Which is more fun - building a layout or running trains?

I really enjoy building the layout, wiring, scenery  etc.  I get tired quite easilt jusy running them around. Even when I had room sizes layouts 300 sq ft, I found I was happier when building them.

Planning and building is part of the creative process.  Running is part of all our fantasies.  

Acquiring the collection of trains to run is also part of the fun.  Repairing and maintaining also figure into the equation.  All parts equal the whole of it.  Bob S.

building.  I still haven't figured out what running trains really means.  all mine go in a circle.  even my cat can make the prediction that it will come back around.  maybe that's my problem, I need some "reason" for my train to go in a circle.

I like both, but I don't like the carpentry/bench work part. Ordered some Mianne bench work and had a 6'x16' starter layout ready to go in just a few hours. It was also very light weight and easy to do and quite sturdy when finished. I do like just about everything else, track laying, model building, roads, wiring, lighting, train running, command control systems (both), electronic projects etc. that go along with the hobby. I find the electronics just as much fun as the trains. New train catalogs and new trains are very exciting as well.

 

I don't think I will ever be finished. There will always be something to do or something that needs to be upgraded or changed, another electronic project to add, more signals,  re-route some track, move a siding or a building or two, add a light etc. As soon as some things  are finished you might find something you wish you would have done differently, at least I sometimes do. I think there will always be something to fiddle with.

Everyone's trains ultimately come back the same place.  When they don't, you need to begin to worry.  Reason enough.

Tough call, but i think model building and detailing comes first, then planning and then running. My layout was complete enough over 10 years ago to be the site of the first of three of the local NMRA division's layout tours. However, i'm always adding details and upgrading areas -- hence, "The Not-So-Great Eastern aka the Never Done Lines"

 

On the other hand it is always fun to hand the NMRA guys (mostly HO and N railroaders) some Cab1's, and then looking at the expressions on their faces while they run the trains.

 

jackson

Trains just going around in a circle is what got me tired of my first train set when I was a boy.  I didn't have switches but I added a few pieces of straight track to make a bigger oval.  My big thrill was building my first layout with my mom.  Dad furnished some old plywood from the back of an automotive display piece and we were off.  We got all Plasticville buildings and made a small town.  Painted the streets and sidewalks and mixed coffee grounds in with the paint for grass and gravel roads.  It was so much fun until the layout was done and the train still just ran around in an oval.

 

I keep building bigger layouts with longer mainlines, plenty of switches, double-track mainlines, tunnels so the trains disappear for awhile,  aisle dividers so you can't see all the mainline at once, but the trains still are going around in a circle.

 

BUT, when friends are over we operate our trains and they have a reason for doing something and going somewhere and the magic is back.

 

The fun and magic of designing and building a layout has never gotten old.

 

Appreciate your interesting and thought provoking responses.  Please keep them coming.

 

Art

I find both equally therapeutic. I find the designing aspect especially nice because I can work with various space challenges. That's why I often assist forum members when they hit a roadblock.

I would like to say both. But I think running trains is more fun and once you lay the track down and run a train the building of the layout goes on the back burner. It did in my case. So for a number of years the trains ran and nothing was done layout wise. Last year I did a reverse and worked as much as possible on the layout and now I like doing both.................Paul

I hate bench work.  Like detailing and running trains though.

Other than working on the rolling stock, structures and detail stuff you see on a finished layout, I pretty much enjoy running trains the most, no question.

Building a layout has hardly been anything but work. For every task, I keep thinking of the 3-4 more behind it to get the layout in a position where I can actually run trains. I'm much closer than I was a while back but still, all I see is an unfinished jumble of wood, cork, plastic and brass with some scale models sitting hapazardly atop it.

Scenery is still in the future after I can actually run trains on my layout.

After this experience, I seriously question the sanity of people who take on those massive layouts, as I'd never get one even close to being considered completed.

The guy who helped me wire the layout for DCC kept saying, "Remember, this is supposed to be fun," to which I'd answer, "Yeah? I must not be doing it right, because it hasn't been fun yet."

I got back into model railroading after being gone for many years once I started doing op sessions on other layouts and found that you can really enjoy running trains, much more so than in a circle. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be back into the hobby, so that's the part I'm looking forward to the most.

Running trains is more fun.

But building a layout is a necessary evil. And I like my layouts scale detailed. Used to love doing scenery. We'll see if I can into it on my next layout. 

After thinking about this for awhile I came to the conclusion that for me the answer is along the lines "The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill".  Over the years I have built and landscaped numerous layouts but when i was building them I couldn't wait to runs trains on the completed layout.  After running trains for an extensive period of time I began to ache for a new layout and the whole process began all over again.  I'm quite certain I'm on my last layout now because old father time has quite honestly caught up with me, at least as far as layout building is concerned.  I love running trains on my latest layout but must admit I dream about building another. 

Building the layout is just as fun as running trains. 

After more than a year and a half doing my rebuild I'm just about done with the heavy work. It's down to fine detailing. Getting to work on 1'X2' areas to try and  make it look  good. It's a lot more fun doing the fine tuning I think.

 

But to answer your question, it's both. Each one has it's benefits to me. Some times it's very relaxing to build something, other times just watch the trains running on what has been built. Best of both worlds.

 

Larry

 

Still having fun either way

I like the building part of the layout. Just the thought process of where something should be is my favorite part.

 

BUILDING...I am having the time of my life building my Lazy L.

I have not had this much pleasure for as long as I can remember.

My creative juices keep surprising me as well as my wife.

Still in the process

 

For me it's building the layout,running trains is OK,but i get bored after awhile & i start looking for changes to make,i have been working on my second layout for about 6 months,& i still have plenty of work to do.

With friends and TMCC or Legacy give me running and operating.

Ray

To me the researching the period, planning the layout, buying items and building the layout are all fun. Once the fun of running trains starts I can still enjoy adding figures and vehicles and other new items.

YES!  Russ

Maybe I'd enjoy the build more if I didn't have to work so hard to squeeze in time to do anything. Between my day job and doing art/design projects for clients at night, I have almost no time to work on anything much...

For me both- would be hard to choose!  

I think that I most like building the layout.

 

Bob C.

Building the tables, then re building the tables because the love of my life said they were too high. I don't have the "eye" to build a town and other scenery but there are several buildings. A few oil wells, a barn that add to the scenery. The laying of track was a lot of fun just to see if the entire track would fit.

At the end of the day, the enjoyment of seeing 5 trains run around the tracks just can’t be beat.

 

 

I enjoy it all

 

Brent

I got a friend that's never done anything with trains trying to get one section pieced together just so I can run one train while I rehab from Rotator Cuff Surgery.   My left arm is in a sling except whenever I'm at Physical Therapy or doing my exercises at home so I can't do anything on the layout myself. After I get healed up then I can get back to work rebuilding the layout expansion.  So for now I just want to run a train,  when I'm healthy again ( hopefully ) I can get back enjoying building, laying track, & wiring and I hope my friend will catch the train hobby bug and want to keep helping me with it. Then maybe someday we can run the trains together.

Hello Art • I have three children and this would like being ask. Who is your favorite child. Can not be done. But, you are asking about building a layout or running trains.  

     I would have to say running train. I have tubular track which gives off its own Rail Sounds. 

     So, here it goes, Having an adult beverage and running trains is on the top of my bucket list. Find myself running a NYC Steam, LionChief Plus the most fun. Simple fun with a lot of action at two puffs, not four.

     Cheers from the Detroit & Mackinac Railway

Excellent topic! 

Both aspects of the hobby are enjoyable for me.  I also take great pride when guests see the layout.  

I really enjoy designing and building modules on the layout.  I also enjoy the basic fab work.  Plus, it gives me a good excuse to go to lowes and use power tools!  

 

All in all, my favorite thing is the first time running a train through a just completed section on the layout.  When it all comes together, it's a beautiful thing! 

Or maybe just more trains going around in a circle...

 

 Looks great when you turn off the lights and run em too.

What a great question CHUGMAN……….  six of these, half dozen of those…….

Great question. I really enjoy the designing and building with the reward being able to see the trains running through great scenery. Ahhh, but then the urge kicks in to start again!! That is the beauty of this hobby.

I love buying things at trains shows. It's a huge rush for me.  I like knowing I can build up my layout.  I do love running trains also

Favorites:

 

1.  Proto-ops, either on my railroad, or somebody elses. 

2.  Getting my railroad built for proto-ops. 

3.  Performing the necessary research to get my railroad ready for proto-ops.

 

Item 3 provides me hours of enjoyment, and I can do it while the hockey game watches my wife. 

 

For example, I wanted to add a brewery to my layout in South Spokane.  So I started researching breweries.  Discovered the Milwaukee Road "Beer Line".  Found a really great layout plan for the Beer Line in a 2011 Model Railroader.  That spawned even more research into the Beer Line, which meant learning more about the plethora of manufacturing companies like Continental Can, American Motors Milwaukee plant, the Schlitz, Pabst, and Blatz (some didn't consider this beer) breweries, Evinrude (OMC) plant 1, and a whole host of others.  All industries that are gone.  Places I knew about when doing my job search after university, drove past when I lived and worked in Wisconsin, and wish I paid more attention to in my younger years. 

 

I quickly realized that the Milwaukee breweries were too big for what I wanted to do, so I started looking at the old Olympia Brewery operation in Tumwater WA, which is also gone.  That plan scales down more to the space I have available. 

 

I wanted to incorporate an operation similar to the old Reynolds Metals complex in McCook IL into my railroad.  Found a Yahoo group for the IHB that answered some of my questions about this plant.  Still more unanswered questions, but researching the answers is part of the fun, and is a constant learning exercise. 

 

I especially like making my vision of the world come alive in my basement.  Building a behemoth like I'm building doesn't get done individually, and equalizing horsepower hours with three other individuals that I have known for years fills out the fun (and they are part of my operating crew).  We have each contributed to each other's layout over the years, and the experience has been very rewarding.  

 

I'll be much happier though when I get to operate my vision in my basement. 

 

Regards,

Jerry  aka GNNPNUT

 

"So much to do, and so little time". 

Jerry - I really enjoyed your story about doing research for your layout.  I can relate in the sense that I too enjoy operating sessions and am striving to make them more realistic.  I get a lot of pleasure out of attempting to recreate vignettes of scenes that have special meaning to me.  Examples would be where I remember watching trains as a boy or store or businesses that influenced my life in some way.  Where I bought my first train set, my first bicycle, or first new car are other examples.

 

Art

Chugman - excellent topic, I've been meaning to chip in.  I love designing and building layouts.  The track plan, the carpentry, everything, but most of all the sticktoitness it takes to get something built and RUNNING TRAINS.  When guys are saying their favorite part is building, what does that mean?  Planning something on scarm for two years, or ordering Mianne benchwork that sits unassembled for the same, with no track plan in mind?  To me 'building a layout' is getting to the point of running trains - phase one.  Get it done quickly.  The rest is fine tuning and finishing - phase two.  This is the secondary part of building a layout. I like to build craftsman kits and make scenes and scratchbuild.  Did I use the word build enough?

I had a nice TMCC layout that I recently disassembled.  It was a great operating layout with operating accessories, all the IC control boxes operating, all Ross track, just really cool, all it needed was a two track yard to be perfect.  That being said, I never really operated it to it's full potential until the last six months before I had to tear it down.  Life gets in the way sometimes.  I did run a lot of loops on that bad boy, dumped a lot of log loads, picked up a ton of metal with my crane, moved some freight, blew some smoke, made some nice dioramas, learned a bunch and had a lot of fun.  Enjoy running your layouts when you can.  When they're gone, you may find you miss them.  I am reevaluating what I'm doing next.  Right now I'm 'operating' a prewar standard gauge set on my floor.  Planning on building again soon!  Cheers.      

Defiantly building the layout.

 

I enjoy the scenery the best.

I defiantly built my last layout.  Probably a major reason it's ashes and in boxes right now...

 

D E F I N I T E L Y  similar posts.

This is the train version of the quintessential 'which came first, the chicken or the egg' question!  They both are more fun than the other - it just depends on when you asked the question.

-Greg