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Slow but steady Journals/Blogs
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New member 15 posts GregD New member 15 posts
GregD

I think one of the most discouraging things about a layout is the sheer time it takes to build one.  In this day of instant access to almost everything via the internet, building a layout is a long, drawn out process.  Whether its dull (or parts of it are dull) is up to you.  

But I've found the most encouraging thing to me is progress.   It doesn't have to be huge progress, but as long as I'm moving forward, I feel a lot better about my layout than if I did nothing for a week.   Case it point is the extension of the benchwork for my autoplant area.   The section shown below could have easily been built on a Saturday afternoon by most people.

Since my Saturday (and it seems like every other day) is usually filled with kid's activities, I need to make progress in small chunks.  This was built by mounting the 1x4 to the wall and slowly assembling the rest of it - one board at a time.

Its not very impressive.  But it keeps me moving forward.

019.jpg 
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CP Rail fan Active Member 35 posts
CP Rail fan

I hear you...

As a new father myself, your comments about finding time to work on the layout ring true for me. I try to steal an hour of work here and there where I can. The problem of course is that it can take an hour to get the tools out and ready for the job at hand, then it's time up!

Right now, I'm trying to focus on getting the "stage" of the layout set. By that I mean foam down, backdrop up and painted and track laid and wired. That way I can at least run trains, so the layout can give me something back, even if sits on pink insulation!

I've got a ways to go before I get to that stage, but I'm hoping to do it before the end of May, when the good weather arrives and I can fell OK about leaving the layout alone, until winter, which for me is when model railroading season really begins. 

 

I just try to keep in mind that most layouts are never "finished" and even most "finished" layouts are never finished. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Building an HO scale switching layout that models modern-day operations of the Canadian Pacific Railway in west Toronto. Visit my b log here .
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Jimbo 46 Active Member 59 posts
Jimbo 46

More about Progress

Having spent my professional life sitting in meetings, flying to more meetings and such the idea of building something you can touch and feel gives me instant gratification.  Maybe I've gone overboard at times like when I learned to run an excavator and came home with one. But the point is I take the challenge and break it down into meaningful steps. I do the reading, planning and gather the equipment necessary before I start. I've made a challenge out of each of these necessities.  The first time I read MRH many of the terms used were not in my vocabulary.  That too became a challenge ( I still have a long way to go).  The point is to set realistic goals short term and get the satisfaction of doing a good job.  I go to this website see the beautiful layouts, the mechanics of track laying, the weathering, scenery and the one I fear the most the electrical issues and I get recharged. 

Jim Miller
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arthurhouston Prolific poster 1,154 posts
arthurhouston

ways to Save Time

http://www.grandepacificmodelrr.org/html/grande_pacific_2008_forward_0.html   The grid you are building would be done a lot quicker if assembled as one piece and then attached to wall. Cuts out all of the extra cuts and corner pieces. You should drill holes for wires before you assemble outside using spay bit.  Here is link to pictures of my construction started in oct 2008.  
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seustis13 Active Member 89 posts
seustis13

Vertical Clearance

Uhhh Art, thanks for the link to your construction pic, but are you absolutely sure there's enough vertical clearance between the turns in your helix?  I model rural Maine in the 1930's, and so one of my industries is a potato warehouse -- perhaps you're modeling a mashed potato operation?

Sandy

http://www.sandysacerr.com
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