One of our local railroad clubs is having a series of open houses and I attended one today. I came away feeling pretty good about mine. I really appreciated the work and dedication being put into their project. The only negative observation I had was that a vacuum is needed to get some of the dust off the older sections - but then it reminded me of mine. Like me, they had unfinished scenery, raw benchwork, track to be laid and probably a myriad of other tasks. All of this caused me to ponder the question “Are these things really ever ‘finished?’”
Yes,I know of at least four finished club layouts where the members enjoys their weekly or biweekly operation sessions.
I see, this was a Bait & Switch! Title the thread “Test” and put in the first post “TEST”, then when enough people fall for the bait, change the subject and re-write the first post to look like something intelligent, making the rest of the posters look Dumb!
What the?!?
HaroldA, you are on my “Do not respond too” list!
Keep your shirt on - I tried to delete the ‘test’ post was a mistake and I tried to delete it as soon as it went. Couldn’t figure out how to do it - the post about the club was what I had intended to write. Fifty lashes with a wet noodle for me.
[quote user=“HaroldA”]
NP2626
I see, this was a Bait & Switch! Title the thread “Test” and put in the first post “TEST”, then when enough people fall for the bait, change the subject and re-write the first post to look like something intelligent, making the rest of the posters look Dumb!
What the?!?
HaroldA, you are on my “Do not respond too” list!
Keep your shirt on - I tried to delete the ‘test’ post was a mistake and I tried to delete it as soon as it went. Couldn’t figure out how to do it - the post about the club was what I had intended to write. Fifty lashes with a wet noodle for me./quote]
I’m the bad guy? Why not explain what was going on from the get go?
There are a lot of unfinished layouts at all levels of the hobby.
One gripe that a friend of mine has with our hosts magazine is that the layouts shown are always such finished looking products. However, I have seen some of the accompanying videos and they are more likely to give you a glimpse of an unfinished section.
From my observations, I too am pleased with the work I have done, despite it being my first real attempt at scenery. Yes, one side is still unfinished and more detailing could be done to the sceniced side.
I think some unfinished areas showing may be good for observers, to show that all layouts aren’t “finished” before they start running trains. Keeps from scaring them into feeling that they lack the skills to do such work.
Have fun,
Richard
I’ve been in the hobby for nearly 45 years. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a fair number of club layouts and quite a few personal layouts…and not one of them was ‘finished’. I think we are in a hobby that is never meant to be ultimately finished, but ongoing. I’m 53 and started my layout almost 4 years ago and if I live to be a reasonably healthy 100…my layout will not be finished.
If I were to reach a point of seeing my layout as ‘finished’, I’ll either take it down and start over, or just get out of the hobby.
Mark H
But who can really say what finished is?
I can honestly say, my layout is finished.
Now, I realize that many may differ with me on this point.
They will ask, is all of your rolling stock and motive power weathered, are there clouds on your backdrops, do your structures have lighted interiors?
Who defines ‘finished’ ? I say, the owner of the layout.
My layout is finished.
Rich
At present, my layout is nowhere near finished - but I can tell you exactly when it will be.
When all the life support readings flat-line.
Assuming, that is, that my heirs (or their customer) don’t decide to continue construction…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Rich, it’s your layout! You make the decisions, it right there in black&white in the "Layout Building Rule Book!
Is your layout truely finished? I would say no. As long as your layout is around it will still need repairs or maintance. It is the same on the 1:1 RRs. Even though the locomotives and rolling stock are “finished”, they still have to be maintained, and rebuilt. The lucky locomotives that are saved by organisations still have to be maintained, and periodically rebuilt/restored.
Sure, the construction is over, but there is constant upgrades, maintance, repairs, etc, to be done.
Ask Gary Hoover about his Santa Fe layout or Lance Mindheim about his Monon layout.
Classic layouts of museum quality.
They were finished. There was nothing left to accomplish.
So, they demolished those layouts and started over.
Rich
Rich,Lance changed scales and went a completely different route then his N Scale Monon-large HO ISLs based on prototypical CSX locations.
Larry, that may be true, but you miss my point. His Monon layout was “finished”. He didn’t just stop in the middle of construction, or toward the end, and then demolish it, just to start to a new layout in a different scale.
Rich
That’s sure enough true for the better part but,every now and then we builders of ISLs finished our layouts and enjoy thousands of hours operation without the need for any maintenance and upgrades.
I know of 2 HO clubs that hasn’t changed anything in the last 50 years.One operates twice a week and calls a occasional Saturday maintenance day.
I had the experience of taking my almost 7 year old grandson to our local club on an “Open House Sunday” Within a minute the club members handed him an NCE Radio controller ( the same kind he uses on Grandpa"s layout),had him making up a small freight, and hitting the mainline. He had a great time and the club members were very patient. He ran his train for over an hour at realistic speeds and also did some switching at a couple of industries. When he got tired he parked his train at the next town and said “thank you” to the club members (Ron and Mike) and got an invitation to come back anytime. Thanks to the club and the members…another future model railroader.
Mark B.
Many of the featured layouts in MR are in various stages of construction. The photographs feature the areas that are more “finished” than others. My own layout was like this for a few years.
Many posters achieve that without “the old bait and switch”.
Yes…in mine I have places that have been bare wood for a time - now some of these are getting covered. Even when I think something is ‘finished’ it seems there are always things to add or revise. I just found some new products that I didn’t know existed before and will want to try some of those this weekend.
‘Finished’ might all be relative.