How heavily are you into this hobby?

[Big_Boy_4005]

I'm good for 6 catagories over my lifetime, armchair, collect, crew, club, module, and massive layout / do it for a living, not all at once of course. Trains are my life.

[davekelly]

robengland,

Good point. Humbled by those that have a whole basement? I'm big time jealous!! BTW: I'll take your half car space! [:D][:D][:D]

Too bad there isn't a way to do some sort of multi dimensional poll. Such a poll would incorporate a bunch of parameters: layout size, percent kitbash, scratchbuilt, scale etc etc. Could be interesting!

Of course I do think those that read the posts on this forum and post responses to questions or ask questions themselves are probably more heavily into this hobby than the average. Don't have anything to back it up, just a gut feeling.

I will say though that it appears that the average person on this forum is way heavily into having fun and helping others!

[robengland]

maybe "commitment" isn't quite the right word. I guess I'm talking about the scale of the task taken on, as in my preamble to this poll. How MUCH are you trying to do?

I'm a bit humbled by the proportion of respondents who are taking on a whole basement/attic. I'm struggling with half a car-space right now.

I agree, Dave, that size of a layout isn't a perfect measure and Ben King is an excellent example of why not: folk can put as much effort into a square foot as others put into a square yard. But it is a reasonable first estimate - a crude measure.

[Anonymous]

Small to medium sized layout (12x12), and I kinda move in spurts. I'll go for a month or so of just browsing through this forum and reading my MR, then the mood will strike, I'll get a lull in hours at work, and I'll be down in the basement every spare moment, hitting the LHS's every payday, etc. Especially now that I'm at the detailing stage, and I'm still haven't got my DCC hooked up or all my decoders installed, I'm kinda laying low. Sure enough though, the bug will bite soon.

[davekelly]

QUOTE: Originally posted by robengland


The question was how far down the scale do you go in level of commitment to the hobby? See, committing yourself to a medium sized layout means you are going to be doing that for a long time with thousands of hours put in. Committing yourself to making a Walthers kit is not the same thing.

So I tried to order the options in an increasing scale of the commitment required.

I don't think the size of a layout necessarily equals a "commitment" to the hobby. Just as being able to buy 30 Kato diesels vice scratchbuilding a rare prototype shows doesn't show more commitment. Amount of disposible income spent on trains does not equal commitment.

Ben King was one of the most heavily into the hobby person around, yet had a smaller layout. Some folks fill a basement with benchwork, lay track and then run trains maybe once a month - not much commitment there compared to Mr. King. I don't know if there's a way to compare the commitment necessary to filling a basement with a layout (which if you have enough funds you can hire someone to do) to scratchbuilding a couple of dozen steam engines in S scale.

Just my opinion (standing by for direct fire!).

Dave

[robengland]

Aggro, if you can produce what you do in HO in a 9x11 bedroom then any space is a usable space. It's guys like you that keep me sane, and keep my dreams of empire restrained.

[AggroJones]

The "hobby" consumes me.

My enthusiasm isn't preportionate to my layout size. I must work in my cluttered 9 x 11 bedroom. But thats better than a kick in the b*lls, right?

[Anonymous]

26 x 35 room full of trains! I like to collect, run , and research anything about railroads! Im also involved heavily on planning my clubs new 29 x 21 sized layout!

[nickinwestwales]

I`m working in 16`x10` on a `rising spiral` on 3 levels. I`m about 7 years in but with the last 4 lost to child care,stopping the cottage collapsing around our ears,keeping the band on the road et al. Also the aforementioned 16x10 is in an uninsulated shed in Wales,where it rains enough to rot holly. as much time is spent on maintenance as progress. I guess it boils down to priorities-right now ME time is fairly low on the list but theres always tomorrow!! regards,nick

[espeefoamer]

I have a minimal layout,juat two parallel straight tracks,about 4 1/2 to 5 ft. long connected by a crossover.I have a fairly large collection of locos and cars,though,so I would fit into at least two categories.

[robengland]

I'm intrigued that 2/3 of respondents have a big layout. I'd have thought there were a lot more dabblers and armchairs on a forum. Just proves this is THE forum, eh? [:)]

[dragenrider]

Medium size layout, but as for commitement...

Well, lets just say I would do more than eat, breath & sleep model railroading, but I can't find the time. [^]

[aloco]

Too heavily. All of my other hobbies have suffered because of it. But I can't help it.... I just... like trains and that's all there is to it! Trains are better! I used to go on locomotive painting binges, but lately I've only had little spasms and twinges. I did a couple this year, but I think the fleet has gotten pretty much where I want it to be. So now is the time to just sit back and run trains.

[Anonymous]

Belive me ! Like most of you modelers I could fit in all the categories.[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

[Anonymous]

Although I don't have a layout I own enough track to make a swicthyard 30x 50 sq feet
not includtng a 600ft mainline (lots of curves).Thats enough track to go around my
house 3 times.

[robengland]

Looks like I didn't explain myself too well. I did in fact put some thought into this [:)]

The question was how far down the scale do you go in level of commitment to the hobby? See, committing yourself to a medium sized layout means you are going to be doing that for a long time with thousands of hours put in. Committing yourself to making a Walthers kit is not the same thing.

So I tried to order the options in an increasing scale of the commitment required.

And it is a scale so the question is which is the largest commitment you have made? If you have both a basement layout and a photo diorama then the basement layout is where you put yourself on the scale. therefore there need be only once answer.

(as a matter of fact, I don't think the forum polls technicaly support multiple answers, johncolley)

[Anonymous]

I too fit into more than one of those. I'm probably a collector and operator more than anything else right now - I enjoy building and improving locos and cars more than I enjoy working with scenery (hence my enthusiasm for shelf layouts - not much scenic work required!).

[ClinchValleySD40]

Fairly large layout 60' x 30' multiple decks.

[challenger3802]

Fork lift truck required!!!

Ian

[West Coast S]

I've been under PCS standby for over a year..so no layout in the traditional sense . I did transition into S scale and disposed of most my HO collection that I spent 30 years collecting.

I've discovered a underground group of S scalers and manfactures who are into electric freight operations. So along with my continued building of SP specific prototypes for small steam, i've ventered into doing some electric freight motors to apease my love of the Sacramento Northern and Pacific Electric.

Over 70% of what I model requires scratchbuilding, with 20% requiring extensive kitbashing, 10% is good enough to pass. Things are looking up as more HO manfactures are receptive to the idea of limited S scale sales, provided there is enough interest and down payments to cover the run.

I just scored a out of production kit for a SP 2-6-0 from a hobby shop that ordered it for a customer who changed his mind.

Right now i've got a 12X 7 loop that I use to test design elements such as how to handlay the best turnout, test various commercial track and turnouts, best benchwork and sub roadbed and now stringing overhead wire.

[trainboyH16-44]

12x15 layout, modified from plan 48, 101 track plans, with a helix and bigger yard. I spend almost every [2c] I own on trains. The last time I spent money on something else was that $10 Cdn lego thing I bought 2 years ago. Since then, I have (Kato) 2 SD40-2s, 1 SD40, 1 SD90/43MAC, (P1K) 1 C-Liner, 1 RS10, (P2K) 2 GP9s, 1 GP7, 1 SD45. I think thats a good way to spend my income. I may use half of my penny jar to buy a sub sandwich, though.
Trainboy

[Jetrock]

I too tend to be more into breadth than depth when it comes to trains--my layout is small, and I don't scratchbuild engines, but I do scratchbuild other things. Besides that I volunteer at railroad museums and do a bit of railfanning and lots of prototype research--the latest of which was a historiographic research project on Central/Southern Pacific history (the professor said we could choose our own subject for research--guess what I picked!)

[ericmanke]

I could say that I also could fit into a couple of catagories. I'm transitioning from more of the equipment collecting to actual layout planning and research. I've just recently moved and have a spare bed room that I plan to put a small layout and workbench in. The beautiful thing about the hobby is that you can are so many different facets and activity levels to model railroading/railfaning. I am looking forward to moving to a new level in my hobby activities. Anyone here live in the Milwaukee area? It's a great town to live in if your in the hobby. This is my first post, by the way, so I'll just end by saying hi and hope to learn some new stuff.

Manke

[jacon12]

I really don't know where I am in it, except it's too late to turn back now. I've started building the benchwork for my very first layout. It will run about 16 feet down one wall, turn and go about 12 feet, make a turn and go about 8 more feet. Kinda like a folded dogbone. I never could do anything half way! With the help I receive here, reading everything I can find and if the money holds out, I figure I'll be through in about... oh... 5 years or more... laying track, that is. :)
Heck, the fun is in the doing any way!
Jacon

[Anonymous]

Like most, I could fit into several catagories. Wish I had room to fit into the second from bottom...

[bikerraypa]

I'm a serious amateur. I've had a couple of HO layouts, ranging from a small shelf to about 10' x 10'. Currently I'm limited to a 3' x 5' N scale layout, because I'm adding a room on my house.

To build a bigger HO layout. [:D]

And keep the N layout too. [:D]

Ray out

[johncolley]

tired of poorly thought out polls that don't allow multiple entries..... lots of us are some of several categories, why try to confine us to one little slot? Variety IS the spice of life, get some!

[Anonymous]

It seems most of us fit into several of the catagories. My layout is currently "L" shaped about 20 x 13. Eventually it will be "C" or "G" shaped and roughly 24 x 13. I guess that's medium, but I am currently very limited on time. So how much "into" the hobby am I? It depends on how you reckon "into".

[jrbernier]

25' by 20' room - layout is a large 'L' with lobes and a 11' branch line...

Jim