David Maynard said:
Mike McLaughlin said:
Looks like it will be a nice railroad. Lots of manual labor ahead. I wish mine were raised, most of my RR is ground level. As you get older it becomes more painful, LOL
Mike, it wasn’t painful at all this year rehabbing my railroad. After the first train ran I laid down for a nap. After the nap, that’s when I was in pain For days I was walking around like I was a decrepit old man. If this is 50, how bad is 60?
Don’t worry, it only gets worse, LOL! I started my present railroad 4 years ago. I was already 55 going on 56, I should have know better, but I’m still a kid in my own mind. As I turn 60 this month, my mind continues to write checks that my body can’t cash.
Part of my decision to build on the ground was the thought of moving a bunch of fill to build a raised bed was more manual labor than I wanted to do. I could have gone ladder roadbed or raised platform, but I like real estate for scenery. That and the fact that I could runs trains sooner and spend less money factored into building it on the ground.
I guess I am crazy, part of the reason for leaving half of the layout on the ground is the exercise setting up trains.
(of course there is a raised part for when I am a lazy butt)
Greg
Greg Elmassian said:
I guess I am crazy, part of the reason for leaving half of the layout on the ground is the exercise setting up trains.
(of course there is a raised part for when I am a lazy butt)
Greg
Yeah, and I thought all the squats would tighten my core, LOL! But I still have a flabby belly.
I drag my folding chair to where the work needs to be done and I sit comfortably as I imagineer away. I carry a 16% disability on my back from ‘setting down’ a cast anvil in the 80s, so even though I healed it, I use caution.
When I elevated I kept it as low as I could and maintain a near level route. My property slopes and the low end is about 1’ off the ground, the chair facilitates work there. I like being able to see across the railroad from my desk.
I rarely sit on the railroad. My butt does not have a delicate touch!
Well that’s my derail, apologies to Pete.
John
My theory may be completely for the birds, by the way; I know that the day after I set out a 50 car train, I can feel it in my thighs, so I’m thinking that is good… maybe not!
Greg
Well, I set up my train on my trestle, next to the porch. I can do this while sitting on a milk crate. So putting out and putting away the trains is not a back breaker for me. But track maintenance can be. Or not. It depends on what mood my back is in that day.
My injury wasn’t caused by an anvil, and that does sound extremely painful. Mine was from a guy driving a Ford Expedition. He was so busy yelling at his kid, that he got into the wrong lane of the Liberty tunnel. Then he realized his mistake and changed lanes, inside the tunnel, during rush hour, while some guy in a Mazda pick up was continuously blowing his horn. Needless to say, that big Ford played grape with my little Mazda, with me in it.
Sorry, David. Hope you at least received some compensation for the accident. You too, John. I count my blessings that I don’t have issues with my back.
and that is one of the main reasons for raising mine, at 6’4" the ground is a long , long way to bend, and doing it over and over I can see the problems coming as I ever so ungracefully age, so some extra cash now, hiring the day laborers from Home Depot when the dump truck comes will help with some of the work. will still have some spots where its a long bend to do things but will adjust the track plan to minimize the hurting.
John I was just on You Tube watching Carnac, I was looking for the Sis Boom Bah bit, and found it . That is the sounds of a sheep exploding
Michael, it was my word against his. So I got a pittance for a lifetime of back issues.
But hey, we all have our challenges, and we learn to overcome them, or be overcome by them. I choose to try and overcome.
That is a long way, Pete, I don’t have that far at 6’2", but I’m carrying around a spare tire. My layout is 2ft off the ground, about the same height as my planter boxes. The little garden cart is the right height to work on it.
Apologies Pete for getting off-subject