"O.B." Railroaders?

[Anonymous]

How many members here are O.B. railroaders? In other words, you have a nice model railroad, but it is still in the "Original Boxes" waiting for the "right" time to construct your benchwork, track and scenery?

I can see how this can be very expensive, because as you wait for the right time, you are collecting more items that you just "have" to have when you do build the railroad. I for one am guilty as charged!

Has anyone else experienced this?[?]

[preceng]

I am half guilty. I have built my benchwork and track (still playing with the track layout - you know never satisfied). I have lots of out of the boxers to play with, but have much more OB stuff waiting on the shelf. Sometimes I can almost hear the desperate calls from the OB equipment. I think its just a function of how easy (time wise) it is to buy the stuff, vs building the stuff.

[Trainnut484]

(Raising hand up high)

Yes, I too am guilty of the "O.B" syndrome. But, my wife and I rent. When the time comes to move to a new place, I can "breakin" our new home with a layout [:D]

Take care

Russell

[Anonymous]

All my trains are in the box in the storage room waiting until I buy a 5x8 sheet of plywood. Then I'll just run them around the board (with table legs) until I start construction. I may get a glue/water mixture, coat the board in that, and then cover it with "grass".

[Jetrock]

I've got a layout that can't hold a fraction of the stuff I have in boxes. I have a shelf of unbuilt structure kits, but at least I've *started* building them (well, I have two Woodland Scenics kits under construction and a warehouse flat made of DPM modules laid out.) I have 10-12 assorted boxcars and reefers.

Partially it's because benchwork and tracklaying are my least favorite parts of model railroading. I've had to get good at them just because tolerances on my layout are so tight--but I'd still rather build kits and switch trains. Right now, the main thing stopping me from building kits is the amount of benchwork stuff that is clogging my hobby table--once it's out of the way, a large amount of kits can be built.

[Morpar]

Pick me coach!! I at least have some excuse, most of what I have has been in storage for about 12 years while I was on my "vacation" from the hobby. The new stuff I have been buying is in anticipation of building the garage next summer. After the garage is up, the upstairs will be mine for trains!!! Just one more year...

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by oren

How many members here are O.B. railroaders? In other words, you have a nice model railroad, but it is still in the "Original Boxes" waiting for the "right" time to construct your benchwork, track and scenery?

I can see how this can be very expensive, because as you wait for the right time, you are collecting more items that you just "have" to have when you do build the railroad. I for one am guilty as charged!

Has anyone else experienced this?[?]

I had to check out this thread because I was curious what an Outside Braced (O.B.) model railroader was!

Actually, I fit into your definition (though some might say I'm a s.O.B...). I had a layout in a room I built in the old house about 10 years ago. 5 1/2 years we moved into the current house where I got the ENTIRE basement to build a layout in if so desired. So everything had to be taken up and salvaged and packed. Then all the new stuff I've bought since the move has gotten packed, too.

I started room prep, wall framing, etc., when three-plus years ago I developed a disabling condition which kind of brought everything to a grinding halt. Since diagnosis and treatement began, I have been getting slowly improving. I almost chucked the whole idea of a large layout, but my local model rr buds convinced me that was planning for and ASSuming the negative, rather than being positive. They offered to help me out when needed with things.

Anyway, I need to hire out some larger jobs none of the guys will touch, but in the mean time I have been acquiring needed items for the layout, and the pile keeps growing...and GROWing...and GROWING!

QUESTION:
I should really be building all these kits, but I don't know how or where to store them if I do. Anything larger than a 40' boxcar won't fit back in the box after it's built with the couplers installed. And the structures have too much of a foot print and excessive height. Anyone got any tips/suggestions around this?

[eastcoast]

I have all original boxes. GUILTY.
Just recently got a layout up and started to run some,
but do keep the boxes around just in case.

[IRONROOSTER]

Well I admit most of mine is waiting in boxes. But I do have a layout (11'x18'), benchwork is all done. Track maybe 25%. But even when it is finished it still won't have enough room to hold it all. And that's just in the scale I'm currently modeling in - S. I have enough stuff to do an HO and an O layout just in case I change scales again.
Meanwhile I keep going to the shows and buying more. I guess I'm hoping the government will sell the Pentagon and I want to have enough to fill it with a different scale on each floor.
Enjoy
Paul