saying goodbye

[Anonymous]

Alas, after being in the hobby for a few short years, I have to pack up my HO layout as I am leaving home next year to go to school. My parents have no desire to maintain a railroad, so it must be packed away. I need info on packing away Lichen, constructed buildings, bridges, and other details for a future layout. (hopefully) I’ve appreciated this great hobby, and someday hope to return. It’s back to the armchair for me for now. I have found this forum to be extremely helpful, and appreciate the sincerity and intelligence of other modellers. Good bye, and see you again someday

[JeremyB]

Hi There

Im sorry you have to leave the hobby,but you can use the next few years to plan your dream layout.I have packed away lichen and it does't stay for a while, over the next few yaers it will probably dry out,maybe somebody else has some ideas for that.I would use bubble wrap to keep your buildings safe,I used this and nothing happedn to mine.I also used that on engines and freight cars.hope that helps a little.
Jeremy

[Anonymous]

I could be wrong but if you put the lichen in to a air tight bag this might help it last longer.
Good luck!
Icemanmike-Milwaukee

[Anonymous]

If you have access to a vacuum foodsaver sealer the lichen may stay ok with out drying out. Store your engines in the box they came in (if you saved them) in an upright position not on their side. Bubble pack the rest and store in a high place so they wont get wet if a pipe bursts and tape the boxes closed so little critters wont make it home.
Beeline

[cp1057]

Sorry to hear about your hiatus, but may I make some suggestions?:

-a lot of reading about layout planning and the like can be done from the armchair
-perhaps a few small modelling projects that can be stored in a desk or night table to keep the flame alive
-I don't know what your dorm situation will be like, but if a bookshelf is available a diorama could be built. This year's Model Railroad Planning has several articles on this
-if funds permit, maybe there will be a club in the area you attend school that you could join

Best of luck, study hard!
Charles

[dknelson]

My own experience was that by the time I returned to my "high school" layout -- after four years of college and three years of law school -- it all looked so crude to me that I saved one or two buildings and tossed the rest. Lichen didn't look good to me either.
of course that was also in the era when nickle silver track was really replacing brass and I had used brass track.
What I do suggest is keeping your hand in by trying to do a bit of railfanning where you go to school, if that is possible. Obviously studies come first. But I now regret not taking more photos of the things I saw during my college days.
I also found that a well stocked college library might have tons of books on railroad subjects that you have not seen before. Unlike public libraries which tend to throw out stuff that does not circulate, college libraries tend to hang on to the old stuff. They also might have interesting maps.
Dave Nelson

[nfmisso]

Make sure to do a careful check at your school. I went to UIUC, I was there three years before I found out about the MR club.

Nigel

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the replies. I will be sure to check for a MR style club once I get to school. Hopefully I can get my layout packed away safely. Many of my buildings are scratchbuilt, so after much time and effort put in, I woud feel rather guilty about just chucking them. I also just had a brain child... I wonder if I could make a z scale desk sized protable layout. then again I don’t know if I would have the patience to work with z scale, or even N. But anyways, lots to think about and thanks for all the help

Chris