Morning all,

The train brain is running hard this morning after an "epiphone" yesterday...I've decided that my true love is still N scale and I decided to revisit the huge scenery to train ratio that I fell for as far back as High School. Visions of tiny trains snaking through deep canyons and making dramatic scenery in my relatively small space...my benchwork is still just a basic shell, so that's not a factor. 

I've got so many beautiful built-up and not built-up craftsman structures (not to mention trains in HOn3 and HOn30) that I'm now wavering between my next move. 

There's a "YOLO" factor in just following my heart and, after all, it's a hobby and I'm still a spry 57 year old vs. "Are you nuts?" pragmatism which makes me want to shake it off....decisions to be made ASAP.

If nothing else, it feels invigorating to be so mentally immersed in the hobby...I've definitely had a hard time getting the juices flowing. I suppose if I can just hold out until the June 7 SBG (local gang) meet up, maybe my mentors can slap the s**t out of me and get me back on track 

Merry Christmas Tom...I guess you've been good!

I like it Kyle...that original G&D plan is brilliant, in my opinion...it's one you can quickly discount as "roundy round" and then keep coming back to and finding genius, then trashing it as "busy like a bowl of spaghetti", then see the multi-level scenic possibilities, then...

I like the point to point mentality, but I also can't imagine not being able to just let em run.

I'm here for it...

John

Wow...fantastic work!

I haven't been completely inert...

wow...great job!

Great looking locos...I lucked into a beautiful tiny 2-truck Brass HOn30 Shay at the NNGC.

I'd really like a rtr similar one in HOn3 (but DCC-equipped)...if only Blackstone hadn't died off, maybe they would have made one by now. Unlikely they'll be figuring out a suitable Chinese quality manufacturer anytime soon with the present trade climate...maybe someday. I'll be looking for something tiny and beautiful on the tables at the next NNGC for sure.

Thanks John...I remain excited about the vision and ready to get to it...but nothing much to show. Too much life lately!

(not in a bad way). As the NNGC approaches, I'll assuredly have goals and decisions clarified. I always like to justify having "needs" for the NNGC 

John

Nice work Rob...love this kind of stuff and glad you're sharing your build. 

John

Very nice work

Bob, I'm excited for your river cruise. We had a great time last year. Hope they make you feel welcome this year. We are doing a train-centered trip through Switzerland this summer, with a few days in Venice. My wife and her buddies are going to Wimbledon, so this is turning into a pretty complex mission...I'll meet her in London and we'll fly to Italy. Again, there are some concerns that US international policy is a little uncomfortable right now - so we'll see.

I actually put some track down yesterday - so, it's officially a layout, not just a pile of lumber. I'm shooting for getting a train running this week, even if it's just back and forth...it's the principle.

Oh yeah...I'm not retired, better get moving.

Have a good day all.

John

Quote from: DaleM on February 20, 2025, 10:48:11 AMGood morning everyone. I am brand new ro this forum so I thought this would be the place to introduce myself. Let me grab some of that coffee first.

My name is Dale and I am an HO scale modeler working on a waterfront layout set in the pacific northwest, time frame not totally dialed in yet but sometime between 1920 and 1950. As I push forward that will become a tighter window. Currently I am working an a Sierra West kit 'Foss Landing' and that will be followed by 'The Shipyard at Foss Landing' also by Sierra West to make a cook waterfront scene. I plan on starting a tread on the progress as soon as I figure out the beat place for it.

14 degees and a stack of snow on the ground in Cheyenne Wyoming. It's February folks.

Welcome Dale...

Pacific Northwest + waterfront + Sierra West = "I'm in" 

Hey Jan,

I encountered exactly the same situation...twice. Messed it up the first time & trying to get it right this time.

I knew I would be moving to the coast about 7 years ago, so I tore down a very nice layout knowing that, regardless of its level of completion or my satisfaction with it - it wouldn't be able to come with me. So, I built a couple of modules (shadowbox style) and a simple (temporary) hidden runaround on a narrow shelf behind the module backdrops on barebones shelf brackets - because I really value being able to just let them run around and around. I was really happy with the focus and energy I could devote to just two little 4' one-sided modules and they came out really well (the waterfront scene on my old layout)....when I moved, I installed the modules on a much larger base of L-girder benchwork and got to work...
1) I realized that some of the "framing" of the shadowbox modules was just too intrusive & distracting from the scenery, so I bit the bullet and hacked away at a fully-scenicked module. It worked out, but was very avoidable and potentially disastrous. It also, effectively, eliminated any ability to remove the modules independently from the rest of the layout.

2) I got lazy and rationalized that I would never move again and just built the rest of the layout directly on the L-girder benchwork, so it could never be moved out the door of the room. 5 years later, we moved back to Lake Mary, FL and now I've been here about 2 years and I'm back on the benchwork stage.

*My present layout is being built via an unusual module design. They are 2' deep by 4' long or (less) and also have a height of 4' with a built in valance for LED lighting. You can see a couple of pics in my layout thread. I spent MUCH more time pondering every step and this layout will not be something you'd take to a show or rearrange...but, when and if the time comes, it  could be disassembled and relocated with some effort and restoration. Basically, the benchwork is modular, but I'll lay track right across joints and would need to cut some rails and wires and undo a few wing nuts here and there - but it won't mean destruction...I almost compromised again and built a longer module, but I stopped myself by imagining the difficulty of moving a fully-completed version of that size out the door, down the stairs, etc    It was a good save. I got the modular design online, but customized it to my needs...they seem fairly lightweight but sturdy, I drilled big holes for 1)handles to carry them 2)future wiring pass-throughs, and 3)generally lighter weight...none of these holes will be visible. I also made them so unusually tall because I intend to build some very tall mountain scenery above two separate loops of track at different heights.

I'm counting on the "Umbrella Principle" here as well...if you bring an umbrella, it probably won't rain

I can try to draw and summarize the specs if you like.

good luck, John

Morning all, 

Gotta get to work but thought I'd check in.

Hope to get home early and make some track/homasote decisions...but then we're going to a local brewpub for a special pairings of craft beers & girl scout cookies   Oh well, I like both, so I'll tough it out!

Have a good one

Thanks Jan and John...

John, 

My previous layout (the one that was pretty far along) was basically a double sided, very simple loop with no grades. It was strictly HOn30 and measured 4' x 10' with one end loop exposed and scenicked (so, 3-sided). 

The new one looks to be (someday) a little over 6' deep and 12' long. The present plan is for it to have an operating pit and somewhat hidden workbench in the middle. The tall modules I've already built will be the "rear" side and the front will not have any kind of backdrop so will be viewable from both inside the pit and outside. I plan to have an upper loop of HOn3 and a more complex lower loop of HOn30. I brought back the HOn3 so I could fire up the sound-equipped Blackstone engine as bait for my young grandson. 

I just like scenery and letting them go round and round, even if there's the appearance of a plausible railroad with a backstory. There will be a prominent sawmill scene, at least one mine and various other scenes based on the many beautiful built up (and a couple of unbuilt) structures I've already got...The trick (for me) is to resist the temptation to "overpopulate". I really want to have towering mountains reaching nearly to the top of the backdrops for much of the layout.

Thanks for looking in...hopefully, as things progress, I'll have much more to share.

John