I’m almost getting to the point where I feel like I have a layout. I have the track tacked down, but not glued and I have not hooked up the power. Without turnout control there’s not much I can do yet and I’m waiting on the Hump Yard switches.
But it’s done enough that I can sit beside it and dream about how it’s going to look and all the things I’m going to do to make it look that way.
I’d forgotten about this aspect of of the hobby. It’s one of those things I like a lot.
I know just what you mean. I can go out to the garage and imagine the trains, and it is almost (well probably not, but for now) as good as actually running them. Though I do get a kick out of running a train up and down the helix. I ran an NW-2 with 5 cars and a caboose up and down Saturday night at the slowest speed it would go (with the darned Prodigy) and it was pretty cool. We are easily amused…
I did put in the first part of the throw mechanism for my double crossover, and it seems like it is going to work. It is an adaptation of Joe Fugate’s Easy Throw deadbolt, only for N scale, and a double crossover, so it is a little more challenging!
I’m right there with you, having spent many an evening thoughtfully staring at my disjointed assembly of plywood, track, and the odd patches of plaster & ground cover, forming images of how the fully scenicked layout will look some day (some may call it delusions of grandeur). It is pleasureable just to dream.
My problem is too much starin’ and not enough doin’.
Jim
I started a web page for it.
Indiana Branch of the PRR in 1950
It’s kind of bloggy, but I expect that to change.
It’s also click-able from my signature.
I think this is called "Imagineering "
You’re pretty close to where I’m at…the “blank slate with track” stage. It is great to let the imagination run, huh?
In my imagination it isn’t nearly as intimidating as it is in real life (or is that in model life?). On the other hand, so far everything has come out fine, and when I see step-by-step bits of the process, it looks completely doable. I think the trick is to break it into small steps, they are not nearly as intimidating.
Once the trains are running, you can call it “Railfanning.” That’s what I did earlier today. I had an Alco with a short freight upstairs, and a subway train below. I started one up running clockwise, and the other counter-clockwise, and just sat down to watch the ballet.
Often when I get hung up on a particularly vexing problem, I do the “thousand yard stare” at the layout. No better place than the train room for some serious recreational thoughts.Almost as good as a beautiful sunset for its relaxing quality.At least for me,anyway. All work and no dreaming makes Jack a dull boy.
Model Railroading is great![:-^]