01-08-2012, 06:49 PM
I for one am currently finding myself in the same situation as you GEC. After months of planning, I still have not been able to settle on that "final" track plan, nor can I get myself working on the ever growing list of projects that I keep thinking of to include. I have been able to actually operate the layout with various track arrangements and enjoy that quite a bit. But as for really getting started - just can't get going! I'll spend a hour or so running a train and will go off thinking to myself "tomorrow I'll start working on this or that", but those projects just seem to sit untouched.
I often have those anxiety feelings too. Some years ago, I was a really good at painting and decaling, but after about 10 years of not doing that, I'm scared to pick up the airbrush and get in to doing that again. Got a bunch of cars that I'd like to repaint and decal, but again, just can't get myself to try it. A hobby sure shouldn't make a person feel anxious!
As much as I enjoy model railroading, I just don't get as enthused about it as I used to some years ago and often it really takes a tremendous amount of effort to get myself working on something. Even the wife and a friend constantly after me to "do something" doesn't seem to motivate me in to really working on it. Now and then, I will get motivated and really tear in to doing something, such as relaying the track to test out a new plan, but once I can operate it, that seems to be as far as I get. Worse thing for me is how I keep buying equipment and other items and they end up just sitting in the box as I continue to plan and plan and ...
Here I am retired with nothing but time on my hands and most model railroaders that I've ever met would be working on that layout or whatever, all day (and night) - so why don't I? Too much planning? Too many different ideas to choose from? I don't know. Guess we've both just hit one of those dry spells and something will happen (when you least expect it) that will get us both moving again. It is after all just a hobby and not something that must be rushed.
I often have those anxiety feelings too. Some years ago, I was a really good at painting and decaling, but after about 10 years of not doing that, I'm scared to pick up the airbrush and get in to doing that again. Got a bunch of cars that I'd like to repaint and decal, but again, just can't get myself to try it. A hobby sure shouldn't make a person feel anxious!
As much as I enjoy model railroading, I just don't get as enthused about it as I used to some years ago and often it really takes a tremendous amount of effort to get myself working on something. Even the wife and a friend constantly after me to "do something" doesn't seem to motivate me in to really working on it. Now and then, I will get motivated and really tear in to doing something, such as relaying the track to test out a new plan, but once I can operate it, that seems to be as far as I get. Worse thing for me is how I keep buying equipment and other items and they end up just sitting in the box as I continue to plan and plan and ...
Here I am retired with nothing but time on my hands and most model railroaders that I've ever met would be working on that layout or whatever, all day (and night) - so why don't I? Too much planning? Too many different ideas to choose from? I don't know. Guess we've both just hit one of those dry spells and something will happen (when you least expect it) that will get us both moving again. It is after all just a hobby and not something that must be rushed.
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"