On your own layout...

[jacon12]

when did you know that enough is enough? Enough track and sidings, enough structures, enough 'business'? I was just looking at mine a few minutes ago and I thought how very simple it is with only two or three places to 'service' (I still have a long way to go), but I thought , 'when will I know that enough is enough'?
Jarrell

[pcarrell]

You are assuming that I do know!

I look for the amount of activity that I want vs. the tracks to scenery ratio and go where my heart tells me from there. [8D]

[ARTHILL]

There is never enough. If you think you are done, your standards are too low. Like full scale, when its full, you tear down and rebuild. Some guy just bought a million dollar house on a lake and toar it down to build a real house. In HO we can all do that.

[jwar]

Jacon...I started with just a bookcase switching yard, now its around the room, a double track helix, so that I can go around the rooom again on the upper level, using four swing ups, The wife asked me the same question and my reply. Honney if you want the bathroom remodeled lets do it this summer, She asked why, we did that last year, "well hon the tolet is directley on the other side on my main line, if we move the tolet about six inches I can tunnet through to the Den.

its sure uncomfortable sleeping in the train room,...LOL...John

[selector]

Jarrell, IF you were able/wanted to add another 6 sq ft to what you have, would you be able to add someting unique and interesting that would make the difference for you? If the answer is no, then you must live with what you planned some time ago. If you have a couple of ideas, and they are not currently doable, then maybe now is the time to rethink your footprint.

Seriously, why not go for broke? This may be your only kick at a layout, at least for a heck of a long time. If you really feel that this doesn't quite suffice, then look for an addition that will make a difference.

Or, to hedge a little, stay on the same horse now that you are in mid-stream [;)] , but make a minor adjustment to your track plan, perhaps at one end of the layout, and make it adaptable to a module to be added in, say, 2007. It would help, though, to decide now what that will be...so that the adjustment can be appropriate to that eventuality.

[oleirish]

Jarrell

belive me ! I don't think a lay out is ever done,If I had your space,I would add an section on both ends,maybe an town on both ends ,with industries,then you could move fright from one place to anthor,and pasngr cars.You will know when enough is enough.

JIM

[jacon12]

Thanks for the answers guys. I guess I'm going to have to freeze the layout space as it is now, I need the rest of the room for other things. I'm heavily into photography ,
(I took this of my wife tonight)

and I need the space. It's a little difficult, when the trains are running right behind me with the camera, to get people to look at the camera and smile. They want to watch the train. I've just got to rethink what I have and see what I can come up with.
Jarrell

[Duce]

You got to be careful..

I spent 4 years trying to figure out a space to put a railroad because of "space" issues. Is it big enough?, How long will it take to fill? I never begain to build the railroad. My uncle has gone to the train store everyweek for as far back as I can remember. (I'm 31)
For train stuff. He still to this day is waiting for a big enough spot for the layout....

Point is no matter how much space you have your never really done... That the good thing about this hobby.... or is it a bad thing????

[selector]

Ergo, the hedge that I alluded to, Jarrell. Keep going, but leave an open seam (end) someplace that you know will allow you to add..whatever. Just keep going. The horse is getting restless....and isn't a great swimmer just yet.

[Jetrock]

How do you know when it is enough?

When the wallet is empty and your credit card CATCHES FIRE from repeated friction.

[ukguy]

Great pic of the missus Jarrell.

When is enough enough you ask, I might ask you when is a door not a door, but that would be irrelevant.
In my thoughts.... it will never be enough because what is enough in your plans for today will change by tommorrow, it is an evolving world in which we dabble, and not just in terms of product availability but in terms of what we want and desire for our own satisfaction.
With that blatantly unclear and wandering answer finished I must say that I concur with Crandell. You, and we, all know that your desires, needs, tastes and definately skills will change over time, be happy with your plan now and complete it (if infact you are happy with it now), dont worry about the future. Instead provide for it, leave the door open for it, complete the task at hand but make provision for an evolving and growing layout sometime later.
It will be no big deal to remove a small section of track to add a switch leading to an extension, even a major overhaul of one section of the layout in the future to provide for this will be no disaster in reality.
Don't give yourself the headache of what may come, as it may not, or may be in a different form that you expect, instead enjoy what you have, maybe build in a few dead end spurs leading nowhere(yet) learn what you really want and have FUN!

Failing all that, rip it out and start again.[:D] (sarcasm)

Have fun & be safe
Karl.

[robengland]

I was going to say enough is enough when it makes you happy, then I realised it is the other way around:

enough is enough when it NO LONGER makes you happy

Sounds like you are there already, with the trains getting in the way of your photography (which you are obviously good at).

[oleirish]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jacon12

Thanks for the answers guys. I guess I'm going to have to freeze the layout space as it is now, I need the rest of the room for other things. I'm heavily into photography ,
(I took this of my wife tonight)

and I need the space. It's a little difficult, when the trains are running right behind me with the camera, to get people to look at the camera and smile. They want to watch the train. I've just got to rethink what I have and see what I can come up with.
Jarrell

VARY NICE !! How does she put up with you??LOL classy.
when are we going to see progess pictures of your lay out???
JIM

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jacon12
I thought how very simple it is with only two or three places to 'service'

Part of the illusion. Remember that most of our model railroads' places to service are "off layout". We just had a big spat at the club because our fleet of rolling stock didn't match our industries. We had fruit painted reefers being assigned to the packing plant, and no fruit industries at all (horror)! Some members wanted to remove all cars that didn't serve a specific industry on the layout. Sort of like a closed system. We have a pretty big layout but still not nearly enough to create the amount of traffic we would need to have a good operating session. After some discussion they realized how ludicrous that idea is.

We have trains on the layout that only pass through, originating and terminating in cities 100's of miles from our layout "setting". There are loads originating off layout and coming into our "setting", and same for departing loads. Then there are the interchanges where all sorts of traffic originates or terminates to "other" industries on "other" railroads. They knew this, it was just a bit of brain fade in a moment of over zealous (and incorrect) move to be prototypically perfect. We have refined the operating scheme so that fruit reefers only get assigned to through or interchange trains, but it would have been just silly to remove them from the layout.

So your two or three industries might serve 100's of customers off the layout.

[orsonroy]

I've got it easy. Since I model based on a prototype, I'm using the railroad's timetables, schedules, and track plans (jiggered to fit my available space). Instead of trying to figure out when I've got enough, I have to figure out what to cut out!

[siberianmo]

[2c] Regarding the question of knowing when enough is enough ....

The majority of the layouts that I've constructed over the decades have all had a basic flaw - they were (and are) built to saturation. So for me, that's it. Of course, there will always be the little things - changes here and there. But for the most part, space has always been the limiting factor - so, my track plans fill 'em up and I landscape around them, putting structures where I feel they'll look the best.

Perhaps my photo album will show it better than I can explain it:
http://www.railimages.com/gallery/thomasweber

Enjoy!

[claycts]

When I fell of the bar stool. "LOL" When you are spending more time at your hobby BEFORE MODEL RAILROADING you have reached the stopping point. I walked away, not by choice, 22 years ago I am back now and enjoying every minute and every problem that was such a pain before. I have a Sick 951 Porsche that will cost around $3,500.00 to get running. Last year I would have rushed out and spent a ton to get it running. I parked it and went to the trains, went back and found a way to fix it for $1,500.00. See model railroads can SAVE YOU MONEY!

[jacon12]

Well guys (and girls if you're out there!) I've been rethinking my layout *gasp!*. I decided I needed more space. (Wow, what an original idea!!) so I've added a 4x4 foot table

to the end loop on the right side. I needa yard somewhere! I needa room for more industries! (So much for keeping open space for photo studio work!)
The mountain..

and the looooong incline leading up to it..

are gone. It was taking up tooooo much space. I think it scenery wise it would have looked great but I need the room for other things. So now I'm back to the planning stage..

Oh... about my wife... she was running through the house the other night playing with Hannah, our English bulldog..

and Hannah hit her right in the legs around the knees going full speed with all 55 lbs and brought down my wife. Carol somehow landed on her foot and broke it and this coming Wed morning will have to have two pins place in it to keep it in alignment for the healing process. Six weeks at least.
Soooo... I'm doing double duty around here AND trying to work on the layout too. It did have the advantage in that I got my wife to come out and paint some structures for me.
AND... I keep runnning across locomotives and other stuff to buy and play with and that keeps me from serious planning work also... [:D]
Now I know why it can take up to 20 years and more to do one of these things![;)]
Jarrell

[ereimer]

and hannah looks like such a nice dog too . looks can be decieving . pass along a get well soon message to your wife from all of us .

[claycts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ereimer

and hannah looks like such a nice dog too . looks can be decieving . pass along a get well soon message to your wife from all of us .

Ditto from South Carolina! Hope it is a short 6 weeks!

[selector]

Ouch, that smarts. I see that the bulldog must have hit her legs with his snout...? [(-D]
Please pass on my sympathies to Carol, and that I wish her a speedy and full recovery.

As for what this means for you? Well, get that opti-visor and get to work!!

[ukguy]

Best wishes to Carol for speedy recovery, keep her busy with that paint brush and tell her its theraputic, you could have it all painted by the time shes up and about again, how is she at making trees????????

Take care Jarrell and dont do too much,
Karl

[jacon12]

Hey, I hadn't thought of that! I could have me a painter and a tree maker, a rock maker... and I wonder how good she'd be at soldering up under the bench.
I sure hope it heals well, we're supposed to go out west around the middle of Sept and she swears shes going, but..... I dunno.
Anyway, what do you guys think about me taking the mountain and the incline down?
Oh! I'll pass along the best wishes too!
Jarrell

[ukguy]

Doesnt matter what we think Jarrell, its what makes you happy that counts, if you werent happy, changed your mind or just had a better idea thats YOUR perrogative.

If we all said keep it but you didnt want to and you did every time you looked at it you would think, 'if only.....', 'what if.....', 'maybe I shoulda...' , get my meaning?

Help and advice is one thing, telling you right from wrong is another.

Have fun & be safe,
Karl.

PS, I'm sure Carol would rather be reading a book while she's on her back rather than soldering your feeder wires under the bench work, [:)] unless maybe you could 'borrow' one of those hospital bed trollies, then .................

[CBQ_Guy]

I haven't reached that point. I could still use MORE room. 24 by 38 feet ain't cuttin' it for what I want to do.