I've got my pathway figured out. First, I'm building MRROne from Jimmy at DIY and Digital Railroad. This will let me experiment for scenery techniques, kit building, some operations, minimal wiring and tracklaying using Kato Unitrack. After that, I have a few HCD ideas and then, hopefully, as time increases, I can do a switching layout that's a few boards applied based on a local prototype.
I love this! MRROne is a great railroad to start with! And to tell you the truth I'm on my 4th or 5th layout! Good luck! Don't hesitate to ask questions!
To Ostertag, I ran my layout for 10yrs before starting sceanery. Now 75 and I am spending g nearly everyday doing sceanery. 3hrs a day is about max for me to spend. Started at one end and spreading sculpta- molde & plaster cloth.painting also as I go. I need to build trees.
With a family, full time job, etc my modeling time is limited. That being said I always like to do something everyday, telling myself that gluing some foam down, tracing a wiring issue, installing a switch machine etc is always getting me closer to the finish line, even if I don’t get that particular task done, the hour here, 45 minutes there, etc. really starts to add up.
That was a great episode. From someone who was entrusted a collection from a deceased friend, it is bittersweet in that, yes, I have a collection thar is vast and . However, I lost a good friend. I gave away locomotives, rolling stock and buildings to friends, family and museums who entrusted the models in their collection. I also continued his legacy and research, which resulted in writing articles and hosting clinics. So for me, I mow have the means to create something I always dreamed of and still keep my friend's legacy going. Always try to building or create something. It's never too late to start and never to early as well. I create lists of goals for each work session and if I'm burnt out on one goal, I go for the next intermediate goal. For example: I'm burnt out on doing scenery or wiring; I'll build a car kit or weather a building or locomotive. Skies the limit. Keep motivated!
Thanks Joey! I really love what you're doing on your channel! And I love what you're doing in this hobby! It's been fun to watch you gain mad skills over these few years!
I've been in the Hobby since I was 20 y.o. I'm now in my 70s. I've always wanted to build a Narrow Gauge Empire because of John Allen and Paul Scoles influences in my model building career. I've designed and drawn and then started a dozen layouts never getting any of them to a running state. I've built so many structures and rolling stock and then wound up getting rid of them all. I changed scales and gauges so many times I lost count. The closest i ever got to a running, complete model railroad was a 7/8ths n2 garden line, but it wasn't what I wanted as a somewhat fine scale model that was immersive in it's scope. It took my wife's passing to make me realize that life is short and i needed to get going on a model rr that could embody my dream of a layout that i could reasonably build and somewhat complete in the time I have remaining. I ran across Boomer's chanel and i realized i could fulfill my absolute requirements of what i needed in a model railroad and could see it being accomplished plus have it running and it being in the theme I love from when I was in my 20s. Instead of building that Narrow Gauge Empire, I am building a compressed version of a branchline of the Empire. The rest of the Empire is now in the imagination. I have used the original railroad concept and story as an anchor to hold myself true to the ideas of my story from way back in my 20s but now it's a manageable layout build. I'm building in On30 using mostly modified rtr Bachmann rolling stock, many if the structures ive built over the years and some I've gotten from friends of mine. Already I have 3/4 of the benchwork built and have started laying track and turnouts, started some scenery bases in the lower town/port area. And I feel a sense of accomplishment and i look forward to accomplishing more each day I can work on it. I only need a few locomotives, maybe 4 or 5 at most. 2 are finished to a reasonable state and can pull trains, 3 others are nearing completion. A 5 car passenger set is done and a shorty business car is ready to go. About half of the freight car fleet is ready to roll and about 30% of the necessary structures are ready to be placed on the layout. I will be using flex-track and turnouts from Micro Engineering on most of the road for expedience however i love to handlay and so part of the line will have handlaid turnouts and trackage. What changed? I decided that for me, a model railroader meant that I should build a model railroad and not be a static model builder. That's what it took for me, not saying everyone else should think the same, just me and my thinking. The layout is a semi-shelf style with one section being a dramatic scenic feature that includes a huge wooden trestle. Mostly I'm having fun again even though it's harder to get outta that armchair thanks to old age aches and pains, lol.
I had recently purchased the book: Building the Right-Sized Layout. In the nineties, I dreamed of a coast to coast model railroad. Recently, I had dreamed of Los Angeles to Chicago. Then I watched a video about Sodor Island railway of Thomas Tank Engine and my interest in European trains was re reunited because I had a 1980s Walter's train catalog when I was a teenager, featuring products from Roco, Preiser, and others. I think I should build a modular railway. I also watched a video about a folding model railroad, built by a couple in Germany, using Marklin products back in the 60s.
What a great episode! I love the courage to tell it how it is. Funny thing, because I just produced a video on this very subject I have yet to publish. 😉 Cheers ~ Boomer.
Boomer! Thank you for tuning in! This topic had alot to do with your inspiration! You CAN be a modeler, you CAN be an artist! Also love how that SD35 turned out!!!
Missed it live, but for good cause….. I finally unboxed my 3d printer, learned to use thingivers, anycubics slicer, and the usb drive, and ran my first print. Haven’t checked on it yet, fingers crossed!
you are right, I always wanted to build a medium size layout but could never figure out how to make it fit in the space I had. Finally decided to build a 4 x 8 which is the Great Eastern Trunk by Atlas in there book 6 ho railroad you can build. At least it is double track and is providing lots of learning opportunities. Currently designing a block system so I can have two different types of DCC and DC at the same time. Why two types of DCC, it is because my nephew isn't using Digitrak like me.
I've stopped allowing any new projects to start until I get movement on a few of the many engine/rolling stock projects and get at least an 8'x18" shelf built so I can finally get some track started. My biggest holdup is literally having so many projects in the works that I've finished almost nothing. I had so much time during Covid shutdown that I completed some kit bashing projects and it really put into perspective just how much time it takes to model in a way that I enjoy. I have to limit my space and number of projects if I ever want a layout of any size to happen.
Same problem. I always get new idea before old projects are done. I do focus and get things done but I accumulate stuff on front end too fast to get other things done. This is a good rule to have.
Thirty years ago, I “finished” a layout and promptly abandoned it. Now a renewed interest means tearing it down and refinishing the room which is now a mess that has collected all the random detritus normally found in junk drawers and garage corners. So, the huge amount of non modeling work required has me feeling like a deer in the headlights.
You guys missed the photo below the trestle bents photo...........it is the area that the trestle will go......also the N scale trestle will be almost 400 scale feet long.....and built on a curve.
I've got my pathway figured out. First, I'm building MRROne from Jimmy at DIY and Digital Railroad. This will let me experiment for scenery techniques, kit building, some operations, minimal wiring and tracklaying using Kato Unitrack. After that, I have a few HCD ideas and then, hopefully, as time increases, I can do a switching layout that's a few boards applied based on a local prototype.
I love this! MRROne is a great railroad to start with! And to tell you the truth I'm on my 4th or 5th layout! Good luck! Don't hesitate to ask questions!
To Ostertag, I ran my layout for 10yrs before starting sceanery. Now 75 and I am spending g nearly everyday doing sceanery. 3hrs a day is about max for me to spend. Started at one end and spreading sculpta- molde & plaster cloth.painting also as I go. I need to build trees.
With a family, full time job, etc my modeling time is limited. That being said I always like to do something everyday, telling myself that gluing some foam down, tracing a wiring issue, installing a switch machine etc is always getting me closer to the finish line, even if I don’t get that particular task done, the hour here, 45 minutes there, etc. really starts to add up.
That was a great episode. From someone who was entrusted a collection from a deceased friend, it is bittersweet in that, yes, I have a collection thar is vast and . However, I lost a good friend. I gave away locomotives, rolling stock and buildings to friends, family and museums who entrusted the models in their collection. I also continued his legacy and research, which resulted in writing articles and hosting clinics. So for me, I mow have the means to create something I always dreamed of and still keep my friend's legacy going.
Always try to building or create something. It's never too late to start and never to early as well. I create lists of goals for each work session and if I'm burnt out on one goal, I go for the next intermediate goal. For example: I'm burnt out on doing scenery or wiring; I'll build a car kit or weather a building or locomotive. Skies the limit. Keep motivated!
Thanks Joey! I really love what you're doing on your channel! And I love what you're doing in this hobby! It's been fun to watch you gain mad skills over these few years!
I've been in the Hobby since I was 20 y.o. I'm now in my 70s.
I've always wanted to build a Narrow Gauge Empire because of John Allen and Paul Scoles influences in my model building career. I've designed and drawn and then started a dozen layouts never getting any of them to a running state.
I've built so many structures and rolling stock and then wound up getting rid of them all. I changed scales and gauges so many times I lost count. The closest i ever got to a running, complete model railroad was a 7/8ths n2 garden line, but it wasn't what I wanted as a somewhat fine scale model that was immersive in it's scope.
It took my wife's passing to make me realize that life is short and i needed to get going on a model rr that could embody my dream of a layout that i could reasonably build and somewhat complete in the time I have remaining.
I ran across Boomer's chanel and i realized i could fulfill my absolute requirements of what i needed in a model railroad and could see it being accomplished plus have it running and it being in the theme I love from when I was in my 20s. Instead of building that Narrow Gauge Empire, I am building a compressed version of a branchline of the Empire. The rest of the Empire is now in the imagination. I have used the original railroad concept and story as an anchor to hold myself true to the ideas of my story from way back in my 20s but now it's a manageable layout build.
I'm building in On30 using mostly modified rtr Bachmann rolling stock, many if the structures ive built over the years and some I've gotten from friends of mine.
Already I have 3/4 of the benchwork built and have started laying track and turnouts, started some scenery bases in the lower town/port area. And I feel a sense of accomplishment and i look forward to accomplishing more each day I can work on it. I only need a few locomotives, maybe 4 or 5 at most. 2 are finished to a reasonable state and can pull trains, 3 others are nearing completion. A 5 car passenger set is done and a shorty business car is ready to go. About half of the freight car fleet is ready to roll and about 30% of the necessary structures are ready to be placed on the layout.
I will be using flex-track and turnouts from Micro Engineering on most of the road for expedience however i love to handlay and so part of the line will have handlaid turnouts and trackage.
What changed? I decided that for me, a model railroader meant that I should build a model railroad and not be a static model builder. That's what it took for me, not saying everyone else should think the same, just me and my thinking.
The layout is a semi-shelf style with one section being a dramatic scenic feature that includes a huge wooden trestle.
Mostly I'm having fun again even though it's harder to get outta that armchair thanks to old age aches and pains, lol.
I had recently purchased the book: Building the Right-Sized Layout. In the nineties, I dreamed of a coast to coast model railroad. Recently, I had dreamed of Los Angeles to Chicago. Then I watched a video about Sodor Island railway of Thomas Tank Engine and my interest in European trains was re reunited because I had a 1980s Walter's train catalog when I was a teenager, featuring products from Roco, Preiser, and others. I think I should build a modular railway. I also watched a video about a folding model railroad, built by a couple in Germany, using Marklin products back in the 60s.
What a great episode! I love the courage to tell it how it is. Funny thing, because I just produced a video on this very subject I have yet to publish. 😉 Cheers ~ Boomer.
Boomer! Thank you for tuning in! This topic had alot to do with your inspiration! You CAN be a modeler, you CAN be an artist! Also love how that SD35 turned out!!!
Missed it live, but for good cause….. I finally unboxed my 3d printer, learned to use thingivers, anycubics slicer, and the usb drive, and ran my first print. Haven’t checked on it yet, fingers crossed!
Update- it worked. Not perfect, but pretty darn good. I’ll figure out the supports a little more!
you are right, I always wanted to build a medium size layout but could never figure out how to make it fit in the space I had. Finally decided to build a 4 x 8 which is the Great Eastern Trunk by Atlas in there book 6 ho railroad you can build. At least it is double track and is providing lots of learning opportunities. Currently designing a block system so I can have two different types of DCC and DC at the same time. Why two types of DCC, it is because my nephew isn't using Digitrak like me.
I've stopped allowing any new projects to start until I get movement on a few of the many engine/rolling stock projects and get at least an 8'x18" shelf built so I can finally get some track started.
My biggest holdup is literally having so many projects in the works that I've finished almost nothing. I had so much time during Covid shutdown that I completed some kit bashing projects and it really put into perspective just how much time it takes to model in a way that I enjoy. I have to limit my space and number of projects if I ever want a layout of any size to happen.
Same problem. I always get new idea before old projects are done. I do focus and get things done but I accumulate stuff on front end too fast to get other things done. This is a good rule to have.
Thirty years ago, I “finished” a layout and promptly abandoned it. Now a renewed interest means tearing it down and refinishing the room which is now a mess that has collected all the random detritus normally found in junk drawers and garage corners.
So, the huge amount of non modeling work required has me feeling like a deer in the headlights.
You guys missed the photo below the trestle bents photo...........it is the area that the trestle will go......also the N scale trestle will be almost 400 scale feet long.....and built on a curve.
If you have 30 minutes a day, you've got time to get something done. That's how I've built my Tampa Northern