I am scaling down!

After accumulating more than 250 pieces of rolling stock I realized I must have been insane!  I ended up disposing of about 100 pieces and I still have more to go.

I do still have the occasional piece I am looking for though.

I have at least that many.  Insane- possibly.  Somebody else will have to dispose of them when I am gone.  Same with the airplanes . . . No way I will personally sell my Cub.  House? Reverse mortgage when I get desperate.

Greetings Malcolm,

 

It is NO DOUBT, one of the great perplexities of the hobby as to how to end up with the RIGHT amount of stuff! Sometimes I think the old "Less is more" is definitely the way to go. Like you, I will probably back into that amount!

 

Cheers,

Simon

For what it's worth, I have just two diesels and 16 rolling stock on my layout.

 

I find that doing operations with my card system tends to satisfy my "train hunger" and keeps me from wanting to add more and more. After an hour spent spotting two boxcars here, picking up a tank car there, and building the eastbound train to Pittsburgh in the Youngstown yards, I'm pooped. 

 

 

 

What's more important, I've entered into the world of railroading in more intimate way: that Maine Central boxcar is filled with cardboard sheeting for the warehouse. This gondola has a load of trucks bound for the M.O.W siding.

 

My cars develop "personalities," so to speak, and that P.L.&E.boxcar has carried many products to and from Youngstown over the years. It's like an old friend,when I come back down to the train room for another session, and this time it's an empty, bound for Ballantyne Brewery in Elyria, Ohio.

 

 

 

 

And so the stories go....and keeps me from pulling out my credit card and going to the Atlas website and....you get the picture.

Paul,

That is what I am attempting to do. The only reason I am keeping around 30 cars is that most of them are either scratch-built or lettered in a scheme that is unavailable as RTR.

 

You have a really beautiful layout.

 

Thanks, Malcolm

Paul, your cars seem to look awful close to that warehouse. So close I can hear it scraping lol. You have done a nice job and the roadbed  look is great. I thnk you are on top of what many are discovering, less is more. I just like the hunt and the buy as it is like a sport. I could have bought a 10K bass boat and gone fishing for a few $10 fish.

 

Phill

Yikes, Phil, you're right, absolutely right, the clearance is nil on that side. An issue that is tied up in the courts still, after 50 years. Seems the boys built according to incorrect survey data. And you know us guys, we hate to ask directions, so up the building went, and now it's **** to pay every time a string of cars goes drifting down that track.

 

 

Paul,

 

The only thing I can find fault with is all that squandered space between the boxcars and the building! Shame on you!

 

Simon

Malcolm,

I have maybe 36 freight cars and 6 engines.  I'm expanding my 11x12 layout  to include a 3-track "fiddle" yard so I can have a spot to build a train.  At present the yard will only hold 16 cars and the sidings I have can hold maybe 20.  I may be able to lengthen the yard to hold 10 more cars.

 

Other than the rare Seaboard offerings, I doubt I'll get too many more cars.  No room to store them and no room for them on the layout.  I wouldn't mind getting a single car to represent each of the major RRs of the 50s-60s, but multiples of cars is out.  Maybe cars for some of the southern RRs plus NYC and GN, but that's about it.

 

Of course the minute I say that's enough the market will be flooded with correct Seaboard cars and I'll have to rethink my limits, but for now I can honestly say there's nothing currently available that I desire, plus I've never been one to buy something just because it's new and available.

I have years of accumulation, it would take quite awhile to count them. I would like to sell some that look too plasticky or not real enough but I refuse to sell at half what I paid so I'll just keep them.

San Fernando Valley CA.

Downsizing just about complete here.  Took my time and got my price.  four dozen large brass engines, scores of 80+'  passneger cars and a loads of unnecessary freight cars.  What a relief! 

 

 

The branch line steamers and first generation Diesels will look much better on the wide radius curves. 

 

Large engines and passenger cars can look a bit Lionelish on 72" radius curves.  Smaller really can be bigger.  tt