I'm on my first layout which started as a starter set, and now I'm tiered (I'm sure I misspeled that, sould be Ty-r-d) of layout it and ready to move on, (like every one's first layout that started as a basic starter set and then added track and eventualy got tired of it), but my dad wont let me sell the stuff. What should I do?
You could always take a break from your layout and work on your spelling as your signature says you would....
Don Z.
Research; it's not just for geeks.
You may not understand it now, but maybe CAREFULLY pack it up, and keep it for later days. Maybe you can give to your kids in 20yrs.
Use it as a foundation for your next layout or use it in future projects. You'd be surprised at how much old Tyco and Bachmann stuff I've thrown into kitbashes and scratchbuilds over the years. My south engine house which has been seen in several photos is made up of mismatched pieces of an industrial building kit that I got back in the 70's.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I agree with Don, you could work on your spelling while you take a break.
Serious note: Just save your track, and take some time to think about a new layout.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
.
First things first: do as your father tells you to do. Time will come soon enough when you will be telling him what to do...like in about 2052...and you'll understand by then how onerous it is to do someone else's thinking for them.
Seriously, though, why not ask him for a moment, and pose the question to him, "Dad, would you please explain why you forbid me to sell the items I don't want for my railroad?" Try to follow his reasoning. If it is bogus, that is one thing, but if his reasoning is just a bit hard for you to stomach because it runs contrary to what you'd prefer to do, that's entirely another. Maybe he feels you won't get much of a return, and that you will have to either ask for money or work for it, when your other more important priorities, as he sees them, are going to be neglected. How are your marks at school, for example? What is your social life like...do you play hockey or ball, do you get out with friends, or are you a basement geek? Maybe your mother is really the one at play here.
I agree with the others who say hang on to stuff, package it up and pull apart the layout. Start planning a new layout, ideally an improved one (what would that word entail today, and what would it mean after some serious research?). Get some money over time and begin to build once you have the confidence and approval of your parents. Right now, sounds like at least one of them is worried about your decision, or your approach entirely.
Tired is spelled T-I-R-E-D Sorry, just wanted to throw that up there. Now to your lasyout. I'd throw it all into a bin or something, put a lid on it, and either give it to abrother/sister/cousin whose about 6-11 years old or toss it in the attic, lol. Anmd then I'd either go for a run or go do something that gets you alone to think and just think about all that you could model, and find what you like best. Sleep on it, try to change it, and if you still prefer it, then model that.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Been Nothing Since Frisco (BNSF) I'm on my first layout which started as a starter set, and now I'm tiered (I'm sure I misspeled that,sould be Ty-r-d) of layout it and ready to move on, (like every one's first layout that started as abasic starter set and then added track and eventualy got tired of it), but my dad wont let me sell the stuff. What should I do?
Lets try rewriting your paragraph to give it a little intelligence--not "brains" intelligence--you appear, BNSF, to have a lot of brains--but rather "information" intelligence--something which will make our rhetoric more understandable.
I'm on my first layout which started as a starter set but I've grown tired of it and I'm ready to move on. I suppose this is a common occurrence with first layouts: adding track to a starter set and then eventually tiring of it. I would like to sell the stuff but my dad has put his foot down and has said "no". Can someone advise me on what I should do?
I do not look back on my teenage years with any deep sense of reverence; I grew up with a steppappy-- I realize now that he was the most loving man in the world; he was not a martinet but he was very demanding and his GI belt really stung when applied to my backside. My big problem as a teenager, I realize now, was my mother. She was very lax in discipline and, unfortunately, I took after her and most of my current troubles come from that lack of discipline which I had instilled in me. I was at least disciplined enough to stay out of jail but I have always pushed to the very limits of the envelope. Had I devoted my energies to getting things done instead of seeing how much I could get by with I wouldn't be sitting here right now with my housephone unplugged so that I don't have to take calls from creditors wondering when I am going to send them some money. I have two half-brothers, both of whom have incomes approaching six figures. They got that way because they didn't orientate their life trying to see just how far the envelope could be stretched.
I raised two daughters, both of whom are now in their forties; they, fortunately, took after their mother and both lead very organized and disciplined lives--I used to joke with them that fathers were the heaviest burden teenaged daughters had to bear! Your pappy doesn't sound like a martinet, rather he is probably trying to instill in you a sense of accomplishment. You have a layout, for Pete's sake! Do something with it. Set yourself a goal to embellish your layout with structures and scenery. You don't have to buytrees--there have been umpteen hundred and forty seven articles in the hobby press in the pasttwenty or so years on do-it-yourself tree building. Set yourself a goal: "I am going to build four structures over the course of the next year." AND THEN DO IT!!! I know you can--every one reading this forum knows you can and everyone reading this is saying DO IT!!! You are not at a point of restarting: you are at a point of continuing. One day in the not too distant future you will be at a point where those decisions will be your to make; you are going to want to be able to make them as intelligently and impassionately as possible!
GO GET'EM, TIGER!!!
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
What do you mean by being tired of it? Ready to move on to what? Why do you want to sell stuff? How do you operate it today?
Then you have assumed incorrectly. Not nearly everyone eventually got "tired" of their first basic starter set. John Allen incorporated his first basic starter set into his empire. I never got "tired" of any of my train sets. I always found new ways to operate them or expanded them slowly such that they provided new challenges and interests. Many people get "tired" of a simple loop because all they do is run the trains around in circles on it. They never time the trains to try to achieve a pre-determine miles-per-hour on a given run. They don't figure out different combinations of trains to assemble or break up. They don't measure their performance (number of moves required) to do an industry spot. They don't measure the number of errors or derails they make. Sometimes just reconfiguring an additional single siding can really expand the operating potential. If you are "tired" of a set up I am reasonably certain you have not exercised it to its full potential.
I don't know what your starter set includes but reconfigure the track and run it point-to-point. One of the operating sessions my children enjoyed most was when we just connected all the track end to end and they sent trains back and forth from one town (in the kitchen) to the other town (in the living room). They made up the trains by hand (as there were no yards). The people in the other room never knew what to expect either in consist of the train or what would be on it. They used the open gondolas and hoppers to send messages and treats back and forth.
P.S. If you are certain you have misspelled something. What you should do is stop, go learn how to spell it properly, then complete and post the message.
I would pack it up carefully. I packed up my starter set and broke it out 20 years later. I bought new stuff and upgraded then. I still run it from time to time. Its a old Tyco from the 1970's but she still runs. she not as pretty as my newer stuff but it remind's me of my young days. My grandkids love the old one.
Old Rough and Ready
4x8 are fun too!!! RussellRail
Ok, I think I have an idea. Right now I have a 5 1/4' x 4ft layout that has an HO double loop and an N scale loop, what i plan to do is to *tear all that down*, get the scenic ridge layout kit from woodland scenics (I'll get the buildings later), what track is needed (I already have some snap track) set that up on the layout bord I have now, then later I'll **jack up** the scenic ridge layout 4" off the bord and run the HO around and under it. I haven't finalised the plan yet, I'll talk to my dad.
*its just a figure of speech*
**raise up*
A few years back, one of our younger forum members was unhappy because he couldn't convince his parents to give him more space for his layout. At the time, I provided a response something like this:
"Would they give you space for a desk to study on? Would they provide you with a computer, and an Internet connection, to help with your schoolwork? Well, model railroading isn't just an aimless hobby - it's a real learning experience. It will teach you more of the skills you need for today's job market than all the video games in the world. You will learn about structural engineering, firsthand, by building bridges that fall down, and then building new bridges that don't. You will learn about electronics from DCC, and old-fashioned electricity from wiring structures. The financial discipline needed to acquire trains will teach you the value of work and money."
Model railroading was one of my primary interests, through most of high school. We didn't have home computers back then, but I was still kind of a geek. My trains, though, were my laboratory and my classroom. I learned more about engineering than I could have from a book. And, I ended up at MIT, and now I'm a real-world rocket scientist.
By the way, my layout now has snap-track, and a bunch of rolling stock from my starter set. I made sure that I upgraded those cars with new wheels and Kadees when I got back to my "roots."
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Make sure to leave space underneath to clean the track there.
My Dad and I both share common intrests Basketball, trains, railfaning, and fishing. Jeez when I was railfanning he gets all excitied and steals the camera gets maybe 10 pictures of one train. If its because of money get a job, or save up. Me and him buy stuff together, or I'll will help him for example cut down the tree, when thats done when do something fun like going to work on my layout, railfan, play basketball, etc. Any insight why your dad won't help you out?
MrKLUKE Please take this advice from a parent of straight A students. You are very young and need to concentrate on your school work because you have a long road ahead. The world is getting tougher and tougher to deal with. Lay off the computer as much as possible. Spend most of your time either hitting the books or playing outside or playing an instrument or something more constructive than blabbing on forums. Also, don't even mess with networking sites...they are worse time-wasters than TV. That's my advice. Take it or leave it!! Good luck. Jeff (MrKLUKE)
Please take this advice from a parent of straight A students. You are very young and need to concentrate on your school work because you have a long road ahead. The world is getting tougher and tougher to deal with. Lay off the computer as much as possible. Spend most of your time either hitting the books or playing outside or playing an instrument or something more constructive than blabbing on forums. Also, don't even mess with networking sites...they are worse time-wasters than TV. That's my advice. Take it or leave it!! Good luck.
Jeff (MrKLUKE)
And as a parent and a straight A university student my self I say enjoy life, use the Internet to do all those fun things that are on it. But mostly, just enjoy your life and do what YOU like.
Magnus
Tjsingle If its because of money get a job, or save up.
If its because of money get a job, or save up.
Well........... I'm 12 but I work on the farm and mow the yard, I do have some saved, I'll see if I can figure somethinf out.
Been Nothing Since Frisco (BNSF) Ok, I think I have an idea. Right now I have a 5 1/4' x 4ft layout that has an HO double loop and an N scale loop, what i plan to do is to *tear all that down*, get the scenic ridge layout kit from woodland scenics (I'll get the buildings later), what track is needed (I already have some snap track) set that up on the layout bord I have now, then later I'll **jack up** the scenic ridge layout 4" off the bord and run the HO around and under it. I haven't finalised the plan yet, I'll talk to my dad.
Ok, answer this question, "how is the Scenic Ridge layout operationally different from what you have now"? The answer is - not much. The Scenic Ridge railroad is basically a big loop with a single siding on it. If you connected your current two loops of HO track by raising one to cross over the other, and then add a turnout and a siding, you would have the same basic layout. I think you would go to all that work, buy the new one and be just as "tired" of it as you are with this one. I am not seeing a lot of thought going into what you want to accomplish with your pike.
In 7th grade drafting class is where I started doing serious layout design work. I had completed all the required work (with a grade of A+) so the teacher let me work on model railroading stuff.
(this measage has no sarcasum UNLESS NOTED)
Texas Zepher,
Thank you for pointing that out, I thought the scenic ridge would be a bit more complicated than that. I'll figure out something else.
Well, I actually started out with a more interesting layout on a few 4 by 8 boards me and my dad assembled in a donut shape on sawhorses in the basement. That layout evolved to where it had about 10 stub end industries, all trailing point (behind the locomotive) switches, and a long track running into the wall as an interchange. The interchange was where I swapped cars from the layout with cars in an old bookshelf next to the layout. There was a rudimentary operating system consisting of old business cards saying things like "Hillside Chocolate receive 1 covered hopper sugar" (I did have a chocolate factory, and while the realism suffered (sugar really isn't received in grain hoppers) it sure was fun to have one!) which provided enough realism for me.
The scenery and realism really was lacking, but that layout provided countless hours of operating fun for me... Ah, the good old days!
So, my reccomendation?
Build some sidings, and write up some operating cards, and feel free to adapt the industries to whatever you like. Once you get used to it, it's a lot of fun. And when you feel you're ready to move on with the operating system, it's easy. When I was 12 I switched from that scheme I mentioned earlier (introduced to me in a MR book called HO Railroad from Start To Finish, by Jim Kelly) to my current car card and waybill system.
Don't give up! I started out on a warping 4 by 8 sheet of plywood on the floor, pushing the trains by hand until age 6 because I was afraid of the noisy 15+ year old power pack! My parents eventually realized what a great hobby it was for me, and now my layout takes up almost half of our basement. Hopefully your parents will eventually realize that a hobby like this is a much better way to spend your time than video games, or especially drugs, cigarettes, and other stupid things, as you get older.
Just my
TrainManTyWhen I was 12 I switched from that scheme I mentioned earlier (introduced to me in a MR book called HO Railroad from Start To Finish, by Jim Kelly) to my current car card and waybill system.
I'll see if I can find that book, but right now I'm trying to figur out what to do. I'm wanting to go to n scale but most of my stuf is ho. I may disasemble all the track and completly rebuild the track plan.
Whne I was your age I would assemble one track plan after another until I found something I was happy with.
First off do not follow any advice coming from that idiot Jeff Wimberley! Second get a *** job if you are at least 16. Well since you are a dumb redneck go back to school to learn how to spell and get a little bit more education before worrying about building a train layout, THEN get a *** job so you can buy your own stuff. Stop whining too! Talk to your father about other alternatives this is not a mediator forum site! Your questions should read "How to handle my dad?"
BNSF:
Before you think about changing scales right now, you might want to go to your LHS and see if there are any books available about track plans for your size of layout. You said that your Dad won't let your sell your stuff--is it possibly because it was a gift from him to you, like a Christmas or birthday present? If so, being a Dad myself, we're kind of funny that way, we don't like to see something we have given with a lot of love being rejected after a while by our sons. We always hope that it will be a beginning for a love of a hobby. I know, I went through this with my own son quite a while ago. It kind of hurts us. But what I did was find out what my son really wanted and worked with him to get it. It all turned out for the best.
You say it's a 'starter' set. Well, we ALL have gone though 'starter' sets of one kind or another. I did way back when HO wasn't supposed to stay on the tracks--and a lot of times, it DIDN'T, LOL! What I would do is get a book of small track-plans from your hobby shop and take a look through them. There might be some that look pretty interesting. Show them to your Dad. Get HIM a little interested, too, so he knows that you're serious about the hobby. So maybe he can help you do some chores around the farm that will allow you to earn money to get some of the things you really NEED to keep your interest.
Hey, I've BEEN there, when I was a young man, also. You're not alone, not by a long shot. Look for a trackplan that you think will work for you right now to keep your interest up.
Okay, your spelling isn't that good--at 12 mine wasn't anything to shout about either--but I really ADMIRE your love of the hobby and your willingness to ask we Older Dudes about what you should be doing and looking for. I really wish you the best, and take a look at some other trackplans that might continue your interest in the hobby.
Best to you,
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Hmmm....
This offensive Etraitor character has had his account deactivated, but his posts remain. I guess something still needs to be done.
Put your stuff away for now. Is it possible its just the type of layout you now have , there are many many types and different era's. If this is your hobby you have to find out what draws you to it.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
First let me say that some of the advice given here are great words of wisdom and a little that was out right rude, you need to figure out just what part of the hobby your tired with?, is it your layout design, is it your over all look of your layout?, is it lacking something, from reading your post it sounds like your tired with the whole layout?
Is it the scale you don't like?
I find it hard to offer advice when I'm not sure what part your tired of?
If it is the look of the layout try different paint jobs on your structures to breath new life into them, if your rolling stock looks boring, give the cars some life by re-painting them, if it is the track plan, redo the tracks and recycle the structures and kitbash them into new configurations?
If you can fine tune your statement about growing tired with your present layout please let us know which parts you are not happy with and we might be able too be of better help too you?
Hang in there with the hobby you'll get past this obstical and just may learn something about yourself along the way!
What ever you decide remember to have fun along the journey.
Best of luck to you, your a good kid and I'm sure your Dad is proud to have you as his son.
Your Model Rail Roading friend, Jess Red Horse.
Been Nothing Since Frisco (BNSF) I'll see if I can find that book, but right now I'm trying to figur out what to do. I'm wanting to go to n scale but most of my stuf is ho. I may disasemble all the track and completly rebuild the track plan.
It is perfectly normal for children/young teenagers to be impatient, to be very enthusiastic about their every new thought, not being very realistic about their own skill level relative to the difficulty of what they want to do, just wanting to dive in and start something without "wasting" any time on thinking and planning first, to want to make sweeping changes, and not being very good at finishing what they start.
Some of us adults still have trouble with quite a few of those things, too :-)
But it is also perfectly normal for parents to go "why can't you use what you already have, instead of starting over with something new ?". Often accompanies by the observation along the lines of "money doesn't grow on trees" and exhortations to "stick with it".
In this case, listen to your dad. What is the tearing hurry ? Why do you need to start over right now? What harm would it do to stick with the stuff you already have and improving that instead of selling everything and starting over ?
Also, you should take a break from building a layout to go read more and go look at more pictures of layouts.
In addition to this forum ("General Discussion (Model Railroader)", maybe you actually should go read some books on starting out in model railroading, layout design etc. Buy the books or borrow em from your local library - I am sure they also have interlibrary loans.
You apparently also need to think some more about what you want to accomplish and why. The "what" and "why" is usually more important than the "how" in pretty much everything you do.
Why do you want to build a layout ? What do do you want on your layout ? Why ? What limits to you have to stay within ? Why ?
Once you have taken the time to figure out your own honest answers to those questions, you can start figuring out "how to get from where I am to where I want to be ?".
You don't have to share your real motives or limitations with people in this forum, but you need to know them for yourself. Because if you don't have a reasonable idea about where you want to end up, it can be kinda hard to figure out which way would be the smartest to take to get there.
Grin,Stein
Been Nothing Since Frisco (BNSF)I'll see if I can find that book, but right now I'm trying to figur out what to do. I'm wanting to go to n scale but most of my stuf is ho. I may disasemble all the track and completly rebuild the track plan.