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Why do I do this to myself?  My Fastrack layout has been up and running for about 18 months.  Track only.  During this time I added an upper level then added a 15 inch expansion on one end.  Now just when I am ready to start some scenery and install some accessories I got this bright idea to add a siding to the front of my layout.  Unlike the prior two additions this will require lowering my control panel a few inches to accommodate the 8 inch wide x 6 ft long expansion. 

 

Why can’t I Just let this feeling go and leave everything alone?  Not sure what to do … I already built it out in RRTrack and it looks good.

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Construction of my layout got underway in 2008, and after running it for a few years I discovered it has a major flaw! NOT ENOUGH SIDINGS! So I recently made to small additions for sidings, but I need a coach yard for at least 7 more 8-car passenger trains. That's my passion, running famous passenger trains.

 

I have enough sidings now for the Hiawatha, the Crescent Limited, the Blue Comet, the 20th Century Limited, the Crusader, the Pocahontas and the Chessie. The new yard would enable staging of the Texas Special, and several other trains.

 

You need lots of SIDINGS, SIDINGS, SIDINGS!

Originally Posted by NYCGreg68:

Why do I do this to myself?... ...Now just when I am ready to start some scenery and install some accessories I got this bright idea to add a siding to the front of my layout... ...Why can’t I Just let this feeling go and leave everything alone?

On a subconscious level, or maybe even a conscious one, you dread making scenery.  Five cents, please.

 

Pete

I know the feeling well, but on this, the seventh layout I've made in 60+ years, I've learned to fight the feeling.  Quyite seirous here.  It might be time for you to do the same.  I recently resisted an impulse to build out into my furnace/equipment room and run track around the edge of that room, etc.  I recommend resistin, for two reasons: first, you can end up creating a monster - remember you have to maintain and operate this from now on, once created.  Second, if you add too much at the margins of your bench, building out,  you make it difficult to reach other things farther into the middle of the layout - this is easy to rationalize around in the heat of excitment when you are adding to the layout but something you will pay for every day from now on if you do it. 

 

There is great wisdom in Texas Pete's observation - humorously made perhaps but spot on - you like building benchwork and adding track, and yes, it IS fun - I feel the same way.  I resisted making further additions by reminding myself that these other things - doing scenery, adding buildings, working on vehciles and accessories, that was also fun.  I found that once I got into those activities they were just as much if not more fun.  You might try deferring the additions and "forcing" yourself to take up some other activity for a while, first.

 

and of course: if you defer this now, it will always be an option in the future, still. 

Originally Posted by Bobby Ogage:

Construction of my layout got underway in 2008, and after running it for a few years I discovered it has a major flaw! NOT ENOUGH SIDINGS! So I recently made to small additions for sidings, but I need a coach yard for at least 7 more 8-car passenger trains. That's my passion, running famous passenger trains.

 

I have enough sidings now for the Hiawatha, the Crescent Limited, the Blue Comet, the 20th Century Limited, the Crusader, the Pocahontas and the Chessie. The new yard would enable staging of the Texas Special, and several other trains.

 

You need lots of SIDINGS, SIDINGS, SIDINGS!

 

Bobby,

You're not done adding sidings yet. Look at this list of U.S. named passenger trains!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L...med_passenger_trains

 

Greg,

I think the new siding is a terrific addition.

 

Having a place to park my son's Polar Express might change my mind, but your comment that the expansion would leave nowhere left to go settled it for me: why not wait.  Leave it (and the pleasure of doing it, the option to change what and how you do it) for later.  It will always be there but if you do it now that's that. 

 

Meanwhile, isn't there somewhere to squeeze in a siding for the Polar Express, somewhere?  That sounds like an important thing to do . . .

Well, Majority ruled here, Sorry Lee I could not shake the itch.  Took me all morning to disassemble the control panel and drop it 4 inches to accommodate the new small extension that can be used as a siding or an extension to the mainline.  There will be two 048 FT switches on both ends off the main.  Before I re-connect my ZW I need to build out the additional 7.75 inches to lay the new track.  I stopped for today to eat with my family and watch football.   

 

Now I need to get to my LHS to buy some additional track and the two switches.  My son helped and is VERY excited.  Once complete I will take a picture to show before and after.     

 

Thanks to everyone for their replies!  

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