I think I may be procrastinating a little, maybe, I think, I'm doomed.

[SpaceMouse]

I can't seem to get moving forward on my layout plans. I have all the right excuses.

I'm exhausted when I get home from work.

I need more info on the prototype and I'm getting more and more good sources.

I have to put 8 decoders in to get my fleet running with my Zephyr.

I still don't know the program 3rd Planit well enough to do layout plan the way I want it--and I spent a week developing a plan that didn't work.

My basement was a repository for all the extra stuff my mother-in-law brought with her when she moved in. I figure it will take a month of weekends and evenings to clean up.

My club has got the itch to create an operations based layout out of their BIG circle. If I want to run, I could put my efforts there and get results faster.

My railroad "to do" list is overwhelming--with many tasks to complete just to get my 4 x 8 layout so I can do operations.

I finally got a second loco to expand my B&P fleet at the club.

I want to have something to run while I work on the basement layout. My 4x8 will have to be taken down/sold for the benchwork to fit. This weekend, I bought a bunch of N-scale flex track at $1 a piece. I have everything I need for a shelf layout including a Tony Koesler plan. (I'll post it when I get it drawn)

And the real biggy. I have an autistic son. The top theory for the cause of autism right now is mercury injected with baby shots. Now my son did not have those shots, but I just recently found out that my town is in the top ten percent in worst air quality in the country. It is not smog, rather we have the 4 worst polluting power plants in the country in Western Pennsylvania. The problem they don't have stack scrubbers and they dump heavy metals into the atmosphere--particularly mercury. We routinely get 3-4 deaths a year with mysterious cadmium poisoning that cannot be traced. So unless this is fixed, I am starting a 5 year plan to leave the area. My layout I figure, will take 5 years to complete.

It's hopeless right?

[ereimer]

it sounds like you're not going to be building the basement empire at this location , so having a track plan isn't a high priority . you've got plenty of other stuff to do , as you've listed above . just enjoy doing them . occasionally take a bash at the track plan , you may develop some ideas you really like that can be incorporated into the final plan which can't really be started until you move . and you have 3 layouts to work on to give you the satisfaction of actually building something . it's not a horrible situation , you just need to decide what to do

i'd think about moving up the timeline on the plan to leave the area though , it doesn't sounds like someplace you should be living

[Anonymous]

Why take 5 years to make the move? Move this year or next and you'll have 3 more years in the new place to start on the layout.

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kleimeyer

Why take 5 years to make the move? Move this year or next and you'll have 3 more years in the new place to start on the layout.

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

(I keep spending it on trains.)

[tstage]

Chip,

How 'bout thinking along the lines of a modular layout for now. Or, one that can be somewhat easily dismantled? (Whenever you get to that point?)

I found the L-girder benchwork article in the July MR issue very inspiring. I already knew about L-girder design: It just started to click more and I liked the author's design. His design was neat and profressional looking.

Tom

P.S. My missionary friends - who live in the Bronx - have 2 autistic kids, with a possibility of their 3rd now being diagnosed with it, too. The authoriites are blaming it on the high amount of lead in the area.

[Anonymous]

Enough of DOOM, get a good attorney for your son, wife and yourself. The utility may "help" you move your time line up!
As a suggestion in the longer time line, break the dream layout into smaller sceens, yards, towns, countryside etc., and build them as seperate "modules" that you could move into a new space and plug into a larger layout later by connecting the "modules" into a continuous whole. Don't give up the dream, build toward it now. Will

[davekelly]

Chip,

Don't let apparent lack of progress get you down. While getting an operating layout may be on hold for a while (short or long) there are still things that can be done. I went 12 years without a layout at one point. During that time I did alot of reading - both modeling and prototype. This gave me a better understanding of what I wanted out of a layout. I also spent time building rolling stock and structures - improving my skill in these areas. I also played around with several small switching layouts (actually large dioramas) in order to learn some scenery skills.

One doesn't have to have a layout to be a model railroader!

[SpaceMouse]

Actually, I am somewhat of a wood working wiz having been a general contractor for 15 years. I could build a modular layout as you say, but the truth is, I'll probably move into a place that is better suited to building a basement empire. The Redwood trees, the structures, and the figures--the real time consuming stuff will be move-able. i will also build the track so that the turnouts will also come out easily (no solder joints).

When I move, I will start over with a better space, and by inference, a better layout--and the most expensive stuff, in time and money, will be done.

I'm not in that big a hurry to move. I live in a great place on the edge of the wild and I can't see any neighbors. If it were for that heavy meatl thing. What a wonderful world.

[Anonymous]

I'd say to suspend track planning on a basement empire - consider building a small switching layout for the time being, you can get a good layout on a couple of 4ftx2ft boards that will (with some careful design) bolt together to form a solid box for your planned move (fit backscenes that will form the sides, and build a pair of frames that will bolt to each end to hold the boards together with the scenic parts inside). Afterwards, you can add them to your new layout. This will enable you to put your time to good use fitting decoders, building and adjusting stock, etc. Does your club run DCC? If so, you'll be able to run your locos there too.

You could also consider storing the HO equipment and concentrating on the N for the time being - I saw an amazing German N layout today in a magazine, it managed to offer twin-track mainline (and a loco depot with roundhouse and turntable) along with plenty of staging behind in an area of 6ftx4ft. This wouldn't be too hard to adapt to a scene in the USA - just lose the overhead wires, maybe change the roundhouse for an industrial scene. The finished product looked very professional with full backscenes around the scenic area (there was a shaped cutout at the front to allow viewing) and wouldn't look out of place outside a dedicated train room. Hope there's some useful ideas here!

[jacon12]

Chip, I won't even try to tell you what to do as far as the model railroading goes... I can't decide on my own.
But, I will say I'm sorry to hear about your son. I wi***his were a better world that we live in.
Jarrell

[Jetrock]

I can relate on the procrastination front--I haven't done any real work on the layout in a few months. Of course, the idea of spending lots of time in my un-air-conditioned garage in the lovely 105+ degree heat isn't exactly appealing, plus my creative powers have focused on things like making a giant toad-monster, a zeppelin with working motors, and a bunch of other ridiculous props for a movie serial/film festival. Traditionally summers are when I focus on playing lots of music, behaving like an idiot on various stages for the film festival, and otherwise reverting back to my mid-twenties. There will be plenty of time for trains in the fall and spring and winter...

[selector]

Chip, between your time spent online and otherwise dwelling on MR-related stuff, especially lately with your realization that you are going to go in a new direction with trains, you may be approaching burnout.

Let me assure you that it IS overwhelming. Been there! But, I am retired and was able to persevere, as you know. Your circumstances are entirely different. Setting aside your son's regrettable syndrom, your demanding business and the environment in which you live (polluted, you tell us) all take their pounds of flesh out of you. You have a lot on your mind, and I am guessing that it is telling you that you are not in a position to do as you had hoped. Later, probably, but not now.

For you, maybe a simple, doable, but unique and detailed switching layout on which you can learn more about DCC and its capabilities is all you really need...and can handle... right now. Use it to build skills and get ideas to blend into the Master Plan.

I hope I have not said things that deflate you. I am pretty skilled in language, and your words say a great deal to me. They say you are a bit tired, and need some time to dwell on other things. Either that, or you are ambivalent about some of the major decisions you have made...in which case, definitely do not proceed.

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

Chip, between your time spent online and otherwise dwelling on MR-related stuff, especially lately with your realization that you are going to go in a new direction with trains, you may be approaching burnout.

Let me assure you that it IS overwhelming. Been there! But, I am retired and was able to persevere, as you know. Your circumstances are entirely different. Setting aside your son's regrettable syndrom, your demanding business and the environment in which you live (polluted, you tell us) all take their pounds of flesh out of you. You have a lot on your mind, and I am guessing that it is telling you that you are not in a position to do as you had hoped. Later, probably, but not now.

For you, maybe a simple, doable, but unique and detailed switching layout on which you can learn more about DCC and its capabilities is all you really need...and can handle... right now. Use it to build skills and get ideas to blend into the Master Plan.

I hope I have not said things that deflate you. I am pretty skilled in language, and your words say a great deal to me. They say you are a bit tired, and need some time to dwell on other things. Either that, or you are ambivalent about some of the major decisions you have made...in which case, definitely do not proceed.

Crandell, you are such a wise man..[:)]
About two weeks ago I was fast approaching burnout, like at the speed of light. I had to just lay it down for about a week. It definitely can overwhelm before you know it.
Jarrell

[dehusman]

I sorta know what you are going through. My son has Asberger's syndrome, which is a high functioning form of autism. Sometimes things just happen. We have done years of tests, including trips to the Mayo Clinic and haven't found any cause (or cure). Right now I shouldn't be typing on this *** computer, I ought to be down in the basement reinstalling the track on his layout (mental note: next time paint the cork roadbed grey BEFORE you lay the track.)

My suggestion is to do one of two things. Either build a very simple layout with a loop of track, a couple staging tracks, a small yard and a couple industries just to run some trains on, knowing that it is entirely disposable (except for the track and buildings and possibly the benchwork if you use open grid) or decide on one critical scene that you want (lumber mill, terminal, etc) and build that on open grid benchwork (so it can be crated and moved) and build a simple "disposable" layout that can incorporate the scene.

Make the layout very simple. Then use the next five years as a golden opportunity to practice your modeling skills. What glorious freedom you can have secure in the knowledge that no matter how badly something turns out, you're going to toss it anyway, so it doesn't matter, try again and do it better. Put your time and money into building those kits you have. One fellow I know would use the time he spent helping his son with his homework to build freight cars. He would sit on one side of the table and build cars while his son would work on homework on the other. Anytime the son had a question, dad was right there to answer it. Use the five years to do research. Get a looseleaf binder and some of those plastic sleeves. Everytime you find a webpage, print out a copy and put it in the binder. Everytime you find a picture, a mp or an article, photocopy it and put it in the binder. After 5 years you will have a homemade encyclopedia on your area of interest. Then in five years when you buy a basement ...er house, you will have a headstart on the buildings and rolling stock, then you will have the information to build the plan you want.

Dave H.

[SpaceMouse]

Thanks Dave,

I already have a 4 x 8 to run trains on. I'm going to be pushing ahead I think. Who know what my state of mind will be 5 years from now.

I was going to send you an email, but it is not posted. Drop me an email. I found something that really helped my son and you should be aware of it if you aren't already.

[davekelly]

Dave H,

Better words of wisdom would be hard to find.

Dave K.

[tstage]

[#ditto] Dave...AND Dave!

Tom

[SpaceMouse]

Geez,

I never met a bunch of guys that went further to talk somebody out of something--was this a palnned reverse psycology or something. I came to the conclusion that the biggest issue was bleaning out my basement. It will probably take a month of weekends to accomplish which is about 3 weeks long than it would take me to build the benchwork of a new layout. It will be much better when the space is clean.

[rrinker]

I only cleaned out one section. It let me get started. I have to clean the next section so I can start expanding (although I haven't copleted this first section yet...). There's no chance I could EVER clean out the entire basement and build all the benchwork atone time - there's no place for the stuff. I have to get a section built to the point of having most of the underside work completed, then move the stuff under the completed part and work on the next part, shuffling as I go.
Consider a section design to the benchwork, like I did, each piece is a uniform 2x8 box. When (not if) I move I will be able to cut things apart and haul it out if I want. Even if I don't or can't reassemble the same layout, I can scrape off the track and reuse the sections.
Keep plugging away at the track plan, I spent about a year planning and cleaning up the basement at our old house. When I finally worked out something that would work in the space, we decided to move. There was over a month between our offer being accepted and actually moving - so I measured the basement (and got that picture of it completely empty) and started designing. That was over 2 years ago, and it's STILL not finished.


--Randy

[pcarrell]

P...r...o..c..r..a..s...t...i.n...a...t.i....n...g, wh....a...t..'...s t......h.....a......t ?

[davekelly]

P. Carrell,

I'll tell you next week.

[pcarrell]

d..a....v.....e...k....e...l..l.....y,

O.......K