Over in Operations, Ric wondered if he was the only one that never finished building…
Quote:
Okay, here we go - replying to myself.I said - "I have simply got to get past this building stage and get down to more “operations”. "
Does anybody else struggle with this? I think I am ready to just start finishing things up and I come up with a track plan change. These ideas fester in my skull and all of a sudden it POPS. Out comes the jig saw and I’m laying more track and roadbed. Drives me nuts, but sure keeps the railroad growing.
Smooth Sailing, Ric Golding, Kaskaskia Valley Railway, Carlyle, Illinois
I’ve been at this game for a lot less time than most of you, but I am always in do-over mode. This is probably because of my Just Do-It philosophy. I don’t spend a lot of time planning, I just build. When I find something that doesn’t work, I change it.
Last night I ripped up all of the track on the South End of my indoor dog-bone including the entire storage yards. This is in preparation of Indoor Division Version 3 (or is it 4). When I originally built indoors, it was “temporary”. Built on plywood sheets over stored furniture, the benchwork has remained the same for about 3 years even though several changes have been made in the track. But now it’s time for major changes.
Some of you know I now have heat in my basement for the first time; so a long delayed remodel job is looming ever closer. Combine that with the fact that I keep buying motive power that won’t pull cars around my 4Ft Dia. curves; and something has to give.
So I packed up about 60% of my rolling stock, and a few engines, then moved the rest into the North End completely fouling the main and jamming every available siding. Since the North End is the connection to outdoors, the hope is that even if I need to use the 0-5-0 crane, I can get something running out the window.
Now comes demolition. The plan is to take down all of the benchwork on the South end and demo the walls exposing the original block. Next I’ll move a lot of junk from a storage area behind the North End. The plan is to then rebuild a temporary North End with yards and a balloon track in 8Ft Dia. That will keep me running while I complete the walls etc. where the South end used to be.
DISCOVERY! A long forgotten crawl space and window at shoulder level just happens to be at grade with the outdoor track about half way up the big climb to the front yard. OOOO - the possibilities boggle the mind. MORE WORK to do.
So Ric, you aren’t the only one with this disease.
JR