Ron

I wish I had some good advice, but I have the same "I like everything" disease.  At times I want to do a harbor scene, then an industrial scene, then just a laid-back lazy branch line.  Aghhhhhhhh.

You've just discovered one of the reasons that so many people chose to model a specific prototype.  The mix of scenery, industry, traffic, etc. is already chosen for you.  Of course, the challenge is in selecting a suitable prototype.

Most of us (all of us, perhaps?) have suffered from gottahaveitall syndrome.  Personally, I've had all sorts of scales, eras, prototypes, gauges, etc. all at the same time.  It took some time to learn that I cannot do it all and do it all well, so I chose to focus on a smaller subject that I felt I could do to my own satisfaction.

I was the same as Ken R.  Collecting a whole bunch of different stuff in different era's and scales.  I finally settled on a proto-freelanced rr based on the NYC in western & southern PA circa early 1950s.  I recently though joined a local model railroad club that has both a 1970s-present day HO Layout, and a late 1940's O Scale layout, that includes a proto-freelanced eastern type coal based narrow gauge.  So by joining the club, I still can model three different types of modeling, but don't need to buy everything for each kind, because at the club there are other members who pitch in with the equipment.  It's a win-win situation.  So if you're fortunate enough to be in an area that has a local model railroad club, perhaps they model something you're interested in but is different than what you settled on for your own layout so you can model more than one thing without breaking the bank!

Ken L

I encountered the same problem... For years the three ingredients needed to do what I wanted (space, time and money) didn't line up for me so I waited and dreamed. When they did finally come together I found myself still stuck in the "waiting rut". It was comfortable... what I was used to. Then one day my wife said "are you ever going to do anything with your trains?". So, I took a plunge and just started doing something... It sounds funny to say but it was scary. But just like a cold pool of water, once you get in the water is just fine and you find yourself wondering why you didn't do it sooner!

As Ken said, Maybe you need an external force (prototype) to give you direction and set some boundaries. With no limits we tend to want everything... like a kid in a candy store (or a train nut in a hobby shop). I had picked my prototype a long time ago but before I did I was very confused as to which direction to take. The prototype helped me focus and led me to use my energies in a more productive way by bouncing me off the walls back to the center of the track when I strayed too far.

To sum it all up... Pick a waterhole and just dive in! You'll have a blast!

 Two possible approaches:

1) Start smaller. Make a few test scenes, dioramas or layout fragments. Find out what you like and don't like with them. Write it down so you remember it.

 2) Try to decide what your overall goal or goals is/are. Why do you want to have a layout? What do you want to be able to do on your layout? What era? Why? What kind of place? Why? Keep asking yourself "what" and "why" instead of "how" until you have a reasonably clear idea of what your main goals are.

 Here is a link to a list of things a professional layout designer may ask you if you go to one asking for him to design you a track plan: http://www.layoutvision.com/id13.html  - they may help you organize your thoughts about what you want to have on your layout.

 Smile,
 Stein

I say, just pick a plan a go for it!

In one of the Allen Keller videos, Allen is interviewing Tony Koester and they are talking about planning a model railroad. Tony warns about not getting too bogged down with details in the planning stage. He uses the "Cannon Analogy" and says, just point the darned thing and fire it!

You're going to get pretty close to what you want, and the "bang" is half of the fun!

My current layout started as a representation of Norfolk Southern's Port Road - big time heavy mainline railroading. As construction progressed, I realized that some things that looked good on paper, were less desirable when converted to plywood, cork roadbed and flex track. 

I took a month or so break and reassessed my options. After massaging the track plan a bit, I've lost the thing I didn't like but kept the basic "mainline" placement on my benchwork. Now I'm modeling a freelanced pike based on a local switching railroad close to my home. 

Would it have been easier if I had spent more time in the original design phase and delayed construction until I had worked out all of the problems associated with my track plan? Probably...

But it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun!

-George

I just re-read your original post, and I am having a little trouble understanding your description of your benchwork.  However, I am going to suggest (somewhat against your no-pain rule) that you should not have built the benchwork without a track plan, and that you would be happier if you took it apart.  Unless there is a really good reason why you have to have that specific benchwork shape and size, you have automatically limited yourself and gained nothing by it.  10'x11' is a fairly small space for a full layout, so you'll want all the flexibility you can get.

I have three suggestions which you may find helpful.  All three start out the same way.  Figure out your givens and druthers.  What do you have to have, and what would you kind of like?  Do you want operation, or railfanning?  How many operators?  You need to come up with some realistic expectations, which will go a long way toward sorting out where you go next.

• Publish the exact dimensions of your existing benchwork here, along with some of your sketches and inspirations, and see what people suggest.
• Publish a drawing of the space you have to work with (including windows, doors, etc.), and ask for advice as above.
• Hold a contest, as Rob Teed did (and which I won, though I consider myself a rank amateur).  You might be surprised at the quality of the plans you receive.

What I would NOT do is just jump in blind.  While I like the idea of a chainsaw layout, and you can learn a lot about what you want by building something you're not 100% satisfied with, you have to consider the cost, in both time and material, of building a layout.  You also have to be aware of the fact that a poorly designed layout can put a damper on your enjoyment of the hobby.  Some compromises are okay, but too many or the wrong ones can be worse than doing nothing if you're not careful.  I have seen people give up in disgust after building their first (and only) 4x8 layout.  Do a little homework, learn from other people's mistakes, and you'll have a better chance of being happy.

and so you can probably fit everything you want in. This example is a bit extreme, but shows what can be done.

Just a few suggestions.  You mention the publications you have looked through.  Did you look at other scale plans other than N scale?  My current plan was designed for On30, but I converted it to N scale, adjusted it to fit it an 11 'x 11' room.  At a 1:1 conversion from On30 to N scale the bench work would have been smaller.  I was able to lengthen the track plan in two locations to more fit the available space.  It is a walk around plan.  I am working on my long bridges at the moment.

Someone once said, "in every program is a great sub routine trying to break out."  The same is true about many model railroad track plans.  Each track plan has something really unique and great.  For example you might see a yard section of track plan A that you really like.  In track plan B is another industry section you like.  You might find 4 or 5 of these sections you really like.

So, make a scale drawing of your space.  Include doors and windows.  Then photo copy those sections of track plans you like.  Try to arrange them in the drawing of the space you have.  Perhaps one section will have to be mirrored to make it work.  Once you get those sections placed where they fit your available space you can draw in the additional tracks that will connect the sections together.  I have played like this with Ian Rice track plans in the past.

I will have to agree with Ken.  The track plan should have come first, then the bench work to support the plan.  You might find yourself hacking away at your bench work to make adjustments you didn't plan on.

Den

N scale 1900-1930 West Coast Mountain mining.

You basically know what you want.  You want it all just like me.  I wanted the big rock mountains, deep gorge bridge scene.  I want a yard or two.  I want industries and towns to justify my trains existence.  So pick a plan with the flow you like, chop it in to viewing windows and go for it!!  Space being a restriction, but usually not for N, you can probably get really close to what you want.

My second layout was designed for HO, and I liked what it had to offer so I just cut all dimensions in half. 

Skipping a few others, my current build is freelance all the way.  I like several road names for various reasons so I am wedging, key word, into a layout so I can run them all.  And now as bench work and wiring is basically complete and I am DC'ing around the layout as scenery goes in, I find I am making minor adjustments for the better.  I am the type that must put his hands on it to realize the full design.  So changes are acceptable for me.

"luke, you must follow your own destiny..."

Remember nothing is in stone...its just foam, cardboard and wood!!

hope that helps

fritz