Maybe, its just spring fever, but I need a break! I’m getting burned out. I still have a lot to do like structures to build, ballasting, water & falls to do. I should have been done a long time ago, but I’ve torn up and rebuilt so much that it’s taking forever, because I’m never satisfied. I’m now thinking about extending the layout to add a small yard and my portable layout is getting heaver so I now need to build a fold up stand with wheels just to move it. I have some scenery coming tomorrow and I’m not ready for it. How many of you just had to put it up for awhile and take a breather?
There are times that I don’t work on the layout for months at a time. Nothing wrong with it, I just want to do other things for a while. The layout will still be waiting for me.
Have you ever noticed that a ‘portable’ layout eventually reaches a point where it’s only portable if you have a forklift?[(-D]
Sounds like a good time to cruise over to Barstow, park at a good viewing point and just watch trains. Bring along a cooler for the Gatorade and sandwiches.[8D]
That (or its equivalent) is what I do when my ‘get up and go’ gets up and leaves. It happens to all of us. Usually, a good dose of trainwatching cures me in short order - but repeat therapy is also a must. (Next week, I’ll be hiking the roadbed of the rail link that carried Hoover Dam, one trainload at a time.)[^]
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in a Mojave Desert garage)
I love going to Barstow and watching trains. I always wanted to buy one of those little places in Newberry Springs next to the tracks with a caboose in the front yard, but my wife said If I do that, I’ll be alone! Maybe thats a good thing.[(-D]
Sleeper–
Just getting back into it, myself. Three things happened over the past three years–I came out of retirement and went back to teaching, I gained too darned much weight and ended up with COPD, and to top it off, the garage got re-roofed while I was at work, and whoever they were, decided that the drop-cloth over my railroad wouldn’t protect it from all the debris, so they removed it (and went to work, anyway!). When I saw what was left, I just said the H### with it. Grumped and muttered and felt very sorry for myself. Told myself, “Hey, you’re just two years away from 70 and it’s been fun, okay?”
This Winter I decided to start losing weight, my COPD improved, I went out into the garage with a whole series of brushes and vacuum cleaners, started getting the layout back into shape and I’ve been working on it on and off for the past three months and wow–it’s actually starting to look like something. Dropped 20 pounds–only 40 more to go–I must be feeling pretty good, because my students are all telling me that I still yell at them a lot, but I’m more fun to be around than I used to be. Ran my first train this weekend in a LONG while, and found out what kinks need to be worked out–simple–and until the Summer Heat turns my California Basement (garage) into something probably unliveable come June or July, I’m going to be out there puttering.
But yes, there are times when you just have to look at the MR and say, “Be good, see you later.”
The neat thing is, that you WILL see it later. And be all revved up again. It’s kind of like Chicken Pox, you never REALLY get it out of your system, LOL!
Tom [:P]
Generally late Sept. through early April is my “prime” railroad season. Late April through mid Sept. my extensive property, golf and visiting grandchildren take over. This year has been no exception and things are static on the layout at this point. However the “railroad year” saw completion of all remaining tracklaying, DCC wiring, a number of structure kits completed along with a few kit-bashes and the beginnings of scenery. Plus of course purchases of some engines and rolling stock. Time to step back for now and then by Sept. I’m refreshed and ready to roll once again! I like the rhythm of this yearly (rather loose) timeline which allows me to enjoy all my areas of interest.
I can’t put it up. It’s the only thing keeping sane right now. [:P]
No…When I start getting burn out I simply put my HO aside and work in N Scale.That’s the beauty of modeling in HO and dabbling in N Scale.[tup]
Being retired I would go insane wasn’t for this hobby and railfanning.
Of course I don’t whack a little white ball and chase it down just to whack it again and then try to put in a cup that’s buried in the ground…I can no longer fish because I have limited use of my right hand so,yeah its the hobby,railfanning or the insane ward.
Hi!
I’ve been playing with trains for many years, and have an almost “finished” 11x15 HO layout. As others indicated, it seems I am working on the RR with great intensity - or not at all. I’ve had several major distractions lately (family deaths, placement of mother in law in facility, etc., etc.) and they tend to take the steam out of me.
I am fortunate in that the RR is in a spare room - actually not “spare”, for it is a dedicated layout room - and I can walk out and shut the door and all will be the same as I left it when I return.
One thing we all need to remember is that this is a HOBBY - not a job and/or obligation. And even though it is “the greatest hobby”, sometimes you just have to put it on hold!
ENJOY,
Mobilman44
Technically everyone puts it up for a while or takes a break sometime. When they sleep, eat or switch projects etc. Sometimes it’s those little breaks that enable us to keep our sanity with our hobby. Some times it’s good to put it up, crawl out of the trench and see if your still headed in a worthwhile direction or reestablish your perspective. When an artist works on a painting (especially a large one) the majority need to take a break and step back so they can see the whole picture and make sure it looks right. And model railroaders are artists, believe it or not? Our layouts are functioning works of art. Some layouts might be highly realistic while some may be caricatures. So, putting it up for a while may not be a setback or a stop in production think of it as a sort of vacation so your hobby stays enjoyable and not so much of a job.
I think I’m going to focus on building a fold up stand on wheels. At least I can do that outside. I’ve worked outside for most of my life and I feel cooped up inside. I was a machinist in my younger days and gave it up to build houses as a framer, which I enjoyed immensely. I’m always the happiest when I’m building something. I tell you, there’s nothing like walking up to an empty concrete foundation in the early morning and leaving a structure at the end of the day. It’s instant gratification!
I had a lot of fun building the layout and putting down the track. The detailing takes so long and it is especially boring waiting for glue and paint to dry. I suppose if I had a larger layout I could move on to another section while waiting for things to dry.
Well put Jeffrey.
I do the same thing and yes, spring fever probably has a lot to do with it. I’m now getting into biking season so the bikes need work. I just got my house in last fall so there’s landscaping to do and gotta get those basement walls sealed!!! Ugh!!! It’s difficult sometimes to work it all in. Work, family, house, bikes, trains, beer. Not in that exact order, but those are the things my life revolves around. That’s not to say that I don’t get my share of beer and trains!!! [:D]
Yeah, Bro, I sympathize, just wish I had more of a choice. My shutdown was made necessary by the return of the boomerangs. From our quiet retirement we now have a 3 ring drama circus with our out of work son, grand daughter, and 6 year old great-granddaughter. I can and do occasionally set up a piece of track on a 1x4 so I can program or just to hear my locos. But all my modules in process are on their sides in the back of a stuffed storage shed. Oh, well, life is what happens when we are busy having fun, eh? jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA
When I finally retired in Jan. , I thought I’d really get going on the trains. No time !!! The wife had so many backed up to - do’s I haven’t touched the trains in 4 months. Also I want to strip all the wiring out and redo it for a change over to DCC. I want to redo the wiring because it’s a rats nest. I know I don’t have to do it. The duanting task of re-doing the wiring has also made me pause. I’ll get to it. Actually summer is my best layout time when it’s hot out the basement is cool.
Yea, wives do tend to think that now you are retired, you are their slave now. Mine thought the same thing, so I had to put her straight some. I didn’t tell her it was my time for modeling, just told her I worked all my life to get to this point and I wasn’t going to work full time around the house now that I was home. We worked it out so I put in about 20 hours a week for her things and the rest of the time was mine. I also started a to-do list for a couple of reasons. One was so I could see what was coming and could plan for them, and the other was so she couldn’t slip things in and say “I told you about such and such awhile back”. It’s been three years now and things have eased off.
Hang in there.
As much as I enjoy skiing, I’m glad now that Sunday River is closed until next winter, and I can put the skis up in the garage and get back to my trains.
My only complaint (unless it’s just me or the area and I can’t find them) is the lack of train shows as compared to the cooler months.
I’m a business owner. Business was slow in the 4th and half of the first quarter of this year. I got slammed with customers (a good thing) so not to much time to model (really, no time). I can’t wait to get some time just to mess around with my trains.
Although the climate is mild all year around, I’m currently going through one of those periods where I’m burnt out working in large scale. I’m taking a hiatus for a little while and maybe dabble in my secondary scale of On30. This is what’s good about being a rubber gauger. I’d take a stab at N if only there were more reliable small steamers and older (circa 1900s to 1920s) equipment available.
I dismantled mine, due to it being in a garage, and the brother.
Luckily, I keep my equipment with the local MR club. They won’t run my locos, but freight cars are open game.