I started a layout awhile back, 8x8x8 Ushape,point to point swiching. 2/3 track down,1/3 almost complete . a change in careers resulted in the layout being left unatended for 6 years. I now have the time and a renewed interest to continune ,but, After 6 yrs. in the basement of an old farm house the layout is covered in cat hair,cob webs ,dead bugs,and a scale ton of dirt/dust. a fair amount of damage to trees and such. Do I try to clean it up? or save what I can and start over. Perhaps one of you have been there,did that. Thanks
Did you like it 6 years ago? Did it run well? If so, it’s worth the effort of cleaning up and continuing. If not, then this is a good time to begin again.
Six years isn’t that long ago. The 50-year-old stuff I pulled out of my old train boxes, including rubber-band drive engines and brass track, was not worth salvaging, but you’ve probably got good nickel-silver track and modern engines. It shouldn’t take much to get them going again.
A couple of questions for you to ponder in your decision…
Did you like it when it went into storage?
If you had to do it all over would you do it the same way? A few changes? A bunch of changes?
Was everything working just right when it went into storage?
Have your interests & MR philosophy change since then?
Was there an major damage to the benchwork, track etc? Tress etc would probably have to be replaced either way from your description
ratled
All depends, if you are still happy with your design etc. I think I would try and clean it up. If on the other hand you want to make major changes then you’ll have to re-do. Keep in mind that re-doing will probably take more time.
Are the turn-outs electrically controlled? I am in the process of substituting nickel-silver flex track for old brass track. Ggo for DCC , if possible. The locos my draw too many amps, if the locos are 20 years old. Good luck! Bob Hahn
Maybe if you at least get the track back in working order, you can have a place to test locomotives and cars until you’re ready to ready to decide to continue the layout, or start over.
[#welcome]
I had a 10x18 layout I started in 1993. All the benchwork up, half the track done and wired. Then I went back to school. Then my work location changed bumping my 10 minute commute to 50 minutes each way. By the time I had time for the layout again, my interests had changed anyway.
So I’d recommend salvaging what you can and starting over fresh.
Good luck
Paul
I felt the same way this year too. MY problem was just getting a start, what a mess, been a storage area for a year or so and where to start. Had one elevation problem and did not like short yards, and changed the main to 83. rewired for dcc.
If your still interested in point to point then you have a good start, if not or undecided ya have to get over that hump and start with a plan. The main quandry is “where do I start”
You could do both… Keep it and scrap it… Clean it up and get your railroad going and then start “remodeling” areas that are too far gone or you don’t like.
If you like the layout as it is, then by all means, clean it up. Use a shop-vac with the brush attachment. Since this is in the basement of an old farm house, I’d make a frame out of 1x2s. Make it wide enough so that it will slide over the layout and deep enough to cover it from front to rear. Then, I’d staple a heavy plastic drop cloth to it. When you’re ready to run the layout, just fold one end up over the framework, so as not to damage anything when you slide it out of the way.
If you are happy with the layout as it was built years ago, take a stab at cleaning and vaccuuming it.
If you are not, or feel layout techknowlogy has changed so much you’d like to try something new, then start again.
You have not much to loose by trying to save it.
Be sure to clean all track thorughly!
ANd should you have to abandon again for any reason, cover at least with cheap plastic painter’s drop cloths to avoid future disappointments!
I have to agree with others who have stated you should decide what you want to do with the layout. I would clean the tracks and just run the trains again and then sit back and decide if you like what you have or if it’s time to revamp the layout. Scenery I would scrap the trees and bushes it’s cheaper and easier to just replace them. Trackage if it’s brass there is a good chance the track is in poor condition from the way it was stored, plan on replacement of the track. If it was NS then you are in good shape and some cleaning and you are on your way. I myself would take this time to expand the layout if you have the room.
Ray