I am grappling with a hard decision. For a little while now I have been lamenting my 8 x 4, my first layout. I recently added an nice sized don-bone expansion to it. The problem is that I used all my knowledge and experience in planning the expansion, and now the original section just doesn’t feel right anymore. The problem is that I know what I want to do to fix it, but I’ve put so much time and money into the original that stripping it down, altering the bench work for a more functional around the wall, is breaking my heart (not that much, but that’s the only way I can express it in words). It’s just getting started that is the hard part.
Have any of you guys gone through this? I know that in the end I’ll have a better overall layout, but how did you get past your emotional ties, and get started on deconstructing something you’ve worked so hard to create?
Most model railroaders will build several layouts in their lifetime, so the need to tear down an existing layout is part of the learning/experience curve. It’s probably harder to do it the first time, like selling your first car.
But if you’ve already planned the next phase, then it’s mainly a matter of yanking up that first piece of track. After the first piece, the rest comes less painfully.
i’ve gone thru it 6 times since 1977…every layout i’ve ever built gets added onto (or a move took place to a bigger house and a complete tear down was in order) and the only way to get it right is tear it down and start over…it does cost a lot of money , but it takes money to have fun so get out that hammer and pry bar and get to it!..[:D]…chuck
I am feeling it right now. I know the 1885 5 x 8 I’m working on is doomed as I start building soon as I start building my basement layout, but I feel the need to finish it. Even though just about every piece I build will have no place i the new layout. I’m already too attached to it. I figure I will build it again, since it is a different era that my 1917 Redwood Empire I’m planning.
Thanks for the support Ed, Chuck, Chip. I started pulling up some trees last night, and after about three of them my four year old son walks into the room and asks me…“Why are you doing that?” The question and the look of abject horror on his face stopped me in my tracks (no pun intended).
You’re right of course, “deconstruction” is a part of the MRRing experience. I’m going to have to screw my courage to the sticking post and “make that first cut”. To quote Frodo Baggins, “I know it’s the right thing to do, it’s the doing it that’s the hard part.”
I just dismantled my layout. Although it wasn’t a completed layout, I had a lot of time and money invested in it. It was my forth layout.
One thing that I learned from being in your shoes (I didn’t want to let my second one go) was that the things that you deemed were not right on that earlier layout will only become more glaring faults as time goes on. Your modeling will improve, and so will your knowledge of the correct ways to do things. This will serve to enhance your new work, but it will also make your older work look more inferior in your own eyes. Other may not see it, but you’ll know it’s there.
Now I didn’t do this myself, but I kind of wi***hat I had, and maybe now that I’m planning a new layout I can remedy this, but, how about keeping the “flavor” of that original layout and just reworking a few things? Move a siging here or there, broaden a curve, or add a crossover, things like that. Maybe freshen the scenery a bit or mix some of the buildings around to make it work better.
Just some thoughts.
Now you’ve got ME thinking…gotta go play with the planning software now…Hmmmmm,…If I just move that siding over there…
Even though this is my fourth layout, reaaly took my time planning it, 2 years in the building so far, This week alone I moved three buildings , added a small siding\stub yard. Tore up some roads because they weren’t laying right. natural progression. It’s like evolution, it’s keeps on truckin.
Thanks PCarrell and Gerald. But it wont be as simple a moving a building here or there. There are glaring physical challenges which have to be fixed. The largest is that the original is 4 feet wide. I don’t have gorilla arms, and since I added the expansion I had to move the 8x4 up against the wall. Cleaning track, retreiving derailed rolling stock, et al are almost impossible given this setup.
My new plan has no areas that are wider than 2 1/2 feet. And a couple of really tight turns will be eliminated. I am still working on the plan on my computer, but once the time comes, my little HO scale people will be moving in with their earth moving equipment and the old 8x4 will be demolished. Naturally I will be salvaging everything that I can.
Hey…Just talking here has made me feel better about it. Thanks guys.
Yep, it’s part of the hobby… Ripping apart the initial 4x8 after you’ve outgrown it is virtually a rite of passage that marks you as a ‘committed’ model railroader (and most of us probably should be committed)…
I just moved and had to rip down a nice 11x14 L-shaped layout. I take comfort in the fact I now am working on a 30x30, so there was a silver lining.
The scary part is, I’m not building this one to be “movable” either. I don’t plan to move again in the foreseeable future, but if I did, it would be another tear down and start over… I thought long and hard about it, but everything I could do that would accommodate a “modular” or “movable sections” scenario just involved too many compromises against too many druthers…
So I say, rip into it, and keep your eye on the prize - the ‘new and improved’ pike you’ll have at the end of the process.
I am there, too. My basement is in the middle of being finished, so my first step at change was to put my largish slab up on 9 casters. That was a chore because I used ponywall construction with 5/8" T&G ply and 2X4’s…heavy! If we ever burn our house down, that thing will smolder for a week!
Anyway, I now can look forward to, and am excited by, the prospect of improved track and wider curves…and a yard, finally. I got myself into the forced choice by ordering Fast Tracks turnout and double-slip kits, so I’m in there like a dirty shirt. No turning back.
I put so much emotion and sleepless nights into this first table that I don’t have the stomach to bust it up. I really like the expanse and vistas it affords, but it is really only a fair looking result. Tan paint “dirt” is too caramelly, too strong in tone, and I could have done some rock cuts better. But I will learn how to do it all better with some 9" wide extensions that will permit the installation of wider curves. Maybe in three or four years I’ll be able to let it go.
My generic advice on anything like this is: If you’re putting this much thought into making a change, then making a change is probably the right thing to do.
I had to do something a few years ago, re-did my entire layout to increase access to all areas. [:)]
I had to dismantal mine which was like 90% trackwork complete before I had to move. It was incredibly painful. But it has only motivated me to work harder on the new one harder.
This may not serve as any solace or advice for your situation, but my approach to entering this hobby is to build a 4X8 practice layout that I plan to tear down (almost ready to start wiring). Eventually I will incorporate the benchwork into an around-the walls with 2 peninsulas, but all other elements will be dismantled.
But what a terrific way to learn-by-doing, while referring to this forum along the way. Once the train-room side of my basement is finished, I’ll start on my real layout, hopefully armed with the experience I need to do it right. I realize there’s a bit of idealism in my thinking, but once I transition to the real layout, I will have experienced planning, trackwork, wiring (DCC), soldering, turnout control, running trains, solving derailments, some scenery building, throwing things, cursing and eventually tearing down the 4X8.
Maybe you can retro-think this philosophy into your situation and ease your anguish. In my youth, I would have just jumped in and started the real thing, but now that I’m middle-aged man (actually a bit beyond that) and have more sense (yea, right) I can justify this approach. Best of luck.
I wouldn’t even think twice about tearing it down to start something bigger. I know how you feel though, I’ve torn down 2 incomplete layouts but I’m much happier now with what I have.
It’s a No Brainer. Rip it up. Save what you can, and get away from that rinky Dink 4 x 8 disaster. Design a decent layout with open benchwork and decent curves, at least 24 inch, 30 inches is better. Use the plywood to make good, firm track base. MOVE ON! You have been riding with training wheels long enough. Now design a real model railroad instead of a toy train set.
i just tore down my fifth layout two weeks ago …a 4 by 16 footer that was half done.was hard doing it but after 5 or 10 minutes their was no turning back.my new layout will be much better and i will not make as many mistakes as before.already have one loop of track in so i can at least run some trains while i consider my next plan of attack.good luck on your new layout,im sure their will be a few more.i was able to save 100%of the benchwork and almost 50%of the old track and scenery pieces.terry…
I’m really not sure what exactly to tell you in terms of tearing it down or not, though some great advice has been given.
Here is my advice:
Should you decide to restart, keep something to operate in the meantime! Have a loop set up, or better yet, keep the old layout if you can till the mainline is laid!
You could take a cue from John Allen. His original Gorre & Daphetid was a 4X6 and he incorporated that original layout into two larger versions of the G&D, including his masterpiece which has been featured in numerous magazine articles as well as a book devoted to it after his death. The book shows the original track plan and how in worked it in to his next two efforts.
well, you’ll never enjoy what you have now if you want to change things. So if you can make it better; go for it. Almost everybody will have more than one layout and each time you can improve on what didn’t work so well. As i said earlier; GO FOR IT if it’ll be better.
Well guys, a lot of great advice…not surprisingly all in favour of ripping it up.[(-D]
Here’s what it looks like right now. Functionally it hasn’t got a hitch…but like I’ve noted, it is hard to access (not having gorilla arms). It’s not what I’d call a toy train loop, it is more serious than that, and I’ve poured a year of my life into it. I know you’re all right, and I agree…it’s time to go…I’ll take a bunch of pictures and take the experiences I gained from its evolution and improve on it in the new layout.
