A chap brought this topic up in another forum and I wrote a lengthly response to it (I know, unusual for me) so I thought I would share my response with you since this is a topic that interests me. Some are lone wolf layout builders and operators because of geographical necessity, others because they are more comfortable with their own company, others because they want to keep secret what they have, and others because they feel the quality of the layout will deteriorate or items will be broken. Questions as to what rules to impliment and other considerations to take into account were also raised, Here is my response below: I go to three friends homes to help them build their layout. Here is my experience: 1) If you get a good group together, ideally you'd like more individuals than can run it, as invariably one or two might be away. 2) With a gathering of 3 or more excluding your self, there is likely to be one "odd" individual or more (excluding yourself). But this odd person is likely to make some invaluable contributions. At one friends home, there is an odd electronics person and an odd engineering type, but each adds to the value of the layout. 3) Improve your ambassadorial skills. Everyone has opinions on layouts, whether it is their own or yours. Some of their opinions will be bang on, some will be excellent and would be the way to go if your layout was going to withstand a direct nuclear detonation or was to appear in "Electronics's Geeky Newsletter." Sometimes the best isn't the best due to time, money and skill level. Other times opinions will miss the mark altogether. You need to be able to have a firm skill in saying "no" gently but firmly without ruffling feathers. 4) Have no rules except rule number one, and in case rule number one doesn't work refer them to rule number two. Rule Number one: This is my layout and I will do what I want. Rule Number Two: In cases of conflict resolution, see rule number one. I would post these two rules prominently. 5) The group you gather are probably going to become life long friends, plan on it. 6) You will get your layout built faster and probably in a better fashion rather than had you done it all yourself. 7) You will share much laughter and a few tears with them as you and they travel through life's journey. 8) Have faith in their ability unless proven otherwise. But don't be afraid to train them either, some are willing to serve an "apprenticeship" to gain skills for building their layout. This is legitimate as they are willing to provide free slave labour. 9) Have some refreshments and fluids. Also right from the beginning, let them know they are expected to arrive with something to eat like chips, cookies, etc. 10) Accept that not every night is going to be productive, there will be many times when all that gets exercised is the jaw. 11) Be willing to help out on their layout from time to time. 12) You will discover that some will gravitate to certain jobs, allow them to become experts in them. For example, some really enjoy scenicking, others really like the electrical and electronics, yet others really enjoy the benchwork and structure building. Your layout will only be the richer for it. 13) Let them get their kids involved, kids really will respect your property if they know it is important to you. Allow them to run your layout. The "kids" are the guys who are going to fix things under your layout and hard to reach places, when you are too old to do so, so grow a new crop of visitors and helpers. 14) Tell your neighbours that these guys will be coming regularly on "such and such" an night. This will save phone calls to the police reporting that you have a grow op happening in your home. 15) If you get a group up and running, count your blessings for you will be blessed.
Excellent reply Rick, Only last week I was discussing with Flash and Jason how it can be pretty lonely operating your layout on your own. I know of nobody who lives nearby who can regularly drop by. Jason myself and another friend are looking at making my place a regular event at least one Friday night a month.
Unfortunately, I live where the "Lone Wolf" model railroader is standard. Communities are often seperated by many long hours driving. And even if there's somebody in the vicinity, they don't seem to care about human interaction. Dunno why this is true. Boxcab E50
For me I would rather be left alone with my layout. There are a few guy's around that model, and I don't mind at all going over to there places to help them out, Actually I do it quite often.But then I always get the "when can we come over and help you" and I always have to come up with some excuse! I don't know maybe I'm selfish,or anti- social but it's my layout for me to build!!
I too would rather do all the work on my layout. I would rather take all the credit or accept all the blame for the final product. Sure, it takes longer to complete, but the feeling of accomplishment is all my own. My layout is not all that large anyhow. If I have a persistent problem, I go to the local N-Trak layout. I will ask for several opinions from others who have observed my work in progress and pool their suggestions to help solve whatever situation I cannot resolve. During one private operating session that I attended, some discussion about a political topic arose between some of the operators. Not anything too earth shattering, but the owner of the layout jumped in and said: "Only topics of this model railroad are to be discussed at this time! If you don't have anything to say about the layout, don't say anything at all!" That was the death of that operating group!!
Andy, One of the three I help is very much a lone wolf modeler, but he's also an ops guy. He will only use me on certain "base" tasks, like helping apply the card board strips for his mountains. He has done 99 percent of the work himself with 1% help. We respect him for that, but fortunately he's also into ops, so he is training a "set" crew to help out when he has "important" visitors. For example, his layout is on the Amtrak tour that will come up from Seattle to Vancouver and back in one day during the Seattle NMRA convention. I will be an operator for that event assisting the person running if they encounter problems. We have lots of political discussions at my one friends house. But I was a late comer to the group about 5 years ago. These guys have been meeting just about every Friday night for the past 12 years at John's house so everyone pretty much knows what the other guy is going to say, even before he says it.
I have to agree that i have done 95% of the work on my layout with others helping on minor items. I have however used advice from others in terms of design and scenery options etc. just today I bought some heat shrink to colour code my control panel to make it easier for others to operate. to me it is important to have others come and either help on the layout or participate in operating or running their own trains on the layout.
I, too, am a lone wolf. Although I have recently joined the nearest club, it is a two hour drive each way to the club and most of the members live in that vicinity, so I don't get a whole lot of interaction. The club does have an operating session once each month and I try to make that, but I'm pretty much on my own for my layout. It is slower, but I do enjoy the "quiet time".
I'd like to be involved in an operating group, but I haven't found one nearby - probably because most UK modellers are into British stuff . If only I lived nearer Exeter That said I don't think I'd want any 'help' with my own layout, so from that point of view I am a lone wolf. But logically I'd expect many of the 'inhabitants' of Trainboard to be loners anyway. Perhaps we should take a poll on that?
Mike, you'd be very welcome, if you're going to be down this way any time drop me a message, the layout is up for about half a year on average (good deal with the local hall) and if it's up then an operating session (a.k.a 'playing trains') isn't out of the question...
