Have you ever went outside and given your little world a critical eye and not liked what you see? I’ve been doing just that and am about to tear out about a third of my garden RR and rearrange some plants and stuff. As I mature and learn new stuff and see others’ work, I become less and less satisfied with my humble efforts. I don’t think that a garden RR has to be a permanent thing. I think it can grow along with you.
What are your feelings on this?
Mate; this is the very matter i have been preaching for years, don’t buy any more than you have to, as you will change your mind as you go on; i have several times.
I haven’t pulled out a third but i have reworked several section, several times as things change, expectations, knowledge, outside influenes to name a few.
Think about it a bit more and if you must you must and when you are finished you will be glad you did.
Rgds ian
Rip it out? Heavens NO!!!
REalign and REwork for better effects, yes, quite often really. As I learn more and acquire more skills, more will be REworked and REaligned. To an outsider it may LOOK like I’ve ripped it all out, but for those in the know, all I’ve done is to rework and realign. The GRR is almost a living entity, growth is inevitable, else you have stagnation and death.
Dave
Yes indeed! I have stuff that I have built or bought in 1:29, 1:24, 1:22.5, and 1:16 scales. My layout doesn’t have a single structure because I can’t settle on a scale. Now and then I agonize over a uniform theme and scale and make some changes and then go off and build something to another scale. At the I moment I have a double decker layout. The bottom is for the grandkids to use and for my own amusement while working in the yard. This level is pretty well landscaped and the train disappears and reappears two or three times during a circuit. The upper level has evolved into a test track for the stuff I build. For the time being this seems to be the most practical arrangement, but what does practicality have to do with railroading out in the yard? Right now I am agonizing over whether to build a 1:29 diesel or one in seven eighths scale. Whatever is decided will probably lead to further pondering over the shape of the layout.
Regards
Bob
Oh yes! The whole of one side of my empire has been taken apart over the last few days and the whole section is being lifted a foot or so, should keep me busy for a month or three. Luckily my neighbour has been excavating foundations so I have a lot of free infill available. I’m also installing another circuit to run at a higher level than the main, because of the space I will have to use radius 1 curves, no great problem really as I have quite a few LGB loco’s and the curves will, hopefully, not be to obvious.
Kim
Hi FG&J
A garden railway is a permanent thing well as far as I am concerned it is.
If however it doesn’t change and mature with the owners knowledge ideas wallet etc and stays static it won’t stay permanent for long.
There is always the new plant to try, if I move that line over there it will improve operations and get the cup of coffee to the right place still hot[:D].
There is always SWMBO wants a new feature out there which may or may not mean a track re alignment or adds a further land grant to the line
regards John
David,
Having just really finished unpacking from the move to our new house I am in the planning stage and already on paper “version four” of the layout is looking wrong!!! I did shed more than a few sighs when I had to cut up my previous layout, (five years worth of work…) But the method I use means that the track is laid on planks of wood at about 60cm height. This gives me less backache and I still have growing room underneath!!!
I previously built my layout in the fruit garden and dotted it with herbs etc. This is what I intend to do now. This time I have planted all my bushes and trees before I have laid the track. Hopefully this time the bushes will not have to have train sized pruned rectangles in their sides!!!
regards
ralph
Every second year I tear mine up and redisign it. But then again, I am retired and pretty much live outside during the good weather. Change is good, especially if you have the time to do it.
I haven’t ripped it all out, but I have changed the trackwork, and even some bridges, several times as I thought of a better way. Ripping it all out would be too drastic.
This is a day to put a cross on the wall, i agree with everybody, so you must all be doing something wrong.
Rgds ian
<> No Ian, today we got it correct, you are the one that is incorrect.
Mate I’m not incorrect, confused maybe?
Rgds Ian
Since I enjoy running a tad more than building, the thought of starting all over from ground zero just wouldn’t work for me. I agree that when I see others layouts I often see areas on mine that need work and have reworked specific areas but to do the entire layout will have to wait until (if) I get a new house.
It all evolves, just the same in the smaller gauges, I’d finish a layout then after a week I would rip it out, same in the garden, but normally I would just change the plants. Not this time though![:-,]
With our railroad i’m pritty satisfied with what we have done so far . This will be the third year since we started and it will be completely finished all the way around the yard . All the trees will be planted and roads and buildings will be installed . NOW will come the fun part for me as I start to “tweek” the scenery . There is one project that I am running past the " President of Land Aquisitions" (Connie). The C.J.and M. needs to be completly double tracked throughout the system cuz of increased traffic demands . This will mean adding another large bridge , enlarging the tunnel under our pool deck and using up another 5 feet or so of real estate in a corner of our yard .
Mike; wouldn’t it be easier and cheaper to put in a few sidings and go to DCC? This is what i did to start, to avoid the added work, expense and use if space that i don’t have.
Rgds Ian
I like most of the time to just kick back and let the trains just run while I am doing things out back like mowing the grass or working on the railroad . It would be fun to have two of them going in different directions at the same time . That is a project I don’t see happening for a while anyhow .
Mate this is a worry, wont they run into each other?
Rgds ian
Not if they are on different independent tracks Ian .