Stamp out layout boredom!

Charlie,

  I'm between layouts right now. I find interest in every aspect of our hobby...from temporarily using my workbench oval, reading railroad articles or books, working on railroad articles or books, sometimes just being able to look at my trains or their prototypes in person, etc.

Tom

My layout regularly changes.  Everything is changed engines, freight cars, passenger cars, buildings etc.  I look at my train layout as a work in progress and changes in real the world is an everyday occurrence.  By making changes it stays fresh and new so I never get bored.  I often sit and watch the trains run ponder possible changes.

I am the same way. I routinely change my layout to keep it interesting. That also allows me to rotate through buildings and scenery. It’s easy to do since it’s a basic green-carpeted plywood platform laying atop a folding table. Nothing is permanently attached.

Add a freight yard for switching. 😉

For many years prior to retirement, I annually created a Christmas layout in the living room and took advantage of a built-in cabinet at the bay window as a "tunnel." In subsequent variations, I used the top of the cabinet as an "upper level" and extended the tracks on trestles into the room. Later, I moved the annual layout into our two-stall garage, and it grew for several more years into a 19x22 feet, tri-level empire. After retirement, the annual development of an ever-more-complex  garage-based layout required more time and energy than I could invest after a TIA event and a cardiac incident.

I shifted my attention to a local modular club and later on to a modular layout at a nearby public library, which lasted five years and attracted more than 22,000 visitors during that era.  Then I designed and built a permanent L-shaped, two-level layout at home, which my great grandkids enjoy to this day.

Although its track plan is fairly simple, the layout has many action accessories, structures, Dept 56 North Pole Village porcelain buildings, O-scale automobiles, and people figures.  The kids enjoy playing with the accessories more than running the trains along admittedly monotonous routes, so OLB (Oval Layout Boredom) is avoided.

The track plan and some photos are attached for reference.

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

In my opinion the best cure for oval loop boredom is a layout featuring grades and multi levels using open grid benchwork. This allows for hidden storage yards and a circuitous path for you trains. My layout is 37 years old and I am never bored with the paths the trains have to navigate. For further info pick up a copy of Linn Westcott's classic book on model railroad benchwork. It's available on Amazon.

I've never been an operator on a railroad - just an interested observer. I'm content to be trackside and watch the passing trains. So, my newest layout, 10'-by-5', is just a single-track O-54 oval. With any track plan, but especially a single-loop layout, interest is created by scenery and structures. On my layout, there is a downtown, a river-valley surrounded with industrial buildings along the riverbanks, a truss bridge, a trestle, and a hill with tunnel. For me, the scenery and structures make it interesting enough just to watch the train pass through the countryside. It took me five years to build all the scenery and structures on the layout.

MELGAR

I have no problem with boredom.

Growing up, I was strongly influenced by the writings of Frank Ellison, John Allen, and John Armstrong, all of whom emphasized realistic operation as well as scenic appearance. After college, I was a regular operator on Charlie Carangi's HO PRR layout, which shifted my focus to prototype modeling. I'm modeling operations on the East End of B&O's Cumberland Division circa 1950.

The layout has been abuilding since 2003. Track and wiring are mostly complete, but scenery is in the beginning stages. Depending on how I feel and how much time I have, I can 1) just run trains and watch them, 2) operate my train schedule, with accurate passenger consists/stops from 1949, freight schedules from 1951, and accurate route switching for both, or 3) work on the layout.

I also spend a fair amount of time learning about the B&O, especially since I edit the B&O Historical Society's quarterly Sentinel magazine.

Recently, I have invested much time in learning Tinkercad, because I want to accurately model a number of B&O structures and rolling stock through 3D printing.

This forum has also involved me in new work on my layout, including TVS diodes in all locos.

I have a list of projects I haven't gotten to yet--weathering has just begun, I plan to gradually retire all cars with molded on roof walks, locos to be reworked to more faithfully follow B&O practice--it goes on and on.

Bottom line: it comes down to how big your dream is. Want more. You won't have time to be bored.

@Choo Choo Charlie posted:

Have others, after completing the layout, found it has gotten boring or not challenging anymore?   If so what have you done to keep the interest up in operating the layout?

Charlie

What to do if bored with the current layout? Why tear it down and start again of course!!  Now that the obvious has been stated , are you yourself feeling bored now or just pondering one of model railroading's great mysteries?  If the former, you might want to consider creating more realistic scenes of a favorite prototype, perhaps getting into photography, more detailed modeling, maybe start a small additional layout that is a switching puzzle, joining a club - even if its (gasp)...HO...and get into realistic operations, can you transport a small layout to say an elderly center or nursing home or pre-school place to entertain or educate them?  Just some random thoughts...

I understand the boredom with loop running.  IMO, having an interesting operating scheme with 3-rail trains is extremely difficult unless one commits to the effort and expense of converting to Kadee couplers.  Here's my approach...

Enjoy 3-rail trains for running while relaxing with a beverage.  Set up interesting consists and watch them.  Work on scenery.  I also enjoy collecting and running oddball stuff that you don't often see.  I like to tinker with the simpler stuff (older or MPC). 

To balance the loop running, I got involved with participating in operating sessions on scale layouts.  Great mental challenge, completely different from 3-rail trains, and a great way to meet other train enthusiasts.  Doing this also keeps the enthusiasm up for interacting with my 3-rail trains.  A great way to find operating sessions near you is to check out www.operatingsessions.com.   

I have a pretty big layout, 25' X 55', which includes four separate loops. There are a couple of subdivisions with switching opportunities. One benefit of the loops is during open houses... I can set up to run trains continuously, slowly, on the loops without intervention, allowing me to greet and converse with visitors.

@Ken Wing posted:

I also spend a fair amount of time learning about the B&O, especially since I edit the B&O Historical Society's quarterly Sentinel magazine.

Impressive!

I have a fairly small layout with two loops, 6 industry sidings and a small yard.  The switching and operating keeps me busy.  I just create different flows/scenarios for siding cars and picking them back up.  I also have a ton of work to do on my layout so, I often wish I was running trains instead of working on the layout.

@MELGAR posted:

I've never been an operator on a railroad - just an interested observer. I'm content to be trackside and watch the passing trains. So, my newest layout, 10'-by-5', is just a single-track O-54 oval. With any track plan, but especially a single-loop layout, interest is created by scenery and structures. On my layout, there is a downtown, a river-valley surrounded with industrial buildings along the riverbanks, a truss bridge, a trestle, and a hill with tunnel. For me, the scenery and structures make it interesting enough just to watch the train pass through the countryside. It took me five years to build all the scenery and structures on the layout.

MELGAR

Hi Mel, I have had a question about an area of this layout. The figures , I think looks like two figures along the creek, big bush.  Looks like may a guy lying down and may be a woman with a daring pad beside him. Am I correct?  Can you post a close up of this?

Ron

@PRRronbh posted:

Hi Mel, I have had a question about an area of this layout. The figures , I think looks like two figures along the creek, big bush.  Looks like may a guy lying down and may be a woman with a daring pad beside him. Am I correct?  Can you post a close up of this?

Ron

@PRRronbh,

Ron,

The two hobos are Arttista figures.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

@PRRronbh,

Ron,

The two hobos are Arttista figures.

MELGAR

Now I see.  At least I knew there are two figures.  Thanks MEL.

RON

A take away I had from some track planning book years ago was the layout is the stage, the trains are the actors.  Because of that and the nature of my basement the layout is linear and operates loop to return loop.  I also deliberately made viewing the entire layout diffucult creating separate viewing areas.  The trains traverse the scenes from both directions,  the return loops, there are 4, can hold a train while another enters the scene for a different route.  It never gets boring because I can mix it up.  Some days the play includes several commuter trains, other days the show may be freight with passenger trains mixed in.  I haven't yet exhausted the scenarios.

One feature I added to the layout to increase operating options and interest was to have reversing loops on each operating loop.  The original train board has an Oval and Figure 8 which allows revesing trains both directions.

Later when the layout was expanded to an L shape, the newest train board had double dog bone revesing loops to again allow reversing in both directions.

Recently I  finally figured out how to add a Wye to the outside loops of both train boards by cutting a couple of 1/2 inch ends off of two Marx switches to get them to fit the track plan where the two train boards meet.  The Wye can be seen at the bottom right of the first track diagram above.

Cut off section of one Marx switch, shown setting on top of the switch,  to allow them to fit track plan

Finished Wye below with two new Marx switches in center

The new Wye allows reversing of the outside loop of both train boards and allows transvesing from the outside loop of the new train board to the inside loop of the original train board.  Follow the track from the lover right to the black engine, upper left, in the inside loop of the origial train board.

Charlie

@Mallard4468 posted:

For uncoupling, I've found them to be unreliable and difficult to manipulate, especially when uncoupling by hand - Kadees are easily separated with a bamboo skewer or flat blade screwdriver.  For coupling, they need to be bashed together.

What do you use?  Are they reasonably priced and an easy swap?

I standardized on Atlas, MTH and Weaver diecast couplers, all with the old pull-down tabs.  I have more Atlas trucks and couplers than anything.  I modify them as shown in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03uVNeubKRU&t=13s

A problem you would have today in using this method is that the 400E-103 springs seem to be out of stock everywhere.  This is a common case with O-scale.  If you see it and you need it, buy all you will ever need NOW.  They may not be available tomorrow.  I bought 300 of the springs about 20 years ago.

I don't use any K-Line or Lionel couplers because they don't mate reliably (leading to bashing) with the other brands.  I also replace the electrocouplers on any Lionel locomotives with Atlas electrocouplers.

It's why I always only build a Christmas layout.  CHanges every year.

- walt

LOOPs ARE Boring.

However, if you add switches, scenery,3D prints, buildings, see the editor's layout then...

well it's NOT SO BORING!

                                                that's the best you can get.

@ogaugenut posted:

Mallard

I don't understand understand why Kadee couplers are required for realistic operation?  Seems completely possible with claws.

It can indeed be done. My last layout was an 11 X 4 switching layout, loosely based on John Allen's Timesaver. I used Gargraves track with Lionel uncouplers cut in where needed as covered in OGR Magazine years ago. You can test which cars uncouple reliably until you have enough that you need.

Tom

Getting bored at times is what keeps the hobby going. It enables us to make changes and most importantly we need something new so we go out and buy a new piece of rolling stock or a new engine. When that new purchase wears off we simply repeat the process. Why else would we have hundreds of pieces in our collections.

I experienced the "incredibly shrinking basement" phenomenon. The only viable solution to this is to expand the basement and/or tunnel to the neighbor's basement. If he or she is not into model railroading, they soon will be

@romiller49 posted:

Getting bored at times is what keeps the hobby going. It enables us to make changes and most importantly we need something new so we go out and buy a new piece of rolling stock or a new engine. When that new purchase wears off we simply repeat the process. Why else would we have hundreds of pieces in our collections.

Ok Good.......It's not just me! LOL

I understand 100%. When my daughter grew up to the point she didn't need half the basement for dolls, my layout expanded. It will expand again when the dolls are totally put away!

when my son moved to San Francisco for his first job, my layout expanded too.

Below is a 1976 objective statement for my layout

"A major objective of this layout was to make the track plan and layout active and challenging to keep the engineers busy with operation, switching of multiple trains and including many operating accessories, all to keep up interest in running trains and improving the layout."

One way to have activities is to install operating accessories to the layout and many of the operating cars are on the Operating Car Train. 

This Operating Car Train is usually on the bypass siding on the new train board, near the control panel and with the Milk car posted in front of the Lionel 3462 Milk Platform so it is ready for action.

The Lionel 3582 Milk Car is the main action as the little man throws milk cans at the platform trying to get them on the platform and stand them up.  The milk car is activated by 12 volts to uncoupling track in front of the platform.  The milk car is by by far the most popular accessory on the layout and loved by all young visitors.  I have 3 milk cars and two platforms to keep up with demand!

The next car on the Operating Car Train is the Lionel 3656 Cattle Car.  The Cattle Car and the cattle pen are another of the more popular Lionel Accessories and easy to find.

The Cattle Car and cattle pen do two operations.  The first is to unload cattle from the cattle car into the cattle pen.  Then the cattle car can go on its way with the train.  Later that cattle car or another cattle car can dock at the cattle pen and be loaded from the cattle pen.  This allows two operations and more realist train movements.  The Lionel 3656 Cattle Car and cattle pen also can load and unload cattle, car to pen and pen to car or to a second car on another train.

The cattle car must have Lionel accessory track and the cattle pen must have power.  I use variable voltage from the train operating Lionel LW transformer.  Variable voltage is a must to get the finicky cattle to vibrate and move correctly. I have a momentary switch on the control panel to feed that power to the cattle car and to the cattle pen.

Note:  White spots have been added to some of the black cattle with white latex paint and Flood Lights for night operation.

Another car on the Operating Car Train that does two operations.is the Lionel Barrel 3556 Unloading Car and the Lionel 362 Barrel Loader.  .

The Operating Car Train has a Lionel Ice Refrigerator 19825 car and uses a Lionel Icing Station 6-2316 to load Ice blocks to the car.

The last operating car on the Operating Car Train is a mundane gondola car.  This gondola serves the Operating Gantry Crane Lionel 12834 installed with tracks for gantry and the Oil Drum Loader, Am Flyer 379.

Charlie

Charlie,

Good to hear your dairy industry is flourishing! Some classic accessories there.

Tom

My solution is simple:  Walk away.  Come back when you're not bored.  As I told my offspring when they complained as they were growing up and they admittedly repeat to their own offspring:  Boredom comes from within, not from circumstance or environment.  Attitude, like many things in life, is a choice we make.

What, me worry?

There doesn't ever have to be any boredom with a model railroad. It takes years and lots of effort to build one if you make the benchwork, structures (from kits or scratch-built) and scenery yourself. Once the track is laid, run a train for a change of pace. After you've run that one for a while, change out the engine and cars. Then go back to the current project - say a structure, scenery or even ballasting the track. Be sure to photograph every step of the construction and post it on the OGR Forum or in articles for the magazine. When the layout is finished (100% of the table covered with track, structures and scenery), keep it interesting by running different engines and cars, and do your own maintenance on them. Buy new cars and locomotives and read about the railroads that ran them. Then, photograph your completed layout and post pictures on the Forum or write an article for OGR magazine. Go to train shows. Join a club. Visit railroads and facilities in your area. Upgrade the locomotives. In my opinion, there is never any reason to be bored if you have a model railroad, even if it's just a loop of track.

MELGAR

The trick to avoid boredom is setting up a track that has hidden features.

Tunnels, buildings,  hillsides etc are used to trick the eye. You want something to break up the action.

I once had a layout where two trains criss-crossed to change elevations but inside a tunnel.  Observers watched or expected the trains to come out on the same level.

To keep my interest, twenty-five years ago I opted to build a switching layout with 2 independently powered and interconnected main line loops, 9 sidings including a passing siding, all of which are also independently powered so I can park trains on the sidings and run other trains on the main line. I also have about 20 remote control switches and my layout is laden with many Postwar operating accessories. These things help keep the layout interesting for me.

Have your trains go to different places and disappear. To accomplish that, I tunneled through the wall so my trains leave the room, disappear, and then return.

Like Melgar, I also enjoy scenery and creating scenes with plenty of little people.

During COVID, I re-wired my layout (an enormous undertaking for me) and installed DCS, which I love.

A few years ago, I got excited about marine railroad scenes including the Lionel tugboats. To develop that, I created a removable river using foam board, acrylic paints and Mod Podge, with boats, docks, etc.

This OGR On-line Forum changed me from a lone wolf model railroader into one with a feast of model train friends.

I don't post as much on the Forum as I used to, and spend less time on my layout than before, and lately I spend a tiny fraction of what I used to spend on trains. That has a lot to do with my space and budget constraints, other interests, and I already have more trains than room to store them, and I hardly ever sell anything because I like what I already have, a lot.

However, my interest in model railroading, though not boiling, is simmering. And, I'm not one bit bored.

I continue to be a regular poster on Switcher Saturday, and start up STEAMday Sunday every Sunday.

Now, my passion is music and trains. I had the privilege of performing my original model train song and famous train songs like City of New Orleans at the NJ HiRailers twice this year, at this past York Train Show in April, and have been invited to perform the same mostly train related songs at the upcoming TCA Convention in Lancaster PA in June.

How does one keep from being bored with model railroading? I say be creative.

Arnold

@MELGAR posted:

There doesn't ever have to be any boredom with a model railroad. It takes years and lots of effort to build one if you make the benchwork, structures (from kits or scratch-built) and scenery yourself. Once the track is laid, run a train for a change of pace. After you've run that one for a while, change out the engine and cars. Then go back to the current project - say a structure, scenery or even ballasting the track. Be sure to photograph every step of the construction and post it on the OGR Forum or in articles for the magazine. When the layout is finished (100% of the table covered with track, structures and scenery), keep it interesting by running different engines and cars, and do your own maintenance on them. Buy new cars and locomotives and read about the railroads that ran them. Then, photograph your completed layout and post pictures on the Forum or write an article for OGR magazine. Go to train shows. Join a club. Visit railroads and facilities in your area. Upgrade the locomotives. In my opinion, there is never any reason to be bored if you have a model railroad, even if it's just a loop of track.

MELGAR

Excellent advice Mel, well said!

Gene

Everybody including their preferences change over time.  I was content to be a loop runner in my early years.  Over time, I found it much more fun to be actively involved in the operation of my train(s).

To me the "best" layout have the 3 Ps.

Plausibility

Purpose

Participation

In short, based on reality, has actual purpose, not just looping, and most importantly, the operators are actively engaged in the running of the layout.

My days of looking while looping have passed.

John C

Great observations on your evolution of train layouts and operation.  Thanks for posting.

Charlie

i have yet to build my first layout but setting up a loop on the floor does get boring after awhile

ATLEAST UNTIL I CAN GET A HALLOWEEN TRAIN SET LIKE THE FAST FRIGHT SERVICE OR SOMETHING SCARIER

sadly i'm not allowed to buy any halloween stuff right now

all i need is a scary train with creepy sounds / crewtalk and i'm good

and more room to play

I have built and dismantled several layouts over the years, primarily due to moving 3 times with the family and having to start over, currently in a major modification because the Lionel Challenger  I picked up is bigger than my MTH Big Boy and none of the curves have the clearance.  I think I bought every track plan book and books on how to operate your railroad realistically, and I learned alot about the things you have to have to keep interest up.  A train chasing its tail will get boring after a while, but, even a simple oval of track can be set up to function as a railroad and be fun to operate.  Not going into the details of what I think would keep interest up, but if you have not read any of the books on the basic things every model RR needs to make it interesting, consider spending time on that.  One of the best, "Track Planning for Realistic Operation."  I am not into all the card tabs systems and dispatching that they cover, but it explains so many things about why the 12 inch to the foot railroad does the track work the way they do, many of those reasons applicable to model trains too.  If I harp on anything, it is that every train layout needs an interchange track somewhere. This little spur off the table can explain every rail car and loco on you empire, and why your railroad exists, even if it is just a loop.

It has been said already, but there is more to model railroading than running the trains. I have had the best time building benchwork and making track adjustments. Plus I got to buy all kinds of power tools and such. I will be the first to admit my carpentry skills are terrible but improving. My skill at building structures is no better than my carpentry skills. I get glue and paint all over the place. What a mess, but what a great time I have making this mess.

If  I get bored, I break out the power tools. I may never get a “completed layout” but I have a great time trying. My wife thinks I am crazy sometimes , since I constantly disassemble and reassemble and maybe I am.  Better I disassemble my train stuff than our automobiles as my mechanical skill might actually be worse than my carpentry skills.

It has also been said here on forum, it’s your railroad, do what you need to do to prevent boredom.  Your options are endless.

I suspect one reason many of us overinvest in locos and cars is to mask the fact we are running our trains on the same routes day in and day out.  Different locos and cars open up different operating scenarios, and in some cases can move the locale you are modelling from one part of the country to another.