think twice before to decide to tear it down; its always possible to integrate parts of a layout differently in a new project and following a new arrangement of the old parts.
good luck
Heck, all layouts are abandoned eventually.
But been there and done that. I dismanteled my last layout in summer 2017 and saved nearly everything.
Time for a Dr. Wayne, many pictures moment:
Yep, saved all the track nails, screws, joiners etc.
Last sectoin standing.
It all went to the next house:
Sixteen feet of benchwork that is the "core" of the next layout has been stood up here in the back (two 8 foot sections with Homasote).
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Thanks for the thoughts, all well considered.
Moving the original 5x11 is feasible. It moved into my current house 30 years ago. Splitting it does do some damage to the terrain, easily fixed, but I built it to be moved. And I'm emotionally attached to it, it will move and live on.
The rest of the road is cobbled together and was not built to move, pieces will collapse when disassembled. I might be able to salvage the tops, but there is the part that I could do better and should be scrapped - I'm better now. And I own a SawzAll, what a wonderful tool!
Pruitt "...set of railroads..."?!?! I have enough trouble just trying to build one! My hat's off to ya!
None of them anywhere near done! I think one attraction to it is the downsizing. I'll quickly move to a pike that's 3/4 sceniced, and can get the rest to the same state quickly.