07-12-2010, 05:34 PM
Galen: I have actually spent the last 3 or so weeks walking into the room, staring at the benchwork, taking measurements with a tape measure, going to the computer room, plugging some thoughts into Empire Express, wash, rinse, repeat... I am happy with my design at the ends of the layout, it is the middle that I am still thinking through... so with that in mind I decided to actually start some construction while at the same time thinking about the middle... but yes, I agree with you completely that not doing some sort of planning will result in yet another teardown... my uncle who used to build layouts once told me it is the natural cycle of things, design, build, love, hate, tear-down... my wife, however, disagrees with that and thinks I need to "do it right" once and leave it alone... we shall see!
Russ: Interesting question! I have decided that eras and prototypes are, in this train room, up for complete interpretation. I have noticed in my past visits to Vermont that most of that state seems to be "stuck in time"... lots of old general stores, small craftsman "industries", undersized roadways, etc. You also see a Green Mountain GP-38 pass by once in awhile! So, my interpretation involves a little bit of the old, some of the new, and a railroad where Conrail and the Green Mountain RR work together. Basically, a fictitious world based loosely on the real world, set somewhere in the 90's. There will be some this is what is was, this is what it is, and this is what I thought it should have been. I know some modelers would probably cringe at that thought, but I am afraid based on the way I like to research things if I tried to make it "too real" I would never build and merely read and probably get caught in an endless loop of "how do I implement this". Truthfully my New England, specifically Vermont, inspiration is based on fall foliage rather than period specific details.
OK... time to don the crummy clothes and get back down to the basement!
Thanks for following along and thanks for the comments!
--Rob.
Russ: Interesting question! I have decided that eras and prototypes are, in this train room, up for complete interpretation. I have noticed in my past visits to Vermont that most of that state seems to be "stuck in time"... lots of old general stores, small craftsman "industries", undersized roadways, etc. You also see a Green Mountain GP-38 pass by once in awhile! So, my interpretation involves a little bit of the old, some of the new, and a railroad where Conrail and the Green Mountain RR work together. Basically, a fictitious world based loosely on the real world, set somewhere in the 90's. There will be some this is what is was, this is what it is, and this is what I thought it should have been. I know some modelers would probably cringe at that thought, but I am afraid based on the way I like to research things if I tried to make it "too real" I would never build and merely read and probably get caught in an endless loop of "how do I implement this". Truthfully my New England, specifically Vermont, inspiration is based on fall foliage rather than period specific details.
OK... time to don the crummy clothes and get back down to the basement!
Thanks for following along and thanks for the comments!
--Rob.