cmrproducts This folks - is WHY I decided to build the size of layout I am currently working on! I had the space 2500 sq ft and knew I could easily do a typical 4 x 8 in a couple of weeks. SO! I decided to build a Mega layout pretty much by myself - I figured it would keep me busy for a couple of years! ;-) Then Operations got in the way and I spend more time RUNNIG the layout than WORKING on it. SO! - I guess it will take a couple more decades to get this thing finished! None of this switching Scales - going Narrow Gauge - I finish a project first before I start another one! So - Guess it is going to be around a while. Unlike the rest of the Hobby guys - that get bored so quick doing a simple 4 x 8 only because they can see the end of their project in coming in a few days and don't realize the reason one purchases ELECTRIC TRAINS is to play with them - NOT Build Layouts over and over! Appeariently the Model Press has once again failed us and told us that Roundy Round IS THE ONLY WAY! :-) ;-) BOB H - Clarion, PA
This folks - is WHY I decided to build the size of layout I am currently working on!
I had the space 2500 sq ft and knew I could easily do a typical 4 x 8 in a couple of weeks.
SO! I decided to build a Mega layout pretty much by myself - I figured it would keep me busy for a couple of years! ;-)
Then Operations got in the way and I spend more time RUNNIG the layout than WORKING on it.
SO! - I guess it will take a couple more decades to get this thing finished!
None of this switching Scales - going Narrow Gauge -
I finish a project first before I start another one!
So - Guess it is going to be around a while.
Unlike the rest of the Hobby guys - that get bored so quick doing a simple 4 x 8 only because they can see the end of their project in coming in a few days and don't realize the reason one purchases ELECTRIC TRAINS is to play with them - NOT Build Layouts over and over!
Appeariently the Model Press has once again failed us and told us that Roundy Round IS THE ONLY WAY! :-) ;-)
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Alton Junction
I am working on the final section of my layout, and I suppose the layout might be called completed when I'm through with this section. However, there is much more to do on this section. Also, the exsting layout does need attention. Mantenance takes time. There are several projects on the older section awaiting my time where I will improve what is there. Scenic details (like my pumpkin patch) can be added just for fun. I doubt I will ever run out of projects on the layout.
Next are the locomotives and cars. Regular maintencance and occasional repairs take time. I have many locomotives not yet converted to DCC. Many locomotives need details added. Many of the cars need attention.
I enjoy building passenger cars from kits or kit bashing. Some of my prototypically correct passenger cars were from kits made and sold by NKP Car Company, and I like assembling them.
Next, operating the layout is much fun and very time consuming.
I will never run out of model railroad projects to take my time. So, it is a little hard for me to relate to the question.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Heartland Division CB&Q I will never run out of model railroad projects to take my time. So, it is a little hard for me to relate to the question.
OK, let me rephrase my question yet again.
Granted, that one's layout is never truly completed, if you are a lone wolf without other fellow model railroader's by your side, how do you "run your trains" all by your itsy bitsy self? Do you just sit back with a beverage in hand and let them run around your layout, or do you attempt to sumulate the real thing, be it freight or passenger operations or both? In other words, how hands on are you?
Rich
LION is a Lone LION builder/operator. LION has done so much re-wiring that it appears that it will never stop.
LION automated railroad of him, so it operates with little more effort than a roundy-round. But I always see things that I want to fix.
Mount a video camera on the front of your locomotive, and you will find plenty to fix.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Rich ... No raw nerve here. I'm glad to talk with you. ... My layout has numerous industries, and it is fun switching cars in and out. Several industries ship cars of freight to other industries. ... Grain elevator ships to flour mill, and flour mill ships to large bakery. For example. .... Local switchers put the cars on main line trains to haul between towns. ... Meanwile, passenger trains pass travel down the line making stations stops. Some of the pasenger trains haul mail and express. .... There are endless possibilities for fun. Most of the time I do it by myself.
Heartland Division CB&Q Rich ... No raw nerve here. I'm glad to talk with you. ... My layout has numerous industries, and it is fun switching cars in and out. Several industries ship cars of freight to other industries. ... Grain elevator ships to flour mill, and flour mill ships to large bakery. For example. .... Local switchers put the cars on main line trains to haul between towns. ... Meanwile, passenger trains pass travel down the line making stations stops. Some of the pasenger trains haul mail and express. .... There are endless possibilities for fun. Most of the time I do it by myself.
Nah, I knew that I hadn't really struck a raw nerve with you. I just said that for comedic effect, thus the grinning emoticon.
So, you do run trains by yourself. Good to know. After the main work on my layout was completed in 2010, I built the Dearborn Station module in 2011, the coach yard in 2012, and the double bascule bridge lift out section in 2013.
But now with golf season ending here, and winter coming on, I am finally faced with the prospect of a layout season without major projects. So, now I need to figure out exactly what I will do this winter.
Rich.
I am not anywhere near finished mine, but I already see changes to things that are not even complete yet. I see a spot where a town will go in that wasn't there before. Also a carfloat operation where a stock pen is slated for. However there is a layout that has shown up at the local train shows once in a while where the guy does a "time shift". He goes from current day back to 1900 by removing anything modern from the layout and replacing it with time appropriate pieces. All diesels go off into staging and out comes the steam and era correct rolling stock. He had no paved roads on the layout and thus all the cars were replaced with horses and/or buggies. In areas where he would remove modern structures and not replace with anything else, he had designed it to look like land that had never been developed. In one spot he lifted out a factory to have kids playing in a little water hole that was hidden underneath.
I am strongly trying to do the same as I build my layout and it is challenging. I like the early 1900s steam era the best, but still want those big modern diesels to run occasionally. What's a guy to do?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I would like to bring up maintance, what maintance except for an occasional run by the track cleaning cars and 5 min with an eraser, and I do not have a small layout. Sure there are the very rare thing that breaks but I only have to spend a lot of time on maintance when I have just finished scenery on an area. When I go dead rail iven that will be a thing of the past.
BATMANWhat's a guy to do?
Brent,
Too bad it wasn't as easy as changing Your Avatar.
Take Care!
Frank
I do have a potential project for my layout that could take all winter. I would love to add a staging area, and I have the room in my basement to do it.
One small problem. It is called a wife.
zstripeBrent, Too bad it wasn't as easy as changing Your Avatar.
Frank.
"Tis the season". My Xmas one is my favourite it actually has a train in it.
richhotrain I do have a potential project for my layout that could take all winter. I would love to add a staging area, and I have the room in my basement to do it. One small problem. It is called a wife. Rich
How about under the layout staging? The helix would be a great project, especially if you have never done one.
Show us a photo of your trainroom or better still take us on a video tour. I bet we can come up with all sorts of ideas to keep you going.
Yeah! You could also incorporate Your freight house somewhere on that also.
Send the Wife on a vacation.
Rich noted a common problem: One small problem. It is called a wife.
Yours too? Mine is 4 foot 10.
Frank countered: Send the Wife on a vacation.
Mine's going to Florida in a few weeks. When she returns there will be 6 feet more benchwork on Phase 3, just a bit of layout beyond the staging tracks.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
My wife went to a dog show for four days and when she got back the grand piano had mysteriously moved from the now completely empty trainroom to the livingroom. Which also required rearranging all the furniture in the livingroom. When she walked in the front door she gave me that look and said " I see you have started on your railway".
Yup! Sending them away can really work wonders.
Well I must be the luckiest Man on earthn then!
My wife of 42 years - doesn't really care what does on in the basement! ;-)
When we built our new house - she knew what was going in the basement and said - Have FUN!
And I have been for the past 14 years!
I never could quite understand why the Wives are so concerned as to the use of a OLD Dingy Basement is for anyway.
MOST want a fixed up basement and once it is done - NEVER or at the very least infrequently go to the Fixed up Basement to use it!
BUT have a problem with having a Layout built in it!
Appeariently YOU have done something along the way to make HER not trust you
of something!
At least mine knows where I am and she also knows I am not out at the Bars wasting money on drinks.
I am wasting it on TRAINS - like everyone should be! ;-)
Rich,
If you feel you've exhausted all other possibilities, there's only two things left to do...
* slot cars
* open a hobby shop
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
cmrproducts Well I must be the luckiest Man on earthn then! My wife of 42 years - doesn't really care what does on in the basement! ;-) When we built our new house - she knew what was going in the basement and said - Have FUN! And I have been for the past 14 years! I never could quite understand why the Wives are so concerned as to the use of a OLD Dingy Basement is for anyway. MOST want a fixed up basement and once it is done - NEVER or at the very least infrequently go to the Fixed up Basement to use it! BUT have a problem with having a Layout built in it! Appeariently YOU have done something along the way to make HER not trust you of something! At least mine knows where I am and she also knows I am not out at the Bars wasting money on drinks. I am wasting it on TRAINS - like everyone should be! ;-) BOB H - Clarion, PA
mlehman Rich, If you feel you've exhausted all other possibilities, there's only two things left to do... * slot cars * open a hobby shop
If you have represented Chicago in a certain transition era year, in terms of trackwork, scenery, and structures, do you want to represent certain trains that ran through the city during that period?
Pick two or three of your favorite railroads, then try to exactly model a few of the trains that would have run through Chicago on a given day, in terms of representing actual locomotives and rolling stock. (Chicago seeing lots of trains would give you a lot to choose from). Both frieght and passenger trains being eligible.
Research the history. Research the models. Find out who made the model that most closely represents your prototype...or learn to build the obscure one here and there.
Take your accurate representation of Chicago, and use it as a basis for accurately representing some train operations that took place there. That should keep you busy for a winter...at least.
- Douglas
richhotrainSo, what is a lone wolf supposed to do?
Howl at the moon, what else does a lone wolf do?
Seriously, you should do what makes you happy. If the layout can be salvaged by making some changes, I would make them. If not maybe its time to build one that you will enjoy more.
Jim
I am a lone wolf too and often think about finding someone I could 'share' my layout operation with but: I have found that I like to build structures and detail/weather rolling stock as much as any aspect of the hobby. I think when I finish my layout (????) that I would build structure kits and sell them on Ebay (which I have already done).
Then I remembered; when I worked at a professional model shop in New York many years ago we built a model of New York City for the 1964/65 World's Fair. After the fair, the City of New York kept a six man crew full time to update the model to keep up with actual building construction/demolition in the city. Our men would build models of the new construction and place it on the model (replacing the old structure if one existed). The model was used as a planning model by NYC and I believe it is still open to the public. This would be a great way to continue working on your layout; by replacing structures and even rerouting roads to make way for future expansion of some of your industries, housing districts or even rerouting a highway/road. Some of your structures might suffer a disasterous 'fire' and have to be rebuilt with a new one (just an excuse for more structures!).
I don't expect to really finish my layout completely (I am 73 now and have several years of work ahead of me) but look forward to the time when I can spend some time on 'just building structure kits' for the fun of it.
My point is I guess, find what satisfied you the most during the building of your layout, and go back to it in some fashion or other. If you still have the interest in the hobby, maybe just not operations, then focus on those aspects.
I hope I never get to the point where I am bored with my layout.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
richhotrainHey, there is a 3rd option - - - tear down the current layout and build my Dream Layout !
Nah, then you WOULD be like a joiner. All the kids do that...
Bob's take on things is pretty much how I approrach this question. Go back and build it better. I have lots of structure that are pretty decent, but really are just stand-ins until I get the chance to get back to them, plan what I want to do in detail, then build them. I've already done quick and dirty. Methodical is up next.
[quote user="richhotrain"]
A small sign is our house has a saying that has helped me maintain a peaceable kingdom..."Never question your wife's judgement, remember first whom she chose to marry."
What I have learned, to my great delight is that she can look through catalogs, web sites and such to always find something that "keeps it from looking like everyone else's railroad".
I told one friend last weekend that while the acreage of the layout has not changed, the density of the surface area , has increased significantly. Roughly every ten years or so,on the average, the chisel comes out of hiding with the determination to save the best and improve the rest. Trains run regularly, and they sometimes work their way through the operational puzzles built into the track plan.
In other words to answer your original question, I just keep modeling and running a railroad, with no lack of self amazement that what exists, came about inspite of my modest amount of talent.
Don H.
Have fun with your trains
Yesterday, here in the Chicago area, the high temperature for the day was 42, wind gusts over 50 MPH, and snow squalls.
With golf season coming to an end in this part of the country, I will soon be turning my attention to my layout.
So, I am going to find out fast what a lone wolf is supposed to do.
I get these responses from the many Visitors to our Club and even from our Club members stating that the wives have a problem with a layout in the Basement!
But in questioning the guys - I have found that some of the reasons for their concern (which is being very kind) is that most MEN
1. Can't or Don't finish a project when started
2. The place is always a mess.
3. We have no place to store stuff if that thing is in the basement (which we will NEVER use again anyway)
SO in the aspect - I have to agree!
I am no better at times! But now that I have the layout up and running the MESS is gone.
If I do build something - it is in the Garage where it should be and that too gets cleaned regularly!
The one reason I HAVE TO keep the place cleaned up is I host OPs Sessions every two weeks and I have to be sure NO ONE falls down due to the clutter!
So - I am very good about making sure the place is clean and the debris is put away.
I sweep the stairs and the Layout room floor - The wife is real happy about me doing that and I do get to practice upstairs once in a while ! ;-)
Now as for the Storage thing.
I was talking with one of our Club members and he was unhappy as his wife stated he could NOT have any more of the basement for an addition to the layout - by chance - this member's wife stopped in to the Club and I had a chance to strike up a conversation with her.
I started off by saying the "club member" stated that you did not want anymore layout being built - in which she acknowledged I was correct.
I then stated that - do you realize that ALL of the space under the layout can be used for "STORAGE" and a curtain can be hung to cover it all up to keep the place looking nice!
I then left it go at that!
The next day the Club Member called me and ask what I did to his wife - I stated "NOTHING" - but I ask what he was referring to and he stated that his wife suddenly decided that the Layout extension wasn't that bad of an idea!
A win win for everyone!
All we have to do is make them believe it was their idea and we can get most anything - within reason.
I did this with my Layout room addition - we needed to fix the back wall of the house and I gave several ways to do it. The room out the back was the best as it would tie the walls to the new room and keep it from falling over - but was the most costly.
Something had to be done - and to put the deal over the top - I stated the new room upstairs could be a SUN Room with windows all around etc. etc and left at that.
About a week later - she suggested we look into the Sun Room idea - Now her idea! I got the new room! ;-)
I have done this (Suggestion thing) to many other wives to help out the guys and most of them have worked to a degree - I have also told the guys how to go about it as I relate the stories above to them.
Whether they had the finesse to handle it right - is another story.
But I have seen it done and done it myself - and no one believes me!
Their loss!
Hi Rich,
I haven't chimed in, in quit a while, but first off how are you? I had the same problem. So I thought this was a good time to reply
Dont send the wife on vacation, go with her. Now that golf season is winding down do what I did and go to Florida for a month or two, play more golf, and while your at it you might get more ideas on your dream layout you always talked about. Just saying.
Sam
cmrproducts 3. We have no place to store stuff if that thing is in the basement (which we will NEVER use again anyway)
I sent the entire reply to my wife for study and comment, but I chose to highlight here your Comment #3 which captures the essence of my dilemma.
Thank you, sir, for your insight.