# Time to Re Do ?



## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

trying to decide whether or not to start fresh ...
currently it been this way for five years, still gets used ..
layout base is roughly 16' by 15', turns are 18" or better, grade is mostly two per cent ...
don't want to electrify much past the DCC cotroller, era is 1890, want to stick close to that probably


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Warren, first time I seen your overall track plan.
I kinda got the idea you may be thinking of this from some of your recent post.

Yours is such a beautiful layout and so well done it's a tough decision to redo it.

Are you thinking of starting from scratch or redoing in sections? 
Whichever you do it'll great in the end.

Magic


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

*too much time on your hands?*

Too much time on your hands?
How long did it take to get where you are now.
What's wrong with the design?

now

Chop off one end and build a helix, 
if it's logging, build a workable crane for unloading

build a real river to float logs.

Get the whole thing away from the walls so you can reach everything.

tear down all the trees and send them to me


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

time ?, not much, part of two winters..
wrong ?, nothing, i can reach pretty well all of it, but thought its time to change ?
dunno ?
its been fairly 'the same' for five years now, isnt it time for a change ?


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

only if you have some better ideas. Build it sort of modular to make easier to work on? If its DCC rewire it for block detection, signals? Get rid of that one place that irritates you the most? Build more bridges (I like bridges)! I usually have more fun building and wiring a layout, never seem to get to the scenery stage.


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

1890 era. I didn't think they had DCC then.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

D&J Railroad said:


> 1890 era. I didn't think they had DCC then.





yup, just came out, lol


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

wvgca said:


> time ?, not much, part of two winters..
> wrong ?, nothing, i can reach pretty well all of it, but thought its time to change ?
> dunno ?
> its been fairly 'the same' for five years now, isnt it time for a change ?



You are asking because your layout isn't holding your interest. The key to understanding is analysis. Why does it no longer hold your interest? As Dennis asks, what's wrong with it?


You have to know where you are before you step out on a journey with a destination. The destination, alone, is not sufficient. This is not a GPS problem, or solution.


If you tend to get bored with involved and interesting track plans, what's left for you....photography? Fly tying?


What is the level of actual modeling on your layout? Have you ever thought to tackle a complex scene about 100 yards long in the real world and attempting to do a detailed representation in scale? Have you ever entered contests or competitions for imagery?


Are you bored with your rolling stock's appearance, or its quality, or its state of repair? What can you do to rekindle your interest in your rolling stock?


Having asked all those questions, I had to tear down and rebuild my first layout completed in 2005 because wife wanted the basement, where it resided, finished the next spring. I had to rebuild a new style of layout, around the room with folded loop, but only in a corner of the basement. It was 13.5 X 9'. It was fun, but it helped that I got decent at imagery. Within six years, though, it was done for me. We moved and I'm on layout #4, another around-a-newly-built-room in a garage with folded loop (I have to be ensconced within my scenery, so a central operating pit, with duck-under or lifting bridge walk-in is what I have to construct... and endure). What all this means is that I seem to only get about four-six years out of a layout myself, but then circumstances beyond my control take over...we move, something has to give...whatever.

Anyway, back to you...what has changed? What's no longer working for you? What's missing in 'this' picture?


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

mesenteria said:


> What is the level of actual modeling on your layout? Have you ever thought to tackle a complex scene about 100 yards long in the real world and attempting to do a detailed representation in scale? Have you ever entered contests or competitions for imagery?
> 
> 
> Are you bored with your rolling stock's appearance, or its quality, or its state of repair? What can you do to rekindle your interest in your rolling stock?
> ....


FYI, on this forum, some members (the OP) have a link to images under their avatar when they post.

Take a look on the left side of the screen for post #1.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Thanks, Dennis, but they don't provide me with HIS answers. I need HIS impressions and level of interest and satisfaction about what he shows in his gallery. My feelings about them are irrelevant.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

don't really know if i'm. dissatisfied with the layout, it has every thing that i want ....
two rail fanning tracks, four seperate spurs for work reas, and the capablity of running in either direction ...
for me the lack of electronic signals and occupancy detectors are bonus items, not detractions ..
and it gets used for a hour or two maybe twice a week, more so now that there is snow on the ground

but it seems that other layouts are changed fairly often ..i wonder if mine should follow suit ??


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

wvgca said:


> but it seems that other layouts are changed fairly often ..i wonder if mine should follow suit ??


Only if you feel YOU want to change it.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I agree with CV ACR, don't change it just for the sake of changing it. I am on my 3rd since getting back into the hobby. #1 only lasted about 18 months, but number two (a modest redesign of the first) lasted almost 10 years. #3 is a completely new design.

But in each case, I could clearly summarize why I was dissatisfied.


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