Just a little something I tossed together. Comments encouraged
Very well put, Mik…couldn’t agree more…
So what is “brieadvice”?
Is it some new website for discussing cheese?
Tony, it’s a combination of fat fumble fingers at O-dark thirty, and being in a hurry because the dog was howling to be let out…
And I also forgot # 11. Plan how you will access every single foot of track. - I can almost guarantee that the harder it is to get to, the more likely it will be that is the spot that causes you the most trouble.
Mik - I like your article - it really hits home. When I modeled in the smaller scales I never got anything near done because of over committing time, money or what have you. That lesson I’ve learned. So at this point I don’t have a layout, though do have the area in which I will build. I “collect” what I find I like that fits into the eventual layout, plan on paper (probably at layout revision 539 at this point), and read and research as time allows. Oh - and read everything I can on LSC to learn. Since time is at a premium with me at this time of my life, this process suits me fine. In a few years when the time will not be a premium, but the money will, I will have the raw materials, track etc to start on my great adventure. I like your word “brieadvice”
The forum’s difficulties is keeping me from reading your comments but I totally agree with Steve. I was lucky that I built mine totally accessible. Nowadays because I’m legally blind I follow my trains and this accessibility is great.
I posted it in articles so it could stay where new people might see it… but here were my first 10 suggestions:
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Realistically assess your resources and limitations BEFORE you commit! - This means EVERYTHING: spare time, spare money, your current skill level, your desire, physical limitations (both space-wise and your BODY!), your current lifestyle, stability, even your friends, neighbors, and most importantly your immediate family - including pets.
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Prioritize and separate your ‘needs’ from your ‘wants’ - Unlike Barbie, you usually CAN’T have everything… Set a minimum acceptable standard that fits with #1 and start there. You can always add more later. The bigger and more intricate, the more interest (sometimes), and the more work (always).
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Don’t be afraid to ask questions, then actually listen to the answer - Even if it sounds simple and obvious, make sure you really understood it. The only ‘dumb’ question is the one you learned the answer to the hard/expensive way because you were too proud to ask.
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Don’t be afraid to start over - Before you can run a marathon, you have to be able to walk that far. EVERYBODY stumbles. EVERYBODY tries something that doesn’t quite work out as planned. EVERY layout has had at least a FEW revisions. Yours might turn out to be the exception, but it probably won’t.
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Practice patience - Just because it’s overused and trite sounding doesn’t make it less true; Rome WASN’T built in a day… or even a week. Some stuff just takes time. Instant gratification is a Madison Avenue myth. Besides, if it WAS fast and easy, you probably wouldn’t really appreciate it anyway.
6, Make a budget and stick to it - The easiest way to get yourself into trouble is to over commit, be it money or time.
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Address little problems as they crop up - Stuff rarely improves by itself. It ususally gets worse, and even if it doesn’t, something else usually goes wron, too. Sounds depressing? Depressing is avoiding something that used to be fun because you let those little things get out of control like a snowball rolling downhill.
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Ask for help - At some point everyone needs it. Some of us are blessed with a significant other that enjoys getting dirty and sweaty. Others have friends that they can rope into helping. Or, if you’re really stuck, hire a pro…
9.Measure twice, cut once - Not just physically. Take time to think things all the way through before you decide to do something…
OTOH
- Git 'r Done - Don’t spend ALL your time thinking, or you’re just daydreaming. Get out the shovel and go lay some track!
Mik 'n all:
This contribution likely will appear odd. Please give it a second read if not clear.
One addage in layout planning I found absolutely accurate, having visited a large number of garden layouts: IF, at all possible, do not create a layout that can be totally seen in one glance from the anticipated most frequent vantage point. For example, simply watching a train encircle an area without any viewer eye or head movement from a consistent family location – say, the patio area – will eventually be boring. Compared to a dog bone that runing along a length of fence, the head and viewer’s eyes must move to capture the entire layout.
I learned this the hard way. My change was to extend the exterior boundry of track beyond the point of a single glance. Now, the patio viewpoint involves continual head motion to watch the entire progress of the trains.
At least those who visit don’t take a glance and then turn back into the conversation. Visitors will now actually watch the process of train movement to “see where it goes.”
Your thoughts?
Wendell
This all sounds quite sensible.
Currently lost in Articles section - its existence hadn’t really sunk in before, see y’all later.
Wendell, i think you are right.
for the observers apearing and disapearing trains seem to be fascinating.
(one can observe that indoors too - if a train dis apears into a tunnel, people look, where it might reapear.)
View blocks are a time honored tradition. Bushes, tall flowers, large rocks, tunnels, covered bridges all work well.
Mik and others–
I agree view blocks add interest – along with fake tunnels with mirrors at the end.
The other feature I am hopefully reinforcing, since I did not consider this foible in my first layout, is seeing the entire boundry of the layout from the most frequent location in the yard. Granted, having the train disappear is intriguing, however, this contribution is more than that. If the entire layout is seen without viewer head movement then the boredom can set in. Perhaps similar to looking a photograph vs. a video. When viewers have to move their heads to watch a train’s movement, then there are forced changes in the scene along with physical action on the observer’s part. Per this observation, extending our own layout so that head movement occurs has been appreciated by visitors to our layout.
Wendell
One thing about view blocks. I LIKE to know where the train is. Some people are comfortable with a train that disappears for a minute or more at a time…
If mine does that, either it found a dead spot, or something hit the ties. Dead spots are OK (usually I just need to clean the railhead or tighten a joiner), but have you ever seen the divots in the rails a Stainz will make in a very short time by trying to pull a hung up car?
Wendell Hanks said:Hmm... interesting idea. I just happen to have a dead end tunnel. I wonder if enough would reach the back wall (about 6 feet) to reflect anything back. I might have to do some experimenting.
-- along with fake tunnels with mirrors at the end.
Jon Radder said:Besides it would allow the critters an ability to groom themselves better. ;-)Wendell Hanks said:Hmm... interesting idea. I just happen to have a dead end tunnel. I wonder if enough would reach the back wall (about 6 feet) to reflect anything back. I might have to do some experimenting.
-- along with fake tunnels with mirrors at the end.
Thought you had talked about a solar powered light in the tunnel to help with that light reaching the back Jon
Dave Marconi said:Of course I forgot to pre-wire that when it would have been easy :( I think the mirror has a slightly different purpose - to simulate the daylight at the other end when looking in from track level. A light would just light up "the vault".
Thought you had talked about a solar powered light in the tunnel to help with that light reaching the back Jon
I would like to add the idage, actually 2 -
- Never make a tunnel longer than you can reach your arm in from either end. (I was not an English Major).
- If you need 2 screws, you will have 1. If you need 4 screws, you will have 3, etc. etc.