Fighting Boredom

Weather a few of the pieces of rolling stock and add a few vines and shades on a few buildings.  John

Yes, search for topics like realistic operations on a model railroad, trackplans for realistic operations or Frank Ellison's "The Art of Model Railroading" and spend some time reading through the results.  it is not impossible, with the space you have, to turn your looping trains into a true operational railroad, but you may have to be willing to adjust your trackplan and be willing to create an operating scheme.

Chuck

Invite some friends in to run trains. 

well you can always cut shingles with me , building 3 company houses

Paul,

This may be what many of us go through but you were brave enough to admit it. Though my space is a bit larger than yours, I could easily be on the same train as yourself. I'm finding that building kits, scenery, and other aesthetic aspects of the layout is what keeps me interested. For me, it makes running the trains much more enjoyable. When I run trains these days it's a treat due to all of the things I have been doing around them. Unfortunately, I probably don't run them as often as I should because of my enjoyment of doing other things on the layout. I know...blasphemy! Along with the other suggestions, maybe watch some YouTube videos and try your hand at some other aspects of the hobby to keep you motivated. There are some very interesting things I have seen done with smaller layouts. I'm sure if you do this you will find something to reinvigorate your excitement in a new way. Your temporary dilemma is probably more normal than not. You are a grown man and a train going in circles is no longer interesting as it would be for a child. Honestly, they get bored after a while too.

I might add, what ever you decide start simple. When you do and you achieve that it's motivation to keep going. Best Wishes and we're here if you need more suggestions.

Dave

And remember. A model railroad is as boring or interesting as you make it.

For what it is worth, the building, or attempts at creativity, is what keeps me in the hobby, even if it is just customizing a building, adding mortar to the bricks, adding figures, etc. The trains, no matter how detailed or how many bells and whistles they have, are rather boring by comparison...without interesting scenes for them to run through that is. With that said, it's hard to imagine a layout that is static in two dimensions...a model railroader has to keep building the way a shark has to keep swimming The great HO modeler Howard Zane said that...after his 2nd or 3rd addition to his basement

Try some switching and moving freight to different areas on your sidings.

I think it's also useful to recognize that for some of us the intensity of our interest in our trains increases and decreases depending on other things going on in our lives. It's OK to take a break and come back...  just remember to clean your track when you come back!

I ran into this on my first layout. I added some spurs and started running with purpose (dropping off and picking up cars) and I suddenly found myself enjoying operations but also growing much more motivated to do scenery and such. I would say try that and report back!

I learned a loop or two gets old fast, even a loop and figure 8, which what we had and at 8 or so my brother and I got boarded even with the layout down with Christmas tree in a mountain stand was up from Christmas eve to a week after New  Years.

Therefore I decided if I build one it will have lots of things to run and Play with.  I build a two oval layout, center oval had a homemade turn table and figure 8 and outer loop had two crossovers to the inner loop.  Also both loops were relayed to allow two trains to run on each loop.  I also had lots of operating accessories.  The layout was on the floor for only about two months from before Christmas.  So it was not a full time layout and model trains were not my only hobby.

The layout was expanded to an L with two track diagram control panels and has three LW transformers and has 31 switches and a Wye.  It also has 12 operating accessories including a operating gantry crane and turntable  and is not a boring layout.

Bottom line is expand and add more things to operate, run, switch, do, anything more than watch two trains loop around.  I have things to do like dump logs to a car and unload them at the saw mill which produces lumber.  I can dump coal from the coal mine into a car that can dump at the coaling station, but do not have a coaling station to dump coal into a coal tender yet.  I have my gantry crane to unload Mercury space capsules and it can unload lots several containers of various commodities.  

My layout is 44 years old and I enjoy improving and modifying it just as much as running it.  It is never finished and never will be.  Just last year I added the Wye after thinking for years I could not get a Wye to fit. The Wye also made train operation much more challenging and also allows moving a train from the inside loop of the main train board to the outside loop of main train board to the outside loop of the new train board and also changing the direction of the train from CW to CCW.  I also added a homemade municipal water tower for the city and naming the city Spencer, NC on the tower.  The year before I added extra ties between the three 027 metal ties for the whole layout.  I also am still building homemade cars and adding homemade accessories recently including converting a cheap Lionel log dumper to a remote operated log dumper.  Improving the layout keeps me and it fresh and keeps up interest.  Also share the layout with friends and acquaintances to keep interest up.

The layout is not all that big being  Main Board  11ft – 2 in  X  5ft - 9in,  New board, making the L at the bottom of picture, 7ft – 6 in X 4ft – 7 in

You can see how I built it in detail at the OGR link below, index at end of page one

https://ogrforum.com/...ra-027-layout?page=1

Charlie

Tell you what...invite a neighborhood kid...and his/her mom and/or dad, of course...to come over to see/run your trains.

Believe it!...odds are you'll be happily worn out demonstrating everything, answering all their questions, letting them control the throttle, blow the whistle/horn, activate some accessories, finding out what their favorite things on the layout are, etc., etc., etc..

A few things will occur:

• You'll start smiling again
• The boredom will disappear if for only an afternoon/evening
• You'll enjoy seeing your young friend smile, become enthusiastic...and maybe his/her mom/dad, too!
• You'll find a lot of things that don't seem to be working/running just quite right during your long absence...and you'll spend the next few days/weeks getting them all copacetic again, because...
• You'll enthusiastically accept his/her request to come back...soon...to see the trains running again
• ...And look forward to it...
• Thereby forgetting how bored you were last week.

See?  Easy!

BTW, a few chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven and a cold glass of milk will add to the enthusiasm and smiles!

Your railroad has an interesting name, FrogvilleJunctionRailway, mine is Leapin Larrys Looney Lines Railroad, “The Quad L System”. I take it that your running trains in conventional, no problem there, however have you considered Command Control?
I actually got out of the hobby from 1988 through 1996, (Family issues/Job loss). I had a great post war collection but had to liquidate it in 1988. Poof. A good friend told me about Lionel TMCC command control, an all new way of operating our trains. As my life began to get on track so to speak, I remarried in 1994. My wife knew my love of model trains and helped me start all over in the hobby again with Century Club 1, TMCC command control trains. So, I started all over at age 50, now 77, and I’ve loved toy trains since 1954, a long time. Most of my friends in the hobby are into command, there layouts are full of realistic villages, mountains, bridges, rivers, valleys, and lots of scenery. Now, the layout doesn’t have to be big, simply running trains in command, slow, realistically is lots of fun. The sounds the engines make are amazing, uncoupling at the touch of a button, it’s a great hobby. You might live near folks that share the hobby and they might be able to show you the new command systems. I love the Lionel legacy system. You might go to YouTube and look at some of Eric’s train videos. Good luck, thank you for opening up about your losing interest and hopefully the fire will come back. Model trains to me are a great escape from the worlds infinite issues, and we can simply have fun in our model train fantasy. Happy Railroading Everyone

It’s all exceptional information and insights here. Redesigning can be just as daunting as designing; maybe more so. Take the time to study what you have and contemplate what you would like. My suggestion would be to download a program like AnyRail, Scarm, etc. Or, get some drafting paper and draw to scale the dimensions of your available space. Include any pertinent items such as windows, pipes, etc. Make copies of that at Staples. Then use one of the copies to draw out your current bench work dimensions. Make numerous copies of that. Using a pencil, and a good eraser, just draw free hand and see where it goes. Always put a date on your drawing because there will be a lot of them. The evolutionary process will have begun. Keep in mind that there isn’t any due date for this endeavor.

@frogvillejunctionrailroad posted:

I have an 8x10 postwar Lionel layout, two loops, 4 sidings, lots of accesories and buildings and scenery, lots of trains.

Lately, I have been reluctant or possibly unmotivated to operate the trains because I feel I may be bored with seeing the trains going around in circles and not enjoying them as much as I believe I should.  I am not sure how to be able to regain my sense of enjoyment.  I usually run two trains at once on the two separate loops and rarely back them up onto sidings, uncouple, and reconfigure the consists.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get back on "track?"

Yes. With poster board and/or foam board add a scenic divider 3ft high cutting across the table so you dont see the other side!

Take a break from the boredom and read a good book!

I recently read about Ron Hollander in this Forum: https://ogrforum.com/...ion-of-ron-hollander   Subsequently, I bought Mr. Hollander's book used.  I read the book and was very impressed with the story of Mr. Cowen.  The book is very well written, has some wonderful photos and reveals a heartwarming story about Mr. Hollander at the beginning.  Highly recommended!

Dismantle what you have and start all over again, incorporating what you thought were the previous deficiencies. Mark

That’s good advice from Richard. The importance of reading can’t be emphasized enough. There is so much good information out.

Just for fun you could take a section of your layout and make some modifications. Also, look at your layout from angle from which it is not typically viewed. Changes your perspective on things.

I get bored seeing them go in circles too. So I sold off my scale stuff and kept most of my space and military trains. I'm waiting for my nieces to o get old enough and then we're going to build buildings out of my old girder and panel sets. Then we will start  blowing them up with rocket and cannon cars. We may even build a roller coaster like I did with my brother with his old Lionel Santa Fe alco. This endless loop thing kinda bores me. My trains do things they weren't meant to do and that's how I stay interested.     

Bob

i have the hotwheels set 2 other engines and a few extra freight cars with the graffiti set coming later this year if my health holds up

i do not have a layout or any accesories and i have a long list of trains and accesories i want from the traditional and christmas section of catalogs going back for awhile now .

i plan on my layout having as much action and animation as i can fit but right now that 20 year old dream of mine seems like a fantasy that will never happen

with everything that is going on with me and the state of the world right now

but i do every now and than get out my trains and hot wheels cars and spend a few hours playing even though i'll be 27 in june

Consider adding a full train of 1930s to 1950s tinplate cars.  They are colorful, toylike, cheap and a lot of fun to watch.  The inexpensive Marx lithograph cars are a big bang for the buck.  The 1920s to early 30s Lionel Lines tinplate cars are really great looking and cost a bit more, but can start you in finding them one by one.

Then, bring a bunch of kids over, and let them run the trains!

Mannyrock

That is what I am doing. The MTH etc is getting too pricey. The Marx are great and graphics superior. No boards to go bad at 250.00……rolling stock is very reasonable and pretty

Without seeing a schematic of your layout it's hard to visualize what can be done to increase the "play value " of it.

You say you have 2 loops and 4 sidings,  do the loops connect to each other? Are you sidings passing sidings or,just spurs to park a car on? Are they only on one loop or some on each loop? What type of accessories do you have, and do some relate to each other,  like the  coal loader and unloader, log dumper and log loader or sawmill.

For a.suggestion , first clear all trains off the layout.  Place only 2.locomotives on, one on each loop. Add cars to.each locomotive based on the accessories on each siding, but put the cars on the opposite loop , thereby you will have to  interchange the cars from one loop to the other to pick up.or drop off their loads. This give a purpose to your layout, and you will run it  just like the real railroads.

Faced with a similar frustrations I built this present layout with a choice of routes and purposes.  Also, I resorted to using different levels to make believe the destination towns were in locations distant from one another.

I also shifted the RR purpose.  No frequent long freights or long passenger consists but rather peddler freights and individual RDC and gas electric cars which make running multiple branch lines more doable and interesting.

Not withstanding, occasionally a hot freight or main line passenger train will come out of a staging hidden area and storm through the towns then go back into hiding.

Mix it up, tear it up, build out of the box and go for something more varied.

I too find building as, or more enjoyable than running.

@HiramO posted:

I think it's also useful to recognize that for some of us the intensity of our interest in our trains increases and decreases depending on other things going on in our lives. It's OK to take a break and come back...  just remember to clean your track when you come back!

I will second this comment.  I live and breath trains as a hobby, but my interest does increase and decrease over time.  Currently I am doing nothing with my own trains.  I'm not purchasing any, I don't have room for a layout, and I have a lot of trains.  I do have some consulting work for 3rd Rail, but even that is at a little bit of a lull until it picks up in earnest in a few weeks.  However, having been in this hobby continuously for 46 years now I always know I will come back.

Currently I did pick up some excellent railroad books for my library including some classic Al Stauffer references that I enjoy reading.  I also have been focusing on other hobbies, specifically my interest in semi-modular analog synthesizers.  However, that interest will wane some in time too and I'll be back to trains.

There are lots of other great insights in this thread and I don't want to discount anyone else's input.  I just wanted to further emphasize that what you are experiencing is normal.

I think people have hit the nail on the head, that the same old same old gets boring and the key to keeping interested I think comes down to change. Okay, but what does that mean? It could mean you feel like you want to do more of an operations focused layout. Does that mean changing the layout, redoing the track, make it more 'operations oriented'? It can, but it is also about imagination. For example, you have a layout that has sidings and accessories. So for example, let's say you have a coal loader. Well, does anyone on the layout need coal? Or could you set it up where a hopper is loaded with coal, and then it is taken to another siding on the layout, where presumably it is picked up by a 'connecting' train line (want to model that cheaply? Set up some track, not near the siding, and put a static engine representing another line (you can buy a dummy or 'junk' engine at a train show cheaply to represent that). That could be used as a destination for a lot of things.

You can also re-arrange where industries on the layout are located. Placing them apart from each other (or as someone else suggested, a scenic divider).

Obviously, things like detailing the layout can help, add details to scenes. If you have a coal loader, have details around it, a small office, signs, etc. If you like the idea of the transfer point to another railroad (with the dummy track I mentioned), have details around that, a common loading dock, forklifts, cranes, that suggest activity.

Or you might want to redo the layout, do a different track plan, and incorporate a new theme (the only difference between scale and postwar/tinplate/toy train is in the depiction of the trains, not in what they can do). That doesn't mean you need to build a point to point switching layout, you can incorporate 'loop running' into it (for example, that train going around the loop for 15 or 20 minutes, until it gets to its destination, represents a long run), while that is going on, you could be putting a coal car under the coal loader, be picking up a load of milk or cattle or wood at the various types of accessories. Accessories themselves are interesting, you can try and fit them in better with the scenery, make them more hi rail, to make them look more like a functioning piece of equipment then a 'toy' to be played with.

You could also if desired change the layout over to hi rail, maybe switch track to something more realistic (and obviously your own desire and yes, finances play  role in that, too). If you like tinplate track you can still make that look better by ballasting it and adding ties, that can make it more fun to imagine running a railroad.  We all change with time, what we like changes and the nice part is there are always options. I agree with others that reading and watching videos on you tube might help, to get ideas from others. Maybe you will decide you want more realism, or want to go whole hog and find a way in the space you have to make a truly operations oriented layout. Seeing what others have done for me (besides being jealous, of course, looking at one of these intricate layouts, but then realizing how slowly I am building a modest 9x14 layout, not even halfway through track laying, a 20x40 would take me like 900 years at my present pace) gives me an idea of what I would like to do or not do as I go forward.

With respect to reading as a change of pace I would recommend in addition to reading about hobby specific topics you consider books about the history of the thing that drove the desire for our trains in the first place - histories of various aspects of the real railroads.  A few of my favorites which I've read multiple times are:

1. Ghosts of Gold Mountain - I think it is the best history of the building of the western half of the first transcontinental.

2. Brownie the Boomer - a first person account of boomer railroading from the 1890's to around 1914 - Brown writes as he probably spoke and it takes a few pages to get accustomed to his style - once you are past that it is like you are sitting in his living room and listening to him tell you what is was like.

3. A collection of personal accounts of working anywhere on the real railroads - Workin' On the Railroad - Reinhardt, Railroad Avenue - Hubbard, or Railroad Folklore -Botkin and Harlow - any one of these will do.

  Books of this type give you an appreciation for the real railroads and how your models reflect what is/was, talking points when you run trains for your guests, and ideas for settings of either a permanent or temporary nature on your railroad.

  As an example of talking points - point to your coal train as it rolls by and ask your visitors if they can think of any problems one might encounter in unloading one of those cars in the dead of winter, run the cattle car and then talk about some of the aspects of the real thing - stops for water, loading and unloading, Judas goats, mention your boxcar with the "Automobile" label and talk about the why of the double doors, the way the automobiles were stored, and then point to one of your modern auto carriers and talk about how things have changed.  Obviously you don't do all of this in one visit. I usually limit a bit of history to one item per visiting group. I can assure you your guests will come away with not only an understanding of what trains do but why you find them so interesting.

Contact a local youth organization like the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, religious organization, etc. and tell them you are planning on having an open house to let children view and watch your model train layout and ask if they would be interested in arranging for any of their kids to come over to watch and learn about model trains.

Type up a description of your layout and features and make multiple copies to hand out to the kids.

Have a stack of old train magazines for kids to look at and take with them.

Have refreshments on hand, too.

Do a Baltimore tradition. Turn you layouts into Christmas Gardens. Put them up in October with hopes of completion prior to Christmas and then take them down in February. Change the layout each year. Towards the end of summer you’ll be so exited to get the platforms up and unpack the trains you’ll never get bored.

Hello, I too become bored operating my model railroad but I have found a new activity that I can do sitting in my recliner with my laptop computer. Watching the Virtual Rail Fan You Tube Network can keep you active following real railroad trains around the country and other parts of the world for many hours.

Thinking outside the box, you might try diversity and add Slot cars to the the train layout.

This will keep you busy for a while finding and buying old slot cars, track and controllers.

A neighbor of my parents in the late 1960s had a Lionel train and slot car layout in their, basement with a glass walk out door we could see into the basement as their house was on a hill above them.  Their teens kids had a ball running the slot cars and did not seam to do that much with the trains, which probably was with them first.

You also could add a track of bump and go trolleys and/or #50 Lionel gang cars also.

Charlie

This is an excellent thread and relevant to many of us. Suggest a compendium of the above ideas, and others, be made the basis of a magazine article or a chapter in a book.

While a classical perspective of model trains might be to pigeon hole people as either 1) operators or 2) collectors, I would venture to say many active people in this forum are also spending considerable time in some combination of 3) building or modifying, 4) repairing, 5) searching for parts or items to complete a collection, 6) helping others and sharing advice, 7) demo-ing their layout, 8) reading or viewing videos, 9) writing articles, 10) developing new products, 11) interacting socially, and/or 12) railfanning.

My point is that there are a lot of aspects, other than pure operations, that maintain our interest and add to the richness of this hobby.

If possible, try to design and build a layout where your trains go to different places, not just around a circle or oval, and have them disappear from sight, such as leaving the room by going through a tunnel into a different room and back.

I did my best to do the above without the luxury of an abundance of space.

Arnold

In the mid-late 1970s, I read a series of articles in "Railroad Model Craftsman" magazine that, well, it revolutionized my philosophy about, and the way I enjoy, model railroading. That series of articles was "The V&O Story*", by Alan McClelland.

* NOTE: "The V&O Story" softback book, which is a compilation of the series I mention, is typically readily available via the secondary market at Amazon or at that auction site.

Previous to "The V&O Story", my layout was a track plan I selected from 101 Track Plans that I modified to fit my space. Also, before "The V&O Story", my main emphasis was building the models. (During those years, I was learning the needed skill sets so I could kit bash my own stuff to reflect my chosen prototype at the time: The Frisco.)

"The V&O Story" changed all that forever.

I came to learn that if one wants, one can model a miniature transportation system, complete with "reasons for being" as to why that particular train runs and what it does.

Learning this caused a total change from there on. From that point on, ALL of my layouts were designed with operations in mind, for I learned quickly that reflecting prototype practices makes for a LOT of fun. In fact, I now have the reverse issue that I need to address: Once I get a layout 100% functional (track//wiring/control system), I have so much fun "operating" that my scenery lags way behind. (Think: "Plywood Pacific" for years!)

SO... I fully understand how a couple loops of track with trains circling thereon can pale quickly. For me, learning more about what the prototype did, and incorporating same into my layout took my enjoyment of model railroading to an entire new level that it still enjoys today.

Best of luck in your journey!

Andre

Actually, the solution's quite simple:

If there is one in your area, join a club. Comeraderie is the best cure for boredom.  You bring your trains to the club layout,  giving them a new venue to run on. You  can show off pictures of your layout and see what other club members have done.  Then invite them over for an open house run session.  Ask them to critique your layout and off suggestions for improvement.

From there you can indulge in work sessions on your own layout.  Or like me,I've temporarily stopped working on my home layout but I've joined the "Gandy dancers " at the club working to improve the big layout.

Paul,

Don't sweat the boredom. Do something else.

When you feel like returning,,,,, return. If you don't want to return;  then so be it.

It's not worth worrying about.

That will be $2,500 for the wise council.

Ron H

Everyone had given you great advice! Just remember that everything doesn't have to be done right away! One hobbyist once said Make it a habit! if anything just do one little thing when you can and next thing you know your layout will become a fun place to work and play!

I started really late in life as I had no trains when I was younger, but take it one day at a time. Some days I don;t even make it to the train room! I have been at it for about 8 years now and have already torn part of my first layout down to redo it as I was in the same boat you are.

Remember it is all about enjoying your self and letting the things in life just go away for a little bit!

I never get bored watching trains go in circles.  Usually doze off first (or is it an hypnotic trance?).

What, me worry?