Does your layout reflect your personality?

[nkp_174]

My choice of gauge (3') and prototype (not colorado)

This makes you a good man! While I do enjoy the D&RGW, I feel that it is so overly modeled that many presume narrow gauge = D&RGW 1938-1955. I love seeing anything from earlier times and other places. I like how your layout doesn't have D&RGW equipment. My least favorite layouts by far have some sort of story of how the D&RGW or RGS has trackage rights and so the entire roster is D&RGW/RGS, yet claim to be "freelance". I really look forward to seeing your scratch built locomotive enter service!

My layout does tell a bit about me. My curved trestle is built in the prototypical manner (the stringers are 30' and not curved, the bents are not continuous pieces)...this show my desire to faithfully replicate the standard practices of the real thing. I don't just want to create illusions, but rather explore the techniques used in real railroading. This is consistent with my equipment...link & pin couplers and lots of NBWs. My track is a true 36" gauge, just as my rolling stock is within a scale 1/2" on nearly all dimensions, which shows a desire for precision. The windows in my passenger cars and caboose show patience to get it right...and the two junked frames from my 2-8-0, the junked passenger car roof, and the junked 27' boxcar show that I'm not afraid to pitch something I've spent many hours on to get it right.

My layout also shows my short attention span. I've grown tired of trestle construction, and so it is over half way done, but not yet installed. I have a 1/12th scale model of the scenery, but haven't yet installed any of it.

My lack of a substantial budget is visible in my low grade benchwork and use of old C100 rail instead of 83 or 70. It also shows from my lack of commercial products...very little brass, no RTR cars, no structure kits, no San Juan or resin kit cars.

I am in the minority of ng modelers without any D&RGW steam locomotives or 3000 series stock cars. This either shows that I want to be different, or that I just prefer other things. I believe it to be the latter.