Up grading layouts seems to be quite a common happening. It can be done little at a time or redo the whole thing at once. I have heard of several people using Paul's idea of changeable scenes, you can change eras or just change the buildings or scene on the removeable sections.
Have fun,
Richard
I tend to reach a sort of comfort zone with my layouts; if I can't add any more track, I'll just start making the structures and the scenery more detailed. The only reason I demolished my previous layout was because I had started hosting op sessions, and several of my regular guest operators couldn't handle crawling thru the duckunders to reach certain areas.
-Ken in Maryland (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)
TracklayerAnyone else out there tired of looking at their layout but limited as to what they can do with it?.
I would suggest you build your structures and even some scenery on standard size bases that you can rotate on and off the layout. That way you can have a different scenic setting whenever you wanted to.
You could also have different eras and railroads.
If you provide enough clearance you could switch equipment between HO and On30.
Good luck
Paul
I'd echo what Russ said above. If your buildings are the same old kits that everyone else has, scratchbuild some new ones. Replace them one at a time and before long you'll have a new and unique layout to look at.
Steve S
Upgrade your layout one section at a time. Start by replacing one of your buildings with a higher quality craftsman kit. Or you can redo a small section of scenery by using better ground cover and scenics express tress. Soon after you have one scene to your satisfaction, you would want to add improvements from there.
I'm still building my layout, but part of me wants to head in a different direction. I'm really a scenery guy, too, and when I run my trains usually I just run a couple of trains in loops and do a bit of switching, fitting in car moves from one place to another between the looping "through freights." I've still got open space to expand into, but now I want to seriously think about operations.
If I were to start over, there are things I'd do differently. I should have put more industries around the loops. I should have made the carfloat terminal more aisle-friendly. And, I should have planned better for staging.
I'm planning to retire later this year, and we will probably relocate after that. Whether I get a nice over-the-garage man cave like I have now or a big unwanted basement, I'll probably have to do some reconfiguration and rebuilding. I'm looking forward to that as a second chance to get it all right.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
You could also try some new rolling stock and engines. I have about 60 locos and just take turns runnning each one. My layout is large (not giant, but large as average layouts go) and I keep about 4 trains on the layout and the other enignes are in the roundhouse or in display cases. You could also try adding some water areas to the layout; that always adds some interest and can introduce a boat or two. just some suggestions. Don't give up!
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
Tracklayer The problems are that I only have enough available space that my current layout is taking up
The problems are that I only have enough available space that my current layout is taking up
Space is a critical and a limiting factor in planning what's going to be on the layout. Obviously the bigger the layout the more scenes you can have. The changes you are proposing sound reasonable but as a suggestion perhaps you could add a mine or something else for train traffic. Once again it comes down to space.
I started off trying to model a downtown area with the associated buildings but have since put them on the shelf and added a commercial street with the usual food, gas, grocery, warehouse, etc. Looks more like what I see everday in the real world.
Don't Ever Give Up
Sir Madog Tracklayer, are you sure you are just tired of looking at your layout or is it also operating it? If so, just refurbishing the old layout won´t do - you will get the same feeling pretty soon. Why don´t you sketch up your existing track plan and post it here. Maybe there is a chance to do something better - even in the space you have. Good layouts don´t have to be huge!
Tracklayer, are you sure you are just tired of looking at your layout or is it also operating it? If so, just refurbishing the old layout won´t do - you will get the same feeling pretty soon.
Why don´t you sketch up your existing track plan and post it here. Maybe there is a chance to do something better - even in the space you have. Good layouts don´t have to be huge!
Tracklayer
A fellow I know changes his era every year or so, doesn't get boring that way.
Hello all. My current layout turned ten years old this past March, and though I can't really find fault with it I'm just simply tired of looking at it and am thinking about changing it up a bit. The problems are that I only have enough available space that my current layout is taking up and and I can't come up with a better track plan than I already have... So about the only thing I can do is to remove all of the buildings and scenery and start from scratch redecorating it. If I do I think I may go with the community from the Spencer Tracy movie Bad Day At Black Rock which consisted of a depot, hotel, cafe', sheriff's office/jail, undertaker's place and a gas station. I also have the train that was used in the movie which was a Southern Pacific F-7 A,B set and several Daylight cars.
Anyone else out there tired of looking at their layout but limited as to what they can do with it?.