Don't be afraid - starting over is ok!

[malcoJOJO]

 

Hi All!   (NOTE: various links in the post lead to my blog)

 

A member on the forum recently said that my little re-do adventure might be of interest to some of you. I had a layout that was really humming along. Scenery, structures, and little scenes were in full swing. However, there were major items that were not working for me on the layout - a major one involved trains and operations, which I wasn't as interested in when I originally started. . After months of thought, I decided to tear the whole of it down and start over again. This was NOT an easy process! I had to have a large glass of whiskey before starting to pull stuff off my layout and pack it up! hehehe 

 

However, now that I have things the way I like on the train and track front, I'm SO MUCH HAPPIER! It's night and day. I'm moving forward on getting back to the point where I can get scenery and structures back on, but all in all it was well worth the effort to get things to a point where I'm no longer sad and disappointed when I run trains around the space.
So, I suggest that you make an effort to be happy with your layout without settling for "well....it's fine, I guess". Make it something you really enjoy!

Any other re-do stories out there?

More can be found on my blog:
https://n-rail.blogspot.com/

 

Cheers!

[serotta1972]

There's a gentleman in the forum who's on his 3rd or 4th version of his layout and like you he was more interested in creating scenes rather than running trains.  But hanging out here with folks like me who is more into collecting and running trains rather than building a layout have tilted the scale towards running more trains. :)

 

Thanks for sharing!

[gavino200]

On 11/27/2017 at 1:36 PM, malcoJOJO said:

 

Hi All!   (NOTE: various links in the post lead to my blog)

 

A member on the forum recently said that my little re-do adventure might be of interest to some of you. I had a layout that was really humming along. Scenery, structures, and little scenes were in full swing. However, there were major items that were not working for me on the layout - a major one involved trains and operations, which I wasn't as interested in when I originally started. . After months of thought, I decided to tear the whole of it down and start over again. This was NOT an easy process! I had to have a large glass of whiskey before starting to pull stuff off my layout and pack it up! hehehe 

 

However, now that I have things the way I like on the train and track front, I'm SO MUCH HAPPIER! It's night and day. I'm moving forward on getting back to the point where I can get scenery and structures back on, but all in all it was well worth the effort to get things to a point where I'm no longer sad and disappointed when I run trains around the space.
So, I suggest that you make an effort to be happy with your layout without settling for "well....it's fine, I guess". Make it something you really enjoy!

Any other re-do stories out there?

More can be found on my blog:
https://n-rail.blogspot.com/

 

 

Nice blog! Thanks for posting. Your building work is amazing. I especially like the Japanese adds that you've added.

 

Is there a page where you talk about what specifically you didn't like about your previous layout? Do you have a before and after layout plan comparison, or a good "aerial" photo of each?

 

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by gavino200

[yakumo381]

Air-conditioning units hanging from windows...! How have I missed putting these on buildings on my Niihama layout...

 

I must have had a blind spot for these as thinking about it virtually every older building in Japan seems to have them.

 

Are they out of a kit or did you custom make them?

 

You've just given me a job to do... ;-)

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by yakumo381

[malcoJOJO]

On 11/29/2017 at 8:27 AM, gavino200 said:

 

Nice blog! Thanks for posting. Your building work is amazing. I especially like the Japanese adds that you've added.

 

Is there a page where you talk about what specifically you didn't like about your previous layout? Do you have a before and after layout plan comparison, or a good "aerial" photo of each?

 

 

Thank you!
I don't really have a before and after shot - at least not that i know of. There is an aerial view somewhere, but I need to track it down.
I have a crude drawing of what things are looking like now up here - http://n-rail.blogspot.com/2017/07/nrail-layout-rev-03-overview.html

I also have a video talking about what i didn't like up here, I believe: http://n-rail.blogspot.com/2017/05/do-i-really-want-to-tear-all-of-this.html

 

Basically, it was the fact that I could run my "high speed" trains around in a full loop, my tram in a full loop, but my freight was stuck on a very small point to point style that was only about 12'. So it was a silly look for me - running a long train from one side of a wall to another. It wasn't interesting on the switching side either. So....KA-BOOM! hhehehehe

Thanks for reading!

[malcoJOJO]

On 11/29/2017 at 1:40 PM, yakumo381 said:

Air-conditioning units hanging from windows...! How have I missed putting these on buildings on my Niihama layout...

 

I must have had a blind spot for these as thinking about it virtually every older building in Japan seems to have them.

 

Are they out of a kit or did you custom make them?

 

You've just given me a job to do... ;-)

 

The devil's in the details, as they say! hehehehe  I'm compelled to do these little things. It's what I really enjoy. The KATO building offerings really need some internal stuff, IMHO. Especially the ones with massive windows. They look empty otherwise. So, I did a lot of work inside of them that you notice if you look. http://n-rail.blogspot.com/2013/05/shizuka-building-build-out-interiors.html

Sankei has many detail parts like this. I believe that's what you are referencing. "Private House Objects"
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10198758
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10198759

You could probably just get some card stock and do them yourself. They are so small that you have some room for error. But, the kits do have some details.

OH! Found my drone fly over video! hehehe  http://n-rail.blogspot.com/2015/07/shizuka-and-soyokaze-drone-fly-overs.html

 

Cheers!

[cteno4]

Really nice work malco! Love the building interiors, really great details. One of our club members got into doing this and really had fun being creative with the businesses and and such in each floor. He even did one floor of a highrise as a sumo museum!

 

glad the layout is now more as you like it, always important to be happy with it to keep it moving. Painting ones self into a corner is a common trap in model railroading and not being willing to walk out and fix it kills the hobby for many.

 

kudos again on the layout!

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[Pauljag900]

Hey,I only just found this thread👍😂😂I m exactly the same,I started out wanting a nice lay,out and Trains were secondary but now things are a bit diferent.I m about dismantle mine for about the fourth or fifth time and start again.As it is mine is a bit dificult to reach in certain places and a minimum of dismantling is required to deep clean.Admiitedly I m not getting any younger and have some issues with knees and hips so I want to make it easier to maintain and now my priorities have changed somewhat and I want to sit and watch my Trains without it being a massive effort to get it working all the time.

My initial thoughts are to keep the track plan simple but with a nice station area and lots of sidings to display my Trains.So my thoughts are to have four double loops set at three heights with no ups and downs but they will crossover at the front..A nice raised viaduct station on one side and ground level on the other with a lot of sidings.

I ve made a start and will do what I can over the winter but will work on the tram layout indoors for now.