Here is avery simple question that will get you to think about your layout:
“what is your favorite part about Model railroading?”*
from, Gabe
*there is no right or wrong answer.
As old geezer, I can attempt to keep the old mind sharp by being, at times, a: carpenter, electrician, landscaper, r-o-w surveyer, section hand, road foreman, hostler, engineer, switchman, dispatcher, car unloader, wreck crew member and enjoy my chosen hobby as much as humanly possible …papaHOsmurf… [ so there’s NO mistaking what Scale I model in, LOL!
It’s hard to narrow down that question to just one definitive answer. However there are times, usually late at night or the wee hours of a weekend when the rest of the family is sound asleep upstairs that I enjoy seeing a train just slowly orbit the layout. I’ve included a couple of “railfanning” locations in my design with nice super broad radius curves which really highlight the advantages of N scale.
These are the times when I just relax with a nice cup of coffee (or at times with a somewhat more potent beverage) and get to do my best thinking about all things model railroading. I find that moments like that are a wonderful and necessary to just sit back and admire what you’ve done thus far, and to think about what direction your modeling efforts should go next.
To me, that is the best and most rewarding part of the hobby. Seeing all your hard work in motion and knowing that it has come together exactly as you envisioned it.
Actually, a very simple answer:
POWER!!!
In my mundane life I am, of necessity, a mild-mannered Clark Kent clone…
In my layout space, I am Superman!
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - when and as I please)
Hi, and welcome to the Forum !!!
At last, a decent, non-polarizing question from a Newbie.
Having played with trains since the mid-50s, and built a number of layouts (O, HO, N), I can safely say that I enjoy each and every part of building a layout and getting it running - to a point.
I love design, carpentry, track laying, wiring, scenery, and the building of structures and cars, etc. Each presents its own challenges and provide (most of the time) satisfaction. But, whenever possible, I like to not spend too much time on one type of job for too long a time. Being able to wire turnouts for a couple of days and then build a structure before going back to the turnouts is a major help.
One thing I have realized is that I get as big a kick out of building a layout as I do running the trains.
[quote user=“tomikawaTT”]
Actually, a very simple answer:
POWER!!!
Maybe there is a little of world owner/dominator in all of us modlers
Gabe, Engineer,owner,GM,matnince crew of the western Michigan Railroad
I agree.
I am now finishing up the benchwork on my largest layout to date - 12x31. It’s only the first part as I plan to expand into the rest of the basement. Or if this turns out to big enough than I’ll stop. But I enjoy all parts of it. And the best part is that I make all the decisions - no committees, no customers, no bosses, no coworkers, etc.
Enjoy
Paul
For me it’s simple - operations. Whether going to other layouts to operate or having others come to mine, sharing with good friends is the best part.
Good question, Gabe, and welcome.
For me, the train is an escape to a world that I create. I work at my pace and with whatever I feel like doing, or not doing.
-Ed
PS - My son’s a Marine. Semper Fi.
My favorite part is the creativity and problem solving. This can be either working on the layout (building or scenicking something) or running trains (how do I get that stupid boxcar in the center of my train into that siding…).
Really, the only part of the hobby I don’t like is ballasting track.
I think as a free-lancer, I enjoy envisioning how the equipment would look and then actually doing it, devising paint schemes and lettering schemes etc. Putting it all together in something that looks “real” is very satisfying.
The earlier posts covered most of it but my favorite is to sometimes just sit back with a beer, radio in the background and watch a couple of trans run the layout.
modeling
The more I think about it the more I realize that my favorite part of model railroading is the social aspect of it – attending shows and meets, chatting with friends about shared problems or admiring each others’ successes, exchanging suggestions, operating sessions, chatting at hobby shops with staff and customers. The interesting thing about this hobby is that others may have zero involvement with others and are almost entirely lone wolves (these days you don’t even need to enter a LHS) yet we both have the very same hobby.
Dave Nelson
Favorite part of model railroading? Well I think there could be a million answers to that question, based on the whole aspect of the hobby. For me, there are many parts of this hobby I like very much,( too many to mention) but, my most favorite thing is the scenery. I try to to get what ever I’m working on to look as real as I can get it, even if it means doing it over, and over again, 3, 4, 5, times, it doesn’t matter to me, I just have to get it right. and I love doing it.
Sam
Making a scene