I have had my restoration project of my layout going pretty great, and today I faced some of the hardest part of the restoration, reballesting most of the main yard and fixing the inner part of the layout. I have now started to have some depression/sudden outburst and fits over the whole thing. I think I have came to one conclusion, I am going to do it, and I think it might turnout OK, and if it doesn’t, stuff in the real world is not perfect either. So, I am trying to continue to have fun, and make things look good in the meantime. I hope I am doing the right thing and everything will workout…
My friend I have been there many of times. Like today. I had my train pulling 10 cars and it ran fine yesterday, but not today. Didn’t change a thing. Theres been points I want to start the layout all over again, but I will work the problems out.
Do like me and most people and take a break from it. Do something different. Dont get burned out. Several of my layouts haven’t been perfect either. I think it makes it more realistic. Its your layout do as you please, and have fun doing it. [;)]
Yes, Grasshopper, these things are all part of learning to be a Model Railroader. The tracks out of the tunnel lead through the valleys of disillusionment and even the fires of anger. When I was young, I had much patience, but that has been eroded with time. Since I returned to the Way of the Small Tracks, my patience has once again grown, and I have become a more calm person.
Each modelling experience is an engineering challenge to be met. Sometimes you must learn new things, and once in a while the only way to learn is by first going down the wrong siding before you find the main line. In the end, you, and your railroad, will be far better for the experience.
When things get too cloudy and grey, step away from the trains for a few days.
When you feel motivated again you can pick up where you left off.
Sometimes when a project on the workbench gets too overwhelming, I step out of the room for a time. When things settle down and my morale improves, I am so back in there hammering out the problem with the project.
I always get depressed when I have to do ballast work. I love everything else about this hobby BUT ballast! I HATE IT!!![censored][banghead][|(] The geat thing is that there’s always something else you can do if you get burned out on one thing. It’s too cold here to do any paint or plaster work right now, so I’m doing car and loco maintanance.(something I really like) I’ve felt those fits of rage lately when your train runs fine for 2 hours and then 20 minutes later they won’t go 10’ without jumping off the track. I’m chalking that up to the cold weather here. I learned it’s more productive to turn the lights off and walk away then to start throwing stuff.
Model Railroading SAVED me from depression…A lot of bad things were happening to me last year so one day in October, since I was jobless and had a lot of time on my hands, I decided to take
down my oild HO layout that was gathering dust and decided it might be a good time to convert to N scale (something I’d been contemplating for over a decade already). Thoughts of feeling sorry for myself and worrying about not having a future got replaced by plans and visions for an N scale empire. Now I feel more confident and optimistic about life overall. Go figure.
There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness. If you feel yourself getting too ill, take two pills, go to sleep, and try it again in the morning. If needed, wait until next week when your strength recovers.
I have had periods of intense exasperation, but can’t say I have ever been depressed. When I get the feeling like I want to rip something off the layout, I reach over and put down what’s in my hands, turn off/unplug what needs it, and turn out the lights as I leave.
I just recently came out of a prolonged depression where I had done barely any model railroading since July. (There were several factors that caused it, not just train issues.) But I stayed in touch with people on the forums, and eventually I was inspired to head back out to the trainroom, de-clutter the layout surface, and start running trains. Life is good once again, finally![8D]
No…Model Railroading is a hobby and past time…Why should anybody believe being depress or have sudden outburst is acceptable? To my mind that’s akin to saying derailments are acceptable and part of the hobby when in Truth its not.
Now if a modeler gets depress because he/she believes their modeling isn’t perfect or up to par with other modeler work they need to sit back and rethink what the hobby is for them.
The thing to remember model railroading is a hobby and not a profession and should be treated as such and above all HAVE FUN!
We fight Depression in our home almost daily. To sit down and say: “to be Depressed is ok” is to give up and not live for anything. You need to get out of bed and do something positive.
My brother told me when he was teaching me about trains in my teens: “This will keep you off the street and out of trouble.” and I must say that doing projects on the workbench these last few years when things were pretty tough helped out alot.
Depression is something that can be beaten, just need to find something to get into in life that takes you away from your troubles. And no, it’s not the whiskey bottle.
I see derailments and coupler problems as routine. Fixing these problems is natural as eating food. Sometimes bothersome and hair pulling fusterating but it’s a normal part of the hobby. No different than trying to establish the correct firing order on a Ford 351 V8 with points that is over 30 years old.
Heck, My wife was installing some fine work on one of our furnature and it hit the last nerve she had and tossed the hammer across the room and gave me both barrels as to how difficult it was. Since it was not yet 8 am, I tackled the problem until it was done properly. We were not drilling pilot holes for those kinds of fasteners. To do that made it alot easier. There is something about a spouse that understands Pilot Holes in wood for nails. How wonderful!
Lots of us get depressed, just talk to people and you’ll find someone worse off than you, old saying misery likes company. But if you get to low go see the doc.
In the past 365 days I’ve almost quit altogether at least 3 times. You look at the magazines at the brilliantly executed layouts and just know you’re never going to be there. Maybe there’s not the time, maybe not the funds and in my case the talent. I couldn’t agree more than with Robbie in that there are times that it pays to lock the door and walk away from it for a while. Just do SOMETHING else. Pretty soon you’re rejuvenated and back at it with clear head and more zeal. If you’re up against a problem you don’t know how to deal with, talking with other modelers will help, even though they may not have the solution. Kinda helps to know you’re not the first nor will you be the last… [:D]
When it gets to the point you’re not having fun with it, that’s the time to back off.
ENJOY the beautiful layouts in the magazine. Kinda like another one with all the pretty… ah never mind.
Think for one moment if a feature article was written about someone’s warped plywood table using mid 70’s grass mat that has faded to three different colors and using brass sectional track that has warped visibly out of gauge in both left to right and up and down.
The circulation will drop off dramatically. We need to have beautiful layouts to provide inspiration and perhaps a little bit of idea making from us mortals less blessed with imagination.
If the Depression gets too low, go see the doc like others have said.
Very funny. This isnt quite the depression every thinks it might be, no pills are going to be needed, I just have to convince myself Im doing the right thing!
This isnt quite the depression every thinks it might be, no pills are going to be needed, I just have to convince myself Im doing the right thing!