My layout has been now 8 years in the making. It has grown from one MTH Pennsy RS-1 stater set to a 6 train pike replete with 35 buildings, ships, planes, cars, trucks, etc.,and etc. It is one, probably like many of yours, where each new purchase must be carefully planned, measured for fit, and placed in exactly the right spot. The trains are running smoothly and the lights, even in my oldest purchases, still burn brightly in my structures. Caught between running trains and the acquisition bug in this addictive hobby I am starting to get a little bit complacent or satisfied with what I have. I am trying to come up with some scheme or idea, short of tearing it down and starting over, to regenerate some excitement so that I can go back to the train store with some gleam in my eye. What suggestions might you have ???
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Do you have room to add a branch, a wing, an "L" to serve a port, mining, logging, pass. or engine terminal, or ? branch? Planning that would be like a new start...
Find a niche to concentrate collecting or improving the site. Maybe shoot for certain specific trains or cars you want, or plan an upgrade to the layout. If not, you might try looking at a different avenue in the hobby - collecting railroad signs, lanterns or other items to decorate your train room. I do that, switching from one aspect of the hobby to another to keep my interests going.
Michael Hokkanen posted:My layout has been now 8 years in the making. ... I am trying to come up with some scheme or idea, short of tearing it down and starting over, to regenerate some excitement so that I can go back to the train store with some gleam in my eye. What suggestions might you have ???
I wish I knew the answer. I'm contemplating the same issue. Much of my satisfaction is in planning and building model railroads rather than running them - although I do run them. I now have two layouts in my basement (a 12'-by-8' and a 10'-by-5') and there is not much room to expand either. The larger layout (completed 2004) runs well. I can keep myself busy for a while by adding or revising details on both layouts but I really prefer to start an entirely new project that would be an improvement on the two I have. One solution might be a point-to-point On30 switching layout - say 2-feet by 6-feet. Haven't made up my mind yet.
MELGAR
Lets see... here are some ideas:
Add a connecting module that you can reconfigure depending on time/ equipment you want to run. It can be a staging module of any type. And you can build different type modules. Switching, staging, engine service, etc.
Add some roll out Tupperware bins to bring new trains on and off the layout.
Expand your modeling skills and build some kits - you can change kits on different spurs based on the commodity type car you are running
You can always upgrade you locos from PS2 to PS3 or TMCC to Legacy
Add another deck? You can always build up or down... how about a subway loop?
And last but not least... join or start a round robin club. You can host and run trains on other peoples layouts.... and with a little beer in hand, there is never a dull moment.
I built 2-3 layouts early on and ran into the same problem. I got it built and basic scenicked and sat and looked at it and got the strong feeling "Now What?"
Then I was introduced to operations using car cards on a friend's HO layout. Wow that opened up a whole new universe. My next layout had industrial sidings and some I designated at interchanges with other RRs. I had about a dozen cars and maybe 8-10 industrial siding which included 2 interchanges - C&O and PRR. Some facing point, some trailing point. I developed a basic system to randomly route the cars but keeping boxcars going to places that use them and hoppers to coaling places etc. I found it took about an hour to pickup the cars on the industries and replace them with cars from the interchanges. And the beauty of it was that with a little randomness, no operating session was the same as the last one. The cars mixed up in different order and went to different sidings. I never tired of that layout and tore it down when I had a job move.
I have a new one now that is bigger but uses the same basic concepts and is still a joy to operate.
I am at the point where I may want to change the whole track plan, but I really stink at track planning.
I will most likely hold off a little longer, as I want to tear out my basement ceiling, reroute some ductwork and change the lighting. Need to save up a lot of determination for that job.
Some thought:
1. What is your pleasure (focus), seeing trains run or operating a railroad. Adjust your layout to fit
2. What do you enjoy, a toy train layout or a high rail layout again adjust to fit
3. What railroad do you enjoy, any thing on rails or a specific RR and time period. If there is some specific RR, move towards that.
4. Complex track or a single track back woods RR. Again, move in the desired direction.
I think mulling over those 4 questions and answering honestly will move you in a direction that will keep you busy for years. Anyway it worked for me.
When all else fails, how about joining a model railroad club? You can create your own module and meet people who are sympathetic to your interest.
MELGAR
MELGAR posted:When all else fails, how about joining a model railroad club? You can create your own module and meet people who are sympathetic to your interest.
MELGAR
This is something I would love to do but I live waaaaaaay out in the country.
colorado hirailer posted:Do you have room to add a branch, a wing, an "L" to serve a port, mining, logging, pass. or engine terminal, or ? branch? Planning that would be like a new start...
No room whatsoever....
I feel exactly as MELGAR does , i enjoy planning & building the layout more than running trains ,but i do run them every once in a while, this is my second layout ,at age 76 is it my last ?,time will tell .
I took a break from my layout when I found out the Amherst Railway Society started a layout in the Holyoke Senior Center MA. It was dormant for a couple of years with just the layout built and the track in place. I asked the one person in charge what was planned? He replied WHAT EVER YOU WANT TO DO! Al, another person interested in creating scenery and I decided to build Mountain Park, an amusement park that was started in the late 1800's and parts of downtown Holyoke. After 2 years of one day a week at the center and a lot of home work we created a Model Railroad that the Seniors can admire and enjoy. Finally I got to work on my layout again, But then I found out the Soldiers Home in Holyoke had a model Railroad and needed help. I am now volunteering there too. Plus the Pioneer Valley Model RR club runs the Christmas Railroad at Look Park in Northampton MA and I volunteer there too. So although for the past few years I haven't devoted all my time to my own layout I keep myself very busy in the hobby. Here are some pictures of the Senior Center RR and Christmas at Look Park.
Attachments
I forgot to add you can also add a switching puzzle like the Inglenook switching puzzle or John Allen's time saver .
It takes a small space to have on the layout... and is challenging to do in under 30 minutes.
As you said, most of us have followed the same path. Many years ago, when I got back into trains in my early thirties, I started with high rail scenicked layouts. After a few rebuilds I had built what I considered a decent high rail layout including scenery. It wasn't long before I said what PRRJIM said, "What now?"
My kids were growing and they would enjoy the trains but got tired of running passenger and freight trains over the same route. Switching operations seemed tedious to them.
The operating accessory bug bit. So my next layout or should I say, layouts, were strictly action heavy but still with some caricature scenery. Nothing too detailed. SWMBO would come down to the cellar only on occasion, but did know when a new layout had replaced the old one.
I found the beauty of a post-war type layout is the ease with which it can be changed without having to do an entire rebuild. Particularly with tubular sectional track. I learned a few tricks in doing these changes. First, do not install track pins in the six rails of the switch tracks. Instead, simply line the rails up and make sure the switch track and the two tracks that meet are secured reasonably well. This way, when the switch track has to be serviced, which it will, it's a simple task to remove and replace it. Second, remove the screws that hold the motor cover of the switch tracks and let the cover simply sit in place. If you must get to the switch drive, it's a lot easier.
Try not to use long sections of track. It never fails that an operating accessory will fit nicely in a given spot. If it needs a remote track next to it, sectional track, be it O27 or O is way easier to work with.
I know I have gone on a tangent, but my intent was to offer an alternative to building another brick sh*t house.
After we moved in our new house without a basement (crawl space only) 21 years ago a flood in our below grade garage (under the house) resulted in us building a garage to the side of the house and voila, the old under grade garage was enclosed and we had a "basement" for my old Lionel trains that were stored in boxes for years and years. Because my wife wanted space for storage I set up a layout 4' by 12' about 10 years ago. I felt limited but it stayed like this for 2-3 years and though I had put some effort (including a mountain and tunnel setup made with screening and plaster I began to get a bit bored and complacent until I convinced my wife that I would like to enlarge the layout a bit and this gave me a a real interest to get back to work.
The result is a 9' by 12' set up including an upper level which allowed me to run 3 separate loops along with a trolley. About 6 years ago I ran into a source of kline shadow rail and bought several dozen lengths (30" and 40") and decided to switch all my track from tubular to this new track. To me it looked much more realistic. For several years I was able to purchase switches, 10" straight and 42" curves. I still have a couple of 022 switches.
My latest idea was too concentrate on a PRR theme and I have purchased both freight and passenger cars with a Pennsylvania logo. I added over some diesel and steam engines that were PRR. I did build extra shelving to show my extra stuff.
I am now awaiting for some new inspiration.
JohnF
When I read threads like this one I always land up thinking "I'm glad that I only have an 8-week up CHristmas layout".
Since I completely change it every year I never get bored with it. Track design, types of scenery, themes, etc. all change every year. I can't imagine not being able to do that.
Of course at times I regret it too. I think it would be fun to build a permanent layout over 'x' number of months or years. But as with art, after it's done there's only one option: start another!
I'm nuts
- walt
The fact that you are into trains probably means you are "hobby prone". Just get more hobbies. I collect 3-D stuff...View-Master reels, and 3-D "family photos" taken in the 1950s. Also "shooting sports" involving guns, air guns, and archery. Collecting stuff like cap guns, sand pails, 1:43 car models, Little Orphan Annie Ovaltine mugs, Putz houses...well, you get my point. Oh, and I read at least 2 books a week.
Once a year I change from diesel to steam era, off go the diesel, rolling stock, modern vehicles, buildings and on with anything older than 1960. I do make exceptions to the rule. Almost done with this winters change over and maintenance. Have one steam locomotive needs to go to shop.
Over the 20 years my layout has been in existence I have frequently gotten complacent, bored, frustrated, angry, like when a squirrel got into the basement and destroyed a lot of stuff and, and as is the case now, totally and completely into it. It's just the way I am, I guess. I have several other hobbies (see my signature) that I drift into and out of from time to time and I always cycle back to each eventually. There was actually a 6-year period of time, after the squirrel attack, that I left the layout totally unattended and uncovered, with the detritus from the squirrel (which was dispatched with a BB gun) strewn and broken on the floor under the layout. I couldn't endure the idea of putting everything back together. But a fascination with trains by a young grandson got my juices flowing again so I rolled up my sleeves and got to work, fixing what could be fixed and throwing out what couldn't. So my answer to what you're facing now is hopefully you have other hobbies or things to do. Do something else! Spend some time away from the hobby then eventually something will happen that will grab your interest and pull you back in. I don't think you can force it. It will just happen naturally.
clem k posted:Once a year I change from diesel to steam era, off go the diesel, rolling stock, modern vehicles, buildings and on with anything older than 1960. I do make exceptions to the rule. Almost done with this winters change over and maintenance. Have one steam locomotive needs to go to shop.
CLEM -
We need video! I have not seen any steam run on your layout unless the Detroit 3 railers are bringing it!
After ~20 years I've finished my layout. I have plenty to do as I am always building more cars, engines, trolleys, structures, etc. There is also 1 fairly large lift out at the one end that I have 2 blanks already in hand with the track already installed. I figure I have a 2-5 years to complete each of these with structures and scenery such that I can rotate these 3 completed lift outs into place.
Maybe I'll move up to F scale next!