I’m doing it again, what can I say. By now there must be plenty of people shaking their heads, I’m sure. I can only agree.
But with every layout I built I learned something so it was always worth the effort. I’m hoping that this new layout will help me get to the next level of model railroading as all it’s predecessors did.
Here’s the new plan as it exists today:
For a larger version please click HERE.
Michael:
Lots happening!
I’m guessing this is N scale?
Dave
Yep, this is N scale.
Michael,
Allow me some open words.
I was sad to see you abandoning your German HO scale layout project shortly before you were able to put in the golden spike. I liked this project very much and thought you had a great layout in the making there. There were a few tight spots on this layout, but nothing that could not have been solved. I was not able to follow your decision of dismantling the layout.
While I also like your new N scale project, I see a big issue with it coming up. It is a very ambitious, huge project, which requires an awful amount of time and dedication to complete to a a stage allowing you to run trains. It will take years to achieve that, unless you have a couple of people assisting you. It also takes more than just one person to operate a layout of this size and complexity. Even if I had the means to embark on such a journey, I would not do it. I am more than certain, that I would lose my steam for this project after a few years, as interests shift.
I know that you have quite a room at your disposal for a layout and that there is a strong temptation to put a club-sized layout into it, but I still find the “less is more” rule a suitable guideline. If I were to walk in your mocassins, I´d travel a different route to model railroading happiness - a “simple” O scale or even 1 scale (1/32) layout with a prototypical track arrangement!
Something like this:
Just because I´d love to sit in the engineer´s seat!
Just my [2c]
Ulrich,
The size of the layout doesn’t bother me. It will probably never get finished but that’s good. Who needs a finished layout? What would I be doing?
And please remember my struggle with the size of H0. Anything even bigger would be unthinkable for me…
Here’s an overview of the layout room as it looks today. I have rearranged the old bench work and added some new bench work along the western wall of the room. Next I will have to adjust all the legs to make it as level as possible and then the track laying starts again [:D]!
I didn’t know you were struggling with HO. I don’t want to bring up any unpleasant memories, particularly since you’ve decided to move forward, but what was the nature of your struggles?
I model N, and I always have. I kinda like the highly-detailed models available in HO (and the huge variety of HO stuff in general), so I might build a diorama or two just for fun, but a full scale layout would take up just too much room, even though I have an entire garage available. I have plenty of work to do on my N-scale layout, so for now I will press on with enthusiasm and high fives all around.
Glad to see you’re back at it. Good luck.
Robert
Robert,
Like you said, H0 takes up too much room and I couldn’t make it work. I’m probably spoiled by N scale and didn’t realize it until now. Better late than never!
Very neat! Very ambitious! I’m curious the dimensions of the room?
I understand completely about your HO arguments. I have a 18x30 room and I can’t get in what I want unless I go extra levels, which I’m not doing. My 9 year old son has been tempting me to try N. So I’m going to follow your layout build closely!
Scott
The room including the 2 staging areas is 41 x 28’.
That I can relate to! My attempt to build a layout in On30 failed as I utterly underestimated the real estate requirement for buildings. If you are used to N scale dimesion, stepping up to HO scale has about the same effect.
I will follow your new layout thread with growing interest!
Today I asked my wife to help me and clean the floor of the railroad room for me:
And she’s even smiling! and not throwing the bucket of water at you! [(-D]
Mike.
I just couldn’t help myself but I had to unbox a few locomotives and cars to really get back into the N scale mood:
Now I have unpacked everything. All the boxes have been put away in storage, I again have an understanding of what I have and what I need. I’m amazed that there are 25 locomotives without a train! So for the foreseeable future I’ll be buying nothing but freight cars…
It even looks good from the layout room:
I worked for another hour and cleared the benchwork where the first town of the new G&AM will be built - Gustavsburg again.
Have you ever posted pictures of your original N scale layout.?
Not here but you can look at it at the MRH forum: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/14886
I’m not that brave… She asks me why I keep my train room much cleaner than I keep our house. [:$]
I just took an after lunch break and got me some new plywood. Next will be making N scale roadbed again…
