How many haven't started their layout yet?

Yeah, me.  Was thinking about that today (after buying another engine and a B unit for a long incomplete passenger set this weekend).  It's a case of just shifting my priority to a layout.  I recently bought "Anyrail" and have a simple design that is usable and expandable.  All I need to do is just get on it.  What's happened is I'm in a position right now to get those engines and cars I've lusted after since teen-hood, and there's so much more available now than then (okay, I have "kid in a candy store syndrome").  For me, it's a great time to "be back" and I really enjoy seeing and reading about what you guys are doing.  

Carlton

Unfortunately is some respects buying is easier than working. I have fallen into that trap too often.

I have also procrastined based on not wanting to make the "final decisions" on the benchwork, track plan, wiring, scenery, etc... As if we can't change it if we really wanted to.

Fall and winter are around the corner. Hopefully time will become available to get started.

good luck!

A good question may be: Who has not started on their NEW layout yet?

It took some time for me to start, yet like so many, I now see what I would do differently.

Glad I started, been told you never stop. I now believe it.

RIK

Hello,I have been sick for a number of years,and just found out that I need to go back into the hospital for more surgerie in a few weeks.Well I just got some of my layout started,its 3.5' x 20' its the atlas O-20 Texas Western layout.So who knows it may be a bit before I can get back into it maybe spring.

Get the RR-Track software and get the layout fever.

I have a a great time trying to create the perfect layout for my limited space.

I did the software layout, to fit the space, but, bashfully, with head hung, I confess

I have yet to start that dream layout.  I have been having too much fun building

structures now, rolling stock before, and whatever procrastinating new tangents I

can keep wandering off on...I have not lately set up even the around the tree layout..

will see about this winter...

I'm extremely happy with my layout but I made some of the turns too tight. I'm torn between tearing it down and starting over or just adding on an entire new area with much larger curves. I could then run the smaller stuff separately. I hate the thoughts of having nothing to run for months while building so the additional layout will most likely be my path. 

After some health issues, I returned to the 'Days of Yesteryear' and my love of trains. At first the eBay Spirit of "now you can buy what you never could" clouded my choices. Now I have narrowed down my wants to PRR steam and other road names in the Western PA/NEO area. This has made it easier to part with some impulse buying and seeing the Atlas Steam Era Classics details has made selecting rolling stock easier.

I built benchwork and laid out a 16 x 9 short-ended u shaped designed to test my wiring skills with DCS, made decisions such as switching to LED lighting in Pullman passenger cars by MTH.

I plan on detailing only one small part of a double-portal tunnel area, working a small trestle in a coal mine feature.

I can run two trains and switch consists to see what style of running my current unfinished layout interests me the most-continuous, point-to-point, or yard mechanics.

My first real layout is in my head ready for the basement layout that will have a lumber cutting area with lumber yard down grade by my city, a yard area featuring coaling facilities and a 3-stall round house and yard area for making up trains. There will be three levels: ground will feature double-tracked mainlines with access to steam facilities; middle layer for passenger service to two cities; and the logging/manufacturing level. All track will be Ross/Gargraves and structures will be craftsman kits such as Sierra West and Mt. Alberts.

Trying everything at once may suit some train enthusiasts, but I am patiently honing my skills, collections, and photographs before I commit to the "Big Step" by focusing on little trial steps. When that happens it will be a far easier path for me to follow.

PaPaT

Me!

 What a mess!

I will be moving in a few years, so I figure why put it up to take it down? I still have my old N Scale layout up. I've been buying stuff now to spread out the cost.

Guilty as charged. Still looking to relocate so I don't want to build something permanent, but I'm getting the strong urge to build modules again. Have some track and buildings -- even some lumber. Maybe I'll toss together a 16-foot switching deck.

I have a layout, but I have changed it 3 times in 4 months.  Each time the layout lengthened.  Now at 14' x 6'.  Not growing more, so now I can focus on wiring more lock ons, wiring the switches and wiring the buildings.  Honestly, I think I am at the point where I can focus on running it and maintaining the track.  I did use MTH software to help me get the basic design established and to inventory the pieces needed.

Yep. 

Just tore up all the track on my former layout yesterday. What a mess! Undecided if I'll build another one or not. My space is better suited for HO or N scale.

Seems like i've thinking about a layout since I was kid. I have built several christmas layouts, but nothing permanent. Always another excuse! Well I hope the time has come, just finishing some drywall work and the basement should be ready to go. I'll see what happens next.

I just need motivation.  I've built many layouts in other scales in all of my years learning many tricks and tecniques that will get repeated without the new excitement of discovery.  Right now I have a barely started layout on 3 sheets of plywood and a loop of American Flyer track that I occasionally run.  I also have MANY boxes of Flyer engines, cars, and accessories, and lots of Plasticville, waiting and all that I need including scenery material.  Yes, I haven't even applied yet to join the Procrastinator's Club!

Occasionally I'll open a box and say, "Wow! I forgot I had that!"  I have a 26 x 40 basement I could easily fill some day with a loop around the walls.  It'll come some day.  It just feels like, "I've done this all before and already know what to expect."  Slowly I'm becoming motivated reading all of the posts on this site.  But I may need more of a push! 

Phil

About twenty years ago a bout of bronchitis had me trapped in my house for a little over two weeks.  All my interests at the time were either sports active or outdoor related?  Two weeks trapped inside and even longer before fully recovered, reading could only occupy so much of my time and broadcast television was just abominable so I decided to expand my starter set Christmas tree layout into a permanaent layout.  The unheated, finished basement in our old house allowed room for an 8'x8' tabletop layout without encroaching on any other basement uses.  My wife was all for it and even helped by painting a backdrop and people for my little town.  Using O-27 track my 8'x8' had a single mainline that I eventually broke into two blocks, two reversing loops, a small three track yard with single stall engine house a Rico Station from kit form, and a small town made up of mostly ceramic houses and buildings, and a farm with ERTL barn and fences.  FAst forwrd ten years, the kids need more room so we move.  New basement is unfinished except for a small laundry room and remaining walls are covered with homemade shelving.  Washer and dryer get moved upstairs and laundry room quickly becomes storage room and shelves around the wall quickly fill up, bookcases without a home upstairs get put in the basemnent and very quickly there is no room for an 8'x8' table.  I set about designing a new layout that may fit the space and begin acquiring all the ythings I want to incorparate and soon realize I'll never have enough room or enough money to buy track and switches so no layout still.  In the last few months seeing what some the very artistic people on this forum have built I've come to realize I will never have that type of layout so I'm trying to visualize an alternate layout of my two 4'x8' tables maybe an "L" shape or maybe end to end instead of side by side but I would like to get at least one table out of the garage and into the basement before it gets col this year so that I can get something going.

Just get started and do a little at a time.  I have been building my "dream" layout for 12 years now.  I have tons of stuff just waiting to be put on the layout that I have either built or bought.  It helps to have a plan, I think.  I designed my layout with RRTrack software first.  Then you tweak it as you go along building it.  Always get a main line down first so you can run some trains in between work sessions and it helps you dream and get the urge to continue.

.....

Dennis

started the where to move everything for the 8x8.

Two years ago my wife told me I didn't need another tractor,wife says build my retirement train,workshop.So I built a 24'x32' 2 story building called"The Flagg Stop". 1st floor is a workshop,2nd level is a train room. I just started a round the room shelf layout,with 2 main lines,084 Fasttrack outer curve, 072 inner.This is to get me started,not sure of where i'll go from here.I've read articles,    viewed videos about bench work,track work,etc.etc.Getting lots of ideas of what I want to do. This forum and its members have been very helpful,I enjoy reading the forum each morning with my 2 cups of coffee.   Thank you all Jippers         

I've spent the last couple of years building a nice train room. It is almost done. I definitely want to start a layout in 2013. However, with MTH getting into S scale I am seriously considering changing scales. Once I start the layout there will be no going back. So I have roughly 6 months to think it over and come up with a track plan while I finish the train room. I can't wait to get started!

After relocating from Cali to Maryland, the dust hasn't settled yet to start building on my permanent layout yet. Honey-do list is a mile long as I continue to do home improvements first before thinking about my garage layout project.

Paul

Let's put it this way, I don't refer to my railroad as "The Great Plywood Glacier" for nothing.

Rusty

My current house doesn't have a basement, but planning to retire next year and get back into the hobby.  I've been working with some assistance on a track plan for the past 6 months and am just about finished.  Now I just need to move the calendar forward about 8-10 months and boom.....call it a career, move from NJ to Delaware and begin a new life and enjoy building my layout.

Mike    

I remember those days. What I did to get motivated was impose a “no new trains” edict on myself.  Decided I’d make no more purchases (which I didn’t need anyway) until I got a semblance of a layout up and running. It worked.

The other thing that’s been mentioned is we’re entering “prime” train season where the colder weather invites indoor projects.

This is as elaborate as my layout has gotten so far.  This is late winter 2009 on my 4x4 layout.  It is portable, but after a while I miss the luxury of the bed, so the trains get put away.  I have about 30 other sets, many of which are too big to ride on the O27 track.

  Alright, I'll go to Home Depot and look into a door and two sawhorses to get started.  I'll also go to the Thor trains website and get some ideas.  Fortunatly I have small locomotives and cars and O27 track for a start.