As some of you will recall, I created a topic the other day stating that I now feel guilty about spending money on train items because I have so many other things I should be doing instead. One of the members responded that maybe in a round about way that I might have lost interest in the hobby because my layout was finished and I’d become bored with it. At first I denied this, but last night I went out to the train room and sat there for about twenty minutes just looking things over, and realized that maybe this person was right in a way. The problem is that I’ve got an oval for the outside track and a figure eight for the inside track, and the grade is so steep on the inside track that I hardly ever use it because I’ve had a couple of locos to throw their traction tires on it. So, as soon as I get around to it I’m going to do some serious surgery and see if I can lower the grade. Either that, or I’m just going to build a whole new layout…
I don’t know if I’m happy with my layout. For a time I wasn’t. But after working on the layout and getting alot done, I have changed feelings. It really looks good. But really, I would like a bigger space. And better track. I got this one turnout and…long story short, the layout dosn’t run as good as I thought. But really, I’m quite happy with it.
As it is now, yes I am happy/satisfied with the layout. I can’t believe I just wrote that, but I am. Of course I am on the third iteration of it truth be told.
Peter
There are parts of mine that I will improve when I get the bug, but I have done quite a bit of fiddling here and there, done some track surgery and grafted in some improved geometry, and I think it runs quite well now.
Strangely, I had to “learn” how to drive this layout. I thought it would be about as intuitive and straightforward as my first, simpler, version. No way, Jose. Besides, I haven’t nearly enough trees and shrubs, the town is still quite bare and spare, and I haven’t installed my two main industries. I have months to go before I begin to dream about trackplans.
I am very happy with the way the trains runs (get off the 18" turn) [:D] on my bench. Is it the way I want it, well no and I think Art Hills says something like If you like it your standerds are to low. Or something like that, sort Art.
I think the quest is what draws us to this hobby much like I am about the HP cars and Audiophile grade stero gear. It is not what we have but what we want. It gives us something to look forward to. Rather it be more trees (I am sick of making trees) more engines, more rolling stock or better or bigger detailed bench.
I all so get fixated (spell check) on seartion things. Most of last year and till around March of this year I had the hots for Tyco Old Dutch Hoppers for some reason? Hum not sure why but I now have 34 of them. But it was the quest of looking for them and finding them. Then there was the steam with sound, have a few of them.
Well, before I start rambling more the quest is the fun part. When I was paying for my 70 Plymouth Cuda looking forward to getting it was more fun than having it. Now it is the PCM Big Boy that should be here Thursday. Sure it will be great, but I think when I get it the quest will start again, and again and again.
Well, to answer the question kinda.I’m happy with it to the point that it works so far but there are alot of things that I wish I would have thought about before making the final works on it.And after posting a question similar to this one about my layout and etting alot of good responses i have change a few minor things and have added a few more that I think make the difference that I needed.But there are alot of road to travel in just this layout alone and lessons to learn hopefully[;)] So, my next layout will be even better .
Happy with it? Yes & No - I only have room for a 4x8 now & am OK with what I have, but wish I had the room NOW for much larger. Another question may be is it done? Not as long as manufacturers keep coming out with new “stuff”!![:D]
When a modeler says he/she doesn’t like their layout I will show you a poorly design and poorly operational layout.That friends is why modelers get bored with their layout and in turn the hobby.Way to many modelers rush into designing and building a boring layout without realizing they are doing so.Following a layout plan found in books and magazines is another recipe for disaster.
Before the first piece of lumber is bought one should have a solid track plan based on solid LDEs to include smooth operation,shunning 3-4% grades and other such pitfalls…Remember…A layout should last for years,be easy for one person to maintain,fun to operate and pleasing to the builder.
I WAS happy with it, until the wife moved out. When we moved into our place, she decreed that I could only have half of the basement. I wish I would have listened to my inner voice and designed it for expansion. A little surgery, and voila, I have a new lumber mill siding and left the end open for possible further expansion. I sure do miss the cats she took with her…[8D]
An oval and an inside figure 8? Is this around your Christmas tree[;)]
You need to redesign your layout for fun operation. No or very low grades, for smooth operation, Send us a picture of your layout. I’d like to see what you have now.
Remember, many of us are working on our 5th 6th or 24th layout. I’m on my 5th or 6th layout now. My first layout sucked.We learn by experience. I’ve built the atlas “Octopus and monopoly”. Sure its fun for a while, but operations are BORING. There are plenty of layout designers here that I’m sure could help you.
Then again some people prefer the building part of the layout over running trains on it. Like I said to Tracklayer in his other post, a large number of people actually get bored with their hobby once what ever they are building is finished. I have a friend that has a very nice 65 Corvette that he spent 100’s of hours on restoring but now that its done he has lost interest in it. This was a guy that spent every free second he could building his car. He use to have little work parties where a bunch of us would work on the car, drink some beers and eat pizza. He misses that and I would bet a large number of people here that have finished layouts spend far less time in the train room running trains then they did when they were building it. Then again I’ve been wrong before, lol.
Brakie made a good point: if you’re unhappy with your layout, then probably not enough planning went into it.
My first layout was created from a plan in one of the Atlas books. It had essentially a large bent dogbone and the trains ran around and through a scene more than once. Even though I added a yard for storage and later some staging, it was not very functional from an operating standpoint.
I spend dozens of hours planning my current layout. All the limitations of my first layout were taken into consideration. Even the height was a major consideration because my first layout was around 40" high off the floor and I got a backache bending over it to work on scenery. My current layout is 54" high and it’s a lot more comfortable to work on, even though I have to use a stepstool toolbox to reach into the back.
I now have a 5-track yard with caboose track; a maintenance track; and I even have a turntable and 2-stall engine house. The mainline is double-track, so for demonstration purposes, I can run a passenger train in one direction and a freight the other way. All my sidings are long enough so I was able to install Kadee uncoupling magnets that work (in my old layout, I couldn’t get the magnets to always work because the sidings were sometimes curved or too short).
To be honest, the only problem I have with my current layout is there are a couple of turnouts that are difficult to access without moving some scenery because they’re way in the back. But, that’s a limitation I can work around.
I am very happy with what I have. I have been dreaming of this for 60 years.
I am not finished with it, and will not live long enough to meet my own standards. In my old age I have the whole basement of a large house to work with, not that I have the 20 years it would take me to fill it.
Yes, I am happy w/what I have. When I was doing the 18X18ft layout I was almost finished w/it & I was starting to get bored. Then I moved my metal sculpture shop out of the end of the train room & added another 18X18ft. When I did this I had to find a lot of things to add. I made a few mistakes right at the beginning & then changed those. Now, I’m starting to run out of room again. I still have a table that is 2’X36ft that I can start on when I get this new addition(2003) almost finished. If I see something I don’t like or it looks out of place, I “Change It”. Sometimes that takes me a year or 2 to change. I think that the average train person can never be at rest w/leaving something alone. I know I can’t. I never want to finish a layout, that would be toooo easy.
For everyone that starts out small(I did in 1961) w/a 12’x20’ layout you will always see a vision of something bigger.
“Never” give up your D-R-E-A-M. I’m on my 6th layout & I started this one in 1997.
This discussion has an undercurrent that runs like this: “Know thyself.”
Be aware of your limitations.
Be aware of your desires and interests.
Be aware of what it takes to have an effective layout.
Be aware of behaviours that you adhere to that tend to defeat or to forestall any progress towards the above. Some of us do things when working towards a goal that cause us to shortchange ourselves. The worst a failure to achieve should ever be is due to ignorance. At least that can be controlled by asking questions, reading, planning, being resolute, and then doing what we set out to do.
This means that some of us enjoy the hike as least as much as the mountain top, while others would prefer to take a much more circuitous route, a few days longer, and then spend only a token minute at “the top” if and when we eventually get there. For many of us, it’s the mountain top. I am in the latter category still, but I have managed to shift myself a bit toward the first…I actually did enjoy much of the building this last time.
Next time, though, hard-nosed planning with LDE’s, and I’ll go a bit slower to get better results. If there is one thing I have learned is that if the final product is what counts most to the modeler, then you had better be prepared to spend the time it takes to get it right.
Although I agree with you for the most part, I’m going to disagree with you slightly on this particular point, if I may.
From your statement above, I would say that this would be feasible and practical for those on their subsequent layouts, after they have some experience designing and building under their belt. However, I think that’s a lot to expect from a first-timer in the hobby.
Yes, I agree that they can do some preliminary research and planning before they build. But I also think that, for most, solid LDEs come after folks get their feet wet trying out different things and making rookie mistakes. That’s why I chose to use extruded foam insulation for my layout surface. It has given me the ability to easily lay down and to pick up and rearrange track, in order to try out a new design or improvement my original plan.
Are there things that I would do differently now than when I first started? Absolutely! Could I have avoided some of those pitfalls. Some yes, but others no. Some MRRing wisdom I’ve obtained I wouldn’t have learned unless I tried and made the “mistake” myself.
Larry, I will agree with you that a “newbie” shouldn’t tackle too large of a layout initially; one he or she will not be able to reasonably maintain or will get overwhelmed by the amount of work needed to complete it. IMO, for a first layout, one should keep it small and simple. A 4 x 8 or a small module would allow one to try out and learn layout construction techniques and ideas without spending or committing to a lot - or before tackling that “dream layout” that they’ve had perculating in the back of their minds for years.
Should they decide that MRRing isn’t what they thought it would be, then they haven’t s
Tom,I expect a newbie to make various learning mistakes thats part of “growing” in the hobby.We all had to overcome those first hard lessons that must be learned.I vividly recall my first disastrous industrial switching layout.LOL! We won’t even go there.LOL!
All to sadly I seen “season” modelers(including one club) rush into building another layout without any plans or fore thoughts other then to see how much track the layout can hold -a stereo southern if you will.All of these layouts had one thing in common…They lived a short life.
With all the readily available layout information we have today one should be able to design a great layout even on a 4 x 8 foot sheet of plywood especially if he/she has past layout experience and learn from their past mistakes…
I agree with you. Whether we are a “2nd timer” or heavily seasoned (multi-timer), a solid and well thoughtout trackplan is a must for many years of future MRRing enjoyment. I think, too, that it depends on what people’s goals are in creating a layout and how far they expect to go in the hobby.