If your layout & equipment were destroyed, would you start over?

[Anonymous]

I'd give it some thought. The loss of a residence is painful and incovenient as it is, and I'm not sure I'd want to start over in the hobby. Becoming an 'armchair hobbyist' might be all I was capable of doing. Maybe after a considerable amount of time had passed I'd feel the urge to begin collecting again...and, eventually, planning a new layout.

[ShaunCN]

I would start over again . Wouldn't want to ever give up the hobby

ShaunCN

[Anonymous]

Hopfully that will never happen. I'd restart.

[BRAKIE]

Well,After 53 years in the hobby I would start over as modeling railroading is my passion in life(outside of my kids and grandkids of course )..I would consider another scale such as O scale 2 rail or On30...

[Jetrock]

Yes. I mean, you have to start rebuilding somewhere, and heck, the building is the fun part!

[tomwatkins]

I'd definitely start over, as soon as the big stuff was taken care of. It's way too much fun to let a disaster put a stop to.
Tom Watkins

[AntonioFP45]

Been in this hobby since the 70s (when Atlas, Athearn, and Brass were at the top of the "HO Food Chain") though I was in a "hiatus" in the 90s.

With all these new high quality models, technological innovations and a Walthers Catolog that has doubled the amount of products in just a decade, I would like to think that I would go for it just because I'm learning all over again

[Anonymous]

Total destruction is just an excuse for rebuilding it bigger, better, faster! Well, maybe not faster, but bigger and better for sure.

[IRONROOSTER]

Well I have started over twice when I switched from HO to O and then to S. Of course I still have all my HO and O (getting to be collecter's items now). But yes I would start over after a fire, etc.
This hobby is too much fun to give it up.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

if it was a hooby you loved to begin with why let nature get in your path of enjoying something. dont get me wrong it wouldnt be easy dealing with those circumstances and i never have thank god and knock on wood but for those who have stay strong and keep your head up.

[Anonymous]

After every thing would get settled & rebuilt . "YOU BET"........ make plans slowly , & then it's notch "8" baby , "HIGHBALL" ........I'd be a little heartbroken though. It sure is nice to come home after a long day at work & go throttle up your set & take your mind off everything. ..............I don't want to look back & think should have, could have , would have , but didn't . Besides .....My wife would make me start all over again anyways, She enjoys it just as much as I do.

[Anonymous]

You Bet but with a T-Trak layout. This is the only way to go in N scale.

[Anonymous]

Of course.

I might even rebuild with a special room (place) for the trains. Remember "A model railroad is never done!"

[Hawks05]

of course. i'm hooked now. doesn't matter how much money i've spent i'd gladly restart. even though i'm in HS it might be hard to do but i'd surely try.

[Anonymous]

Knowing what I know now, you bet, but in "N". Oh the mountains I could climb!

[dragenrider]

Are you kidding? [%-)] Wait for a while then begin again? I checked "other" 'cause I'd be building the next day, even if it's in a temporary motel room next to the McDonald's bags. [dinner]

This time I'd only buy quality items that I really needed and less cheap junk that I don't! [:)][:)][:)]

[Anonymous]

I can't beleive there would be a question like that!!!!

OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!

It would be almost impossible to replace everything but there would definitely be another layout and the fun of finding duplicates of what was once.

I might consider a move to another location though!!!!

It could also give you the opportunity to change scales, eras, operating methods or railroads too. Some folks want to change these things but once they've acquired a lot of stuff and built their railroads they hate to sell it all and start over. This could be a good thing.

Roger

[krump]

I live in British Columbia where this past summer's (2003) numerous wildfires literally surrounded the community I live in for about 10 weeks (late June - mid Sept). We had no less than 7 wildfires to think about, and often 3 directions were being evacuated at the same time. Closest (tiny) fire to us was about 3 miles away... we managed to pack up the treasured items, photos, certain model r/r pieces, toys etc and were ready to leave if need be, travel trailer and dog loaded (the dog was stunned, not "loaded" as such). Thankfully, we were able to stay at the house without being evacuated, and the fires were eventually put out.
This question is timely in that sense... YES I would start Model R/R again, and my wife would do her scrapbooking memories (even of the fires), we'd go fishing, camping etc.

Now, late in January - freezing rain, black ice, blizzard conditions (tonight) and 14 inches of snow --- and we DON'T SKI. oh the irony. where was the snow in July?[^]

[sparkingbolt]

At this point I would probably pursue smaller projects like detailed cars and trucks, cranes equipment like that. then later on I might pursue a layout.

This question isn't so hypothetical with me. I did in fact lose a lot of stuff in a fire, what hurt the most was the loss of the many scratchbuilt structures. I didn't have a layout at the time since we had moved, but the loss of the structures and freightcars made starting over seem that much harder.

Now I am enjoying an operating layout, with no structures finished, a couple under construction and many planned. This should start soon now that about 97% of the track is fully operational. Dan

[Anonymous]

I already have. We had a house fire that took everything off from the ceiling line up. House unlivable for 5 1/2 months. Strange, nothing in the house was lost except the living room furniture and 1 picture (water damage). So we picked up, built up and cleaned up. Very stressful when you have un-educated construction people and you have to be there all the time supervising. [:(!] Anyway, since I only lost some magazines, [:(] I started over. Wish I had known that On30 was going to come on so strong then. These tired old eyes are not quite up for HO, but we make do. I have a magnifying lamp for really hard stuff. But, it's been a blast and I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

JR

[Anonymous]

It's not difficult for people to come up with an answer, when such a situation is hypothetical only.
But if the tragedy were real, it would depend on other circumstances, and wouldn't they be more meaningful than a mere hobby ?

Examples:
Loss of loved one....where would the motivation be if that was the real trauma, not the loss of some toys ?

Inadequate insurance....a lot of people don't have adequate levels of insurance on property or contents, or have specific riders, or have overly restrictive replacement clauses.Most things would need replacing ahead of trains.

Age and/or health & physical condition...for example, if over 60, or over 65, will we actually be going to live in a place that one could have a layout at all ?
( Most townhouses & condos don't....and nursing homes ?,... yeah right ! )

On the positive side, maybe someone in these unfortunate circumstances could change direction and go with a club setting, or a modular group, to stay in the hobby..????
regards
Mike

[Anonymous]

I would immediately start over again and try to get back everything that I lost. Hopefully this won't ever happen to any of us, though!

[ClinchValleySD40]

Sure I'd start over, why not?

[orsonroy]

I'd start over as soon as the insurance check cleared!

[cacole]

All of my locomotives, rolling stock, and other railroad items are stored at a club because I don't have a home layout, but I have so many thousands of dollars tied up that I would not be able to start over if there was a fire or burglary at the clubhouse. Not only that, but many of the items are no longer produced and would be impossible to replace.

[vsmith]

Start building or at least collecting ASAP. Although if I was starting over from absolute O I might change scale to On30.

[lupo]

my RR stuff was not destroyed, but I had to sell everything at age 17 due to financial problems my dad caused as he ran away, but I restarded when my son got interested in RR-ing,
As the insurance-check from the blind driver who ran me over cleared, I started buying things I only could dream about when I was 17,
I call that compensation.
[^]

[AggroJones]

As soon as I could afford it, I would begin rebuilding. It is part of me.

[Anonymous]

If I did, and I would have to give that a lot of thought, I would start over in N Scale, instead of HO.

[Anonymous]

I had to vote other. There would be no waiting to decide if I would continue. After the dust settled, I would be hard at it. I model in two scales. Primary scale is HO and the other one is 1/24 scale on Gauge III track (2-1/2"). If I got wiped out completely, I would work exclusivly in the 1/24 scale Gauge III arrangment as I find that the larger scale is more comfortable for me to work on. Plus the fact I would have to scratch build everything just gets my creative juices flowing just thinking about it.