In general, I have been dragging my feet with the rebuild of the layout. I don't know why, but wasn't excited about the plan. So, last week, I was working on the benchwork for layout
2.0. I had the peninsula up, but the
plywood not secured. I laid out some
track pieces to see how the layout would come together. It was evident to me that the layout was
still way to big. I wanted a
smaller, prototypical, but manageable layout. This layout
would be just as time consuming as the old layout.
So, I started thinking, what if I got rid of the peninsula,
scaled the plan back, but tried to keep the same semblance of the 2.0
vision. I started laying out track in
the area of the 16” shelf along the back wall.
It would be tight, but it is doable.
So, I drew out a new plan that would be U-Shaped around three walls of
the room. The bottom of the U would be 18" deep, left side, 16" and the right side 18" but tapering off to 6" at the entrance of the room.
My vision would be for the bonus room to transition from a layout room to family craft/hobby room. Our house is a descent size, but with the girls getting older, we are requiring more space. I don't care to move anytime soon, so I need to better utilize the area I have. I would like to place a sofa and flat screen in the room for the kids/family to enjoy. Also, I would like to construct a custom craft/modeling table that the girls could use for painting and craft projects, my wife for scrapbooking and me for modeling projects.
So, my wife picked up on the tell-tale signs that something was up (mainly benchwork coming down and new going back up). I presented this idea to her and she looked at me like I was crazy. Why? Why? Why? We discussed and I have come to the following conclusions:
- Simplify -
- Smaller layout - It was great building the double deck layout of the Rock: Illinois Division and we had great times running it. It's a chore to maintain though. I have offers all the time to run large layouts in the area to get my fill of distance running, but for home, I just don't want that anymore.
- I want a layout that I can tinker with when I want to, run trains anytime I want to (with little re-staging or preparation needed), but without the expense of a large layout, or time required to work on the layout, or the physical consumption of nearly 300 sqft of our living space when only operated 3 or 4 times a year.
- Time - I have found over the last year or so that I'm heavily involved with spending time with my family, girls events, etc. I just don't have the time to work on a layout as much.
- Space - A large layout is great, but it consumes a lot of space that is completely unusable the remaining 361 days of the year when not operating. My wife has been gracious to allow me that space, but I can't be so self-centered anymore. It's time to share the area.
- $ - Money is the name of the game. We have went through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace class a few years back. It has changed my outlook on a lot of things. I've made a complete 180 degree turn in my spending habits and control of money. Instead of buying that next new freight car that comes out (and I don't need), I'd rather put the money toward paying off debt and saving so I can enjoy my retirement traveling all over the world with my wife. All this stuff filling up the house doesn't bring happiness. Spending time with my family does.
- Operations -
- As has been witnessed by my past layout and many others in the area, you can fit a lot of railroad in a little area with N scale. I plan on doing that. My favorite job on the railroad is running a big ol' hairy local. With the preliminary design I proposed, I could still operate 2 Rock Island locals plus a 3rd CB&Q local. So, there is no loss of entertainment value for running trains.
- Ottawa Local - works from the yard to Ottawa Silica and L-O.F.
- LaSalle Local - works from the yard to Utica and LaSalle.
- CB&Q Local - starts from the junction, working Ottawa Silica as needed.
Most of you probably think I have completely lost my mind. You might be right, but I feel it's the best route for me to take in the future with my hobby.
So, I present to you the preliminary 3.0 track plan.
Steven,
ReplyDeleteI commend your thought process and your decisions. Although not easily made, trust me, you have made the right ones. As much as I enjoy trains and model railroading, they are no substitute for time with my wife and kids. Contrary to conventional wisdom, I actually enjoy spending time with my wife and family! Trains are there to fill in the gaps.
Take Care,
Scott Stephenson
CB&Q Dragonfly Subdivision
http://cbqrr.blogspot.com/
Thanks Scott! I too believe I made the right decision. Trains are fun, but don't replace my time with family.
DeleteI'm very fortunate that my wife is also my best friend. We get along and compliment each other well.
Thanks for reading the blog.
Steven,
ReplyDeleteI too think you made a step in the right direction with this design and agree with Scott; Family should come first.
As for your new design, I think you might be limiting yourself to an oversized switching layout.
Is there a way to flip the track work so Belrose and Ottawa was on the opposite walls? This would also mean flipping Ottawa yard. My thought is to try and include a hidden staging yard under Belrose via a loop in the lower right hand corner of the room and have the yard under Belrose. This would give someplace for trains to go to or come from at Ottawa yard? It wouldn't take up much more of a foot print that you have drawn now. It wouldn't have to be very big or complicated. If the half helix was kind of steep, you could justify it by using more power on the trains to make the grade.
Just a thought, as I hate to see you built it and then realize you cut yourself short.
So basically open it up so trains could come into the yard to switch and then depart back out to staging? I hadn't considered doing something like that. I agree, it wouldn't take up too much real estate to add.
DeleteThe only problem I see is that I wouldn't have quite enough room for Ottawa Silica and L-O-F on the left wall as it needs to tape off narrow on the wall due to the opening to the room.
Exactly!
DeleteI think there might be another option without flipping the plan.
Let me doodle a bit....
Steven-
ReplyDeleteAn excellent analysis and conclusion. I have opted for a similar arrangement in my own train room, although I have a friend for keeps pushing me to build a peninsula down the center of my 10' x 12' room. Leaving the design as an around-the-walls layout with simple yet prototypical track arrangements affords me the best of both worlds - prototype operation in a room that can have other uses as well.
-Kevin Blair
www.thewaybill.blogspot.com
I think the plan will work fine for me as well. Long distance running is nice, but it gets monotonous quick. I like the switching challenges the best which is what my layout will feature.
DeleteHave you started construction yet or still in the design phase?
Steven-
ReplyDeleteI have a bit of sheetrock to finish in the layout room, then the framework goes up. Right now all of my modeling energy is going into our HO club layout, which is planned around a similar theme as my home layout.
My wife says my hobby isn't model railroading, but layout planning. She is right, of course.
Kevin Blair
Cherry Valley Model Railroad Club
www.cvmrc.com
That's funny! My wife has accused me of the same thing. She states I like to plan everything out and then move on to another planning challenge.
Delete