Does anybody else go through this??

[JeremyB]

Hi guys

I find that when I spend ALOT of time working on my railroad after a few days or weeks that I begin to get bored and not having that much fun, does anybody else go through this? for me i have to have balance between all my hobbies If I spend all my time on one it gets to feel more like a job and not like a hobby.

Hope to hear some feedback

Jeremy

[willy6]

i don't get bored,but i have a problem with what to do next.my layout is 50% done(actually it's never done).like today,will i work on scenery,wiring,locomotives etc?but it is like a job sometimes as you said.

[Anonymous]

Of course you will; It is hard to keep working on the same item for weeks. Just as in your working life, you have to take a vacation. We used to have a saying in the navy 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'. Every so often, you have to step back until the urge hits you again, and believe me it will, and you will get back with renewed vigor. Remember, a hobby is supposed to be fun.

[Anonymous]

I know exactly how you feel. I have the same problem especially when it involves something I am not that keen on doing, like wiring. To overcome this I try to set aside enough time to finish what I want to do in one go. That way I don't have to keep coming back to complete the job. I also try to have a range of project going at the same time and this way I can have variety. It also helps once you have trains running as then you can operate if you are not in the mood for other things.

Keep on modelling,

Howard

[ShaunCN]

I go through this as well. I will have a lot of work to do on the layout. Finish it, then have nothing to do for a wile untill I come up with more Ideas. In this time of not working on the layout I ussualy spend it running the trains!!!. Have fun
ShaunCN

[Hawks05]

i hope not. i bowl on saturdays and i hurt my arms well my right arm i hurt my wrist and i have pinched nerves so i don't know if i can bowl. all last winter i would go bowling every single day almost at least at least 15-18 games a week. but now since i some how hurt my arm i've decided to get into railroading for something to do during the winter along with bowling. i went over to a friends house tonight to talk to his dad about MR and he said that he has to take breaks every so often to just get away from it. i think i'll be like that but not for awhile as i have to build the bench, lay track, and purchase locos and cars. so i won't be bored for awhile i don't think.

[CBQ_Guy]

This is normal and why I've had my doubts when thoughts of working in the model railroad industry seemed like the ideal job. There is something about doing what you like for your job ending up making you hate the thing you liked in the first place . . . at least in my case (similarly, this happened to me when I went back to college years back - I like to learn new things but going to school took all the fun out of learning I discovered).

I remember many years ago I had a summer off and was working full bore on the old layout. Then one day I had the thought that if I wasn't doing that, I would basically have nothing else to do! That was sobering and depressing for a few days, but then I got the bug bag at some point and tore into it again with a renewed vigor.

If it gets to you walk away, try something different, whatever. Just don't MAKE yourself work on it when you don't feel like it.. The urge should eventually return. If not, there's always knitting! <g>

Good luck!

[JeremyB]

Hi there Hawks05

welcome to this wonderful hobby, I don't think you'll be bored for a while either your in the best stage as far as I'm concerned-the planning stage. I love to dream about my next railroad. I agree with your friends dad too that it's good to take a break every now and then, it keeps the spark for railroading alive alot longer. good luck on your new railroad again.

Good night
Jeremy.

[JeremyB]

Hi there CBQ_guy

actually I have other hobbies too such as WWII and Formula 1 racing which all compete for my time

Jeremy

[Anonymous]

Its absolutely natural to feel like this. Saturation in any one area does dull it, no matter how exciting it started out as being. The fact that you have other hobbies helps. I for one am also into WWII, sports, and computer gaming as well. The changes in season will usually help you to balance model railroading time with other interests as well. During summer and fall I for one usually spend less time working on the RR and more time with other pursuits. Winter and Spring are usually my big model railroading times. This is not to say that I don't do any work on the RR during summer, or do nothing but during the winter. It just is a reflection on the time and availability I have toward other interests.

[Hawks05]

in the summer i play baseball so i'll be doing that a lot and i'll be working this summer hopefully so i probably won't have a lot of time to work on the MRR. during the winter though i bowl only on saturday mornings but i hurt my arm somehow so i don't know if i'll do that for awhile. so this winter will be MRR, work, and going to the b-ball games for my school.

[ErnieC]

Don't think I've ever seen this discussed in the hobby press! How about some editorial comments on boredom? What works for me is variety, don't do the same thing all the time. Also break down big jobs into small units. Finally, get your friends to do the things you don't enjoy for you!

[Jetrock]

Model railroading is just one of quite a few things I spend time on--so often I don't get as much time to model as I'd like. I get burned out on other interests as well--but, generally, when I get burned out I move on to another activity and before long I'll get back into whatever I was burned out on. I've spent a lot of time model railroading lately because this summer I played a lot of live shows--but now, after a break, I kind of want to start playing shows again. Of course, since winter is model railroad show season, and the weather encourages staying in, maybe I'll do both...

[eastcoast]

Gee, I don't know about boredom????????
Ask me what I do as an occupation, GATE GUARD!!!!!!!
BOREDOM TO ME IS 8 HOURS STARING AT A FENCE.
I AM HAPPY TO BE IN MY TRAINROOM JUST THINKING UP
THINGS AND BEING ABLE TO BE THERE TO ACTUALLY PUT MY
THOUGHT TO ACTION IF I WANT.
I love my trains. It will take me all my life to ever finish my world.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JeremyB

Hi guys

I find that when I spend ALOT of time working on my railroad after a few days or weeks that I begin to get bored and not having that much fun, does anybody else go through this? for me i have to have balance between all my hobbies If I spend all my time on one it gets to feel more like a job and not like a hobby.

Hope to hear some feedback

Jeremy

Sounds like your overloading on your hobby. I only work on my stuff when the mood strikes me. If I dont work on it for a couple of days or a couple of weeks, I dont worry about it because I know its always there. I usually take about a week off after finishing a large project. That lets me clear my head until the next project enters my head, the I can focus on that project. But I never let myself think I "HAVE TO" work on my trains, thats not what there for.

Try working only about an hour a day on your trains or to doing one task, then go do something else. Give your head a chance to stay interested. If you limit your time, then you can think about what to do when you come back to it, and you dont burn out by working alot on it and burning out.

[Anonymous]

I keep running into this problem - I've still not finished the scenics for about 1/3 of my layout and I've still not sorted out the inter-board joints (It's a portable layout). Scenics just depress me as I can never get the scatter to stay on, no matter how much glue I use it falls off in piles!

[Anonymous]

sometimes I get bored after long hours at "work", so I simply stop working until I begin to miss it, which is a matter of a couple of days.

[cp1057]

I think its very important for your hobby not to become like a job.

Every person's situation is different. Some people can stay focused on 1 thing indefinitely, while others need more variety. Model railroading is a great hobby because there are so many facets to it and sometimes switching from 1 activity within the hobby to another is enough to stay sharp.

That being said, I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with taking a break from it. My trains aren't going anywhere, not while they're unplugged anyway. It's good to have a number of interests. Like some of the other posters, I am interested in military history. Playing guitar is another favorite as is cycling.

Right now model railroading is on the front burner. I tore down my old layout and am feeling motivated to work on the new layout since I can't run any trains right now.

Charles
Hillsburgh On

[yellowducky]

[:)]Hey, I don't think I know what any of you are talking about. Me get bored? Never. Oh, did I forget to say I'm ADHD. Aaaaah, finalily something very positive about being ADHD!!! I don't think I can get bored. I think I got lonely once or twice in my childhood, but I don't remember bored. Obsessed with model trains, been there. Bored, don't think so. Yellowduck

[Anonymous]

Everyone will eventually go thru this, some people say "NO WAY", but it will happen and depending on how one will handle this, will determine if he or she returns to the hobby, full of new ideas. Some people will take a year or two off and work on something else, others have two or more hobbies and split their time among them. For me, it's WWII, Diecast Collecting, Shipmodelling (mainly WWII Types and Clippers), and collecting articles from MR, MRC,and any other RR Mags, and placing them in note books for future reference. Don't be overly concerned about this, believe me, it will pass. Go to a train show. You'll be surprised how fast the old boredom goes away, or split your time between a couple of hobbies.

[brothaslide]

In my opinion, a healthy balance in life is important. I spend time with my wife and kids, enjoy going on vacations with my family, I go to the gym, we are active in our church, I help out with a local marching band (www.lockesaints.com).

Not to be critical, but I have observed that there are a noticeable number of over weight people in this hobby - less time on trains and more time taking a walk, working out, etc. is important. Think of it this way; live longer, more time for trains. Again, this all goes back to a healthy balance.

[yellowducky]

I got out of trains for a while; my wife said they were becoming the "other woman". Talk about being off-balance! Then I got more into Scouting (BSA) with my son as an excuse to be so involved. Now I lead a "Builders Club" at our church. B.C., I admit, is an excuse to keep at model railroading while doing other things. I'm trying to keep balance, but sometimes it's hard to do. Then in reply to "emeraldisle", you make a fine point. For me though, more derailed, rather than station stop time I feel.

[brothaslide]

Yellowducky - It sounds like God got you back in balance - as he does for all of us.

Regards,

Sean

[Anonymous]

See Eric Brooman's comments on this very thing in his Utah Belt article in the December Model Railroader.

Ed

[Anonymous]

I'm with most of the others, in aggreement that it's a wonderful hobby but shouldn't be your only focus. It's good to have some other interests. I'm lucky in that I have so many interests that I can set one down and enjoy another. Also trying to have some balance in life, like some time with God to recharge and refocus.

Perhaps you might consider having a small switch track layout that you could plug together with eztrack that would only take you an evening to construct yet you could operate it switching cars in a yard as a change of pace when your not wanting to always be modeling.

[Anonymous]

i also paint warhammer stuff and make all kinds of diffrent stuff

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eastcoast

Gee, I don't know about boredom????????
Ask me what I do as an occupation, GATE GUARD!!!!!!!
BOREDOM TO ME IS 8 HOURS STARING AT A FENCE.
I AM HAPPY TO BE IN MY TRAINROOM JUST THINKING UP
THINGS AND BEING ABLE TO BE THERE TO ACTUALLY PUT MY
THOUGHT TO ACTION IF I WANT.
I love my trains. It will take me all my life to ever finish my world.

Sounds like exactly where I was at 15 years ago PLUS I was the fill in guy who worked for others on their days off so I had to change shifts every day or two. Worst job I ever had to the point where not wanting to end up in that situation ever again was my motivation to go back to school - and I hate school!

Anyway, I made use of my "free time" on the job by playing with a TI home computer I had rigged up in a small suitcase, R/C airplanes AND I was starting to get back into model railroading, too. You need something to keep the brain active, otherwise you'll go nuts! Hang in there.

[CP5415]

I don't have a lot of time to work on my layout now. Between home renovations, my daughter & work (UGH) there's no time left for me to work on it during normal hours. I usually have about 15-25 minutes during lunch ,I work really close to home [:D], to do what I can & it satisfies me.
When I did have time to work on it on a daily basis, I did find myself bored with it.
But that was 3 years ago.
Since then, as I said, during lunch I make time to work on it & have been able to at least complete the mainline & rip apart one yard 3 times now. At this rate, I should have it done by the time the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

Gordon

[Hawks05]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CP5415

I don't have a lot of time to work on my layout now. Between home renovations, my daughter & work (UGH) there's no time left for me to work on it during normal hours. I usually have about 15-25 minutes during lunch ,I work really close to home [:D], to do what I can & it satisfies me.
When I did have time to work on it on a daily basis, I did find myself bored with it.
But that was 3 years ago.
Since then, as I said, during lunch I make time to work on it & have been able to at least complete the mainline & rip apart one yard 3 times now. At this rate, I should have it done by the time the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

Gordon

least you have time to fini***he layout because the Leafs won't be winning the cup any time soon.

j/k man. i think they have a good shot this year to win it.

[vw-bug]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I go thru surges of enjoyment. Today I need to wire a loco for my uncle. I have had i for a few months but really just haven't had the urge to. It comes and goes, but usually I'm doing something.