Self realization about the hobby...

Michael

I felt very similar, so I started all over last summer. I could never ..even at my age say this is the last one I'll ever build. I do like to run the trains, but it seems like I enjoy always having something to fix, replace, modify or fool with even more.

Larry

I think your equation really doesn't apply. For myself and others I know or had known thru the years, I found that many are looking for 'something,' to replace something, or to fill a void in life. For a long time I knew this, but didn't know what I was looking for. When I figured it out, it hit me like a ton of bricks, especially because it wasn't related to trains at all. It takes a lot of guts and introspective ability to figure out and admit it may not really be about the trains.

I think bigo426 may have a key here, albeit somewhat disguised.  I always find that I desire new running stock.  I run eight trains, but have sixteen, and always seem to want more, even there are no tracks to run them on.  I am always looking for new ways to expand and install more tracks on the layout.  

Michael, when you are not content with the space you have, your mind is continuously working thinking about the new space and how much more you can put into it. Hence the desire to acquire more and to make changes. At a point (if ever) that you are happy with your layout and the size, the desire for new stuff will subside.

 

In terms of interest, it will always be there, some days more than others.

make the leap to 1:8 scale live steam as i did a few years ago.  one locomotive is pretty much all i'm every going to be able to afford or have the time to take care of.

There's a good bit of truth in all that has been posted here, but be aware, Michael, that you are certainly not alone in your desire for more space and time, not to mention more "stuff" (a term I have long used myself).  Some folks never lose the need/desire to acquire more, but most eventually reach a point, for whatever reason or cause, that motivates them to begin tapering off a good bit.

 

I know I have far more trains--even though my interests are now limited to a couple of selected road names as well as to trolleys--than I can ever hope to run at any one time or even over the course of many operating sessions.  I don't have any plans to move again, so my enjoyment comes from playing around with what I have already been blessed with, and occasionally adding something new or perhaps selling something that I feel might find a better home elsewhere.

 

One suggestion I frequently offer to others is to closely focus one's interests to a particular road name or two, a particular era or region, or something else that helps to restrict the urge to purchase in a wildly random manner.

At 10 engines and 50 pieces of rolling stock I've got twice as much stuff as I can run, and probably 3x as much as I truly need.  Instead of buying new stuff I've found that going back and tinkering with what I have occupies my time and money just as easy as going on a spending spree.

 

I'm currently redoing all the couplers on my passenger cars.  I had a mix of Kadee and Weaver couplers on them and most of them were not at the correct height, plus the coupler shanks were too short for the diaphragms to work correctly.  So I have an order in for longer shank couplers and while I'm waiting for them I'm fixing the height issues.  While I'm at it I need to populate them a bit more and install lighting.

 

I guess a lot of us here suffer from "Engine Envy"

My wife calls me Mr Tink as in always tinkering around with something! I couldn't agree more Larry.

Whoever dies with the most toys wins. I built my bench work out of heavy lumber and 2X4s. I would love to be a fly on the wall after I croak and watch my grand kids try to get it apart.

 

I would just store some of the stuff and alternate it regularly so you use all your stuff.

 

Dale H

Try removing items.  You done clogged up your layout and your brain.  And your equation is haywire.  Satisfaction = A Job Well Done, period.  "Stuff" is but a means to an end.  It might do some good to try and learn to work with what you have and not concern yourself about what you think you want.

 

Pete

Very thought provoking. And thanks ALL for your replies. But to this quote specifically let me say that the void in my life is filled. However, I think it not acceptable to discuss religion and/or more esoteric life principles here. My comments come from a "hobby" satisfaction perspective. Yet, you do have me thinking....

But they're still dead, eh.  You can't take it with you.

 

Pete

Michael Hokkanen you said:  “I will be moving into a new space. Meanwhile, my zeal in running trains in the current layout has diminished somewhat.”


That pretty much sums up why you feel the way you do.   Sometimes the mere thought of expanding can be mind boggling. I’m sure once you settle into your new layout your Zeal will follow. If you’re like me you’ll always see something you  didn’t know you wanted when visiting a Hobby Store.

Happy Holidays

K.C.

My decade of acquisition was the 1990's. After that, I had about everything I wanted. If you were to graph my buying, the 1990's would look like a graph of the stock market in the 1920's, and now it looks like the 1930's. The only difference is that the market will never go back up. I do pick up the occasional detail or scenery item....the "smalls".

I find I have 'enough' every week......but still attend train shows and look at ebay......you're not alone!

How many religions/self-help advice gurus start by telling you that self-realization and understanding are the keys to happiness?  

 

My trains and layout are in majority an excuse for "projects": things I build, create, do, etc., on, for, or because of the layout, that entertain and challenge me.  If I didn't have something to do or build on the layout, I would be much less satisfied with this hobby.  That said:

- I never "run" (operate) my trains like some folks do but I like to start and let them run for hours on end and just watch them from time to time. 

- I am addicted to buying locos and rolling stock even as I find myself challenged as to where to keep them all: I promised myself I would cut back this year and ration myself to only five new locos - I think I have bought 14 so far.

- I am perhaps more addicted to buying 1:43 cars and trucks for the layout, even though I easily have two or more times what will fit on the layout.  I seem to buy about one new one a week. 

This is what the hobby is to me and I'm happy and not the least ashamed/disappointed in myself/whatever.  For me the formula is:

 

                            Happiness = time spent in my space with my stuff.

       
       


LOL...and not a minute more!

K.C.

This hit home for me.  I have often purchased items for a future grand plan.  And then life's happenstances have come into play which causes various mid-course corrections.  We can't even imagine what these happenstances will be, but they come into play for all of us at different times in our lives.  Could be a job change that requires increased travelling... Could be a health situation... Could be time to raise children and focus on their needs... Could be the need to care for aging or health-challenged parents living in another state/town... The possibilities go on and on.  But they consume our time and focus.  Our interest in the hobby continues, so we continue to acquire -- still hoping for the time we can REALLY build our own miniature -- or in some cases not-so-miniature  -- empires.

 

Balance is important, but we don't always maintain good balance in our lives.

 

David

Priorities may change as one moves through the hobby: Acquisitions, activity level,  want's and desires, even scale can change.  It's a personal thing for every individual.

 

As far as acquisitions go, I have three mental lists in descending priority:  Gotta Have, Want to Have, Nice to Have.  Over the last decade or so, many things have moved from my Gotta Have and Want to Have lists to the Nice to Have list.

 

However, a purchase can still occasionally succumb to a momentary lapse of reason...

 

Rusty

I started in this hobby with a simple Polar Express starter set for my son.
Considering myself frugal, I originally intended to have an outer Fastrack loop with an inner 0-27 yard for switching. I also attended a train show and bought some post war accessories. To stay with my plan, I realized that I needed the somewhat scarce K-line low profile switches. That led to Ebay.

And as my knowledge increased, I noticed that I really enjoyed the hybrid hi-rail modeling and kit-bashing. Next came weathering.
All the while I was purchasing bit by bit, parts, paint, wire, tools, etc.
Finally sunk in that O scale requires a large layout if I wanted to landscape and moved freight and not just run a loop. Boring.
Next came lighting, and then the Powermaster. 
Conventional was now becoming remote controlled.
A very simple TMCC starter set, to satisfy my curiosity, introduced me to the next phase.

A run mostly TMCC now.
And have just about one or more of everything that I feel was available I'm my steam era. Mostly PRR and NYC. Nothing bigger than a Berkshire.
Lots of post war Marx and Lionel signals that I bought out of curiosity but decided not to use. Turntable and roundhouses and everything else.

Sometimes I experience burnout and other times spend countless hours rebuilding, detailing and modifying. Usually when immersed time flys faster than I would like.
I always end any secession with at least a half hour of running to experience the pleasure of admiring and sometime critiquing my handwork.
And always go to the layout the next morning for a minute to really review and take a photo to show friends my progress. Rarely am I disappointed with what I have done.

For me the void filled is my need for a continuos creative and technical outlet.
I feel that as a professional, I know my job very well and still learn but not at the rapid pace this hobby provides me.
And I know I will never be done.
I keep my earlier purchases as a reminder of how far I have evolved in my train experience. And still lubricate, tinker and run on occasion.

I did find a renews interest in the original Polar Express this Christmas and gave a raised Christmas layout with Expanded inner and outer loops. Added a Power master. 
Sc-2 switch controller so I can run on the couch.
Let the kids set up the porcelain buildings.
I added LED lights to replace the incandescent.
Then put as many post war flashing, wagging, ringing, etc signals on the layout and wired them in. A few bottles of Megasteam Hot chocolate, Christmas pine, and clove.
Kids are having a blast and it has renewed my original interest in the hobby.
Which is to have fun and doing something with the kids that we can all enjoy.

Mike H,

   I can fully appreciate what you are going thru, however I have found that what you are going thru is a phase that will change when you move to your new place.  For a lot of us engineering types, we need to be building or fixing something most all the time, when you use your train layout for this kind of mental outlet and you run out of space, it becomes frustrating.  After taking my fairly large layout down, I actually relogged

my mountain home in Potter/Tioga, with all it's outing buildings.  Building O Guage train layouts as a boy, is why I became a PWE, if you are like me, not having any space to keep building becomes a real problem.  It deminishes when you have another outlet or reacquire space to start another layout.  Hang in there buddy, the Phase will Pass.

PCRR/Dave 

 

 

We all like acquiring stuff, it's the nature of the beast (hobby) and we all hit that brickwall of no more room at some point. I have reached that point and have found myself wondering if I have too much or am I becoming bored with the set up I have, my personal conclusion was I was becoming a little bored since a good bit of the enjoyment from our trains comes from the "build" and I haven't built anything for more than 9 years so I felt it was time to tear down and start over. I've been trying out different designs on my RRtrack program and looking at options for the train room decor and have found that a good bit of my boredom has gone away. Will I ever build a new layout? Maybe. Will I continue to acquire stuff? Definitely but in a reduced and selective manner, I still have my Holy Grail items, a Hiawatha, Blue Comet, Southern Crescent passenger sets and a an Alaska freight set and they are my main focus when at a show or meet. Makes it a much more enjoyable experience to walk the show aisles knowing that everything I see isn't a "I gotta have one of those!", same goes for catalogs.

 

Jerry

There is something to be said about the Engineering Motto-
" If it ain't broke, take it apart and fix it."

Having accepted the fact that part of insatiable curiosity that I have is a dark side.
I may be happy inside but never truly satisfied with the external.

I believe this is a common trait of inventors, innovators and deep thinkers.
Otherwise there would be no motivation to improve things.

It can become a little obsessive and also a bit of a time waster if it distracts you from getting the important things done.

Absolutely agree.  Now that I'm focused on Standard Gauge, it's nice to just "watch and observe" the O-Gauge stuff.  Actually quite a nice feeling of "freedom" to not feel the need to dash out for the latest-and-greatest.  It started when I was cured of "reefer madness" years ago... And now it's just progressed to O-Gauge in general.  Nothing is on my "must have" list at this point.  Not even the new Big Boy.

 

And Standard Gauge being as big as it is (in terms of footprint) has somewhat of a built-in mechanism to not purchase too many items.  But on the flip side, even one Standard Gauge passenger train (loco + cars) can easily set you back between $2K-$3K.    That's another throttling mechanism right there.  

 

David

       
       




K.C.

If I were to criticize anybody for wanting too much hobby stuff I'd be the world's biggest hypocrite. True enough, only one of the o gauge trains here is actually mine (the OR&W set) and there's only one copy paper box of old magazines.

My other hobby is knitting and crocheting, and I use the kind of yarn that often gets thrown away when someone moves or dies. To put it in yarnie terms, I have long since acquired SABLE--Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy--and have quit buying more...most of the time...unless Goodwill has a easily sweet deal...or a yard sale has ridiculously cheap high-quality stuff...or I need just a little of this to finish that, which means some will be left over. A couple of years ago, I gathered up the whole collection and started making nursing home slippers and shawls out of the stuff that wasn't earmarked for anything specific. Also, I found that throw pillow covers conceal yarn. Don't try that with locomotives or rolling stock.

 

Seriously, unless your hobby consumes so much money or time that it damages the rest of your life, roll with it (Pun intended.) There may be no practical reason for grown people to play with trains, but knitters have people come up to them all the time and say "You poor thing, don't you know you can buy sweaters and socks at Wal-Mart?" The urge to make something with your own hands completely escapes them. 

Adding a couple of new items to my train inventory list (Modern era) on the computer last evening, I saw I have 485 itmes listed.Some of these listings are for sets so there are actually a lot more. And then there is the separate Postwar list with a couple hundred more.

Everything I have is in a small extra bedroom. Trains are in plastic containers stacked 8 and 10 high. Closet full to over my head. Walls lined with trains on display. Only room for a 4x8 layout. I live in So. California so no basement. Garage stuffed with train boxes.

 

And yet I still eagerly await each new Lionel catalog and "have to have" several items from every issue. My biggest problem is not really knowing where each train car or  engine is located in all the boxes. I labeled them on the outside but whenever I change items on the layout and replace an item in the box with another one it throws off the contents list's accuracy. So most of the time I run the same few cars and engines on the layout because it's too much trouble to swap out them for something else.

 

This is madness and yet it continues. And I like it! Who knows why?

I understand the feeling as mine comes out in the Christmas Layout.  Our home is not big enough for me to have a layout up all year round. So my wife gives up the living room at the end of October and gets it back around the middle of January.  Every year it seems that the Seasonal layout grows sort of exponetally at each Christmas Holiday. for example what started out when i first introduced my current wife's Children and her to Trains it was a simple 4 x 8 sheet of ply under the Christmas Tree with a G-Scale Train running under it. and from there we now put up a 6 foot wide by 10 foot long Triple deck main display which now runs 6 Consists 5 of Which are steam and One MP-15 Diesel and this year we have 4 sets that Run around the Christmas Tree One F-40PH Cat set and Three Pink Girls Sets Two Williams and One Lionel 1991 set

which leaves approximately 3 feet isles from the front door to the dining room and another Isle to the left which goes down the front of the main layout to the Wall in the Living Room.  There is really no more room for me to go width or length however I can go up Which I guess i am going to have to look at if i am to expand or be satisfied with what I have. so you see I have somewhat of the same problem.  As far as acqusitions go I still look out for rolling stock and accessories that would go well with the layout and I am always looking for something to add to the layout.  But I am almost at that point that I am out of room to add to the existing layout.

 Someone posted a concept I hadn't considered before. Some shelves from Glen in Buffalo to store extra engines and equipment! What an idea!

 I still resist the idea that anything is extra. I'm trying to run everything. Space is at a premium. Looks like I'll be giving in and calling Glen sooner than I had hoped.....or maybe another addition on the house???

Maybe a second level on the layout???

 Hmmm, what would Pops do????

Lots of truth is many of THE ABOVE REPLYS I think what Allan said in the last part is really good advice for anyone trying to put some limits in place.

 

Allan Said "

One suggestion I frequently offer to others is to closely focus one's interests to a particular road name or two, a particular era or region, or something else that helps to restrict the urge to purchase in a wildly random manner.

 

I try to follow this with the CN/GTW & SANTA FE Engines. Also I only use DCS no Tmcc or Leagcy so it restricts me to MTH Engines. Rolling stock is another issue all together so I do not do any Automated Cars, no Beer cars,only boxcars to match my 3 prime roads, no reffers,no cattle cars,no space cars. no Army cars.

 

I do like a lot of cars of particular kinds.

Like Passenger cars to match my 3 Primary roads. Even here in Passenger cars I do limit my ATSF to the streamline 21" made by k-Line and no other Mfg's and no Heavey weights. In my Cn I do both  Streamline and Heavetweights but only use GGD & MTH cars. In GTW Passenger cars I only do the Heavyweights by GGD & MYH.

 

I alsp like Coal cars but limit my self to the one style Bathtub GondolaBY MTH & LIONEL.

 

I also like Ore cars but find them very difficult to find the road names I like so I broadned out my quest with some of the Canadian Road names which fit with my CN power. I have CN, CP Rail, Ontario Northland, GTW & DM&IR.

 

Amother class of Car I like aare the Grain cars. So I follow my 3 Principal road names CN, GTW & ATSF for the vast majorty of the grain cars. However since I do have a large grain milling operation on the layout I do have a couple of cars each in many road names to add a little variety.

 

Another class of car I like are the TANK TRAIN CARS by Lionel.So I do have the White CN cars, The Black Cibero cars, black NS with White letters, the Black TANK Train cars with Orange letteringamd no other Tank cars.

 

I have some intermodal cars mostly made by K-Line but a few by Lionel and MTH.

 

So even with restrictions I probaly have TOO MANY TRAINS

My "O" layout is only 5x8, and it is FULL. I also have small "N" and "S" layouts, and they are pretty full. I have a collection of 1:43 cars, and my 3 display cases are FULL.

Fortunatly, I have other hobbies that take up very little room...collecting vintage 3-D slides and cards, old postcards, reading library books, travel, and recently, archery.

Layout-wise...how big is big enough?

Many people like to keep getting new stuff.

For fishermen, there is always a new lure to try, or some sort of tackle to obtain.

Those of us who like tools are always acquiring something new.

Same goes for trains.

Be careful though.

Many a collector started out as an operator, or armchair railroader and gradually crossed over

AHHHH, "crossing over"  perhaps to the dark side?

I am where you are.

The following comment is a serious on.

If you want to move to paradise on the suncoast Venice FL, you can buy my layout, lock stock and barrel, for $365K and get the house for free!

At our age, we want to move on and shed house for an apartment.

http://www.jcstudiosinc.com/BlogShowThread?id=958

 

I think the key, as Allan said, is that accumulation and building in relation to that, a layout and or collection without a goal in mind..that wants everything and yet nothing in particular ends up this way. To me, one of the end goals is to run trains in a manner or in a environment that is satisfying. When running becomes secondary to collecting or building, or worse..just boring, its time to take a break..walk away and do some thinking about what works for you. I limit my layout time simply because too much time there leads me to lose perspective. After my breaks in limiting my time there, I walk into the layout room with a sense of appreciation for what I have rather than what I don't have. After some time away from the layout, I do want to go back. What strikes me when I walk in is the comparison of what I had as a kid and what I have now. Not too shabby, is it? 

Hi Folks,

 

I joined a club when I ran out of room to run trains at home.   The club gives me a great deal of enjoyment because of the fellowship with the other members.  It has also given me an excuse to acquire more trains.  I realized that this is a big mistake because I was buying too many trains to "run at the club".

 

I decided to join the TCA so I could sell some of my trains.  This was big mistake.  I found that I was buying more trains at the TCA meets than I was selling.    I really enjoy TCA meets and the fellowship of other members.  I plan to remain in TCA just because the members are wonderful people.   I just wish the other members would leave their trains at home and just buy my stuff.  I can't seem to convince anyone to do that, however.  

 

The only TCA mistake I have avoided is attending York.  My friends always seem to bring a plane load of stuff back from York meets.  They keep inviting me to attend York with them.     That could really lead me into temptation.  I hope that resistance to York is not futile.  I would really like to attend "Thursdays and Fridays" someday and meet the other forum members.  I love the posts and photos of everyone enjoying themselves at "Fridays".

 

I have just remembered that "Fridays" is closed.   I have been saved from another reason to attend York unless you folks start meeting someplace else.  Please keep your new place a secret from me if you do decide on a new meeting place. 

 

My newest "train" buying problem is that MTH and Lionel are coming out with the same models that I already own with improved electronics.  Whatever happened to making a model once and then never reissuing it again?  What I dilemma.   Should I replace my PS1/2 and TMCC engines with PS3 and Legacy?  

 

There is just too much temptation in this hobby.  I suppose that I will just need to keep buying and selling.  Someday, hopefully soon, my selling will begin to exceed my buying.  

 

Good luck to everyone, like me, who can't avoid a "train" fix.  Maybe we need to start a "trains anonymous" group.

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

My wife always said my o-gauge hobby was OCD, after about 12 years I realized she was right!  Once I took inventory and put a pencil to it, it was kind of demoralizing!  I should have known something was off when the morning after each purchase, I found myself with "buyers remorse".  I did have a dozen solid years of bliss, and still love trains, but thank God I don't make the purchases I used to!  I shutter when I read of others disposing the disposable income, but we all have different triggers and situations.  The scary thing is with me, the thrill went away almost over-night, something I think is worth putting out there.  Frank Mulligan actually nailed it!

 

Stack

This is an EXCELLENT thread. Glad so many people are so open about it here. I think this should be a part of Trains 101 to slow down the newbees a bit and the golks who are rerading but not sharing on this topoc. It is a very important topic for all of us to take stock of our hobby and its potential issues.

Thanks to all who have contrubited their thoufgrs on this topic.

Gentlemen!  I understand your woes and have come forth to give myself as a solution to all that ails you!  Such as my savior who gave all for me I too shall give all (the space in my trainroom) for you!  

 

Give me your new, expensive, your hoarded masses of engines and stock yearning to be free....  why are you laughing?  

 

Hey!  I'm trying to be a good guy here!  

 

STOP LAUGHING GOSH DARN IT!  

 

You guys suck!