I was just re-reading the post by JeremyB on getting bored. My biggest proplem is knowing when to stop and say that part is complete.
The layout I am working on started about 5 years ago when I visited my son, then serving with the army in Germany, we sat over a drawing pad and laid out Dalreada.
Partial bench work was finished over a year ago but I am just now satisfied that the Port and City of Melmatt is now complete on one half of the completed bench.
What I have lost sight of, is that the layout is about trains. All else is there to support the trains.
Does anyone else suffer the same way? The problem is, I don’t think I can change.
I am the same whay about getting caut up in details that I sometimes lose sight of the big picture to concentrate on the small scene. However. I do try to get the train track in operation first before I do much scnery and buildings so I can at least have the trains running during the times I occasionaly lose focus. Then again. when your busy putting lights, interiors, and passengersi n all your passenger cars. those trains take a while to get running to.
I have heard this called “overcomplicatedness” in completely different hobbies. Whether someone is totally freelancing or as prototype as possable, everyone has gotta compromise somewhere. What to leave in, what to leave out.
I can’t pretend to know how to overcome this specifically, or even if it is a problem. I guess it’s a problem if it bothers you. . I do the same thing. What I have learned to try to do is reach a level of “simple” completeness in the permanent scenery, etc that allows me to move to the next scene. You don’t hafta take everything to the Nth degree, and if you want to, it will be there for ya later.
I love to sctatchbuild structures, but for now, in the rude early stages of layout construction I have chosen to construct foamboard mockups of the structures, spray paint them with cheap cans o’ paint, slap on construction paper windows, keeping in mind quick is the goal. l set them in as space savers. It gives the illusion of my little town very quickly overall. Crude? Yes. Permanent? Nope. But effective? Yes, for now. Some of these will actually become the framework for the permanent structures, later I’ll add the actual siding, roof, details…But:
I can enjoy operating my railroad NOW. I will enjoy building the structures and details in due time.
This approach can apply of course to many aspects of any hobby, but not all. Ya can’t superdetail a loco after it’s painted and weathered.
I thing the thing is, there’s nobody lookin over your shoulder determining if something is right to YOU. Like Dr Phil sez, “Give yourself permission” to enjoy your hobby now. Relax. Thats why you’re doing this, remember?
When I began my new layout I was going to follow strict specific standards. Example: all freighcars will have separate grab irons and ladders, uncoupling bars, metal wheels, Kadee couplers, weathering, etc. No box shaker kits for me! Well, now they DO have metal wheels and Kadees, and the weathering is coming along. that’s becaus
The last time I checked what we are engaged in is an avocative interest. None of us are on a time or performance schedule except as self-imposed. Relax Scotty! If you decide you want to concentrate on a particular facit of your layout go with your interest and indulge yourself with it as long as you care to. Its your empire its your railroad. ENJOY IT in whatever way you care to. If a train never leaves the station, a tree never planted, a roof never set on a building: so be it.
A layout is NEVER finished.
There’ll always be something to do. The trick is to get it all to a stage where it looks complete to the casual observer, then start detailling and replacing bits that you think need improving.
Our modelling skills improve with time so if you start to replace before the overall effect is achieved, you’ll meet yourself coming back, and never get anywhere.
Just a few thoughts
Jon
Guys,I think we can become over zealous in trying to be perfectest in our modeling…For me I became burnt out trying to be a perfectest and finally had to ask myself a question…Am I modeling for me or am I trying to model to be competitive with others? If so why? Then while I was mulling over this my wife was killed in a car wreck…So I looked at the hobby differently then I had before and ask why worry if my models isn’t 110% correct? Then in 98 I had a light heart attack and seen the folly of life and worrying over every little thing.This change my out look on the hobby I now model close enough/good enough and feel I am far better off then when I worried over every little detail or the lack thereof…I guess sometimes one needs to step back and rethink their hobby goals and if they are happy with what they are doing in the hobby…If the answer is yes then carry on…If the answer is no then ask yourself why and be truthful in your answer.
Sounds to me like you should lay some track and run some trains even if it’s just temporary to be upgraded later. But hey it’s hobby, do what you enjoy and gives you satisfaction.
Personally, I go the other way. I want to get the track in and trains running before I worry about doing scenery or structures. Using flextrack and mostly RTR equipment got me going early on. Benchwork is all done and about one fourth of the trackwork is done. When I get the trackwork done I’ll look at scenery, buildings, and rolling stock kits, although I do a little of that along the way for a little variety. In the meantime I can run trains.
Enjoy
Paul
We would all like to model every little detail, but it’s almost impossible, you would be at one location a long time, so go for the over all effect and don’t focus on one spot too long.
With my youngest son I am in the process of building the Rock Ridge Central (featured in MR almost two years ago) ; we started last January and still cannot fully operate. It isn’t easy to guess where the still-to-come details will or won’t interfere with basic construction.
For example I’m not sure I should place the roadbed for the mountain track in places where the scenery is still being processed ; the plaster cloth may possibly could hold better with the cork roadbed placed over it but the mountains are not finished…
There is a lot of such strategic decisions.
Martin
Québec City
I finally remember who first coined the phrase " GO FOR THE OVERALL EFFECT" . It was Lynn Westcott of MR many years ago, So there must be something good about it, riiiiiiiiiiiiight!!!
Did you guys see that mexican railroad mine in the Model Railroading magazine late summer? I question if you can really over model as that was just spectatular.
I think the keys are in balance, if you end up super modeling something and then leaving other things unattended to, without purpose of specific effect it hurts the eye. I personally love the detials, but I also want a running train too.
maybe there is overmodeling in that you get burnt out and fail to get a running and funtional set going… or errors in balance by over modeling some one thing and it sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest. Still I think detial is what really makes the final train set snap and come alive.
another thing that happens to me alot is the nagging bug in me to improve my self. I have many atime rebuilt a scene shortly after I thought I had finished becasue something deep down inside has told me “I can do better than that” Right now I have my layout temporaily dismantled to make it easier to facilitate to conversion of DCC. However I plan on tinkering with the structures, scenery, and other assorted details as I put it back together becasue “I can do better than that.” I am hoping to one day reach the “I am the man!” level of sattisfaction so I can go on and start the process all over on another section of layout [:)]
A lot of it is a matter of degree. If you have a giant 400 square foot basement-clogging layout but spent two years working on one siding while the rest of your benchwork sat gathering dust, you might be over-modeling. If you have a 2x4 foot N scale layout, however, putting a lot into every square inch might be worth it, because you don’t have nearly as many square inches to worry about.
Just curious, why would you dismantle your layout to convert to DCC? Dave
He wants to remove all those old useless wires so he can sell them for scrape so he can buy another Engine from the proceeds. 
Oh, now it all makes sense! Dave
NDTN is partially right. I took it apart so that I may access the wiring easier. I have a 4X6foot with 18inch X10foot extension on one end that is the main yard. (This arrangement fills the available space in my parent’s garage while I am attending college I might add) With these pieces disassembled into their different sections. I am able to maneuver the pieces around so that access to the parts I need is easier. Also I am an assistant on the Wiring For DCC web site. (http://www.wiringfordcc.com) and upon reading it as well as the “DCC Demystified” series of RMC it became obvious that while regular block control wiring is o.k. for DCC, that DCC for optimum results should best use a method of wiring optimally suited for it. It is this rewiring for optimization that I am doing. Because as I posted earlier. “I can do better than that” pertaining to my old wiring.
As for the exess wires. I will probably reuse them on the next expansion since I tend to over build for ruggedness anyway. They are more than adaquate for use in DCC wiring. (in terms of wirie guage that is)
Grayhound, how often do you run jumper wires to your bus wire?
Sorry Scottydog for getting off your subject. Dave
I am kind of paranoid about continuity, so I run a jumper every 3 to 4 feet. But 6 to 7 feet is the norm. I have lots old gaps in my rail from block control, and that is why I have so many feeders.
I like to superdetail structures, trackwork, and other scenic items. I have a “good enough for now” attitude towards detailing locos and some pieces of rolling stock.