What is your Model Railroading GOAL(S)?

[Paul D]

Heck, I was writin' my 1st Grade dissertation when most of you kids were born . . .

[Phoebe Vet]

IRONROOSTER

 

NP2626

In a little more than three weeks I'll be 65.  Am I one of the younger people on this forum?

 

 

 

 

Yes. 

In 2 1/2 weeks (April 2) I will be 68.

Enjoy

Paul

 

Me, too.  68 April 1.

[gzygadlo]

My goal is to not leave mine in boxes.  I knew someone who had a great collection and it sat in boxes for year except for the ones in the display cases.

I also just want a freelance layout that I can run both my smaller and larger rolling stock.  Last but not leave is to enjoy them and have fun with them.

[NP2626]

Thanks!  Happy B-day to you, too!  It's fun to be middle aged again!!

[UPinCT]

Finish my layout sometime this century as I didn't finish it in the last one

[ACY Tom]

My goal is to finally get a layout up and running after all these years of buying, building, painting, decaling, detailing, planning, dreaming, and hoping.  Years of work just kept getting in the way.  I want to see those long trains running behind those lovely locos I've been collecting.  "Completion" of a model railroad may be an unreasonably optimistic goal because of my current age; but I know I can work in that direction.

Tom

[NP2626]

A recent goal (2-3 years old now) was to complete car cards done for all my rolling stock and start operating.  Since many people seem to think operation to be the ultimate goal, I wanted to give this aspect of model railroading at least a try.  So, in the last two years, I have operated small peddler freights delivering cars around the layout and just recently I have come-up with a 10 train schedule that will take me as a single operator about 5 hours to run through.  The jury is still out as to whether; or, not I think operations are fun.

[hon30critter]

Guess I'm one of the yungins here. I'll be 61 in May.

My goal is to get my son to move out of the house so that I can clear his exercise equipment out of the garage. Then I can actually start to build a layout.

Make no mistake, I love my son dearly. In fairness to him he has been through a few bumps and grinds, but he has now been in an established career making good money for several months. He just wrote qualifying exams for his next level of accreditation in municipal Water/Waste Water management so once the results come in for the exams (he said he did well) I am going to have a heart to heart discussion with him about getting on with his life.

In the mean time I have lots of projects in various states of completion to keep me occupied, but if you haven't guessed it already, I'm getting a little impatient to start building bench work.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Dave

["JaBear"]

Having fun is the overall goal,

Short term; I’m enjoying the challenge of scratch building and the test of my abilities, which I hope to develop.

Long term:  a free lanced 1950s smaller Class 1 North-Eastern Railroad running on a modest sized layout capable of being operated, with satisfaction, by myself or a group. If someone from the States was to visit the “completed” layout I’d like to think that they would say, and not out of politeness, that “It looks about right.”

It may be a conceit but I’d also like to think that some of the scenes would be worthy of inclusion in “Trackside Photos”.

As I see that Messrs. Braum and DuPrey have already responded, I cannot claim at 56 to be anywhere near the youngest, however while I may have to grow older, I don’t have to grow up!

Cheers, the Bear.

[NP2626]

I sort of “winced” when I used the word "GOALS" and model railroading in the same breath.  Goals are things talked about in courses such as Dale Carnegie; or, self-help gurus such as Tony Robbins.  I link the term to motivation and carriers and feel like the terms “GOAL; or, GOALS” are too cliché and maybe shouldn’t be linked to hobbies; which, after all have to do with how we enjoy our free time.  Of course others will totally disagree with me on the above, and that’s fine!  I probably think too much about words and how they are used as “Catch Phrases” and tend to re-invent themselves over time.

 

However, the word “GOAL” does seem to fit this line of thought on what we want to accomplish with our model railroads.

 

This thread has been a catharsis for me and has allowed me to consider where I am in the hobby, what I have gotten done and what needs to get done!   Where I am, is enjoying what I’m doing.  What I’ve gotten done is I have had a lot of fun and what needs to get done is only the things I want to do!

I have also noticed that as a crowd, the majority of us seem to be old codgers!  I guess then it’s no wonder that we might not get along at times! 

 

[richhotrain]

NP2626

I sort of “winced” when I used the word "GOALS" and model railroading in the same breath. 

 

However, the word “GOAL” does seem to fit this line of thought on what we want to accomplish with our model railroads.

 

When you first posted this thread, I was tempted to start my own thread and title it, What Is The Purpose of Model Railroading?

[oltmannd]

My goal is to finish my existing layout and operate it with a small crew.  Started the thing two houses ago in 1984 (BC).  Currently have about 95% of the trackwork done and a bit of scenery.  In the process of converting from Dyantrol to NCE DCC.  Am finding more time available now that kids are in college/working.

Still finding all phases of this hobby fun!

[LensCapOn]

Phoebe Vet

 

 

MisterBeasley

So, I guess my goal is to build a time machine.  And you know what?  That is fun.

 

 

 

My layout has a Tardis.  Will that do?

 

An image of that is so required. Please provide one. (And offer an article on building one to the publisher of your choice)

 

 

 

Which Doctor are you using?

[BATMAN]

The word "goal" has such a sense of finality about it. I hope I am never finished as it is the journey I am enjoying. Maybe saying "what direction do you tend to follow as far as the hobby goes". There are so many different things we can focus on in the hobby and we all have our favourites.

My goal is to enjoy the hobby. I reached that goal the day Dad introduced me to trains.

[DCHO]

Could not have said this any better.

[Carnegie Falls]

Great thread/question.  I have a bunch of goals/motivators/reasons.

First, do something for me.  I've been making life decisions with others in mind for a long time (not that long, I'm 34).  Then there are a lot of other smaller sub-objectives.  My personality type likes to be challenged with new things.  I didn't know anything about model railroading, so I've enjoyed learning about it, teaching myself, and (eventually) executing a layout to "completion".  I enjoy art and I enjoy being creative; I enjoy creating.  I see this as being the largest art project I've ever worked on.  Most of my art projects take an hour or so to complete.  I regret not getting to keep a painting I did in high school that took a couple weeks.  This model is also meant to be a connection between my children and their great-grandfather/family.  I never really knew him as my grandparents were all gone when I was very young.  The layout will sort of be a gift to my mother and her brother, as a symbol of their father still being present in our lives.  Of course, my 3 year old son loves trains which gave me the idea to start a layout in the first place.  I also want it to be something our family can do together away from a digital screen.  We can build it, decorate it, and run it together, learning patience, dedication, problem-solving and all those good qualities model railroading gives us.

I read something (probably on this forum) where someone mentioned we were creating a world we could control.  It made me wonder if that's the real and subconscious reason I'm doing this.  I had/have some family issues that prompted me to start seeing a therapist/counselor.  Long story short, this relates back to my original goal of doing something for me, but it seems deeper than that, as I could've chosen any number of activities "for me."  The time I wake up, how I dress, the length of my hair, where I live - these things are decided by other circumstances in my life.  23 hours of the day, the world is telling me what to do.  But for that one hour I'm working on the railroad, I decide where the mountain goes; I decide when the train leaves the station.

[NP2626]

DCHO

Could not have said this any better.

 

First of all DCHO, welcome to the forums, if nobody has welcomed you before!

When you write a response to a specific post, you have the option of quoting who your responding too.  This helps others understand what or who your talking about.   

[Eric97123]

My goal will be get a layout back up.  Mine has been down since October due to prepping our house to get it on the market.  My wife and I should close on our new house next month and we have an offer on our current home so I should be have a little extra $$$ to put towards the new layout.  I do get the garage which is about 450 sq feet.  I am starting to plan and looking at different photos to get an idea of what I want. 

[Phoebe Vet]

LensCapOn

 

Phoebe Vet

 

 

MisterBeasley

So, I guess my goal is to build a time machine.  And you know what?  That is fun.

 

 

 

My layout has a Tardis.  Will that do?

 

 

 

 

An image of that is so required. Please provide one. (And offer an article on building one to the publisher of your choice)

Which Doctor are you using?

Matt Smith is the grandson's favorite.

 

 

[NP2626]

Are you saying Tardis or Re-Tardis?

[ACY Tom]

NP2626:

That depends on whether you use it once or twice.

Tom

[Dusty Solo]

I don't think I have ever set myself goals. I know that a few new words have spring up over the years that we are all supposed to embrace to supposedly live fulfilling & rewarding lives.

But I'm too lax to be driven by these new age definitions. There is still a teenager living inside this 67 year old body. Thank God no one has found me out yet and if I can hang on for a few more years, well then, I'll have finaly got away with it all.

Having confessed all that I can tell you that as a dreamer full of hope & wishes there is no room for goals. There are plans & the excitement of those coming to fruition on some distant shore, but I think that the ADD I have has made a journey of straight lines into a path resembling the contours, the twists & turns of the Appalachian Trail.

No room for goals for these take a strong mind & disciplin to see them through to finish. Just flitting from task to task. so that no project is ever finished as the task ahead seems more daunting than the one before.

But, I press on doing what I can do the best way I can. The layout I have has been in pkace for over twenty years and it's progress is measured by the short & infrequent bursts of energy & enthusiasm that charaterize my efforts. A bit here a bit there; some kind of progress, I guess & some progress is better than no progress at all.

So you see that setting goals is just a sure fire waste of time even though when we start out on our modeling journey there is always implied in that beginning the imaginings of and end.

Dusty

[russ_q4b]

Simple!  To operate a train on the B&O in the 1920s, basically my layout is a time machinge.

[CSX_road_slug]

NP2626

Simple enough question!  What goal(s) do you have with your model railroading?

It depends.  I have short-term and long-term goals.

The short-term goals are:

1) To de-clutter my layout and aisles;

2) Re-locate a standing freezer from the garage to the laundry room; this will free-up an extra 20ft of wall space.

3) Restore some of the structures that have been packed away since I tore down my old layout and built this new one.

4) Resume having op sessions.

Long-term goal:

To be satisfied with what I currently have, and stop comparing my layout to those of Tony Koester, Howard Zane and other mega-pikes and losing interest in my own.

[NP2626]

Dusty Solo

I don't think I have ever set myself goals. I know that a few new words have spring up over the years that we are all supposed to embrace to supposedly live fulfilling & rewarding lives.

But I'm to lax to be driven by these new age definitions. There is still a teenager living inside this 67 year old body. Thank God no one has found me out yet and if I can hang on for a few more years, well then, I'll have finaly got away with it all.

Having confessed all that I can tell you that as a dreamer full of hope & wishes there is no room for goals. There are plans & the excitement of those coming to fruition on some distant shore, but I think that the ADD I have has made a journey of straight lines into a path resembling the contours, the twists & turns of the Appalachian Trail.

No room for goals for these take a strong mind & disciplin to see them through to finish. Just flitting from task to task. so that no project is ever finished as the task ahead seems more daunting than the one before.

But, I press on doing what I can do the best way I can. The layout I have has been in pkace for over twenty years and it's progress is measured by the short & infrequent bursts of energy & enthusiasm that charaterize my efforts. A bit here a bit there; some kind of progress, I guess & some progress is better than no progress at all.

So you see that setting goals is just a sure fire waste of time even though when we start out on our modeling journey there is always implied in that beginning the imaginings of and end.

Dusty

 

Dusty, Seeing your aversion to the word GOAL, I've alleviated your (and only your) need for the use of the term!  Instead, in your case, please use the term PURPOSE.  For you, then, this thread is entitled: What is your Model Railroad’s PURPOSE(S)?  Does that work better for you? 

However, you need to understand that: “What is your Model Railroad’s PURPOSE” is plagiarized from motivational model railroading speaker Cody Grivno’s seminar by that name! 

[jecorbett]

CSX_road_slug

 

NP2626

Simple enough question!  What goal(s) do you have with your model railroading?

 

 

It depends.  I have short-term and long-term goals.

The short-term goals are:

1) To de-clutter my layout and aisles;

2) Re-locate a standing freezer from the garage to the laundry room; this will free-up an extra 20ft of wall space.

3) Restore some of the structures that have been packed away since I tore down my old layout and built this new one.

4) Resume having op sessions.

Long-term goal:

To be satisfied with what I currently have, and stop comparing my layout to those of Tony Koester, Howard Zane and other mega-pikes and losing interest in my own.

 

Except for the part about relocating the standing freezer, I could have written this post myself. Every other one applies to me and my layout although I recently completed step one. I'm now working on decluttering by two work benches.

[Dusty Solo]

NP2626

 

 

Dusty Solo

I don't think I have ever set myself goals. I know that a few new words have spring up over the years that we are all supposed to embrace to supposedly live fulfilling & rewarding lives.

But I'm to lax to be driven by these new age definitions. There is still a teenager living inside this 67 year old body. Thank God no one has found me out yet and if I can hang on for a few more years, well then, I'll have finaly got away with it all.

Having confessed all that I can tell you that as a dreamer full of hope & wishes there is no room for goals. There are plans & the excitement of those coming to fruition on some distant shore, but I think that the ADD/ADHD I have has made a journey of straight lines into a path resembling the contours, the twists & turns of the Appalachian Trail.

No room for goals for these take a strong mind & disciplin to see them through to finish. Just flitting from task to task. so that no project is ever finished as the task ahead seems more daunting than the one before.

But, I press on doing what I can do the best way I can. The layout I have has been in pkace for over twenty years and it's progress is measured by the short & infrequent bursts of energy & enthusiasm that charaterize my efforts. A bit here a bit there; some kind of progress, I guess & some progress is better than no progress at all.

So you see that setting goals is just a sure fire waste of time even though when we start out on our modeling journey there is always implied in that beginning the imaginings of and end.

Dusty

 

 

 

Dusty, Seeing your aversion to the word GOAL, I've alleviated your (and only your) need for the use of the term!  Instead, in your case, please use the term PURPOSE.  For you, then, this thread is entitled: What is your Model Railroad’s PURPOSE(S)?  Does that work better for you? 

However, you need to understand that: “What is your Model Railroad’s PURPODE” is plagiarized from motivational model railroading speaker Cody Grivno’s seminar by that name! 

 

I have no issue with the word goal in this or any other context. Its just that because of a personality quirk ADD/ADHD, setting a goal is pointless & esentially unachievable.

There is no need to substitute the word purpose on my account although I do appreciate your offer to accomodate what is your missperception that I am averse to the word, goal - which I am definitely not. But, what ever word is used, well, that's just fine with me. I have no strong thoughts about that either way. Besides, I think that employing the word, purpose as a synonym for, goal is incorrect. I think that  Cody was suggesting a reason for a railways existance. For example a coal road or hauling wheat or phosphate rather than a real life railroad being established just to entertain & amuze the owners & share holders & possibly some of the towns folk living in the areas where the railroad runs.

The pupose of my modeling endevors is to give me pleasure and a sense of pride & satisfaction when I do occasionaly finish some long winded modeling project.

I think using, "goals" is absolutely fine & I marvel at those people who can set themselves goals & achieve them. For the reasons that I have already 3xplained, I just can't do that.

Dusty.

[riogrande5761]

Dusty, I'm pretty laid back too, out of necessity.  I realize despite my own desires to build and run trains that remind me of the 70's and 80's around northern California and in Colorado, usually things like "real life" have blocked me (divorce, job layoffs, moving frequently, no place for a layout), and even when things seem to come together, there tend to be things which frequently get in the way and delay progress.  Ideally I'd have track down and running by now but stuff continues to push back progress.

Moral of the story, what works for one may not work for another.  For some, it's good to have goals but I try not to formalize those things too much it keeps me from being disappointed when goals are not achieved.  Hope, now thats something else - I had no place for a layout for 15 years straight, and could have been accused of being a (horrors) collector - but it did help keep hope alive!

[NP2626]

Dusty Solo

 

 

NP2626

 

 

Dusty Solo

I don't think I have ever set myself goals. I know that a few new words have spring up over the years that we are all supposed to embrace to supposedly live fulfilling & rewarding lives.

But I'm to lax to be driven by these new age definitions. There is still a teenager living inside this 67 year old body. Thank God no one has found me out yet and if I can hang on for a few more years, well then, I'll have finaly got away with it all.

Having confessed all that I can tell you that as a dreamer full of hope & wishes there is no room for goals. There are plans & the excitement of those coming to fruition on some distant shore, but I think that the ADD/ADHD I have has made a journey of straight lines into a path resembling the contours, the twists & turns of the Appalachian Trail.

No room for goals for these take a strong mind & disciplin to see them through to finish. Just flitting from task to task. so that no project is ever finished as the task ahead seems more daunting than the one before.

But, I press on doing what I can do the best way I can. The layout I have has been in pkace for over twenty years and it's progress is measured by the short & infrequent bursts of energy & enthusiasm that charaterize my efforts. A bit here a bit there; some kind of progress, I guess & some progress is better than no progress at all.

So you see that setting goals is just a sure fire waste of time even though when we start out on our modeling journey there is always implied in that beginning the imaginings of and end.

Dusty

 

 

 

Dusty, Seeing your aversion to the word GOAL, I've alleviated your (and only your) need for the use of the term!  Instead, in your case, please use the term PURPOSE.  For you, then, this thread is entitled: What is your Model Railroad’s PURPOSE(S)?  Does that work better for you? 

However, you need to understand that: “What is your Model Railroad’s PURPODE” is plagiarized from motivational model railroading speaker Cody Grivno’s seminar by that name! 

 

 

 

 

I have no issue with the word goal in this or any other context. Its just that because of a personality quirk ADD/ADHD, setting a goal is pointless & esentially unachievable.

There is no need to substitute the word purpose on my account although I do appreciate your offer to accomodate what is your missperception that I am averse to the word, goal - which I am definitely not. But, what ever word is used, well, that's just fine with me. I have no strong thoughts about that either way. Besides, I think that employing the word, purpose as a synonym for, goal is incorrect. I think that  Cody was suggesting a reason for a railways existance. For example a coal road or hauling wheat or phosphate rather than a real life railroad being established just to entertain & amuze the owners & share holders & possibly some of the towns folk living in the areas where the railroad runs.

The pupose of my modeling endevors is to give me pleasure and a sense of pride & satisfaction when I do occasionaly finish some long winded modeling project.

I think using, "goals" is absolutely fine & I marvel at those people who can set themselves goals & achieve them. For the reasons that I have already 3xplained, I just can't do that.

Dusty.

 

Dusty, that entire response to you was meant as tongue-in-cheek!  

[gregc]

NP2626

What goal(s) do you have with your model railroading?

- something hand-ons to do in the winter that doesn't have a deadline
- something that I can use engineering skills on that I don't use at work
- something that reminds me of my mother's stories of the Mahanoy Plane
- something that doesn't cost too much