I have had a few layouts in my years since I took up model railroading. They have been in several scales over the time gradually getting smaller until I got the N scale. None were torn down because I wanted to but more by the necessity of having to move as I pursued my career. I guess my approach is that there will always be something to add or improve on but I have never been at the point of being disgusted with any of them in any scale. Had I remained in Montana years ago I most likely have still been in HO scale. What I am working on now will not get torn down but it will get modified at some point as I proceed on with my eventual plans for the retirement layout. To my way of thinking I have a fairly decent financial investment in what I have done and just cannot see tearing it down to incur the costs all over again. And it certainly hasn't become any cheaper to build a layout even when some items have been salvaged from the previous. I think it is easier to tweak a layout or operation to improve things rather than start over. About the only reason I think of to scrap something and start over is because it has become a maintenance and operational nightmare or because of the aforementioned relocating.
Yoho, Good points about social interaction. While most would say I'm quite active in social settings I must admit I am that lone wolf builder. I started at 59 and just love to build and tear it up and build again. I like the scenery aspect and I'm first to admit that I'm not really a 'train guy.' My point is that I have no clue as to why I do modeling the way I do. I could be doing war gaming scenery or something and I don't think it would matter to me. I like trains, but I can't watch them for long, and operations don't pull my chain either. I even joined the NMRA and have had many layout tours at my house all to work on my social game. Didn't work. I'm still stuck in my trainroom working on something! I'm certainly not a 'club' person that is for sure. Plenty of room in this great hobby for all of us. I guess I'm in this game because I enjoy teaching and photography. On another site I have a thread with over 370,000 views in 3 1/2 years. Think about that number. Anyway, I guess I fill a niche in that all I know is available for free and ultimately is why I'm in model railroading at all. Jim
The State is and has been heavily HO, with a sprinkling of other sizes. As time has rolled on, that is changing. There are a lot more N scalers, a slowly increasing number of various scale narrow gaugers- Especially encouraged by the popularity of On30. Are you going to eventually move? You'd hinted that was possible some time back. This current layout is a good idea. I also agree with John, about social interaction. Other eyes may see things the individual does not. The present layout could then take on an entirely new life.
Well Jim, I would never want to tell anyone how to do things and there is no wrong way...except the way that isn't fun for you. I just detected some bittersweet melancholy in the OP and mused on it.
The Wife's retirement inches closer month by month and maybe sooner with some of the idiots She is starting to have to put up with. Evidently lying on resumes and lack of sufficient background checks and the lack of a work ethic on the part of some of the younger folks, who have come on board around her, are making her consider moving it up. And yes this little layout fits more than nicely in the back of my van with room to spare or in her pick-up truck. It has been planned to be part of the eventual layout and also to keep me from stagnating in what few skills I have left. And my Montana days were my HO days. Actually had a LHS in town at that time where I think I bought my first HO F-3s and later an Alco C-415.
I am definitely the 'lone wolf' type even though there is a club 15 minutes from my home. I'm thinking of trying again but not sure I can do it.
Keep one layout and run, operate, and enjoy it and start planning/building a second. Personally I love every aspect of the hobby...building, scenery, detailing, electrical, and operation. I wish I had time to do more of all of them.
Well, I get it about "the journey" but I certainly would take time to smell the roses, so to speak. Just enjoy your creation for at least a little while. Certainly there must be combinations of cars and motive power that would keep things interesting. Personally I would probably work on lighting. Seems like you could really do some cool things with lighting given enough time to carefully "implant" some LED's and related wiring/circuitry. I think maybe you have done some of that if I recall. At very least, use your newly found free time to plan your next move. (of course, this topic is an example of that process having already starting) Anyway, whatever you choose, I think we all can't wait to see what you come up with next!
I am not quite to that stage, but getting close. I have finally built the last town, yard and engine facility on my layout. There is still detailing to be done and a few other areas need touch up work, but after working on the layout for over 25 years I managed to learn a lot and will probably go back and improve earlier parts of the layout. Most important is the reason I built the layout, and that is to operate it. Even after all the years I have been working on it, I followed the original plan I had when I built it. It was built as a switching layout. I still enjoy operating it the way it was designed to operate. It can keep me occupied for hours. The reason I built it was to operate it. It sure is nice when a plan comes together.
Yoho, 'Bittersweet melancholy.' Not many of us talk like that anymore. Good for you. And another good mark for using 'mused.' Again, I agree with you. I am melancholy about the end of days. Notice I'm 70 and not in the best of health. I love building these things, but like mountaineering, sailing, and athletics, I approach a time where I will have to give even this hobby up. I guess I will sit back and begin rereading my personal library, 'but not yet.' Jim
Well Mike, this is as far as I have gotten with mine in the last few months, that's what so much fun, taking it down and putting it up with new ideas. It's the anticipation. Lloyd
I really enjoy the final detailing, which has always made me rather impatient with raw benchwork, trackwork, etc. I enjoy working on buildings, rolling stock, detail lighting and electronics, etc. Track and benchwork, meh. So the base stuff I've built has hung around an incredibly long time (the Hickory Valley logging module was built in 1976, the current ATSF layout was started in 1983) and have all been 'finished' for a while. But the larger ATSF layout is turned into the woodsman's axe thing, replace two handles and three heads and its still the same axe he's always had. It was built modularly from the start so it could be relocated, and it has been in three different houses. But as I look at the layout, it's been a continuous process of improvement on nearly everything - track, equipment, structures.... I hold no particular nostalgia toward anything if something new and actually better comes out, which means I'm in the third generation of equipment and have even relaid some track with Code 55 and will probably do more. The basic track plans were carefully thought out from the start and are operational winners - very happy with those - so the constraints of space being constant I've felt no pressure to 'start over'. I'd rather try to figure out how to get working traffic signals built, get every last trailer on the Super C accurate, and redo my U36C with a more accurate shell and improved electronics. A smaller layout lets you afford to get to the detail part and push the envelope, I've scratchbuilt almost every structure on the layout now to actual prototype buildings, and that's taken decades. You can always see something you could improve. The 'building bug' has been nicely satisfied by working on smaller, portable layout modules for the logging railroad - I've got one built and running and have two more planned. So my construction skills haven't completely dried up, but it has reminded me that it isn't the most fun part for me. I've been putting off doing more plaster scenery and pouring water now for about a year. To me the big enemy is biting off more than you can pay for or maintain, or building stuff in such a way that it deteriorates over time. I learned my lesson from my friends basement-sized N and HO layouts that were just too big to be finished, maintained, and any fun at all to operate because they were just 'too much'. Very little interest on getting bigger for the sake of it. I absolutely love small, accurate, really well-done efforts. Oh, and turn on the power, and they just work. Reliably. I would love to tear out a basement wall and put in the Canyon Diablo bridge though....have just the spot for it. Bob K got me all excited about what he'd produced until I found out it was going to cost me more than I paid for my truck to do the project!
I just restarted mine and started another I'm only 14 so I don't have much room I have a 2x4 in my room that I started Sunday and a 5x5 in the game room I don't have any money so progress is isn't fast
Don't feel bad. Just do what you can as money is available. When I was your age, it was the same for me: Minimal money for trains. I'd even trade with schoolmates and anyone around to get more for my layout. In between, you can read, daydream and chat with fellow modelers.
To be perfectly honest, no layout I have ever built has gotten to the level of completion the current HCD one has. Either I had to dismantle it for a move, got frustrated with poor operation, or never finished scenery, I usually tear it down before I get remotely finished. I have been to a 85% level with the HCD, which is good to have it remotely portable (at least reusable). I don't have much time between day job, school, family and sleep, so what time I do have I plan to invest in detailing the layout. There's always improvements and tweaks to make. There's always details to add. After that, I need to plan to weather the rest of rolling stock fleet. They are all much to clean and shiny for a tunnel-heavy, coal hauling road.
Thanks that is true I'm glad I'm part of a huge model rail road club the all points north it is a 5000 sq foot ho scale club
Thanks for all the great conversation here. It seems we all have our thoughts on our railroads and that is what makes it fun for sure. Thanks Guys , Mike
I'm glad to read what you wrote as I was beginning to feel the same way. When I moved from the Bronx out here to Oceanside I dreaded taking the layout down but when I came here and began again I learned how much better I was at everything and enjoyed every aspect of rebuilding and track work and scenicing, etc., etc. So after working on this last layout for three years (which still has a way to go) I was beginning to dread finishing it. Now I've starting to tweak the finished areas and improving on them and lately I'm starting to think that major tweaking can do on and on without total rebuild. The advantage is that I can take days off to just run the trains which total rebuild would prevent. But it is a temptation...
