I'm jealous of my friend's layouts

The grass is always greener John. You're layout is a beauty IMHO. Nothing to be jealous about.

What I'm jealous of is the big basements full of trains.

I’m not jealous when I see other peoples layout or what size it is large or small. Every layout and trains are part of the creator’s personality and what they enjoy about the hobby. You can also pick up some good ideas along the way.

@Chris Lonero posted:

I’m not jealous when I see other peoples layout or what size it is large or small. Every layout and trains are part of the creator’s personality and what they enjoy about the hobby. You can also pick up some good ideas along the way.

I agree 100%.

What I'm jealous (using the word tongue in cheek) of is the fact that they get 3xore "hits" on my website. LOL

My philosophy: I have my railroad and I do it my way. However, I most certainly observe what others do or have, so I may learn from them. Mark

Hah, this hit home with me. There's a forum member about 5 miles from my house with a world-class layout. I don't want to "out" him publicly in case there are stalkers here looking for burglary opportunities, but I REALLY enjoy getting to visit and see his layout first-hand. Pictures and videos are one thing, but seeing it in-person is really a joy. It's also a bit intimidating......not only is his scenery top notch, but his construction and electrical work is up there too. Jealous? Nah. Respecting? You bet.

@Lionelski posted:

I dunno - The "Friend's Layouts" series installments in my website have been getting 3 times the number of hits than the posts on Warrenville.

I hate to admit it, but I'm jealous!

I'm happy to share though

John: When you consider you are always posting pictures of you layout on this forum but the only way to see your friends layout is on your web site. Maybe if you just teases folks about Warrenville  little more and less photos your hits should increase. That is MHO but I do enjoy seeing your photos here saves time to go look at your web site.

Good news, views and social media don't matter in real life unless you're making money from it.

By the way, I think you have one of the nicer layouts out there.

@raising4daughters posted:

Hah, this hit home with me. There's a forum member about 5 miles from my house with a world-class layout. I don't want to "out" him publicly in case there are stalkers here looking for burglary opportunities, but I REALLY enjoy getting to visit and see his layout first-hand. Pictures and videos are one thing, but seeing it in-person is really a joy. It's also a bit intimidating......not only is his scenery top notch, but his construction and electrical work is up there too. Jealous? Nah. Respecting? You bet.

I too have a fellow forum member / friend close by with an outstanding layout. Like you - I greatly enjoy visiting him and his empire, I mean train layout. I'm just starting a layout (benchwork is 1/2 done) and can't imagine how to get to the point of accomplishment that my friend gladly shares with visitors.

But I'm going to have fun trying.

Paul

Also consider that visitors to your web page may be giving you and your friends props because of the wonderful photos you have taken of their layouts. In some cases we may not have had the opportunity to see their layouts had you not showcased them on your page.

Dave

Train envy. It's always about the longest train!🤣

@PRRick posted:

Good news, views and social media don't matter in real life unless you're making money from it.

By the way, I think you have one of the nicer layouts out there.

I ain't making a dime, but it is fun to share anyway.

Thanks for the compliment!

@DMASSO posted:

Train envy. It's always about the longest train!🤣

Don,

LOL

@raising4daughters posted:

There's a forum member about 5 miles from my house with a world-class layout.

Has that world-class layout been featured in the magazine yet? If not, it might be a good possibility for some world-class exposure. Have your friend contact me if he might be interested.

Interesting thread.

I love my layout, which is no great shakes, and also love without a hint of envy or jealously better layouts than mine that I see in person or on videos or on this Forum, for that matter.

Some of the better layouts are incredible. I think of them as wonders to be admired and enjoyed by all who have the privilege of seeing them.

I guess I'm lucky that every time I have seen such an extraordinary layout in person, the owner was always gracious, seemed delighted to share it and generous with their time when sharing it. I am effusive in my praise whenever I've seen such layouts which I regard as dynamic works of art.

I agree that one can learn a lot from seeing such better layouts. Indeed, I have already made improvements to mine as a result of seeing the better ones.

Arnold

What I'm most jealous about is not other folks layouts, but the creativity behind them.

I am just absolutely amazed at the scenery that some people have created on their layouts.

allan miller interested in this layout and wants you to contact him about it. good luck. i tried to get my layout in this magazine thru allan and haven't heard anything for over a year. i even sent a cd to ogr in care of allan. good luck.

I’m not jealous of other layouts per se,  I figure in part it’s a mater of space and funds, I AM envious of a skill level I’ll never have regarding  scenery, some just looks so cleanly modeled and realistic. I’ve learned to accept my skill level and enjoy the results. But,
I’m also really covetous of the knowledge of electronics which seem to be a growing part of our hobby.

Merry Christmas

i'm jealous of people's layouts and for 20 years i have wanted to build a layout that would get featured in a magizine

plus i have an extremely severe weakness for big stuff like i still want a bipolar from the lionel 2019 bigbook and 2 verandas from this year to pull a ski train through snowy mountains with snow sheds and ski lifts like this guy named Phil Klop had on his layout

i'm always afraid my dream will never happen

i guess i get too inspired by big layouts and always want to copy what i see because it looks cool

and when i say my weakness is severe it is VERY SEVERE

like i can't flip through a lionel catalog without wanting something

and when i go to my hobby shop i always leave with something

if i ever get married my wife will hate me

i need help

Warrenville railroad looks great to me.  Love all the scenes you have made.  Those are the parts of a layout that keep visitors looking for more, and says a lot about the imagination of the person that made it.

@paigetrain posted:

i'm jealous of people's layouts and for 20 years i have wanted to build a layout that would get featured in a magizine

plus i have an extremely severe weakness for big stuff like i still want a bipolar from the lionel 2019 bigbook and 2 verandas from this year to pull a ski train through snowy mountains with snow sheds and ski lifts like this guy named Phil Klop had on his layout

i'm always afraid my dream will never happen

i guess i get too inspired by big layouts and always want to copy what i see because it looks cool

and when i say my weakness is severe it is VERY SEVERE

like i can't flip through a lionel catalog without wanting something

and when i go to my hobby shop i always leave with something

if i ever get married my wife will hate me

i need help

@paigetrain  Don't worry. It will happen some day. The most important thing is that you get a good education or become proficient at a trade so that you get a good job. Then later on in life when you have the time for trains you will be able to afford them. I wish I had done this as I would be so much better off today. While my job isn't a bad job it certainly has drawbacks like having to work every Saturday and every Holiday. If I had a good job with a good schedule I would be able to spend more time with my family and attend more train oriented events.

I felt the same way as you when I started out in this hobby. I wanted so many things from each catalog and catalogs were smaller back then but there was no way I could afford them. My advice is to take your time and save your money. If you should come across a great deal definitely  pounce on it but do not be in rush to buy a lot of trains at MSRP unless it is something you absolutely positively have to have. This hobby is not a race. It is very easy to buy too much and since our scale of trains are physically large they can overwhelm your space especially if you keep the boxes. Over the course of about 23 years my collection has totally filled the space I have for it and I don't think I have that large of a collection. I was just talking to a fellow forum member yesterday and he told me that he had over 300 locomotives. I don't know how many I have but I would guess it is under 40. I am happy with my collection. Someday I would like to get a Big Boy and a Niagara but other than that I don't need anything else and I am in no rush to get those locomotives. Good luck.

I'm not a collector but an operator and I buy what I want to RUN on the layout.  Everything gets run here, I keep nothing for collectors value.  Lionel, Marx, K-line.  It hurts me to see my buddy buy an engine and not run it for over 30 years and he tells me it's got great value.  I presently have 35 engines and I keep 12 on the tracks ready to pull complete trains and at times of the year I swap them all out for another 12 engines.  So everything gets to run once in awhile.  NOT bragging but over the 50+ years I've been buying at train shows I have 200 items.  Most stored in cabinets under the layout.  That would be buying 4 items a year at train shows and I have also sold a few to friends that I am tired of.  By swapping out engines and cars I can be guaranteed they are all lubricated and greased on occasion and not sitting around with the grease hardening in the grease box.  Right now I do not have any wants or needs for anything and work on scenery and detailing.