Designing My HO-Scale Room Layout

[ocalicreek]

The Miami switching layout I am currently building will fulfill my needs for realism and I still have that craving for scenery and train running...

Why not design a layout that meets both needs, and is in your room? Make an honest list of what you like (and dislike) about the Miami layout, and do the same for the other layouts that catch your eye. After a while you'll develop a better idea of what you really want.

Only then, after you have done that armchair homework, should you break out the planning paper and follow some good advice that was passed on to me here at The Gauge - make two plans (at least). The first should pack in as much track and as many scenes as possible - cram it in. The second should be as sparse and minimalist as possible. If you want, make one plan that focuses on operation to the extreme, or another that's 90% scenic with very little ops. You get the idea.

Then you may arrive at a plan somewhere in between one extreme or the other (or you may like one of the extremes - great!) Even that plan will not satisfy you unless you commit to it fully and build it. As you are building it you can make small changes here and there but you should stick with the concept as much as you are able. Commit to the vision of what you'd like to see, how you'd like to run trains, etc. Imagine what that will feel like and how you'll feel when it's completed.

Don't listen to the fairy tale nonsense that model railroads are never really finished. Life is too short for unfinished railroads. Even the great John Allen made comments wondering whether his Gorre & Daphetid was too much railroad for one man, and tragically he died before the golden spike was driven. But his first layout was smaller than a 4x8 and was so well planned and completed to such a degree that it made it into G&D #2, then the most famous G&D #3. Each time it was slightly modified to fit the new plan, but his overall concept was so well defined that very little had to change unless he wanted it to.

Download a copy of Frank Ellison's 'The Art of Model Railroading' (You may have to join the Delta Lines Yahoo Group to get it) and read that. If you want an 'old school' operating railroad, there's the place to start. He was a pioneer operator with some pretty unique ideas about scenery, structures, time, the whole shootin match.

And if you want to ignore any or every part of what I've written that's fine too - I won't be offended. This is a hobby, afterall, and we are free to do as we please (since it should be pleasing, I think). But I get the feeling from reading your posts that you're still searching for something in this hobby to scratch the right itch, so I thought I'd give a bit more direction if you're willing to take it. Planning is a whole lot cheaper than building, and if reading a few dusty old lines only serves to help you figure out what you don't want then that's progress too.

Galen