Anyone ever get bored of running?

 

A brief hiatus every once in while is justified.

My layout is 32 years old and the track is like new.  I run my trains often.

Replace the track? Seriously? The wheels will wear out long before the track does, especially steel track like GG/Ross/Lionel PW/Marx. I've never heard of track "wearing out"

(I cannot address museum displays or the like).

 

I doubt that even nickel silver Atlas will wear out under any reasonable scenario.

Four miles on a quarter mile track( 16 laps ). Yes it got boring and old real quick. Thank god I retired from the Army. 

Absolutely not, the trains are so interesting and they all run in beautiful scenery. If you get bored under these conditions, you need to see a doctor.

 

Worn track, not with Lionel tubular track. Some of mine is over 66 years old and still looks new.

No to both questions.

To be a bit more specific, I have the ability to changeout all my motive power in order to keep from getting "bored", i.e.  I can change from SP to UP to NYC to PRR to N&W to C&O to WM to NP to GN to CB&Q. Thus we have plenty of variety.

The old Trenton Train Club in Trenton Michigan whore out track at a couple of joints the pins where showing through. Old club so mostly post war Lionel, Magna traction and flat profile wheels.

 

Clem k

I have plenty o beer and lots o trains so answer is no.

Nope never get bored!!

When I read the title I thought you meant jogging.

I haven't run in years;

But we did just replace the track at the Virginia Museum of Transportation after 25 years....thank to a generous donation from Gargraves. Running trains 25 years 7 days a week does start to show wear.

 

 

Scott Smith

 

 

 

I can't recollect ever being truly bored with running trains.  Whether related to layout improvements, issues at work, why the Steelers struggle against the NFC South or life in general, I tend to do some of my deepest thinking when running trains.

With regard to having to replace track due to wear; yes.  I operate on 0-27 track and have had to replace just about every piece of it at some point in the 24 years since I built the original portion of my layout.   I will stress that, as was noted above, the wear has occurred at track joints.

Curt

We have a guy in our club that runs his Amtrak train at almost every run session.  A few months ago he noticed that the flanges on his engine were so worn down that the wheels were as sharp as a razor blade.  Another club member replaced the wheels and when he put the engine on the test track he noticed that the MTH Odomiter had exceeded 1,000,000 scale miles and rolled over.  ALL of those miles were put on while running on a 60' x 40' loop. 

 

I didn't witness this, but I can put you in touch with the guy that replaced the wheels.

 

I believe the engine came out about 10-11 years ago so he averaged about 2,000 actual miles per year.

 

If this isn't a testimony for MTH, I don't know what is.

 

 

Yes on running so then I switch to switching or change cars or engines. Or work on the layout or make repairs or check in and follow all of the characters on this forum.

No on track wear but local hobby shop said they did. They have a layout with Atlas 3R track that they run from the time they open until closing. But it took years to see the track wear.

No.  At least not so far in 61 years of running them . . 

nope. I play with a '69 Plymouth road runner, and my wife's '72 VW Karmann Ghia during the Spring/Summer, and the trains in the Fall/Winter. I work 21 turn, so time for any of the toys isn't in abundance, so not much of a chance to get bored.

One can surely get bored Running trains in loops.  I did as a kid with a loop and figure 8 up only at Christmas season.  It lead me to U control 1/2 A and .35 Fox engines for airplanes, model boats and radio control boats.

 

I never use the term Running trains but prefer the term Operating trains.

 

Therefore, one should strive to Operate trains in more demanding layouts with multiple loops, multiple trains and lots of switches and accessories. All require more involvement and attention of the Engineers.

 

Real life jobs should also be incorporated like, logging to sawmill, coal mining to coaling tower to coal tender, roundhouse operation, etc.

 

So that is why my layout has a turntable, roundhouse, 27 switches, three areas with double loops, loop reversing and provisions to run two trains at a time on two loops, 5 train plus trolly operation, live color tv camera car and numerous operating accessories.  And still going strong after 40 years.

 

Check it out

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szGr4ymfJEs&

list=UU9_ylqlDfqTNGPuG8k_L84Q

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?...ylqlDfqTNGPuG8k_L84Q

 

Charlie

I don't know if bored is the right word for me.  Before getting into trains as a hobby, I had been and continue to be involved in sailing and fishing.  So, I spread my time on several interests especially now that I am a first time grandfather!  Every year between Halloween and march, I try to complete a project on my trains/layout.  Last year it was repainting 9 K-line tank cars black for my oil train.  The year before it was making PRR signals (not operational), and so on.  This year it has been upgrading my fleet so all my  steamers have 4 chuffs.  Taking time off now and then refreshes my interest later on and you know I have to get the boats out on the water!

No, operating the trains under Legacy Control is so much fun. I have also never had to replace track do to wear, ATLAS O, and Ross Custom track.  Keep running new engines also helps keep the Adrenolin Flowing.  Scenery, Small easy to do projects, keeps the fun at full Momentum....Good Question, Happy Railroading.

 Spence , I couldn't resist. but your right as the title was written. He should of put trains in the title. As for trains never get bored, too relaxing for me. Trains don't shoot back.

 

Doug

Don't think its boredom, building the RR and every once in a while i will walk away from running trains for a few weeks

NOPE....

 

Alan

I'm with Hot Water.  When I get bored with a train, it's time to change things up and run something else.  That's my excuse for having so many choices.   If I had to stick to just a handfull of engines and cars, I don't think I'd be active in the hobby.

Bored?

 

Who me?

 

LOL

 

When it comes to trains, if I could run my trains 24/7, I would. I love them that much.

 

Something about running them makes me feel good inside. Also I feel as though I am going somewhere even though I haven't left my basement. It is that good.

 

Truthfully though, I tend to be more on the conservative side about running my locomotives and only because I just started back in 0 and yes these locomotives can be a bit pricey. Yet, that is part of the deal if one wants to stay in this wonderful hobby. Spend spend spend......LOL

 

 

Pete

The guy that gets bored running his trains needs to make it larger or add a switching yard or both.

.....

Dennis

No • The Train room / Man Cave • This is the best time of year for model railroading, Friends come over and we run trains. 

I don't over do it...too much of the same thing is boring. I give it a rest now and then.

I use to get bored watching the trains go in an oval so I started buying switches and operating accessories.  Of course, the trains went in boxes when I went to college and I haven't had a real layout since.  So now I swear i'll never get bored with the simple oval I get to put up around the tree each christmas  

 

I've noticed a little wear on track at the joints, but the most noticeable was when I pulled out one of my passenger sets I use to run all the time, I noticed a divit just starting to form on the pickup rollers.  Considering how much I get to run trains now, I don't think I'll have to replace them anytime soon.

I really enjoy sitting back and watch the trains rolling... I can feel the stress just evaporate.

I think the real excitement though is the construction of the layout...

Having new parts of the layout up and running really is allot of the fun.

 

I agree with Hot Water... host a few friends over.

I really enjoy having the Detroit 3 railers  over to polish the rails. and drink a few refreshments!

Sometimes I find loop running boring, so I do some LCL switching or I add a coal train between passenger trains to make operations exciting.

 

Once in a while I add extra excitement by putting a fourth train into action, and that takes a lot of concentration as my layout has a single track mainline with passing sidings. Thanks MTH for the panic button on the DCS Controller. I depend on that little red button to avoid catastrophes when my brain can no longer grasp what the trains are doing. It gets even scarier when the two track EL on the 2nd level is running loops because of the added motion.

 

However, in the warmer months I have strong distractions from trains, so the rails get a bit rusty. I have two Model "A" Fords and a Mustang GT to play with, fishing poles in the car and the rifle range beckons my attention too.

 

          Main Level Track

Not for long. But then again, maybe I need more breaks. Ive worn out axles narrowing gauge lots, "sharpened" tender wheel flanges, grooved rollers, and 100% grind through on sliders. Ive worn through track plating having it flake off, ran fine. Had rust eat rails from the inside out causing holes on some. But aside from weaker connections, and/or riding up inside edge holes, the trains still ran on it. So, No, it doesn't really burn out, only fades away. 

 

 

Been there done that! Whoops! Hey, I only saw the Trenton club long ago.

Tried to check the LP band shell guys a few times many years ago. Not there on schedule a bunch of times, then a few wanted to rail me $20 to sit in silent on a meeting. Open houses were even a few bucks, I passed. Maybe there wouldn't be so few now. My brother was jumping in deep with new MTH at the time too. He loved the little LHS in Wyandotte by the high school. Did that burn? Building & business just disappeared one year. 

Gotta thank you for the grin on this one Martin.(ps found 2 thesauri listing "reason" under "given", boring post. Since you seem to be "Downriver" I figure you can handle it

 

 

never get bored running trains and Yes I have had to replace track. The board I take to shows is about 20 years old and I use tubular track. some of the rails have worn right through to the pins and I have had to replace certain sections.

(Track inspector!!)

To get bored with running trains, you have to have been running them a while. I'm not there yet. I can take a train over the entire layout, but my turnout machines aren't in place yet, which required the fascia to be installed. That will hopefully happen over this coming weekend (assuming we have power when the weekend rolls around, as there's a potential windstorm rolling through my area any minute now). Then I have to mount the 'blue point' turnout controllers for about a dozen turnouts. The DCC is all ready to go and the rolling stock have mostly been released from their cardboard box prisons (I'd been modifying/painting/decalling/weathering cars one at a time as I got them, it really paid off once there was layout to place them on).

No!

 

Happy railroading,

Don