Make sure to leave space underneath to clean the track there.
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
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.
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*
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
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.
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
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
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.
.
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?"
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.
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.
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.
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?