What's your biggest layout regret?

[bill937ca]

Ever since I first bought Japanese trains and Japanese track it seems there is always something new, something else that I want to buy.  A little while ago I started a list of all the layouts I have had since 2006-2007.  It seemed like  every order created any opportunity to do something new and quite possibly something I never really anticipated at the onset.

 

About 18-24 months ago I thought permanent ballast was a great idea for the large train layout, but now as my train collection has grown I regret this decision.  I'm not in a position to change this at this time, yet the permanent ballast is hindering my options in adding more tracks to the layout.

 

I now favor what I call a Japanese style running track, basically three or four tracks around the layout so I can run a  maximum number of trains.  I visualize it as being something very much like parts of the Yamanote line in Tokyo. I also desire the ability to change the layout in the future.  Nothing too permanent in design.

 

In time I will figure out a solution, but if I had just held back on the temptation to ballast.  I know some of you are probably thinking 'what no ballast?', but I one of the original appeals of Japanese trains was the temporary layouts like JRM or East Penn Traction.

 

It could be worse, at least I can run trains and Japanese trains. Not everyone can do that!  

[KenS]

I'm still building my layout, so it's a bit early for regrets (unless it's "I wish I had more room for the layout"  ).

 

On my first layout, my big regret was a limitation (imposed by the table size) from stations that could only hold a six-car train.  I've fixed that on the new one, with 11-car commuter/subway stations and one 16-car Shinkansen station.  Perhaps I'll regret not having room for 15-car suburban commuter trains, but the physical space wasn't there for that.

 

As you may have guessed, I too like the Japanese approach to tail-chasing multi-track layouts.  Perhaps not very prototypical, except for the Yamanote line, and it certainly wouldn't fit a layout intended for "operational" freight railroading. But it could be used for passenger train "operations" (scheduling, precise stops at stations, etc) if I wanted to do that.  And mostly I just want to run trains in and out of stations, and for that it's perfect.

 

I have pretty much locked myself into a specific track plan.  And perhaps I'll regret that one day.  Not today though.

[Martijn Meerts]

I regret the decision to not stick to a certain era and/or region. On the other hand, if I decide to stick to a certain era and/or region, I regret that decision ;)

 

I have to say though, that I'm *REALLY* getting tempted to go steam only ;)

[Mudkip Orange]

Not having enough money to make it bigger.

[qwertyaardvark]

I guess most first-timers get this feeling, but severely underestimating the total work resource (more than you thought), frequency of work (more often than you thought), order of work (not what you thought) and financial resource estimations (from experience, always ALWAYS just double your first estimation, FOS = 2). For my current layout, I feel like I bought the right parts, but at the wrong time. Hardware (airbrush and compressor) should have come earlier to finish the buildings, so I could finalize the layout of said buildings, to make the foundations and roads for said buildings. I have layout and buildings, but no airbrush or compressor. PHAIL. As always, planning is indispensable, but I guess learning lessons the hard way is what the first layout is for anyways. At least that much I planned for.

[Bernard]

Wow Bill where do I start? 

One is straying away from my original plan of have the 4 tables movable from one another, they are now permanently locked together. At one point I thought the plumber was going to have to get to the pipes under the table, that would have been a nightmare.

First going with Altas turnouts and then switching to Peco, that was an expensive misfortune.

 

Still questioning if I'm going too far on the layout by adding the Viaduct line or should I go back to what I originally had? (Possible regret)

Question: Am I allowed to add to the list as I start thinking more about it? 

 

But in all, I have to say I am very fortunate....even with the problems and things I would have done differently, just to run trains is enough to make me happy.  :cat:

[westfalen]

Not discovering T-TRAK sooner.

[to2leo]

NO REGRETS!!!!

[nik_n_dad]

Not listening to my #1 customer...my kid.

 

We've remedied it on the new layout that we should get going on within a couple of weeks

[railzilla]

Before i built me layout i read a lot in different forums and magazines and i also visited some train shows. Based from those inputs i decided to build a layout using Peco Code 55. So I ordered Peco tracks ans points. after many hours of work i had a working layout. The switches where operated by tortoise slow moving motors and i could even control the whole thing from my laptop. But i just spent to much time on it. Also because the wood was moving i had some problems especially with the turnout motors which i had to adjust frequently. Meanwhile i started with T-TRAK and had much faster progress. As it was much more fun than my fixed layout i  only worked on my T-TRAK modules. Now i am a father ad the benefits of T-TRAK are even greater as i can take a single module and work on it in the living room. Last weekend i made a painfull decisin and tore down the whole Peco installation . I am going to use T-Trak and Unitrack for my home layout. It doesn't look so realistic like the flextrack but saves me so much time. Also i can rearrange the layout very easily.

[CaptOblivious]

Falling in love with the KIHA-110. It keeps whispering to me to give up my ambitions for a dense urban layout based in north-central Tokyo, and focus instead on some of the more rural lines to the north…I need to find a way to shut it up that doesn't involve selling it.

[scott]

I regret the decision to not stick to a certain era and/or region. On the other hand, if I decide to stick to a certain era and/or region, I regret that decision ;)

 

Boy, I know that feeling. Being indecisive about this is incredibly frustrating. (And you all are probably tired of hearing about it!)

 

Only regrets so far:

 

* not double-tracking our "main line"

* not having the time to make faster progress on the layout

 

It keeps whispering to me to give my ambitions for a dense urban layout based in north-central Tokyo, and focus instead on some of the more rural lines to the north…I need to find a way to shut it up that doesn't involve selling it.

 

We're all full of surprises lately, aren't we?    Could you at least run it on your seasonal layout until you eventually have room for a little rural layout?

[CaptOblivious]

It keeps whispering to me to give up my ambitions for a dense urban layout based in north-central Tokyo, and focus instead on some of the more rural lines to the north…I need to find a way to shut it up that doesn't involve selling it.

 

We're all full of surprises lately, aren't we?     Could you at least run it on your seasonal layout until you eventually have room for a little rural layout?

 

That's the other thing it keeps whispering! "You need a steam engine and some old-style SUHA coaches, or at least a 12-series set to run on Shogatsu!" it says while I run it there. "Come on, you caved and bought that cute little Tomytec model for Shogatsu. What's one more? You know that KIHA48 is a pretty good looker too!"

 

But I can resist. I can I can I can. Funds are too limited. *sigh*

[disturbman]

Then your writing is not accurate. It's not that you "can" resist, is that you should/must. 

 

Since I have shelved my last layout tryout untill I'm more certain about what I want, I don't have any regrets.

[lbriand_fr]

Well, my biggest regret is that I have not enough place to have a permanent layout.

And not enough place to just put some tracks together for a couple of days.

From time to time, I'll make a very simple layout for one hour or two.

[Fat Al]

My regret without really starting yet is having just spent a lot of money (about 350,000 yen worth) on all my trains, tracks and systems, and still not having a place to build my layout. And I know by the time I have that space to build, something new will come along and make me buy everything all over again.

[Bernard]

 

 

About 18-24 months ago I thought permanent ballast was a great idea for the large train layout, but now as my train collection has grown I regret this decision.  I'm not in a position to change this at this time, yet the permanent ballast is hindering my options in adding more tracks to the layout.

 

 

Bill - I've been meaning to ask you, what glue did you use on the permanent ballast? If it was White glue (Elmer's) you might be able to salvage the track by wetting it with warm water (or even soaking a test piece) the white glue will dissolve and you can wipe the ballast off.

[Kabutoni]

My regret would be investing in rolling stock that I don't really need: Odakyu 1000 Series, Hankyu 6300 Series, JNR KIHA183 Series, etc., etc. Ah well, they always could come in handy when I have the oppertunity to run them on a large layout somewhere else...

[Kabutoni]

Another regret: buying Tomytec 12m power units for the 'mules'. The mules are cool trains to look at, but the matching power units are pure rubbish. Even if running alone, without any trailer, they have problems negotiating a simple Tomix C140 curve! Such a waste of money...

[rankodd]

Another regret: buying Tomytec 12m power units for the 'mules'. The mules are cool trains to look at, but the matching power units are pure rubbish. Even if running alone, without any trailer, they have problems negotiating a simple Tomix C140 curve! Such a waste of money...

 

Uh... Really? Bugger... (*rushes to set up a tomix test track instead of the Kato track they were tested on before...*)

 

*Edit*

Define "Trouble"

I don't have anything smaller than C140 right now, but neither of my mules, nor my portram seemed to have any problems with any combo of c140, c177, and pr140-30 switches I could throw at them.

[grumbeast]

easy for me..

 

not "discovering Kato unitrack earlier.. I've run more trains since I switched (about 2years ago) that I have in the last 26

 

G.

[Kabutoni]

Define "Trouble"

I don't have anything smaller than C140 right now, but neither of my mules, nor my portram seemed to have any problems with any combo of c140, c177, and pr140-30 switches I could throw at them.

 

Well, they have major wheel-spin running in both directions, especially when running with a trailer car. I think I just have to add more weight on the powered bogie side and it will be fine. It's just very disappointing to see a brand new power unit from Tomytec (others I have run just fine) preform so badly.

[keiman]

Ballast- never ever again- I hate the stuff.

Doing a US z gauge layou with passing loops long enough for 20 doublestack cars with twin SD40 motive power.

[bill937ca]

Define "Trouble"

I don't have anything smaller than C140 right now, but neither of my mules, nor my portram seemed to have any problems with any combo of c140, c177, and pr140-30 switches I could throw at them.

 

Well, they have major wheel-spin running in both directions, especially when running with a trailer car. I think I just have to add more weight on the powered bogie side and it will be fine. It's just very disappointing to see a brand new power unit from Tomytec (others I have run just fine) preform so badly.

 

I never had any problems with my mule.  I ran around on a loop of C103 track for months.  The mule designation came after the cars left passenger service and at least some received more powerful motors to allow them to slug a single freight car.

[SubwayHypes]

when i did my layout, i laid down the track quickly and started working on scenery, etc. 

 

then when i had to do track modifications it became very difficult to work on it.

 

so this go around, im gonna lay down the track first and make sure everything is working nice before i start adding the buildings, trees, etc.