TPBO

[FCIN]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I am enjoying this thread. Thanks for all the info and thoughts.

Gary;
I didn't know where this thread would go - if anywhere - but it has succeeded in getting me motivated enough to actually start doing something. In that regard, I'm tickled pink. Still have a way to go, settling on that "final" plan/theme for the layout - but at least now I'm seeing what will or won't work AND I can operate something!!!

Have we met or are we related?

Larry, your mother isn't named Margaret by chance is she??? Actually, I think we are related in so far as both having worked in the industry at one time and both like model railroading...

IMHO as the cost of the hobby continues to raise I feel the ISL will be the layout of choice for those with limited hobby funds and I fully believe Lance is sitting the new ISL design standards and helping modelers understand the joys of a ISL and not to mention a ISL is a scatchbuilder's and super detailer's delight.

I'm in total agreement with you on this one. I think we all at one time or another, dreamed of having that basement size layout with 1000 feet of main line run, etc., but more often than not it will never happen or if you actually start something like that and don't have plenty of help - you quickly find it's too much for one person to complete and maintain, not to mention the rising costs in the hobby.

I'd love to replace a lot of my older cars with the better detailed ones that are available today, but ain't gonna happen! All I'm doing is replacing the plastic wheels with metal ones and making sure all the cars have metal Kadee couplers on them. When actually operating my equipment, I get so engrossed in the operations, I really don't pay any attention to the fact that one car has separately applied finer details and the one next to it has the older molded on details.

Long before I ever saw the work being done by Lance Mindheim and before finding this forum I'd began downsizing my model railroad plans. Short lines have always been my thing and I've always been on the hunt for very small operations that could actually be scaled down and modeled almost in their entirety but in a small space.

The really neat thing about a small switching layout is it's something you can actually get to a stage of completion in a short amount of time, doesn't require a lot of space, can be built to take with you if you must relocate frequently and you don't have to win the lottery to afford to build it.

There are also many different themes that can be done in a small space. These are all themes I have considered (and still are) all based on real life experiences:
- An small short line connecting to a Class I road and serving just a couple of customers
- A town or outlaying location on a Class I road with several industries were an engine and crew are stationed and your inbound/outbound cars are imagined to have be set off/picked up by through freights
- A single large industry that requires several different types of cars and has numerous car spot locations (in my case a large bourbon whiskey distillery)
- Industrial spur serving several industries

The possibilities are almost endless...