Hi,
I was just at my workbench catching up on the last podcast. It's our first snow here in southern Maine and we're all hunkered down. Besides, the Pats suck so there is no point of watching the game.
I think I am on the fourth or fifth build of my layout in 15 years. I've never gotten beyond some track, or as I call it the "Plywood Pacific."
2023 brought some changes. I've decided to wrap up my volunteering in Scouts which frees up my weekends and more importantly an evening or two a week. My model railroad club has also found a home. We now rent an old classroom at a local community center (the former middle school) and despite some... growing pains... we are converting our modules into permeant benchwork and expanding the layout. So, with 2024 my hobby focus is now back to model railroading.
I have a very small layout room in my basement. It measures 11x7'. Last fall I found in an old 1925 Sanborn map the perfect inspiration for my layout that meets all the space restrictions I have: Danforth, Maine. Last month, a neighbor was getting rid of an office table so grabbed it and it makes the perfect size workbench.
A recent self help podcast I was listening to while on an Amtrak ride to Boston discussed Dreams versus Goals. Dreams are big. Goals are small, definable and specific. Also, give goals a range so you don't feel dissapointed. For example, I want to work on my layout 2 to 4 hours a week. IF I only get downstairs twice, fine. If I get down there more, great!
So, my Dream is to build my layout past the track and piles of stuff phase.
Goal 1: draw a new trackplan based on a place and pull up as little as possible of the current track. I currently have a single mainline which is the same for Danforth, Me. I really only have to re-lay the sidings and run arounds.
Goal 2: Work on improving rolling stock. For the last few weeks I have been working on my rolling stock: all metal wheelsets, fixing couplers and bringing car weights to NMRA standards.
Goal 3: Build cardboard mock-ups of all structures and set up Operations. I don't have the linear feet to run long trains. My layout is a point to point with 20' of linear track. In a way, this will be a switiching layout.
Goal 4: Balast that track! I feel this will make a big difference on how I see my layout as being established.
These are small acheivable goals. I have a plan based upon a real place and I have simple projects that can by accomplished in an alloted time.
Rob Carignan
Portland, Maine
Those are some Great goals!