I was reading Neil Besougloff editorial in CTT Sept. 05. Most people have a hard time remembering when they started there layout. Visitors wonder how long did it take to build? I was able to go back and find fairly accurate when I started and finished benchwork, and finished roadbed, finished 1st loop of track, etc. Then I stopped for a long time and now am back to it and these dates are interesting to me.
That is a good point. The dates in which I completed areas of my small layout are indeed recorded, but it was not intentional. I took plenty of pictures using my digital camera as the layout progressed. The date stamp automatically shows when I completed various sections. It is interesting, however at the time, I never thought to write down any dates. Fortunately the camera was smarter than I was.
I admit it. I am anal.
I kept track of all the important dates such as the start date, benchwork completion, track work done, landscaping dates, ballasting dates, etc.
Now that I did it, though, I have to ask myself, so what?
What an interesting question! Over the last sixty years (did I say 60?), in both “HO” and “O”, I have had a number of layouts and I do have pictures of most of them but I cannot honestly say that I am able to answer the question.
My layouts are never really finished. One just leads into another. The benchwork on my present layout (to this point) was completed around two years ago. Thanks for asking.
I kept a photo diary of my layout construction. Since that was pre-digital, for me, I at least was able to have a time/date stamp on most of the photos thanks to a feature on my camera. The diary has come in handy when getting into “how to” discussions with nubies.
This looks silly in text, but I had a ‘golden spike’ ceremony (with my kids), complete with newspaper hats and kazoos. We gathered an audience of the small figures who populate our layout (not many). Sir Hatt made a speech, and we ran a special train. Of course, this was when the layout was first ‘ready’; as others have noted, it keeps morphing and morphing as I change or add track and other items over the years.
I guess I kinda do that…
whenever I complete something, I post a few pics on Sunday Photo Fun. [:)]