Up here in the Chicago area, golf season ends around the beginning of the second week in November. With the end of golf season, it is the start of model railroading season (November thru March).
This year, with no projects remaining on my 10-year old layout, I am going to run trains as never before until New Year's Eve, then seriously consider demolishing my current layout and building my Dream Layout after the first of the year.
When does model railroading season begin for you, and what plans do you have for this year?
Rich
Alton Junction
Down here, even in the dead of winter days in the mid 60s are not uncommon, we even get the odd day in the 70s. with that in mind, there really isn't a model railroading season. How about for other who live in warm climates?
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com
Hello All,
Most of my modeling season happens in the summer, yes in the Northern Hemisphere!
I'm a skiing & snowboard instructor for adaptive, special needs and wounded warriors at the Breckenridge ski resort. When the snow begins to fall in early to mid October until mid April I'm pretty busy with work. My longest stretch without a day off was 23-days in a row!!!
From April until October is my modeling season. During those months I work with the bicycling program for the same folks but it's three days a week every other week, which allows me to get in some much needed pike time and enjoy other summer activities; mountain biking, hiking and camping.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
If I were to have golf as a hobby, I certainly wouldn't let a Canadian winter make me suspend it - that's why I'm a model railroader, and I don't let summer interrupt it.
Wayne
I model all year. I just make time to do all of the things I want to do. I live in Texas, so the weather normally cooperates.
As far as plans, I really don't have any. Since I do model all year, I just take projects as they come with no real planning at all.
Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge
I think of model railroad season beginning again in September, when our local NMRA Division starts having monthly meets again, and when the local swap meet season kicks in. But I try to do a little something every month, even if it is only to fall asleep reading the latest MR or NMRA magazine outside on a hot afternoon. The only actual modeling accomplishment this summer was a weathering project that turned out rather well.
Dave Nelson
I retired in 1999 after working 31 years on 1:1 trains and began building my present layout. Worked on it all around the year. Three years later I joined a club and model there all around the year too. So for me there is no season of Mrring. It goes on and on.
richhotrainWhen does model railroading season begin for you, and what plans do you have for this year? Rich
My railroad season opens January 1st, and closes December,31st and reopens January 1st..
I will finish building my 14' x2' ISL. The new bench work is up but,work as grind to a halt due to railfan season. I have several load projects on tap as well..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
Train season for me is all year round. I hate summer so working on my layout is a cool time. No pun intended.
But September to march is something special. The holidays and such is just so much fun for me.
Living in a cool climate (Minnesnowta) I tend to do as much model work as possible in the summer, when I can paint and glue things without getting knocked out by the fumes. Plus, my work tends to be busiest from January to April...so for me, I'm just starting my end-of-season 'push' to get my major projects wrapped up before snowtime.
doctorwayneIf I were to have golf as a hobby, I certainly wouldn't let a Canadian winter make me suspend it - that's why I'm a model railroader, and I don't let summer interrupt it. Stick out tongueSmile, Wink & Grin Wayne
Ditto!
I am not a golfer. Physical coordination has never been my forte. However, I like to catch the avid golfers off guard by claiming that I have 12 handicap. That is, after I lose 12 balls I quit!
To answer the OP's question, I model all year round.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
My model railroading season started Dec. 25th, 1963 and still continues.
The golfers in my family play as long as they can find the holes, which, in Sin City, is about 363 days a year. However, I have never been tempted to, "Try to put little balls in little holes with equipment ill suited to the purpose," even before health problems made that the impossible dream.
My model railroading season begins at 00:01 hours on 1 September, and runs until 24:00 hours on 30 September. Then it resets and repeats. Of course, the year is 1964.
In fact, my model railroading season started on 25 December, 1937 - and hasn't ended yet. I expect it to end when I do.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
It began about 8 years ago, and has continued for a couple of hours nearly every night since. Havin' fun!
Dan
Ah.... England, wonderful UK where the weather changes on a daily basis! No, there's not really a season for Model Railroading here. We just pretend it's winter and pretend it's summer. In the summer we put on thin clothes and moan about how cold and rainy it is. In the winter we put on weatherproof and thick clothes and moan about how cold and rainy it is.
No, I don't work on my model railroad from May until September. Mainly in the hope that we will have a gloriously hot summer. But we don't. We have one day in the 90's then the next day it's freezing. But I have noticed that when all the kids go back to school after the summer break, the weather dramatically improves and we invariably have an indian summer with blue skies and warm sun. I believe it's something to do with new legislation for retired people. Having lived and worked this long, retirees are entitled by law to a two weeks of nice weather child free. However, this may be rescinded if the UK leaves the EU.
Anyway, yes I do have a break from model railroading, but it's only so I know if each day is a wet cold day in summer or a wet cold day in winter.
Seriously, the UK is a beautiful place and it doesn't rain all the time! (It just seems like it!)
Barry
It's always model railroading season for me.
-Fritz Milhaupt, Publications Editor, Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc.http://www.pmhistsoc.org
fmilhaupt It's always model railroading season for me.
That is pretty cool. But, as I say, it is very seasonal for me.
April thru October - Golf Season.
November thru March - Model Railroading Season.
LION wroks on railroad of him all year round, but summer months are a problem. The train room is far too hot for much activity in the summer. I may get up there for a little bit, but LIONS do not like the hot. Him would rather find a shady spot and wait for cooler weather.
The TSA on duty in Africa...
Speaking of Africa, I want to build a Baobab tree for my layout. Should I put it in Brooklyn or in the Bronx. That is the question.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
BroadwayLion Speaking of Africa, I want to build a Baobab tree for my layout. Should I put it in Brooklyn or in the Bronx. That is the question. ROAR
50+ years in HO railroading, owing a fairly large shop and promoting the largest scale only show in the east..........here is my opinion of train season.
For some like me, it is 12 months, but in general, the stats for the store were as follows beginning with the best month...
December, January, November, February, October, March, April, June, July, September, August, and by far May was the worst month. Even though I sold the store in 1975, these stats are emblazened in me.
The best train shows were the February and October shows, with the April and June shows way behind, but still viable.
This will vary greatly depending on demographics, and of course current state of economy. 1975 was a bit different.
Being a brass dealer for almost 30 years, i can tell you that when the stock market went south, brass sales went north...so much so, that I welcomed huge drops in the market.
My two bucks.
HZ
My two bucks...........
When we lived in Arizona, train season was from September to April..the rest of the year was evenings only. Since moving to Oklahoma, I finally got an enclosed room for the layouts so anytime is train time; when I FIND time
Bob Berger, C.O.O. N-ovation & Northwestern R.R. My patio layout....SEE IT HERE
There's no place like ~/ ;)
Some of you guys are lucky you can model all year long. I'm a November to April modeller but I do belong to a round robin group that meets once a month so I can still get my fix.
Normally, we'd be entering the "eve of MRR high season" for me. It is not a weather issue, at least directly. My empire shares a climate-controlled office with me in our basement. But, when the weather is good, green things start growing outside and need regular attention to either keep them growing or keep them in check, hence I get less done on the railroad. The green things don't take all my time, but when they stop being green is high season.
Alas, we are seriously talking about moving next spring, so high season this year may mean very little and could move toward de-construction. The good news is an unobstructed, climate-controlled space for my empire is on the list of "givens" for a new place, even if it requires construction. The other good news is if we do move, it will be closer to the geographic area I am modeling, which 1) I personally like, and 2) could lead to some weekend drives for capturing scenes and such to be modeled.
- Mark
I retired on disability in 2008, and, since my layout is a temperature controlled basement, er, train room, I can model 365 days a year. Right now, I'm in the middle of an expansion project that will add about 100 square feet of layout. The expansion will include a passenger station, a warehouse operation and locomotive service facilities.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
hon30critterThat is, after I lose 12 balls I quit!
I score golf in a similar manner. If I start a round with 12 balls and finish with 8, I'm 4 under.
Model railroad season runs year round.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
There's a season?
My season is whenever I have time to get down cellar and every Thursday to volunteer at Boothbay Railway Village for a work session on the layuot there. On a hot summer day, the cellar is the coolest place in the house; the dog and I head downstairs. She chews a bone and takes a nap. I work on whatever project is near the top of my list. She wakes up around 5 PM with stomach alarms, comes and noses me until I go upstairs to feed her .
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
There's only one answer because.......A tree grows in Brooklyn