Well, I was thinking a bit about my own situation when I decided to start this challenge. I won't say that I'm a procrastinator, but it's been longer than I hate to admit that I started redoing about one-half of my layout. I wasn't happy with two attempts and so I stripped it back down to the foam for the third time and started fresh. I'm not sure if it was complacency, laziness or just burn-out, but in the past two years, I've done little on it. Yeah, I can probably look to a few health issues that kept me distracted and usually too tired to do much of anything, but then I need to rise above this and so this challenge is the incentive that should get things going once again.

As you can see by the pictures, the trackwork is in, but not ready to run anything just yet. I've got some basic work yet to do, nothing fancy, but at a minimum, I need to get my trackwork completed so I can start on my scenery. My resolution is to finish the trackwork up to and including ballasting. That will include installing all the ground throws, complete soldering the joints and wiring the track for DC (with the option of going DCC). The wiring you see underneath is old wiring that needs to be taken out. I will have the trackwork completely ballasted and be able to run trains between the two sections of my layout (a major step). I may even have time to do some work on my cityscape scenery, but that will be a bonus.

What surprised me more than anything is the date on my layout schematic, I drew that up over three years ago. :oops: They say, the older you get, the faster time goes by, and this is proof of that. :o It is the layout on the left side of the sheet that I need to work on.

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Don for some reason I was thinking your layout was smaller. Makes my 6' by 28" layout look like a postage stamp! I have also got stuck on a project from time to time (most recently was the pallet company) and when that happens I just remind myself that it's a hobby, not a race. Everybody is different but in my case this hobby is a art form and I can't force creativity to happen. I'm either in a creative mood or not. If I'm not I need to get out of the train room because if I don't I will only make things worse . It takes me longer to get things done but I'm much happier with the results. You can over procrasinate of course and I guess the trick is to know the difference. BTW how did you do your backdrops, they look awesome!

Tyson Rayles Wrote:...BTW how did you do your backdrops, they look awesome!

Thanks kind sir, coming from your, I'm humbled. I wrapped the wall with fiberboard and just painted it with latex paint. I've always thought they needed a bit of realist-like look, but once I get the scenery up I'll know better.

Yeah, I hate to stress age, but the older you get, the longer things take. I'm proud that I get things done that sometime people half my age wouldn't attempt. The downside to that is that it takes me at least five times longer to get it done... Still, I can't complain..

You hand painted those mountains and that sky? WOW!

"You hand painted those mountains and that sky? WOW!"

Geez Mike, I think we have found the real artist in this group.I can't even paint a hill and make it look decent.

Actually I am more than a little jealous of both of you.

Thanks again guys, I'm really honored to think that people that I admire for their talents, think something of mine. I haven't done any art since high school, and I'd hate to tell you how long ago that was, but let's just say, I was dating a girl that wore a poodle skirt....

Let me echo the others. That backdrop is AWESOME!!!

So, the root of the challenge is to pick a project that we have been putting off and get it done? Or is this your challenge to yourself? If it is the former, what is the timeline? I have several projects that I have started and let sit and collect dust for way too long.

Matt

iis612 Wrote:Let me echo the others. That backdrop is AWESOME!!!

So, the root of the challenge is to pick a project that we have been putting off and get it done? Or is this your challenge to yourself? If it is the former, what is the timeline? I have several projects that I have started and let sit and collect dust for way too long.

Matt

Check this thread, http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=37&t=5139. The challenge is for everyone. We already have a number of people that have taken it, so we are looking forward to seeing yours. The idea is to get those projects that have been "collecting dust" and move them along.

Oh, and thanks for the complement.

Thanks Don

Got something completed that I didn't plan on. It looked like I had too much flat so I wanted to add a little riser without having to take and redo too much track. I decided to add about 4 1/2 foot of elevation to the back of the table. I was able to pull up the track and bed almost intact and added about 3/4" of foamboard. This gives me a rise of about 10' scale which should be easy to add scenery to. Remember, I'm working in N scale, that's why it's not higher. This also gives me grades of about 2.5%. The track went back together nicely without adding anything. I don't know what I can put up there yet, maybe the back end of a row of houses.

Anyway, here's a few shots I took, not very exciting, but they do show progress.

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Just an update, I am indeed making progress. I have all the insulated joiners in now and I'm almost finished soldering all the others. By tomorrow I should be doing the rail wiring. I need to pull out all the old wiring since most of it doesn't line up with where it needs to be. Taking pictures of these next two steps is not worth doing since these are things that take time to do but it doesn't look like there's anything done. I'll post pictures when I get past this stage.

Looking good Don, now that I'm back from vacation I hope to get back on my layout soon. Will try to get that package in the mail to Mikey tomorrow when I go to town.

Tyson Rayles Wrote:Looking good Don, now that I'm back from vacation I hope to get back on my layout soon. Will try to get that package in the mail to Mikey tomorrow when I go to town.

Thanks, nothing spectacular yet, but I am working on it. And yes, we will be pleased to get your package, we sincerely thank you.

Like Mike, I also didn't know that your layout was such a good size.

Your elevation change worked out well, Don, but the raised track in your under-construction photos would've made a great "helper" grade: think of the locos you would have had to buy!

Wayne

Thank you Wayne, the layout is a decent size, but my problem is that all that track leaves little room for my scenery. I guess I'll have to make due though. :?