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Mike, I did not use the link button in my post.
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I put “url” before the link and “/url” after the link, but with square brackets before and after the web address.
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This is a picture:
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What should I have changed?
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-Kevin
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I dunno Kevin. Did you highlight and copy the address after you added the url things?
Mike.
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Yes I did. Several people have instructed me for how to do this, but I just seem to be missing one crucial piece to the puzzle.
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Maybe I should add this to my “What’s driving you crazy right now” thread.
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http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/274301.aspx?page=6#3188655
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OH MY GOSH… IT WORKED THAT TIME!
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I can’t explain what I did differently. This is a great day!
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-Kevin
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Actually, I think hanging out by the tracks – a form of prototype research – is a very practical and good idea. Prototype research can also involve internet searching (including these Forums of course), acquriing and reading the books and magazine articles that are relevant, and getting involved with the historical society of your favorite railroad(s). Hanging out by the tracks is also a chance to expand your photography skills. E.g. commit to spending an entire day out with the camera without relying on the “automatic” features, and really learn aperture and shutter speed and such.
Speaking of skills, being between layouts can also be a time to beef up skills “in the abstract” so to speak. Soldering for example. If you know of someone building or rehabbing a house, see if you can get the cutoff remnants of the copper wire - good way to practice soldering on the cheap. You can never be too perfect at soldering feeder and bus wires.
Bits of brass also if you can find them - leaning how to solder a brass detail part onto brass where there is already a detail part without unsoldering the first one is a skill that like any genuine skill is learned by practice.
So is hand laying track particularly turnouts and crossings. And many guys who have received NMRA Achievement Program recognition for track have done so with practice boards rather than layouts per se (also easier to take the board to the evaluator).
Airbrushing and weathering are also skills that can be practiced in the abstract. Even scenery and mastering the finer points of static grass.
If you have back issues of Model Railroad Planning magazine, or find them for sale at swap meets, I think some deep immersion in that magazine (right back to 1995 or w
In the outline below, I’ve made the stuff you need to type as bold characters to clarify what’s needed in order to create a clickable link that’s more than a line of data. Do not type them in bold when creating the link, though, as such a link will not work.
First, right-click on the subject/title to which you wish to link, and then, on the menu which appears, select “Copy Link Location”
Next, type [
…followed, without a space, by url=
then “paste” the copied link location immediately after the = sign shown above, then following it with another ]
Next, type in the word or phrase that you wish to appear when you post your message. It could be literally any character that your keyboard can make, or if you really wanted to annoy viewers, several paragraphs on a topic about which no one cares. Follow that, without a space, with [/url]
When you click to post your message for all of us to see, the stuff you typed in between the ] and the [/url] is what will appear to viewers, ready to be clicked upon.
F’rinstance, Kevin’s 1:1 cardboard mock-up layout
Wayne
Thanks Wayne, I was wondering how to post something other than the line of link data. [tup]
Mike.
I’m having my right hip replaced in early February and I can’t do much of anything right now. What I can do is work on my rolling stock while seated at my model bench. So far, I’ve looked over my HO stuff that’s been in storage while working in S scale. Now that I’m back to HO, the stored rolling stock isn’t without missing ladders, grabs, a few roof walks, and small detail parts. I also have two cars and one unbuilt kit that need parts and trucks, too. I may upgrade all of the couplers while I’m at it. It’s the kind of work that I really would like to have out of the way when it comes time to concentrate on laying track. [swg]
Besides the numerous suggestions listed, why not join a local NMRA club?
kasskaboose - does that answer your question?
I’m in your situation right now and I’ve been waiting for four years. Hopefully I’ll be able to start my layout in about six months.
What I’ve been doing is reading everything I can about layouts (including Model Railroader Magazines going back many years). I’ve been planning what my layout will look like (in detail, including wiring). I built a very small N scale layout as a learning experience. I’ve been collecting everything I will need for the layout along with the locomotives and rollling stock. I’ve been going to all the local train swap meets (my wife goes with me if I take her out for breakfast). This way when the room becomes available I hope to hit the ground running!
I guess the thing to remember is that there is a lot more to this hobby than just building layouts.
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There is plenty to do to prepare for the next layout.
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-Kevin
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For some 14 years I didn’t have space for really even a 4x8, so consider yourself lucky. But I did work on a roster of rolling stock for the RR I wanted to model, I did research and I built some kits.
I find it interesting that someone has to ask what to do when there is no layout in sight. There have been a number of good suggestions, but it’s interesting that the op couldn’t figure this stuff out on their own.
If model railroading is your thing, it should be easy to know…
I agree, but this forum seems to have many lost souls needing hand holding.
I suppose I could have phrased it better. It was meant less as a ‘please help me’ and more as a ‘huh. What do you guys think?’
Given the state of my setup and the space I’ll still have access to, it makes the most sense to work on collecting, weathering, and testing rolling stock. My theme and era have been nailed down for years (modern era tourist rail, think the Rocky Mountaineer with steamers thrown in), so finding and prettying up streamliners and E units fits right in. After that? Cardboard layout planning. I like that idea.
Thanks to all for their input!
Stu
Well, that is an option. Like many who have already posted here, I too have been in a constant state of flux - - - until now. In the past 12 years or so, I have moved four times. But, within that time I have built two small switching layouts (not scenicked, as I had anticipated each move), did all the planning, gathering, acquiring of “stuff” and built a number of structures. Now, I finally have a dedicated train room, albeit small (11’ x 10’-8"). It has been a little over a year since the structure was built, but I have the L-girder framework done for the “around-the-walls” layout. I am now waiting for my help to arrive (which will come next week, a fellow model railroader), so that I can cut and install the plywood and the already painted sky blue masonite backdrop. this has been a looooong time coming. Over the last 25 years or so, I have had three layouts completely tracked and wired and then had to move. I believe I now have a permanent home for my railroad. I look forward to each small (or large) phase of construction and, of course, running trains; that’s what its all about.
Stu, Your thread makes for a nice exchange of ideas. Yeah, 3D cardboard planning can offer good visualization. Cereal and cracker boxes work good for structures and are fun and ez to construct with a good ruled straight edge, razor knife and hot glue gun. They can be moved around or modified, windows and doors drawn on and when trains are running can serve as stand-ins until models can built or accquired.
Thanks and regards, Peter
I usually just start an Argument with the wife… then I end up in the “modeling shed” in no time ! L O L
Seriously tho… I also have a similar problem. My workshop is F U L L of material for building our house. I can’t even GET to my workbench at the moment,… ( it’s blocked by cabenet’s,and a pile of plywood and 2X4 's.
I just focus on building rolling stock at a small table in front of the TV each night…
S I G H …
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I remember that situation. When my model workbench was in the garage I had weeks when it could not be accessed.
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When #1 daughter moved out, the workbench went into her old room immediately.
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-Kevin
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My wife is from England but has always said the shed out back is for naughty husbands.
Hey, at least you have time to work on trains somewhere. I’ve had basically no hobby time for the past year because all weekends and days off have been dedicated to slaving away fininshing the basement. There is a utility room with some hobby work tables, but like your workshop, it’s full of wood, tools, buckets, materials, paint stuff etc.
But getting back to the shed thing … my wife kindly hunted for a house we could afford in this area (we can’t afford big houses with 4 car garages like some here apparently can) so the house we bought she said I could have the entire basement.
As I worked on a track plan, I could see the room near the walk-out doors was not going to work well for the layout so I told her she could have it. She is making it her lounge are with a coffee/tea bar, sofa, mini fridge, TV and maybe a sunbed. It’s the area in the foreground below, blue area in the background is the train room area, about 34 feet long.
