Demolition has started

Change is hard.  I feel for you.  But perhaps working with a clean slate will allow lots of freedom for creative thinking and planning.  Doodling on graph paper has always helped me with that.  Best of luck.  Hope to read about your progress and see photos. 

I feel for you Malcolm.  Went through a similar experience 10 years ago.  After I pulled up the Ross double crossover it became mildly easier. 

Malcolm, we did this with our HO layout we used to take to conventions and train shows. It was tough but once we had the rolling stock in boxes and all the scratch built houses and buildings off the layout, the folks who bought the portable layout just came and loaded it up. If we ever tear down the O scale layout it won't be that simple. But remember, there are no You Haul trailers behind the hearse.

That is about it!

I have taken out 4 more turnouts and it is gotten easier now, I have cancelled my appointment with the therapist.

My next project is going to built around one word, are you ready? LIMITS. Yes, I am going to limit myself to one road, one theme and operate with a minimum of cars. I used to want a layout in a gym but since I have less time everyday on this side of the grass I want start and finish in 6-8 months. Yes, I know a layout is never finished but you know what I mean.

I have several ideas, my favorite shortline, Fernwood, Columbia & Gulf, a GM&O branchline, Lehigh Valley branchline or a Western Maryland branchline. I will take a month or so to research and decide. The LV & WM were included because of mountains and tunnels, things have seen but not in my locale. Of course, the Southern and L&N would get me that too.

Decisions, decisions!

Back to demolition, Malcolm

I hear you Malcolm.  I am in the same boat.  Old layout is gone, I just finished the new room for the new layout, its 11.8 ft wide by 29ft long.  I have drawn up 27 layout designs and still have no idea on which direction to go.  Good luck and remember it only hurts for a short time    Nick

Malcolm its always nerve racking making any changes in our life. i admire your decision on making a change to one railroad one era and a small switching layout... wow that's something i could never do. but cancelling your therapist appointment not a good idea as you need to remain healthy to accomplish your goals. 

How bout my xmas pies . I thought with me abragin on em, spur U on to fetch me up a bate of em! .......................................

Well anyway enough eastern ky talk, and I know what ever you do on your layout will be near perfect as your "Cabs"- N- Pies are!...........................Brandy!

"I do not like this but I am giving up a 6x8 chunk of my layout space. I may go O scale switching layout, On30 or HO. I don't have a clue right now. It was difficult to take up that first turnout but it got a little easier when I accepted the fact it had to be done"

   That looks like some nice hand laid track work. What was the reason you wanted to remove it? .......DaveB

Making way for the NEW!  Maybe a good way to spend a vacation after all. Looking forward to/for the NEW to be revealed.

Ron

Gents,

I am always changing the Hampden Terminal. Thing is with change, keeps me invigorated about working on the model RR and gets new ideas into the RR. I don't get stale with the

model RR and it just sits.. It keeps progressing. Yes, we thing, "all that time and money" well, if you don't change it and it gets stale, then what you have done is worth nothing because you don't like what you have.. I have a fully scenicked yard and round house and yes, it is coming up and being moved to another location on the model RR. I can't wait to get working on it though.. I do have other projects that supersede this. But I hope to have the yard moved by April 2015. Here we go! 

Take care, Embrace Change.. 

Dan

I can feel for you Malcolm.  I am sure you will build a better layout even though you will have less space.

I built a layout in modules and had moved it to a different house once.  When we moved back to Butler, Pennsylvania in '96, I couldn't take the modules with me, so I scrapped them.  It was sad destroying what I had made, although I did save buildings and some bits scenery.  

I have gone ever since without a permanent layout.  I have run trains on literal bookshelves; built modules but never got to the scenery stage; built shelves up near the ceiling, but I get a crick in my neck looking up there; and run trains on the floor and picnic table.

After one of our two daughters married in October, my wife suggested I use part of her old room for a Christmas layout, and keep a bit of a layout there until our other daughter moves out.  Then I can have a whole 12 x 12 room.  It has been a blessing to have something that I can just walk in, turn on the power, and start a train without having to set up a bunch of stuff first.

Malcolm, I know exactly where you went through. I just did take apart a good chunk of my O-scale 2-Rail and On30 layout in order to use wider curves and avoid steep grades for my On30 trains - I´m a Rio Grande Modeller, and these Mountain Model Imports K-27,K-28 and K-36 engines are very stiff-necked, so they can´t take sharp curves plus grades.

My wife did call me insane, when I took the saw and ended up in a white mess and a lot of debris. Actually, I´m re-designing and track-laying again. Today: building timbered tunnel portals and build the grade for the Narrow Gauge.

Malcolm: It´s all good, even for the "learning curve" as we may avoid mistakes we once made. I have a pal who continued planning and planning and planning and never got to build a layout. But there would be no learning curve at all then.

Happy O-Gauging.

Keep on the High Iron!!!

And MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all, folks!

Tom

I always heard that moving is like a fire and a flood combined.  I sold my airplane hangar, so I had to move my layout.  Thought about moving intact, but decided to disassemble, or maybe destroy is a better word.  I have a 40' X 50' building to move into, but don't intend to make a much bigger layout.  The Atlas ballasted track was laid on top of insulation topped with paper, so I cut the paper, ripped up the track and saved it in large sections.  I haven't started new layout, except for building one table.  We are also moving to a different location, so everything will be in limbo for awhile.  Se le gere (it's the war)!