Add me to the list of people that contemplate having two layouts. My reasoning is that I have been bit by the scale bug pretty bad but I have lots of other non-scale trains. I have no intention of getting rid of much of the non scale items. So rather than just pack them away I think about a “toy” layout for them. Maybe one of these days I will actually start to work on a layout again. The layout I had worked on for a couple years had too many flaws in the track plan to continue with it.
I’m involved in Z, HO (Marklin), O, On30, Standard Gauge, and Large Scale, but currently have only a small Standard Gauge layout and a shelf-type On30 layout up and running. When I move again–hopefully in the not too distant future, I plan to have a Standard Gauge layout, a Marx (all-tinplate) layout, an On30 pike, and a garden railroad outdoors. I’m divesting myself of most of my Marklin HO and a lot of O gauge, except for a few favorite items, and am also disposing of a lot of Z scale, aside from some things that I want to keep on hand for another briefcase layout or two since I enjoy building those from time to time.
Never met a scale that I didn’t like, and I’ve tried just about all of them at one time or another (got back into the hobby in N scale).
In addition to the unfinished 23 x 13 layout [with trains running] here in the Condo’s upstairs, I have a twin shelf, five track ,14 x 28 TMCC operation in our mountain cottage.
Not a “layout” in the typical sense------five separate ovals, one with a 7’ siding, on shelves at 7’6" and 9’-0’ above floor level. Now powered by five 180 watt PowerHouses that last year replaced 3 pw ZWs which had provided power since 1992.
Two tracks equipped with TPCs for Conventional operation when desired. Track length is good for running long trains and two trains in the same power district.
Well, my layout (which has been in the plywood stage for several years now) started life as a postwar-style layout, but with the availability of the new tinplate items, it is now headed toward being a Standard gauge layout. And here is where my problem starts: I also like O gauge tinplate a lot! So I’m either going to end up with a combination Standard/O tinplate layout, or I’m going to end up with a seperate O tinplate layout. I dunno. I’m conflustered (I just made that word up!). [%-)]
Regards,
Clint
For years I had just one, an HO. When I started with O-27, I dropped the HO layout @ 20"and used the original height for the O-27. This gave me an upper level “play-with-it " larger size train layout and an “admire-the-detail” scale layout on the lower level. It was a little bit of work but well worth the time and energy. I think that layouts of different sizes are a good idea if you can manage it. For me. getting away from the " finicky scale” proved to be a valuable respite. Thanks for asking.
Multiple layouts or model railroads are needed is some cases.
The Eastern U.S. in Winter during the 1940’s and 1950’s is clearly distinct from the Central U.S. in the Summer during the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Some concepts and themes will not overlap.
Andrew F.
My motto is, “Build small, but build many”. My “main” layout is 5x8 “O”, Christmas is 4x6 “O”. Also have 4x6 AF “S”, 2x4 “N”, and battery R/C “G” in the garden. My Grandkids are very entertained at my house…so am I. Joe
This is an illness for which there is no cure, except more trains & accessories. Do men ever mature? Yes, but it’s finally been pinned down that men mature 6 months after death. Jake
So many words of wisdom here[:D]:
Jake writes: “This is an illness for which there is no cure, except more trains & accessories. Do men ever mature? Yes, but it’s finally been pinned down that men mature 6 months after death.”
(you tend to lose weight as well)[:D]
Joe writes: “My motto is, “Build small, but build many”.”
and Falcon writes: “Multiple layouts or model railroads are needed is some cases.”
and TrainDaddy writes: “I think that layouts of different sizes are a good idea if you can manage it.”
Right on! But I don’t see the wives weighing in on this one, as train real estate must come from some other space.
Paul’s photo might describe wives’ responses to multiple layouts (beware if she asks you to update your will with more bennies for her):
I wonder what Neil B. (editor for CTT) plans to build next? His editorial in the May issue notes his teardown of layout number 4.
Have a 6x12 PW/tinplate layout 054-042 loops and action in the middle, soon to have a shelf extension and reverse loop. This pup will porobably grow “around the room” which is 11 x 18.
Also just started a standard gauge layout for my 38+35+35+36 set. Probably just a 4x8 at first. Ladies and gentlemen - standard gauge is terrible affliction. There is no known cure. Stay away. Just send any offending items diretly to me for proper disposal…
I have more than one layout. First of all, there is my O and S gauge layout. It is a large U-shaped layout that is done in the traditional tinplate style with the trains, track and accessories set up on green carpet. At the other end of the basement, I have my HO layout, which is large and L-shaped and is a more realistic type of layout. I started out with HO as a kid and even though I’ve become a passionate tinplate collector and operator, I still love it and would never abandon it. In addition, I have a smaller (about 5’x9’) Tri-ang OO layout.
These are back at my house in my hometown. In the apartment I’m living in while going to university here in the city, I have a 5’x9’ O27 layout, so I guess that’s another layout.
Currently I have two, an H.O. and an O gauge/027 layout. My wife got me interested in H.O., and now I have two layouts as the two sizes don’t look good together. On my O gauge Layout I have a small amount of S gauge American Flyer trains. Some of the American Flyer trains are harder to repair than Lionel but look more realistic, especially the two rail track.
I am also working on an H.O. race car set as I have some of the original Thunderjet 500
cars made by Aroura and some of the first AFX cars. Just to mention, I bought an H.O. race car set(for $20.00) with vibrater motors in the cars and sold it for $210.00 on ebay,
I could not believe the price people will pay for stuff on ebay.
Lee Fritz
A thread on the Model Railroad forum titled Starting Over Ironrooster on 5-1-11 said some spend years building one layout, others build many layouts over the years, some even have several layouts at once. I knew that of coarse but I thought it was well said. Which one are you?
I am working on my O layout.and the framework is up for a HO layout all planned out. I also have a very small HO layout built years ago. I was out of the hobby for years so after senery is roughed in on my O I want to get my small HO going again to reaquaint myself with HO and then build my bigger HO layout.
Dennis San Fernando Valley CA.
The last thread was in 2006. I don’t think Dave , the OP, has been active here for a while.
I’m presently building a shelf/ceiling layout that started out to be an standard gauge layout but noticed I have room for actually 2 up there so plan to move the standard gauge to the back and build a O-27 in front will put the Standard Gauge on either 1X4’s or 2X4’s to give it a little lift in the back. Then plan to build an O gauge layout in the room and it will be apox 8’ X 16’
Yup. A layout for the grandkids, a combination of Marx and postwar Lionel. A Super O layout. A layout for my girlfriend who loves Marx litho and someday a Standard/ Wide gauge layout.
OK then if we are restarting this thread, I have two small O layouts, one for pre war tinplate and one for postwar Marx.Two pizza layouts in G And one very small pizza layout in HOn30.
Every once in a while its good to go revisit and get new comments from older threads[:)] as things change and so do situations of different folks.