i dont have to do anything
i've been obsessed with trains for 18 years and i'm 20
all i have to do is think of a train and i get all excited
trains are mostly fall to beginning of spring for me. then I like to be outside. I have my road runner, my wife's Karmann Ghia, and now my Uncle Jim's pickup to tinker on. plus the regular yard work. buy the time fall approaches, I'm ready to park the toy cars, and head to the cellar. and by the end of winter I'm ready to get outside. I have more than enough trains that are ready to run, so I look for junkers, projects to bring back.
Gentlemen,
The interest factor in our home was kept up by only allowing us boys to construct and run the Trains as a Christmas layout. Each year the day after Thanksgiving we started building the layout and completed the Train Layout on Christmas eve, so Santa could see our Trains, and run them if he liked. Looking back on this, my Grandfather and Father were incredible men, they both worked 12 hrs each day, excepting Sundays, most of the time. As a grown man I was able to have a fair size permanent layout for about 10 years, I have reverted into having Christmas layouts even today, that I start building after Thanksgiving and break down late March or very early April. If you want to keep the interest high, make your Train Layout part of your family Christmas tradition.
PCRR/Dave
Great Question, How to Keep Interest in, lets say, Our Hobby, Model Railroading. First, it's Fun to run Our trains, watch Real trains Run, but, most of all, It's Fun to Share this enjoyment with Our Fellow Train Buddies and Forum Friends...This hobby is so diversified,, Electrical, Wood Working, Layout Planning, Scenic Detailing, Acquiring Engines, Rolling Stock, Going to Train Meets, And most of all, Creating Our Own Little World, in Our Own Little Man Cave....Good Thread, Happy Railroading....
After writing a pretty long post on this topic, it vanished. So here are some simple ideas that helped to pull me out of a rut:
A curio cabinet with my small collection got my trains out of boxes and back into my life when I had no space to run anything.
Getting rid of beautiful cars that were gifts to me, but that did not fit into what I was doing created space for what I really wanted.
Treating myself to some new equipment made me feel excited about new technology and about sharing the fun with grand nephews and a grand niece.
Having a train-loving three-year-old in my family with brain cancer provided the impetus to plan a big train day for him, his sister and his cousin. All of the kids have learned to operate an electric train, and I finally have enough engines, cars, transformers and track for three kids to operate. I still have more preparations to do, but it feels good to be working toward this goal.
Not having space to store scenery and a permanent layout does not mean I cannot enjoy trains!
Santa Fe
I don't, it waxes and wanes with my mood, family circumstances, the weather. I spent the winter fixing horrible wiring (what was I thinking, was I thinking when I did that?) adding trigger points so that things happen when the train passes, completing installation of signals and ridding myself of the last of the tubular track on the layout. Finishing scenery will be the last step and that will not happen until next winter. Cycling season has started, my spare hours will be spent on the road.
