I’m moving to a new house soon, and my layout is being mothballed for the time being. Since it’s a sectional layout, getting it moved shouldn’t be a problem. All I have to do is pull up a few track joints, unplug the wiring, and unbolt the tables. The hard part will be not being able to run trains for a bit until I get things moved and reassembled. Several of the passenger runs, mainly the high-end trains, have already ended. Service now consists of a GP7 and a coach, or an RDC. That’ll stop this weekend, when everything else gets packed up. Most of the other engines have been “stored serviceable” for the time being. It sucks, but I’ve had a good 10-year run with it. Here’s to the next 10 and then some!
give yourself a pat on the back for being smart enough to build a sectional layout . beats the heck out of having to use the sawzall to dismantle a layout
I took a 22 year layoff and I survived. Make yours shorter. And don’t sell anything.
I’m hoping that it’s only a few weeks until I get things running again. Because the layout all comes apart, getting it out of my former workshop should be easy. The only thing that has me a bit worried is getting the corner section out. That’s a 4-foot square that might not clear the door–this particular door is at the bottom of a flight of stairs. If it won’t go through there, I’ll have to notch the door top–I’m not about to toss that corner, nor the factories that rest on it 
As if that wasn’t enough, I’m already planning the next version of the layout. I’m thinking about an engine terminal, and some room for my passenger trains to play.
Uh… I hate to tell you this but if your married it is going to be some time before you get to the layout. I have done nothing but work on my house for two years since I moved. Honey of course I can live with that kitchen until you can do something about it became I’m not moving in until you redo it from the floor to the ceiling and everything in between. Add the doors and windows, staining the deck for entertaining, Keeping up with the grass. Did I mention the shurbbery that was great and I had to replace becasue the flowers didn;t go with the color scheme. Paint every room, etc. My wife has $200,000 of improvements she can mention in one breath that “we” fix or replace. When do I anticipate this ending? In about two more years!
I know the feeling. When I moved 25 years ago I took my layout apart and boxed it all. Twenty years later I moved again and my trains were still in boxes. In the last three years I have 3 layout layouts and at this time I am building a modular layout and most of my old steam locos have been revived with DCC docoders and I am in the process of installing decoder s on the diesels F units. It is all worth it because now I have plenty of time to enjoy this hobby with the grandchildren, 5 boys.
Stay On The Tracks.
I know the feeling as well. My wife and I are packing up and moving up to the Gainesville Florida area in a couple of weeks. I packed up all my loco’s except my GP-9 and Lite Mike that I just put the upgrade chip in. I want to play with them a bit to see how the new chip sounds/acts. Soon I will be dismantling the layout. I also built it in sections for easy (NOT) transport. It will be nice not having to worry quite so much during Hurricane season. Not to mention nice cool winters (relatively speaking) for a change. Good luck to you EMDGP92 guy! Terry
One “Secret!” technique is to have designed at least one segment that will function as a stand alone switching module (hint - alligator clips!). One can then add to it segments as time is available, but meanwhile…no withdrawal! Happy New-home-itis! jc 5729
Thanks for the comments! If everything goes smoothly, I should be moving at the end of the month. The only thing that has me worried, is getting the layout moved home. This isn’t without its problems. There are several track switches that overlap benchwork joints–those will have to be removed. However, since I didn’t install switch machines there, everything should go back wtihout problems.
As if that wasn’t enough, I’ve already started thinking about expanding the layout. It’s not bad as-is, but I want more room for industries, and maybe some “open” land. Plus, an enginehouse/service area would be nice too.
Wow! Fancy reading your post after packing all day for a move in three weeks! I’m not the only one going through such turmoil, I see. All that’s running on my layout is a sweeper train. It’s been picking up left over cars and MOW equipment and shuttling it to the Missouri Pacific interchange. There are still a couple of engines left for the crews to pull from the ol’ engine house and send along, too. I’m very glad I used modules for me new layout. That is going to make my move easier. Speaking of moves consider this new statistic from last week: 1 in 5 families move each year. If this is true then maybe we all should use sectional benchwork!
Been there done that, several times in the past few years. I’ve not had a layout in nearly 7 years, living in mobile homes and rental units. We just moved in to our new home a month ago, and for the first time I have part of a basement to build in (13’x20’). I looked at the house when we were shopping with “layout” in mind, now that we’re moved in the wife thinks the basement should be divided in half for our daughter’s bedroom (which would end up being smaller than her current one), or putting a pool table in there. For some unknown reason, she’s not real keen on using the whole room for a layout. She didn’t seem to mind the idea while we were shopping, only after we closed on the house. This may end up being a “no-compromise” issue. I’ll give it until New Years or so before I confiscate the whole room.
Brad
We moved in March after I retired but I decided to just salvage what I could from the old layout and start from scratch in the new house. The room sizes were different so, there wasn’t much choice. I saved all the turnouts, of course, the lumber from the benchwork, and even quite a bit of the track that hadn’t been ballasted. I also saved the main yard and ladder tracks since they’ll fit in the new space with a minor change.
I viewed it as an opportunity to correct some things I didn’t like about the old layout and try some new ideas. I’ve got the benchwork back up, and as soon as I get finished painting the house, I should be able to put some serious hours into it.
Mike Tennent
Guess I’m in the armchair club, too. Mine is in various stacks in the basement, ready to make a move. Other than turnouts and probably roadbed, I have enough track to really get going once we move. We haven’t sold this house yet, and we won’t move until we do. However, I do gradually take things down to the new house. That doesn’t happen often since it is about a 7 hour drive from here.
The last run was a little sad. Mine was a partially-complete plywood empire, but I really liked the way it was heading. But, I’ve spent some time in the last month working with the new available space in Cadrail, and I like what is developing. The new space isn’t ideal (lots of obstacles, namely walls), but the space is finished and best of all…it is secluded in the basement of the house. The only ways in are through the garage (in the basement) and from an outside door. So when the wife decides it is time to prod me along (nag, for you other married men), I can literally lock myself in the train area! Even has a bathroom, so I could stay there for days! Sort of like waiting out a hurricane [;)] .
So, from the ashes rises the phoenix…or a buzzard, whichever the case may be.