Howard, I say go for it! Why not, especially if building is more of your thing than operating. You seem to have the interest and you can fix all of the old problems like too much hidden track. I plan on keeping my layout but plan on building two additional ones in spare bedrooms. One of which will be 1800s Virginia and Truckee so I can model the wild west with train robbers and a sheriff’s posse plus lots of horse draw wagons but no cars and have short trains and small cars and locomotives. The other layout is going to be a sci-fi train on Mars kind of based on the one in the movie, The Ghosts of Mars.
Plus staying active is what keeps you alive. My grandmother lived to be 100 because every day she got up and did a bunch of stuff. She was never one to sit around and read or watch TV. She was busy busy busy all of the time.
I have been given the chance to start over. This is our last chance for a new house and it is being designed with no steps. Instead of a basement, I am designing a structure attached to the house. Work has stopped on the current railroad and the tablework was built in modules, so with a few cuts on the surface, they should easily go out the door. The current layout will be incorporated in a new one about twice the size. The only radical change is no under the table staging yard. That is the HO room. There is also going to be a toy train room, a bunk car for overnight guests and a crew lounge. If the small stuff gets boring, the BNSF Chicago to Denver main is our next door neighbor. The property is large enough so that on one end you look down at the track, the middle is track level and at the other end you look up at the track. Ten cars of the California Zephyr go by in 7 seconds or less. Hopefully, construction will start next spring. It is going to be a long wait.
Ken Vandevoort
Howard, I am 73 and have been building models since I was 5 or 6 years old. Several layouts, lots of buildings sitting on shelves, having fun all the time.
As for starting over, I guess I would try to buy fewer kits to stack on my shelves. But I don't want to sell any of the ones I have so I guess I would still buy everything I could afford.
I have just ripped out my layout (again) and am starting fresh.
This time I am building three layouts around the room, stacked over each other.
One at 30 inches, one at chin level, and one in between.
Layouts are all 16 inches deep, basically level, and will all use HO standard gauge track.
I am happy that I am enjoying the hobby every bit as much as I did 65 years ago, but I can afford more now.
My lovely bride of 47 years thinks my hobby is great and will be with me at the Narrow Gauge Convention in Denver.
All is good. I am happy. So I guess I would do everything just as I have done so far.
The next time I start over, I plan on going up at least 1-2 sizes. Either O or O narrow gauge or even F scale. I find that detail and heft are things that apeal to me.
I've had the privilege of seeing Howard's layout twice. It's magnificent. The idea of a tear down and rebuild is mind boggling. Not to say it can't be done if that is where the heart's content is. But perhaps a short break would rekindle the desire to keep and improve. And if you want to do something different and scratchbuild 1910 equipment; why not? It's not an either/or proposition. Even a small layout on the side could be a diversion. I have a very small shelf layout, 13'-4" by 18" and I get great enjoyment from it. Just some thoughts to share.