An email from a friend recently got me thinking.
It would have been around this time in 2009 that I was in the process of moving house, and moving a 9 1/2' by 4' N scale tabletop layout along with various beds, desks and furniture - both my own and that of my housemates.
12 months later, the N scale layout is gone. The majority of the rolling stock is in a box in the garage, pending that day that I'll get off my caboose and see about someone who'll take the collection. The 9 1/2' x 4' table has been dismantled and chopped up, recycled into an L-shaped, wall hugging HOn3 layout. I have a modestly-sized HOn3 rolling stock roster, and a vision of what I've finally settled on as my dream layout. Mistakes were made. Several lessons were leaned the hard way.
Had someone told me a year ago that I'd be going back into HO scale, and in a niche that was actually more challenging than mainstream standard gauge modelling, I'd have told them they'd had too much to drink. But looking back, I wouldn't have had it any other way.
Enough about me. Where were you a year ago, and how far have you come since then?
The Location: Forests of the Pacific Northwest, OregonThe Year: 1948The Scale: On30The Blog: http://bvlcorr.tumblr.com
Well, had a house and lost a house. Had two job losses. Had to relocate to another state and dismantle a partially started HO layout. Still have all my locomotives and never did have much rolling stock. So now I'm renting a house and can not set up a layout. That does not deter me. I know what I want and I know my era. I'm using this time to build up my rolling stock fleet and weather them as well as paint and install decoders and lighting in my brass engines. Life happens that doesn't mean you have to give up your hobby. You my have to scale back or maybe hold off on a layout, but you can still be involved in the hobby.
Chris
In my case, the last 12 months meant the loss of my job and subsequently, the loss of my house. We had to move into a small flat, with very little space for a layout and even less free cash for it (actually none).
I spent the last year making plans for a layout, also searching the cheapest way for acquiring all the gear and stuff I would need for it. Without a credit card, sourcing overseas has become a major problem, yet unresolved.
Where do I stand now? I have a number of nice ideas and plans, put on paper, i.e. in my computer, and no chance to go for one of them.
To say that this is pretty frustrating is today´s understatement!
Well first off I can't remember a lot about last year- 40 years ago no problem. I got back into trains after a 50 year hiatus about 3 years ago. Built a few structures, doodled many track plans, and finally decided to build a small layout in 2' x 4' sections. That later part was because I was sure I'd be moving within a year or two. Still here, now have 9' x 11' layout consuming half the garage and nearing quasi-completion. We will be moving and I'll salvage many things. I just hope I don't forget the education gained thus far. I made this present layout an experiment in which I tried almost every method I gleaned from magazines, videos, and forums. The next one will be better but at the rate things have gone in the last year I just might get to finish this one before the move back East. If you get a chance take a look at the SOL RR and Snoggert's Gap albums.... it was all pink foam and open benchwork a year ago..... I think. http://s1014.photobucket.com/home/looseclu/index Roy
Roy Onward into the fog http://s1014.photobucket.com/albums/af269/looseclu/
Well a year ago today I was fat dumb and happy at my job not knowing in a month I would be out of a job. I have sold off a majority of what I had built up to start a model railroad. Even sold off a good amount of 1/24 scale model cars. All work on house has ceased but it is in selllable or near that state in case we have to sell. Right now we are making it buy and every now and then I go "treat" myself to a project that will eventually end up on ebay. We are fortunate to still have the house and enough money coming in to maintain being here. I am young enough not to be to put down by not getting to the layout but old enough to realize that some of those long sought after dreams may never happen in my lifetime. Oh well life and politicians have a way of throwing a huge monkey wrench into things just when things are getting good.
alco's forever!!!!! Majoring in HO scale Minorig in O scale:)
Well since you asked. A year ago my wife was diagnosed with cancer so trains took a very back seat as we spent large amounts of time in the hospital and I had to step up and do everything she normally did to run the house.
On the other hand the children have only missed one Youth in Model Railroading meeting. I inherited a 8x24 foot HO layout for the children which I got moved to its new home (450 miles), although still not set up and operating yet. I contributed enough volunteer hours to the Greely Freight Station Musuem that they got a grant from my employer. I signed up for the NMRA (still haven't done anything about hat yet). I got signed up to be a Boy Scouts of America Badge Couselor for the Rairloading badge. I finally got a Walthers 20th Century Limited at a reasonalbe price ($49 per car is not reasonable). I went to my first Santa Fe Historical & Modeling Society Convention. I got a D&RGW Royal Gorge Train which I have been dreaming about for years. My Fox Valley Hiawatha came the other day. And we went out and watched UP 3985 pull the circus train into town. The wife is through all the chemo has no tumors and appears to be well other than having no hair.
Life-wise, not much has changed for us. I'm 63, and I have to at least think about retirement, but it still seems far off, and I haven't picked a retirement date, or even year, yet. Since our family was started very late in life, our daughter is now a sophomore in college, so I want to at least get those bills paid before saying goodbye to the work force.
The layout, though, well, that's different. Really different. I've begun Phase 2, having been granted space since young Annie isn't at home anymore. Phase 1 is a 5x12 table layout, which has been rotated 90 degrees so that Phase 2, 19 feet long by 2 1/2 wide, with a balloon at one end, can go in that space. Most of the track is in place, although some is still just pinned down, and scenery construction is ongoing.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Well, progress on my new layout continued at its normal speed ... that is, a glacial pace. I seem to work VERY slowly on everything. Benchwork is about completed, and that's about it. Of course, in the past year our second child was born, which means a little less time for model railroading, and a whole lot less money. Diapers ain't cheap.
This year I actually "downsized" my layout concept and ambitions in order to save some money. I took a long, hard look at what I had first envisioned for the layout, and realized that I would never have the time or money to bring it to a satisfactory level of completion. So I contented myself with a slightly smaller space for the layout (shrank the planning down from 20x45 to 14x21) and a theme that requires less equipment (shifted from heavy mainline to sleepy branchline). Best decision I made. Now I can afford the layout, without having to sell a kidney for extra $$. I sold much of my excess equipment (the stuff that no longer worked with my branchline theme) and the money allowed my wife to take some extra time for maternity leave. Again, a good decision. And a momentous year, to say the least.
In my case, it has been about reinventing myself for the last four years. I work for myself and this past spring and summer were, well, just damned tough. I (as always) managed to survive it but my resources were depleted in the mean time. Trying to sell my house (which I don't live in) as well as to build my business back up has been a challenge.
I live in an apartment - - by myself and the small switching layout shares space with the office in a second bedroom. The Model layout has been slowly coming along. A year ago I was in the process of reconfiguring the track plan. The backdrop has long been up and painted (2-3 years ago) with basic sky and clouds which I painted on myself (fun!) and now, the track is all re-laid and re-wired and I am presently working on structures. I still have "plywood and Pacific" (i. e. no scenery yet) but once I get a majority of the structures for the rail-served industries done, that (scenery) will be the next major project.
Once I get the house sold, I hope to move into a house that I can live in and put together a "dream" layout as I have amassed a fairly respectable collection of HO motive power and rolling stock.
I just want to say, Ulrich, I feel your pain. Hang in there!
A year ago I was thinking whether to keep up a 25/8 life milking cows, working part time outside so I could pay bills or some other option. I decided to become a beef farmer and the weekend before Thanksgiving I bid a sad farewell to my "girls" that had been part of my life for 37 years. Bought a few beef critters. Social Security is meger, so have kept the outside job. The summer was great for haying, but I do miss the up close and personal of dairying.
It has given me more time and learning how to handle time when I don't HAVE to do it right now or FIX IT before I can do the next thing has been my challenge. I am learning and have had more time for the hobby. Though the layout hasn't progressed much, there are stirrings.
The one big setback was second son returning to live at home in MY TRAIN ROOM.
Life goes on and I will do my best to keep enjoying it.
Have fun,
Wow, sounds like quite a few of us have had one heck of a tough year. This is a touchy topic for me as I am coming up on my one year mark of my wife leaving me. She bailed out on Thanksgiving Eve. It started a year that was beyond pain. Lost everything, oh, and got stuck with the ton of debt. My shop has been on the ropes all year with the econmy. Still living with my parents trying to get back on my feet and recover. I think I have managed to get on my butt. Yeah, this past year has been the toughest of my life.
But, I still got my trains, even though are moslty in boxes. I got out of the depression funk early on and began building a small switching layout with in a month of tearing down my old layout. it was very hard but just doing it, even if it is a litle one has been the best thing I could have done. Now I have my little switching layout to tinker with and still gives me a little reason to get excited. Ill take it.
Plus, it gives me reason to be here with other good people. So, I know I am not alone. :D
The upside, with this year bieng as crappy as has been... the odds the next year will be better are pretty good.
Best Regards, Big John
Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway
A year ago I was in the process of closing the window manufacturing plant where I was the HR generalist. Yes, I had to lay myself off. Since then I've had a temp job and two HR manager jobs. I'm keeping the one I'm in - HR Manager at a Lowe's store. What a great company.
A year ago, Cathey and I got serious and that meant selling my house and selling her house and buying a house together (mission accomplished - we close on November 4). We got so serious that we are newlyweds. Since I've spent the last year planning to move, I have done zero model railroading. That will soon change as this couple of 50-somethings has just bought a 3800 square foot house (I should be able to find space for a layout in there somewhere).
So, it's been a year of transition, but good stuff. I bucked the recession and got 3 new jobs in one year and increased my income at the same time. Getting married is icing on the cake.
Phil, I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.
We spent most of the past year dealing with my wife's health issues. Financially, we're able to live comfortably, which we both consider a blessing from the Lord. It sounds like some of you have had a rough year, and I'll be praying for all of you. To Shayfan, congrats on your nuptials. My wife and I will celebrate our 2nd anniversary in March.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I retired early, involuntarily, and while we are not as well off as we would have been if I had worked another ten years as planned, we are OK. Even in retirement I still bring in as much as she does working. My wife can retire next year, and our house is almost paid for. We have no significant debt. I have finally gotten over the guilt and frustrated boredom of staying home all day while she goes to work.
On October 14th, we will be celebrating our 43rd anniversary.
I am tearing out and rebuilding a couple of sections of the layout with which I am disappointed. Other than that the hobby has not been impacted.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
In the last year.
In March, I had a cardiac event - it didn't become a heart attack because I got to the hospital ER first and they pumped me full of stuff. But my wife and I decided that the commuting and job stress were killing me - literally, so I retired. 3 years earlier than expected, so we'll have to be a little careful financially until pension and Social Security start over the next 3 years. But we sold the house we had been living in for 30 years (mortgage paid off) and that let us pay off our retirement home and put some money in the bank, so we're debt free.
I have been buying S scale stuff for 17 years and salvaged all the bench work and track from last layout, so I have enough stuff to fill at least half my basement with layout. I just have to do some studding, wiring, dry wall, and painting to get the basement ready.
Enjoy
Paul
A year ago my daughter had just married, I had just started writing a novel, and had been an armchair modeler for probably 15 years. A February '10 trip to the National Train Show in Denver with some extra money in my pocket resulted in me coming home with a 2-6-0, reefer and caboose, a few feet of track, and a DCC setup.
Now I have trains running on the bookshelves around my home office walls and am planning a real layout. But it has to be movable, because as soon as the housing market picks up we are going to sell and downsize now that the kids are out. I also joined a model railroad club and my novel is halfway finished.
Sean
HO Scale CSX Modeler
I just finished the first phase of my garden layout last week. The train is running and I'm working on some videos.
At the end of July last year I got bit by a dog (minor injury) but in the process picked up some kind of bug from his mouth. Spent a week in the hospital, lost two days of my life, and took two months to recover once I got home. The blew a disc in my back and had to have surgery. Six weeks of physical therapy and lots of walking I finally got a conditional release from the doctor (no golf, running, or other stuff that would put too much stress on my back until next year).
I've been retired for 5 years so the financial meltdown didn't affect me much (other than a nasty hit to my 401K). I offer my sympathy to those who have lost jobs over the last year and congratulations to Phil on his marriage and to Phoebe Vet on his 43rd anniversary (our 43rd is next month).
Tom
Life is simple - eat, drink, play with trains!
Go Big Red!
PA&ERR "If you think you are doing something stupid, you're probably right!"
Well, I have had a good year. I have been fully retired for about four years now and so far the economy hasn't affected me too much except for the price of gas. During my 20 year service in the Navy that ended 30 years ago, I learned to be frugal and do with very little. So now I am qualified to do anything with nothing.
Last year around this time I had just completed my mainline so I could run trains all the way around the layout. Quite a few of the industries were not in, but just enough to do some switching along the line.
Now just about everything in the way of tracks and industry layout is in and I am having monthly operating sessions. Still, quite a bit of the scenery and buildings are not done, but are being worked on. I did have to make a major change on the upper level because of an operator space conflict. However, this hasn't affected formal operating sessions except to eliminate two trains during the modification process.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
One year ago I had a track plan down and the benchwork started. One year later, it's all ripped up as we'll have to probably move again soon due to work relocation. Planning on working on modules now that are portable.
Maybe I'll build myself a modular 3' x 8' engine terminal layout in the hopes to use it on the "someday layout" but still be able to use some of the larger locomotives in the boxed up roster. Moves, children and pay cuts have scaled back plans and actions but I'm adapting. Not much time with two young children anyway. My pace of building has been glacial lately.
On the plus side, maybe our next house will have a larger room in the basement for my trains.