Actually taking a few months off work and hanging out in my basement would do.
Don’t get me wrong, I like doing all the little things that make a Model Railroad come together. But lately it seems like it’s two steps forward and one step back. Last week I spent the weekend fixing track for the Hogwarts that died Sunday afternoon. This week I have been working on the defunct F2 A/B unit.
Both are priorities because the Hogwarts is my son’s loco and the F2 A/B is my daughters. I’m wondering why their’s and not mine.
This weekend I’ll be building an MDC 4-6-0 Hogwart’s Express with Harrington Tender.
I know exactly what you mean. I guess we just have to accept that building a good layout is something that takes several years of continuous effort. What makes it harder to deal with is that the pace of change in today’s world makes that seem like a really long time. Looking at other aspects of my life, I can’t think of other “projects” that went on for several years. Even things like the most significant projects at work, the planning of my wedding, and the writing of my senior thesis in college generally all took about 9-12 months. In comparison, a multi-year layout building project seems like forever.
Thanks, you have to sit back and have a laugh now and then, i wasn’t laughing much 10 mins earlier, i had a wreck crane set up behind a GP60 for a pic and my 5yr old drove it off at speed sending the “big hook” to the floor (lesson here, turn off the power)
I sympathize. Last weekend I was working at a convention so had no real MRR time other than a couple of LHS visits in Phoenix. I was looking forward to a nice weekend on the RR starting now, when the wife casually mentioned that she would like to re-paint the living room!!! I am dragging my feet, and pointing out that it will be much better to wait until the weather warms up so we can air the paint smell out of the house, but so far no success.
My wife double booked herself this weekend so I have to take my kid to the swimming pool on Saturday. I get home jut in time to go to work. Saturday’s shot.
If my wife read this, your ears would be flaming! This is a hobby, it takes back seats to everything else like a slow train to nowhere, it’s last on the dispatcher’s list. Like any craft or art form, it takes passion, passion takes energy, and we become compulsive and myoptic.
Kids come first or it’s the big “D”.
Relax, the layout will be there for years to come. We spend far too much time trying to make tomorrow happen today.
Spacemouse,
Fergie’s advice is excellent, as usual. Two steps forward, one back is still progress. Sometimes backing up and redoing is necessary. It is a hobby, and this one is a long term hobby. Enjoy the ride. Please be very glad that both your children are enjoying it with you. That’s a gift that is truly priceless.
Have Fun,
Tom Watkins
The year & a half that I was retired, I built an 18 by 18 ft. layout everyday of the week.
It was finished all the way up to the fine stuff. Then I went back to work & added another 18 by 18 ft. Now, all I do is work on it on my 2 days off. Friday & saturday.
For about 4 weeks I haven’t worked on it at all because I’m doing a lot of repairs on my house. It looks like it will be at least another 2 months before I can start working on the layout again. I still try to make all the local train shows though. The 1’s w/in a 100 miles of me.
I’ve been working on train layouts since 1961. This is my 6th large layout. This is the biggest one I’ve ever put together & expect to finish it in the next 5 years. This is phase
2 of my layout. I still have 3 more add-ons after the 5 year section is completed.
NO LAYOUT IS EVER 100% finished. There’s always that little tweeking of the scenery,
engines, rolling stock & buildings. It’s when you make a “job” of the layout that it’s never finished. I always take a breather for about 3 months & build something else, like some metal sculptures that make lots of money to spend on the layout.[soapbox]
Ever see what happens with some of those guys who finally ‘finish’ their big, beautiful layout? They tear it down and start a new one! (Example: Tony Koester)
The F2 A/B is downstairs running labs in DC at micro speeds. The A is still slower than the B but not as bad and most of the noise has subsided. I have a new socket enroute–but they got really quiet when I said I have more money in dead decoders than in their trains.
I don’t remember the caution about the deep flange, but I remember caution about OO. But that was a moot point. The Hogwarts was a Christmas present and started this whole foray into MRR. The kids were not about to give up the Hogwarts. I got a 4-6-0 MDC to replace it. Both kids think it will work just fine. I’ll start painting tomorrow if I can get the airbrush working.
Chip, you just are being a great Dad. It seems God loves to test us, just to see if we are listening. I hope the layout goes well, but look how close you and the kids are getting. More quality time together, and that is what it is all about. They will remember this time of their life forever. I wish it would never end. Hope mine takes 30 years to finish.
Boy did I come on hard last night! This was to have been friendly advice. As I have shirked my Fatherly duties from time to time, yes it’s true, but again we have to watch ourselves as this hobby can become all consuming.
Spacemouse: I feel the frustration as I find myself cuaght up in the “race”.
