Please respond to my About.com poll and let us know what your favorite model railroading activity is. http://modeltrains.about.com/b/2008/10/24/whats-your-favorite-activity.htm Thanks.
My favorite Model Railroading activity is Landscaping & Structures. Don't get me wrong I like everything about Model Railroading but the above is my Favorite:thumbs_up:
I have found that I am quite fond of laying track and trying to integrate it with the landscape, but there aren't many parts of this hobby I don't like.
This is tough because you haven't asked the right question. I really can't single out one thing as my favorite, as they all are. I don't see it broken up but rather as one total picture. You need to ask, is there anything that is not my favorite? The answer is: The electrical. I do well at it but it's boring, tedious, awkward, expensive and time consuming. Besides the layout doesn't look the same from underneath the table. Scenery, is something I consider to be optional and isn't one of my favorites. Let your mind fill in the scenery. Like we did when we set up our trains on the front room rug. That's where I got my start and love for model trains. My favorite saying is: "Adding scenery to your layout is one way to screw-up a perfectly good running railroad," I warned a friend who knows nothing about scenery. He did, he screwed up his layout. On my layout I do want to see some scenery. There is criteria that must first be met. Once I know the layout is operating as it should, with minimal derailments and has gone through a summer and winter...then I'm ready to dig in and add the finishing touch. There you have it: Two things that aren't my favorites...grin!
I had to think long and hard about this question, there is so much that I like about the hobby that I find it difficult to single out one single aspect. I did decide that building structures and scenic work are what I like the best. Like Rick, I find wiring and electrical work challenging Also not included in your list of model rail activites, RAILFANNING your layout. I like taking photos and videos of my trains in action.
My favorite part of model railroading is viewing other layouts. (mainly HO, but I still get a kick out of N scale module layouts, and really prototypical O scale layouts.) I don't have the room for my dream layout, but if I did, I would love operations the most. I still do, but there's just not a whole lot you can do with a 4x8 layout. I really find ballasting to be boring. Also, I'm no good at electrical work.
Like Ken and others, I enjoy modeling scenery and structures. I savor the sense of accomplishment that goes with a completed project. I'm starting to enjoy layout photography a little as well, thanks to TrainBoard.
^ I too had to think long and hard. I was disappointed there was not a choice "All of the Above". So, I voted "Playing w/ your trains". That to me encompasses it all.
