This year will be my first layout as an adult (finally). Time to, 1. Finish laying down the sub-roadbed, roadbed, and track 2. Install Tsunami into my Kato GS-4 3. Acquire & Install DCC Should be a fun year!
John, I too am sorry to hear about your situation, and hope that things turn around for you. George V.
My sympathies as well. I'm in a similar situation. Here's hoping the new year brings employment, health and happiness.
2010 will be my narrow gauge year. I've three modules I want to finish, Silver Creek, Fiddletown and a -yet to build - loop module. Additional, there will be some roling stock. :angel: Wolfgang
1. Do the decoder installs on my legacy locomotives so I can get my layout operational again. 2. Complete the scenery and building projects I have in progress. 3. Complete the GP10's I am working on. 4. Get CorelDraw and get my Alps going so that I can make custom decals easier which will make my other planned projects easier.
Happy New Year to all. Well I think it is time to stop playing and start getting down to work. At this point I have some track down in a rough idea of what I am trying to end up with. I need to bite the bullet and put something down that is not temporary. Maybe I need to be in the winter party to get inspired. Thank you to all who have posted pics for all to see. The images have been a great help in planning the layout under construction.
This one is easy for me, Convert my attic into a train firendly habitat phase one is to make a decent enough up there to setup a couple of temp tables for a loop of track and a couple of turnouts using EZ-Track. overall attic re-modeling for 2010 includes 1. Continued clean up of the mess from the previous home owners 2. Replace the roof (this will expose the attic to the sky so this is why nothing much will happen until this step is done) 3. Run new dedicted eltricial circuits 1. Two circuits for the layout 2. One circuit for room lighting 3. One circuit for heating / cooling 4. One ciruit for misc usage 4. Insulate the attic 5. Repair some of the old floorboard 6. Drywall or panel the attic 7. Install room lighting 8. Replace attic windows 9. Install thru wall Air conditioner (last summer when I was working in the attic it was over 117 degrees F up there....ouch) So to be realistic, I really am no longer expecting to actually start the actual layout in 2010. I underestimated what was need to make the attic usable. That being said, I will have some temp track using EZ-Track to play with. It is vital that I don't rush into building the layout until the layout space is converted properly. Otherwise I know I will regret it.
John, I am sorry to hear of your situation. I can relate all to well to finanical hardships having been there more than twice in my life thus far (to include evictions). I hope that 2010 brings you and yours better prosperity to you.
Immediate goals: - finish laying track - perfect the technique of laying tracks in pavement (for street running) Year-long goals: - continue practicing my photography (I've come a long way in the past three months) - start working on NMRA achievement program - start meeting some other local modelers, maybe join a club
Projects for me are... 1. Try to model the Entine LAJ roster, which will be 4 CF7's and 4 MK1200G's in N. 2. More modern cars for said LAJ. 3. Start installing the benchwork for the layout, along with making my shop more livable. 4. Hope Chuck at FRTS get's somemore Atlas code 55 flex before too long.. 5. Start work on more industrial buildings for the layout.
2010 to-do list: Finish laying track. Start scenery; make trees, shrubs from natural material. Finish scenery by year's end. Put building kits together (a few structures must be built first to accurately determine how well tracks will fit in tight spaces). Learn how to scratchbuild structures. Take a hard look to possibly expand layout after trains are running; (this will require a major reshuffling of shelves, workbench and computer/printer table in a small room. This project, if possible, will probably not begin until 2011). Try, once again, to connect with the few N scalers in the area. I've met some but none have expressed interest in helping with my layout or operating sessions. HO'ers aren't interested in N scalers, at least not the ones I've met. There are probably others but a longer list would wear me out.
My plans are to lay more track on my HO and N layouts. Continue to work on rolling stock, either buying more or improve existing. gather sceney items build structures and most of all HAVE FUN!!
I wanna get something built. By leaving it vague, I have a much better chance of achieving my goal. I moved just over two months ago. We're still unsettled. But today I worked in the garage for a few hours shoving things around, tossing all kinds of junk, and sorting through the good stuff left by the previous owner. I don't think I'll need to buy another nail or sheetrock screw for the rest of my life. Nor an extension cord. I have WD40 to last until the next decade. But at least now I have some workbench space again. And I did find a few brand new paint brushes and rollers I will be able to use!
Jealous of everybody who has a layout... definitely will need to see pictures!! I hope to get into a place where I can build a layout and then start the planning process. All the best to everyone with their projects. Cheers!!
I hope the New Year brings good fortune your way gentlemen. All the very best to you and yours! I have a 13 piece modular N scale layout that I hope to complete by November. Started on the first module last weekend......and of course sell all my HO and N scale brass locos and buying a couple ;D N scale rolling stock.
"Try, once again, to connect with the few N scalers in the area. I've met some but none have expressed interest in helping with my layout or operating sessions. HO'ers aren't interested in N scalers, at least not the ones I've met." WOW! That is kind of childish on their part. I am an avid N scaler and always look to others in the hobby for ideas. Whether they are another fellow N scaler or an HO scaler or even S scale or whatever. One railroad I would LOVE to see sometime is the Franklin & South Manchester RR, and yes it is HO. I find the detail work on this RR is just mind blowing. But I know what you are saying about HO scalers not paying attention to N scalers. There is a club here in my area that is HO and when at a show they walk right on by and pay no attention to us. But as far as my projects for 2010 go: 1- finish my Chehalis Western GP 38-2's and cabooses 2- start on NP's Lester, WA depot X2 (one for my friend Keith and the other one for me) 3- start the benchwork for my layout 4- get the loop of track done around my sons bedroom so he can watch trains while going to sleep. 5- start and hopefully finish by Xmas time my Polar Express train.
For those of you in financial straits, I'm sincerely praying that 2010 will be a 'turn-around' year for all of you. My sympathies to all. Well, for myself, at 70 I hope my health keeps up and I can continue to teach as long as possible. I find out that not only do my students need ME, I need THEM, LOL! They keep me young. For the model railroad: 1: Finish the rockwork on the 'Buttes.' 2: Finish those really GLARING portions of unfinished scenery that I've been putting off for way too long. 3: Install train-order signals at my passenger stations. 4: Continue installing a working semaphore system. 5: Actually attempt to 'weather' some of my rolling stock. 6: Actually plan out and hopefully construct a large yard and locomotive servicing facility on the other side of the garage. 7: Stop buying so many gol-darned steam locomotives (YAH, SURE!!). tOM
2010 I model a freelance bridge RR the Missouri & Arkansas Railway used by the CB&Q & MKT that takes place in Eastern Missouri. The line starts out at Old Monroe Mo on the Cuivre River at MO. State Highway 79, then west to Hawk Point then south along MO. State Highway 47 across the old Wabash / Norfolk & Western RR line near Warrenton Mo. thru Missouri Wine Country to connect with MKT near Marthasville Mo. on State Highway 94. Since this is "my" railroad most places will have the "flavor" of this area but may not be perfect to the prototype. Time is pre Burlington Northern (1970). The location & time frame gives me a lot of room of equipment I can use plus freight cars from so many different Railroads from all over the country. As with many railroads built in the 1800’s they never reached all the way as planned. So they never made it all the way to Arkansas. #1 This will be a point to point RR built on Hollow-core doors (about $24 ea) along two walls, so it will be in sections. #2 It's going to be less track, no yard, no switch machines, open staging, & simple engine service area. #3 Just a few small towns with one or two sidings. #4 More open scenery between towns. #5 Interchange with RR on each end. This year: 1. Finish all wire laying on this section. 2. Work on wall suport & slide out arms. ( Layout will be 60" off floor with drawer slides on suport arms so I can get on the back side.) 3. Backdrop. 4. Start section two.....Town of Hawk Point Mo.
Well, above all else (including Model Railroading), my first priority is to get moved into my first house. Already have the spare room earmarked as the "hobby" room (with agreement from the wife, dunno how i've managed that, although i'm sure i'll find out in due course). As for model railroading, my priority will be to get some shelving up in the "hobby" room to support my new layout to replace Mason's Bridge Yard. And also to start planning said new layout. Looks as though i'll get a footprint of about 16' x 2' (subject to agreement).
