I am sure that there are some aspects of building and operating, including maintaining, a railroad that frustrates each of us to no end. So, I have decided to start a thread, take a survey if you will, about the three activities, in priority order, that you dread having to undertake. There are no criteria, except that the number one activity is one where you are tempted to drop everything part way through and find something else that is fun to do...like watching paint dry.
In my case they are:
1. Cleaning track
2. Ballasting track
3. There are a bunch, but dealing with a balky ground throw has inched into the top 3.
As of this quick update, I would like to point out that I am NOT intending to provide another forum for peeves against specific manufacturers or vendors. So far, no one has gone this route, and I appreciate it. We have all gone down this road on other threads and I suspect that there will be more threads in the future. Again, I appreciate your indulgence on this.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
1. Soldering
2. Wiring
3. Ballasting
4. Backdrop painting
Ripping up Track
Replacing Track
Wiring Track
Gary
My list.
1.Ripping out track
2. Planing a new ISL.
3.Making a simple oops! that causes rework.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
1. Under table wiring
2. Damaging rolling stock details when handling, adding to the To Do list
3. Potentially, not segmenting my layout for a future move. (But optimistically I can strip it and build bigger and better in a new space.)
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
For me:
2. Ballasting
3. Soldering
4. Finding enough time
5. Soldering!
Mike
[quote user="Water Level Route"]
1. Trying to lay double mainline track straight (and I mean straight).
2. Installing Tortoises under the layout.
3. Wiring up Tomar Industries signals (#36 wire) to the accessory bus.
4. Removing shells to install decoders in diesel locomotives.
5. Waiting for deliveries of needed items.
Alton Junction
bearmanHow do you really feel about soldering?
1) Replacing failed turnouts.
2) Difficult to diassemble locomotives.
3) Kits that are missing parts.
.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Having to work on a budget that is tightmaking me wait for sales to get the most out of it. Then still not getting all the needed pieces To finish a project
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
richhotrain 1. Trying to lay double mainline track straight (and I mean straight). 2. Installing Tortoises under the layout. 3. Wiring up Tomar Industries signals (#36 wire) to the accessory bus. 4. Removing shells to install decoders in diesel locomotives. 5. Waiting for deliveries of needed items.
Number 2 and number 5.
One reason for tortoises is that turnouts are hard to reach on top of the layout. Doubly hard underneath with the added adventure of bending down, crawling under, and craning your neck up, and then getting into position to find four little pilot holes.
Some shipping and handling are quicker than others, but they are all frustrating. Like waiting for Christmas.
I'll add painting N scale structures. I do landscapes and ground planes fairly well. Just slather on paint with a 2-inch brush, mixing earth tone colors on the spot. But you have to actually paint window trim and copings and whatnot on buildings, and that takes time, a lot of time. Newer building kits are coming out with colored pieces and parts. That should help.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
There's really only one for me: Not moving forward with projects as quickly as I would like.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
1. Keeping cats off of layout
2. Keeping cats off of layout
3. Keeping cats off of layout
4. Rebuttals to comments from visitors
5. Getting things to work when running trains for visitors
Actually I have found **** near nothing I dislike about this hobby. There are chores I farm out like wiring, brass repairs, and DCC installations only because I know folks who do this better than I can. Then I can can spend my time doing what I enjoy most....building structures, wood rolling stock, and scenery. I can do all of what I sub out, but a day has just 24 hours.
HZ
For me, it's often just trying to get started on a new project or resuming an old one. That means cleaning off my old work area which usually has about one square inch of work space. I get paralized trying to figure out how to make more room. And then, when I do put eveything away, it all somehow migrates back to the work table again.
I sometimes hate having so much stuff that goes along with being a model railroader. I'm sure you all know what I mean - boxes of scrap parts, strip wood and styrene pieces, detail parts, decals, signs, glues, paints, tools, wire, brass strips, and on and on. Yet, how can you be a modeler without a supply of stuff you "might" need some day? Is it possible to be an active modeler and not have a stash of all these things? Is there such a thing as a minimalist modeler?
Jim
Derailments can be very frustrating.
You can save yourself from much of this frustration, if you install flawless track. Also, locomotives and rolling stock should be carefully inspected prior to using them on the layout to find any issues that cause derailments .
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
1. Taking down the old layout. I'm moving in a couple of months, so this has to be done. But it's not fun.
2. Lack of local store for nuts items like paint, strip wood, etc.
3. Too small work area. This will be fixed with move.
1. Paint
2. Weathering
3. Rerailing trains on hidden trackage after a cat sneaks into the layout room.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Not having the space or budget to build a bigger pike.
Joe Staten Island West
mlehman 3. Rerailing trains on hidden trackage after a cat sneaks into the layout room.
Rerailing trains on hidden track even when cats don't sneak in isn't that much fun either.
ROBERT PETRICK One reason for tortoises is that turnouts are hard to reach on top of the layout. Doubly hard underneath with the added adventure of bending down, crawling under, and craning your neck up, and then getting into position to find four little pilot holes.
Rich
Howard ZaneActually I have found **** near nothing I dislike about this hobby.
Are you sure you don't have those moments when getting out of the hobby completely sounds like a excellent idea?
I lost track of times when I had that thought on my mind but,a little walk away time spending a day fishing or railfaning and return the next day the problem was easily solved...
ROBERT PETRICK mlehman 3. Rerailing trains on hidden trackage after a cat sneaks into the layout room. Rerailing trains on hidden track even when cats don't sneak in isn't that much fun either.
True, all too true, but...
I have way too much hidden track, so built it fairly bulletproof and maintain my equipment to a high standard. Cats are the source of most derailments, I am thankful to say. It's a pretty rare occurence otherwise.
1. Disassembling Atlas GPxx to install DCC.
2. Re-work
ctyclsscs Yet, how can you be a modeler without a supply of stuff you "might" need some day?
There are ways to neatly organize this stuff so that it doesnt take up all of your space.
BMMECNYCThere are ways to neatly organize this stuff so that it doesnt take up all of your space.
I favor totes or flat cardboard storage boxes stored in a walk in type closet.
My biggest frustration is with getting DCC configured the way I want.Even with Decoder Pro it's not easy. I should be able to input the type of decoder and select "set bell volume to X" instead of having to set multiple CVs for every volume change, for instance.And this is somebody who's been programming computers since 1972.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
tstageThere's really only one for me: Not moving forward with projects as quickly as I would like. Tom
Ditto!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Stepping on track nails while wearing socks in the trainroom, your wife calls you to supper while doing a delicate job like putting a spring in an n scale coupler,having a power failure in the train room while your having a bunch of visitors,losing a screw thats so tiny you have to use a spy glass to see it,and you lose it on a carpeted floor,forgetting to throw a switch til its to late,