As an offshoot of the "how does the economy affect your hobby" thread, I postulated that it can be quite positive in that we all probably have more kits and stuff we could build before we buy more, with the side benefit of making layout progress!! So, I will post the start of my to do list, for my own benefit but I think it would be fun to see what is on the top of the agenda of fellow trainboarders.....I have committed to a layout tour in June, BTW, so that is great incentive. Here is my list: Cover up my back staging tracks with scenery (They are supposed to be hidden!) includes foam base, ground cover, trees, and reinstalling highway bridge over engine terminal area Scenic East Side Industrial Park, including adding flats along backdrop Finish Union Station area scenery Finish Power Plant Scene Touch up fascia paint Freshen Scenery after a move and about 10 years with added ground foam Add Caboose Industry Ground Throws on all TO's not having them Re-Paint Garage Floor Mass weathering of about 400 cars and 200 engines. (first coat, detail later) Custom Paint GP-38-2 for black IHB scheme (to ensure Atlas releases them just after) Custom Paint Metra FP45 Finish Switch Lists and Ops Schedule and Scheme (Have real, full crew op session soon thereafter!) Weight all cars, change to metal wheels All the finish the layout items are moved to the top of the list by the tour. After that, I think I would focus more on actual ops and then rolling stock and room prep without artificial stimulation.
My current to do list is: 1)Finish control panel area 2)Add 2' frame to layout 3)Finish changing well car trucks 4)Remove far curve, change nearby switch to customline switch 5)Remove s-curve, replace existing yard siding switches 6)Extend existing siding, and add two siding 7)recomplete loop with new 4' or more of track 8)Complete groundcover along backside 9)Move layout to new location in corner of room My layout is currently 2'x4' but will be 2'x6' soon.
Well,let's see: 1:Rob 7-11 to buy track and switches so I can finish my second mainline. 2aint and decal 3 PC GP38-2's. 3&D one more LV GP38AC.. 4:finish power units for UP X-Mass ornament shells..[No,really...] 5&D 2 ATSF DL109's. 6&D 2 yellow/blue SF warbonnet U30CG's. 7&D 35 cabeese..[geez,no wonder I'm getting sick of painting and decaling...] 8&D CNJ SW. 9&D ABBA PRR F3's. 10:...I think I gotta stop here,I'm getting run down just thinking about it..
Being new to the hobby my "to do" list is easy; Pick a layout that is easy pick a layout that is fun Pick a layout that is expandable Build it... That's pretty much it...
Here is my list: 1. finish room (it is just finished being sanded) 2. finish layout plan 3. Have a buinch of kits to build (I can take these to work with me to finish in Hotel) 4. start benchwork and go from there!
Lets see, as far as power goes I have the following to paint and detail. 3 BN GP35/39 rebuilds 1 BN GP40M 1 BN GP40-2 1 BNSF C44-9W (details only) 1 BN E9, not sure if this will be comuter or the Green/silver pre-Amtrak 1 BN F7 with snowplow pilot 1 BN B30-7AB (need to re-paint and might consider a few extras to sell) 2 BN SD9's (one choped) 1 BN GP9 (choped) I have lots of 4 axle power to do because for years I was building for a big mainline model but have decided I want to do a branch line (CW mabey?). The Dash 9, E and F are for fun. Kevin
Alot to do around here: Pack the layout and train stuff for the move south next month. Once I get everything in the new house and the layout set up then the work begins. Deskirt a Kato GS-4 Weather about 20 freight cars Finish layout scenery and pave remaining roads Build a staging yard (if there is room) Find a place for a bunch of figures and details Wait for the IM AC-12 Find more SP locomotives to kitbash
1) kill the wife (see #3) 2) kill the dog 3) clean out wifes crap in garage 4) build frame work 5) have beer 6) sleep a long quite sleep there is so much stuff in the garage to move to the attic or toss :thumbs_down:
Read TrainBoard... I have a small handful of locomotives that could use some routine maintenance. I will disassembly, clean, lube, reassemble, and run one around a few laps then put it on the ready line. Run my 2 main trains around for 3 - 4 hours. Read TrainBoard... Take another locomotive that needs routine maintenance...will disassembly, clean, lube, reassemble, and run it around a few laps then put it on the ready line. Run my 2 main trains around for 3 - 4 hours. Read TrainBoard... Take another locomotive that needs routine maintenance...will disassembly, clean, lube, reassemble, and run it around a few laps then put it on the ready line. Run my 2 main trains around for 3 - 4 hours. Etc., etc., etc., etc......... You know...it's a dirty job...but someone has to do it !...:tb-tongue: OHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh...and if my DCC system ever gets here...I will do some DCC reading while I am relaxing...LOL. Read TrainBoard... :tb-cool: .
1) Finish 8 freelance repaints. 2) Convert about 100 "fee-bay" cars to knuckles. 3) Build about 20 structures. 4) Detail/weather 15 loco's still in the original packages 5) Suck up all the DCC info I can. Like most of us I have about 6 months worth of stuff to keep me out of the LHS.
1) Finish scenicing the left hand end of the door layout. 2) start working on the right hand town side. 3) Get me some C&O power! 4) Want to buy stuff I don't have the money for. 5) Decide what to do on the other side of the backdrop. 6) Buy & build some structures
Well 1) read threads more carefully before posting. 2) Hesitate, if invited to come see/ work in bigfords garage 3) Finish laying track and wire my massive 3'x4' desktop layout. 4) Learn to ballast on same. 5) Learn about and start on scenery 6) Continue to read and post 7) Read more carefully before posting (oops said that) 8) Buy more stuff. Trains are cool looking, and despite some of my more mundane questions, I do enjoy tinkering.
With materials on hand (not including paint):Order Saskatchewan Grain Cars Get the track firmly in place Wire the track Order Saskatchewan Grain Cars Test the track thoroughly Paint the foam light tan / off white Run trains Order Saskatchewan Grain Cars Clean up and put all track away Build a few short buildings to get the feel for it Run trains Order Saskatchewan Grain Cars Build a facia Build progressively taller buildings Build a control panal Plan expansion - includng a hyper modern grain elevators for my Saskatchewan Grain . Cars...
Finish my short mining spur that leads into, the mountain that needs to be finished before I can, lay the track across the gorge module leading to, the engine facility and main yard that can't dead end into, the wall I need to punch 3 holes into to access, the staging yard and helix that will, climb up to the second level that connects to, my old layout that needs to be installed on top of the short mining spur that still needs to be completed… When thats all done I'll need to move because I just ran out of train space. Brian
1) Add DCC & some sound to ebay HO engines. 2) Design & build removable 180 degree curve for brother's HO layout for continuous running. 3) Build pushbutton style throttle for Zephyr jump throttles. 4) Finish 44 Tonner kit. 5) Lay track on father's HO layout. ..... XXXX) Finish N scale GP16 project. XXXX) Start N Southern GP39X project. ---jps
1. Build another control panel 2. Wire another mess of turnouts 2. Begin installing turnouts in the Santa Fe yard 3. Finish painting and install trestle and adjacent track. 4. Finish detailing canyon 5. Begin scenicking next leg of layout 6. Start building a bridge Okay, that's it. I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed. (A 4x3 layout sounds kinda nice right now...)
I'm keeping my list short, since I've got a few projects that need to get done before anything else, yet they're lingering. So: -Finish installing 4 Atlas C55 Switch Machines (PITA) and Digitrax DS64 (the easy part) -Reinstall all hidden trackage back out to first visible turnout on each side. -Install turnouts and Tortoise machines (PITA) and Digitrax DS64. -Finish installing remaining temp trackage for testing hidden track. As you can see, installing switch machines is about my least favorite task in model railroading. Seems they either take 2 minutes or 2 days to install.
1. Finish installing Tsunami Micro steam decoders in two Kato Mikados 2. Spend a lot more time designing railroad. Yes, backwards...
