I am bored this morning, so my mind got to wandering.
One of my idle thoughts was, what would be a big challenge in HO scale?
My answer: Running a 4-8-8-4 Big Boy on 15" radius curves.
Any idle thoughts from others?
Rich
Finding the room to build a layout big enough to incorporate all the features I want.
Once that’s solved, then we’re down to finding the money and time to build all the features I want, but that one’s not scale-specific.
[|)] Ya, I’m having a hard time gettin going this morning. It’s a [8]Oh the weather outside is frightful[8] but I am so delightful[8] kind of day. I need to select (a) dog from the herd that inhabits the place and go out for my five miles. I am on my third mug of coffee so it is a good thing the forest we walk through is full of large redwoods I can sneak behind to get rid of said mugs of coffee.[:-^]
My biggest problem is I want two era’s on my layout and everything in between. I want to go between present day and warp back a hundred years. So as I add buildings and other infrastructure kinds of stuff I want to be able to swap stuff out or remove or add things altogether. Of course some stuff spans the years and can be seen on both. But how to disguise some of the changes leaves me scratching my head. I have read articles on people that have done just what I want to do and was amazed at their ingenuity. I will soldier on.[(-D]
Another idle thought that often occupies my tiny mind is the thought of building a scale Vancouver to Calgary Canadian Pacific mainline. When I worked I would often go into the proccessing facilities of Fedex, UPS and Canada Post. These buidings were huge and all I could do was look around and try to figure out if a 30" wide, 45000 ’ long benchwork would fit inside. So cost of the actual building aside, what do you think it’s going to cost me to build it and equip it. Labour would all be voluntary, however I would be King. I would have a Prime Minister and cabinet to run the show but I would have ultimate decision making authority.
How big does my lottery win need to be? I think I’ll go for a walk and have all the answers when I get back.[^o)]
Idle thoughts, indeed!
I like to think of a dual-era layout as more of a solution than a problem. I was always a late Transition Era guy, but I fell in love with steam, briefly considered just an excursion train, but finally jumped into the dual-era thing.
I just avoid modern buildings. I’ve got a modern movie theater, but there’s a kit in my workroom that will become a saloon to be swapped out on roughly the same footprint. Engines, rolling stock and vehicles will enjoy similar trades.
Brent…that walk in the woods sounds so cool. I can go outside and walk among the clumps of sagebrush, I’d have to drive 50 miles to Lake Tahoe to stroll around in the woods.
I work in a warehouse that has an 850,000 sq ft footprint. Of course with the time and money I’ve often imagined the challenge of modeling the entirety of the Reading system in HO in that building. Oh yeah…dream on.
Mark H
Rich I consider it a challenge to have all my engines and rolling stock run smoothly in every direction on every piece of track on my layout. I have a reverse loop so I want zero proplems from all my engines. It seems I stop dead in my tracks to make sure that happens. I can go 10 or 20 engines and not have a problem. But if the 21st engine I put on the track gives me a fit. I find myself working on it until fixed. We all know it could be the track or the engine. So if I have another engine like the one that gives me the problem, I take it out and run it. If no problems, I check the the engine. If that same engine has the exact problem(and most times than not it doesn’t), I check the track.
Another challenge was my 7.5 walthers curved turnouts. I find these pieces simply beautiful. But oh, if not aligned or leveled properly, they can cause fits!. That took some time to perfect. but who knows the next time I run another engine, well let’s say here we go again.
Joe C
In my case, it was (is) developing the layout with features I desired (e.g., track radius) within a limited (slightly more than 5’ x 10’) space. Not a technical or skills difficulty but rather one of practicality and tradeoffs / compromises. If I had lots more space available, I would likely still struggle with inevitable compromises.
A solution is to move considerably northward and get a house with a large, semi-finished basement.
My idea of a big challenge (not limited to HO): a multi-block, multi-cab DC cab control layout that has reversing loops – all done with one color of wire.
I wonder if the shift from DC cab control to DCC has resulted in lower revenues for liquor stores?
Dave Nelson
Running a 4-12-2 on 15" curves.
Extra points for no blind drivers!!!
Enjoy
Paul
OK, how about 12 NMRA weight full scale length passenger cars behind a 1960’s vintage Mantua Pacific going up a 4% grade?
These are all good challenges. [Y]
Any show stoppers? [I]
Rich
I don’t have the time, to be bored. Too much to do, so little time.
Don’t have time to bleed…but I could use a new vehicle…My body…this one’s getting worn out. LOL.
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Well, No Redwoods were harmed in the execution of my morning walk.[(-D] I did not see a soul in the 2 1/2 hrs from the time I left the until I got back (except for some deer). It was probably because of the buckets of slush falling from the sky. Temp was 1C. It amazes me how dry it stays under those monster trees though. My wife and kids wonder why I never take my cell phone with me. The quiet is deafening, why would I want a cell phone.
I have a plethora of really good quality gortex jackets, pants and parkas and boots and other stuff that the Federal Government had issued me when I was working. The RCMP, Postal workers and armed forces and all us outdoor Federal workers were well looked after in the clothing department, I must say.
Mark, I am fortunate to have such a magnificent place to stroll through. I also go mountain biking and cross country skiing through there if and when we ever get snow.
I use to go to Lake Tahoe (in the 80s&90s) to ski at Heavenly and really enjoyed my times there. Ski all day, hot tub afterwards and show and gamble at night. Now I get tired just thinking about doing all that.
Mr B.
I am also avoiding newer structures on the layout. I have seen some of the tricks for a quick change, such as brush being hidden under a larger building that could just be lifted off, or some horses and a blacksmith under another one. M
Running a 4-14-4.
First, what scale to get the gauge to match 16.5mm? The prototype was Russian wide gauge.
Alternatively, model in HO scale - what would the track gauge be?
Answers: 1:92.2, 17.5mm.
Another possibility would be to model UP’s LA&SL route, folded but uncompressed, in Boeing’s Main Assembly Building…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - compressed)
I have been in there. Now that would be a layout![tup]
That’s your reply?
No challenge?
Carl425 said:
OK, how about 12 NMRA weight full scale length passenger cars behind a 1960’s vintage Mantua Pacific going up a 4% grade?
Yah, the grades on my layout are my challenge, almost to the aforementioned 4%, which just means I doublehead those Mantua’s (and take weight out of those Athearn HW’s). 35 car + caboose freights get triple headed.
My other challenge is time, between a 48/96 shift schedule (I’m a firefighter), shifts at ambulance, National Guard and all our critters, simply finding time to run those double or triple heads or work on scenery is a challenge…
Happy RR’ing!
Duane
My biggest challenge is attempting to keep abreast of technology. At almost 65, I think my ability to grasp the new technology is waning. I don’t care for the fact that model railroad manufacturers feel their 80 page manuals need to only be available on the internet as I can’t go from my computer to my layout which is in a different location in the house and retain the information needed and printing out a manual is something I feel is the manufacturers responsibility!
It appears to me that in the not too distant future, a computer will be as necessary to model railroading as locomotives and rolling stock. I actually look upon my layout as a place to go, to get away from this vibrating screen and go back to when times were much more simple.
As Luke Skywalker said to Obiwan, you expect the impossible with the Big Boy on a 15 inch curve in HO.
I went to Jr High and High School in Davis California in the 70’s ane early 80’s and used to drive up to the Lake Tahoe area for skiing - I never went to Heavenly Valley but my regular haunts were Sugar Bowl, Sierra Ski Ranch, Kirkwood Meadows, Squaw Valley etc. In the summer I back packed in the Desolation Wilderness area hiking in at Echo Lakes and coming out at Fallen Leaf lake. Ah, those were the days!
WOW! How prolific
Joe C