Layouts do fill up, right?

• No and am presently red-doing the layout
• No and when I die
• As many as can fit on the new layout - still to be determined and then I'll probably have a few off the layout to rotate in
• When I die

I'm having too much fun to stop!

-Greg

Moonson posted:

The conversation transpiring on the thread about the Wall Street Journal's assessment of the impending inevitable demise of the model train hobby brought this to mind, these questions:

• Has your layout filled up? You may, now, be refining and re-doing it, but has it filled up?

Nope, not yet

• Are you done buying things for the layout? When will you have bought enough train stuff?

Ditto

• How many  locomotives are the limit for you? What about the rolling stock to go with them?

Wait, I'm supposed to have a limit? I always thought the limit was when the other half said you had to pick, new trains or keeping her

• When does the shopping stop? And the buying ?

When DOESNT it?

FrankM.

My 4X8 is filled-up, but needs lots of detail work.   I have  a larger 6X12 that I am starting over with (slowly).   Its been good to have two layouts in different stages.

Prior to me deciding on a geographical area, time period and dominant road name, my buying habits would be to purchase whatever I liked. Now that I have set these limits for myself on the layout, I purchase only those items that will fit those criteria. Not much new stuff being made for the Maine Central late 70's to 80's. I do find myself making some purchases and then modifying them and redecorating them to fit my criteria. 

Yes, my 12x12 layout is as full as I want it now. If I do get another building, vehicle etc something else goes.  I don't change my rolling stock much except on my #2 loop which I use for all the pre-war, passenger cars and testing. The other 4 loops have their own special consists that rarely change.  The #1 loop with 072 curves belongs to the Zephyr, the #3 loop has  special cars that I like such as the car carrier, the reel car, the two  van car, the Hooker chemical car, and the latest-a WP Feather  car. The #4 loop has operating cars and the shortest loop has the "old" cars which are 1945-46 era.  Lots of engines-I change them out frequently. Always looking for another one but might have to thin the herd a bit. Too many duplicates.  Then I have the Standard gauge-looking to get a bit more plus non-Lionel.

Moonson posted:

• Has your layout filled up?
• When does the shopping stop? And the buying ?

FrankM.

Good questions Frank.  A couple of thoughts:

When I first got into tinplate trains I saw pictures of tinplate layouts where every square inch was so stuffed full that you couldn't see anything. I said that wouldn't happen with my layout. It happened. Tinplate, being toy oriented, does not have the constrictions that a more realistic layout imposes. Anything goes, and it does. Yes, layouts do completely fill up.

Part of the hobby is "operating"; using the trains and working on the layout.  But we also have to come to terms with the fact that another part of the hobby is the collecting, which is by nature acquisitive. My brother collects coins. If you asked him "when does the buying stop?", the question would be meaningless. Why stop collecting? His entire collection takes up a couple drawers. The question really only arises for us because trains take up a LOT more space.

 I think a lot of us train collectors/operators go through a process in which our collecting "matures" or becomes more "refined".  Maybe there are better words for this process, but essentially; when you start out, your train room is empty and you buy whatever you like.  Now, with the layout and display shelves full and no space to put in more, the acquisitive aspect of the hobby is still there, but it is more focused. I see a lot of things I like that I don't buy. I'm interested in hunting for those few pieces of the collection that remain elusive.  It may take years to find them. The buying hasn't stopped, and the shopping hasn't stopped, but the focus is much more refined.

david 

Yes, the layout is full and I am at the stage of refining and altering, as you suggested.

The only items I have bought for the layout in the last few years have been figures and scenic items from Scenic Express.

The  limit to the purchase of locos and cars, for me, is determined by space:  I refuse to store any away out of sight.  On shelves or layout, they have to be where they can be enjoyed.  I am actually preparing some locos now to be sold, as I am tweaking my focus just a bit.

I don't know as the buying will ever stop.  Maybe my focus will change a bit more in the future.  I have also upgraded some of the collection as better examples became available.

Good thought questions, Frank!

I have an 8x20 O gauge layout that for the most part is filled to capacity.  I have a few little nooks that could use some detailing and I am in the planning stages regarding what additions I will make.  Sometimes just to freshen things up a bit I will move various structures and accessories to other locations.  If I move enough of them it almost seems like a new layout; keeps things interesting. 

I have more motive power and rolling stock than I really need but I enjoy swapping out engines and making up different trains.  I have not purchased anything new for a couple of years but I still browse quite a bit and may purchase again.  Trouble is there ain't no more room but where there is a will there is a way. 

Track is finished but for some ballast, electrical is complete but for some building lighting, loco purchasing is complete, scenery needs lots of work. This will never be done.

Yes. Full. Not good. The buying has slowed, a lot, but not stopped (mostly good deals on daBay on things I missed years ago - especially brass).

The selling must begin. The crowding does not make me happy.

Four yrs. ago I started with 6 X10, of course O scale filled that real estate up real quick including the buildings Etc. Have extended the layout which is now 6 x 18, between laying track, electrical and theme building, I have enough work for another year.

I prefer to say they evolve and not fill up. Frank I think RR's like yours, mine and a few more take on lives all there own. And that is okay because it never gets stale and the creative juices keep flowing!!!! For as they say its never finished. This is a great hobby and as made my life a lot richer(not money)!!!!

The current layout is filled up.  We've added as many sidings & yards as the space will allow and built several shelves.  We've even added a new siding off of one of our passing sidings and named it "engine overflow".

I'm still buying but at this point when a new addition arrives it means something else needs to be stored (for now).

I'm currently house shopping with plans to have the majority of the finished basement dedicated to a large layout which will allow for more trains.

I don't have a limit, but as I've gotten more and more items I get more selective.  And, if I buy a newer / better version of an engine, I sell the older one.  I plan on selling some excess rolling stock as well.

The shopping / buying won't stop as long as I have the money to spend and as long as new and better items get made.

Wow, Great and Wonderful Questions....My actual Train Layout is Completely Full. The buildings, houses, accessories, lights, Track, are all in place. The Scenery 95% Completed, the last, but not least, is to connect all the wiring.  This will be finished after I retire.  It's taken 20 years, many Good Friends, some have passed on, to get to this stage of the game.

Will the Layout Really ever be finished, No, it's almost impossible to finish a home layout....

Will I keep on buying Engines, Cars, Accessories, little figures, etc., Yes.  The limits will be less, as I will sell the older technology for the newer technology.  So, if there are new comers to this great hobby, that want to start on a limited budget, there will be a way to sell the older equipment for something, whatever it brings will help go toward buying the new.....

Do I have enough Engines, yes, am I content, no....Lionel is always moving the Goal Post, so to speak....The new VISIONLINE GG1 sounds Awesome...The new Alleghanys sound Fantastic....Where theirs a Will, Theirs a Way!!!! 

In the end, there comes a time when we all must sell, Health Reasons, To Enhance Retirement, and really to not leave this burden to our Wives....So, in a few years, 4, I will liquidate this Empire, and Spend my time, whatever's left, traveling with my wife and visiting friends with Big Layouts!!!! Oneday.....

Yes, Monsoon, it's been a Fun Ride, The friends we have made along the way make this hobby the best ever, The OGR FORUM, is a Connection via the Internet, that makes Our Journey more Complete....Thank You...Happy Railroading....

Great answer LARRY, Well stated.

I had the problem of "Layout Gridlock", but instead of curtailing my purchases, I created more room.

First, I built wood shelves that mount on the wall of the train room.  This is just a snapshot of one of the shelves.  The main shelf unit is about eight feet long and has six shelves.  The other unit is about four feet long and has five shelves.  

When the shelves filled up, I went with "Plan B".  I built an under layout cabinet to store excess rolling stock.  Each drawer holds an average of 21 freight cars.  The entire cabinet can hold approximately 126 freight cars.  More than I own, or foresee owning in the near future.  If, by chance, the cabinet does fill up, I'll go with "Plan C".  I saved the drawings for the cabinet and will build another.

I have waited a long time for the manufacturers to produce Penn Central equipment.  The last couple of years have seen a remarkable number of PC products offered.  Hopefully, we will see more items offered in the future.  I'm not going to let a lack of space keep me from getting what I've been waiting for.

Tom

Moonson posted:

The conversation transpiring on the thread about the Wall Street Journal's assessment of the impending inevitable demise of the model train hobby brought this to mind, these questions:

• Has your layout filled up? You may, now, be refining and re-doing it, but has it filled up?
• nope
• Are you done buying things for the layout? When will you have bought enough train stuff?
• I still have a garage I can fill
• How many  locomotives are the limit for you? What about the rolling stock to go with them?
• will let you know when I finally run out of room or wife will when I die 
• When does the shopping stop? And the buying ?
• when I die 

FrankM.

Everything can be swapped out and traded.

My new additions to the locomotive fleet are limited by the real rosters and locomotives most commonly operated on the Grand Trunk Western and the Soo Line.

I compared the frequency of real freight cars in trains to determine what to purchase for specific time periods represented.

Andrew

This is a great, great tread.

Thank you so much for the questions, but even better yet, where the responses. My partner and I laughed and laughed. Her response, wow, their are others like you out there like you!! If she only New! As someone that just turned 50 and my kids are in off or almost off to college and really just starting out in the hobby, I have to say, this has been the most fun I have had since watching my kids grow up.

I never want my build to stop. It took me almost two year to settle on a plan. some days I spend 30 mins, some days, like today, I spend 10 hours.

Thank you all, very much.

My layout is built so I can only upgrade buildings and I am out of shelf space 6 rows high and 105 ft long and trains in boxes so my rolling stock purchases are limited to the roads that I model.

Mikey

Yes the layout is full. I spent a year designing it so I could incorporate all the items I had purchased for a layout of "some size"? When reality set in with the space I had available it took some effort to get everything in I had wanted. I am "refining & further detailing" areas now. I don't see any major purchases in the future. I built what I wanted and am now enjoying it.

I am active in several train clubs and home layout operating groups.  Everyone that I know has too many cars and engines to put them all on the layout at the same time.

 This is a big problem for people who want to operate their layouts and display all of their equipment at the same time.  Basic operation requires that about half the tracks be empty to allow space for switching.  This is the reason that operating layouts have staging yards.

Loop runners can put much of their stuff on a layout because a train can leave a track and then return to it when the running is done.  Most loop runners that I know have far too much equipment.  Their walls are lined with shelves full of cars and engines.  

Most people also have cars and engines stored under the layout that never see the light of day.  I think that in some sense we model railroaders are hoarders.   This thread has motivated me to spend this afternoon digging out some trains that I haven't seen in years from under the layout.  I hope that I can persuade myself to sell some of them in the near future.

NH Joe

OMG! the worms are growing again! 

It's really a matter of personal taste, but invariably the layouts that look best to me are the ones that are not crowded and jam packed with "cute" scenes.  Such layouts have streets and sidewalks that are actually wide enough to accommodate vehicular and pedestrian traffic without looking like they're insufferably crowded slums.  They also have enough space between towns to provide the illusion of distance.

If a realistic layout is what you seek less truly is more.  For a good time anything goes.

Pete

My layout is not realistic, never meant it to be but I do agree that less is more.  I built a layout to reliably run my hoard of Lionel locos pulling  short trains of cars that I like.  If things were different in terms of time and money I would have a nice, large scenicked layout but it didn't work out that way. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate what others do and have done.