The hardest part about getting started is always the first step, so I guess I am glad to be finally sharing the beginning of my journey to build my first model railroad. To put it lightly, my parents very fond of my hobby. Also, being only 16 doesn't help me when petitioning my parents for a corner to build with in the garage. They think I am too old for trains. But this restriction has at least allowed me to do extensive research as to what I would really like in a model railroad. Being only and hour from Tampa, and with the amazing Downtown Spur of Lance Mindheim, you can be sure I wanted to capture some of the south Florida feel in my first n scale layout. After numerous drafts and revisions, I have decided on this design:



Obviously, this is very influenced on Lance Mindheim first East Rail layout. I tried to resist this "plagiarism", but I found the design so elegant that I couldn't resist! All of the industries come from various parts of CSX's Clearwater Subdivision. The goal of the layout is to capture the feel of the subdivision while being operated like the terminus, the Southside Industrial Spur in downtown St. Petersburg that was torn up mid-2005.



All of my rolling stock and motive power has been acquired, and I will posting some it later perhaps. For now, please share your thoughts and any criticism on my rough trackplan

First

That is a great looking Industrial Switching Layout or ISL for short and I see nothing that needs changed on your drawing.

BTW.. I also build ISLs and needless to say have all four of Lance's books on switching layouts.

You've taken the first step...

SouthsiderO701 I would like to add my welcome to you, and I would like to offer the following;

Dear [Insert Loved One's Name or Names] Mum and Dad;
Please excuse me while I go and "play with my trains" as you put it.
While I am "playing with my trains" I may have to do some of the following activities;
Study the History of my Favourite Railroad;
Study the History of Railroading in General and in particular the History of The United States of America, with respect to The Civil War and then
the Westward Expansion and the Golden Spike Ceremony.
Study the History of U.S. Railroads and the War Effort by the railroads during World War Two.
Which leads into a study of Logistics, particularly during wartime.
Study the Geography of my Favourite Railroad; This involves the reading and understanding of maps and all the various symbols used to denote important
features in the terrain.
As I look at these maps while I study my favourite railroad I will begin to notice things like hills and valleys, mountains and lakes, rivers and streams,
and as trains traverse this terrain they need to go up and down or around these features, so I will have to learn about gradients and degrees of curvature and compensated grades, and to translate this into my model trains I will need to be able to calculate suitable grades and elevations for my locomotives
and rolling stock. Where real railroads have to cross or be crossed by other railroads or roads I will need to understand how bridges are used and the grades and other engineering requirements for using a bridge.
This may involve me having to do some maths and to learn basic engineering.
I will need to understand how individual cars are loaded and unloaded and how they are joined together to make up trains.
I will need to understand how these trains are to move a railcar from one side of the country to the other or to Canada or Mexico.
How will these trains safely interact with other trains to get to their destinations?
I will need to understand signalling and scheduling, not to mention time keeping and perhaps even time zones.
As I build my model railroad I will need to learn some basic carpentry skills which will also involve using maths and budgeting my allowance to spend on materials.
I will also need to learn some basic electronics skills and the difference between AC and DC electricity, positive and negative polarity, magnetism, conductive and non-conductive materials, so this may involve me using some of the things I have learnt in science at school.
I will need to use my maths and computer skills to draw up a scale plan of my hobby space and then to design track plans that will fit that space.
I will then need to learn how to translate them to my benchwork.
Once my benchwork is complete and I have laid out my trackwork, I will need to use skills learnt in Art at school in order to create the terrain and scenery for my trains to travel through.
This may also mean I will have to learn about the Weather and the Seasons and how it can affect railroad operations.

So if you will excuse me I will be off to "play with my trains" which just so happens to be a serious world wide hobby or perhaps you would rather I just sat in front of my computer and endlessly played mindless video games?

Love [insert your name here]

Hope you all enjoyed this,
Mark

I had the same problem with my parents, although on the whole they often gave me bad advice. Trying to say that it was constructive activity that added to my overall skills and interest didn't help, ever.

If I had asked them what other activities they would prefer I undertake, I think the preferences would have been (1) none, spend all your time studying, but if you absolutely must have a break, then (2) tennis, or (3) golf, or (4) yachting, or (5) bridge, any of which would be of much better use to you in a career.

The best you can do at 16 is remember that you'll be out of the house sooner or later and better able to manage your own time. Keep at model railroading, it's better for your soul.

16, is to old for playing with trains? Brakie I think we are in trouble. :mrgreen:

By the way Southsider I like your track plan too.

16, is to old for playing with trains? Brakie I think we are in trouble.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Me too..

SouthsiderO701

I think you have chosen well with your track plan, that's the fist major hurdle. Good luck with the build.

As for being too old for trains .... heck, I've been too old for a very long time then

Fortunately, my parents were very supportive of my hobby at your age, though I suspect dragging them to some quality exhibitions helped.

Cheers,

Kev

"Mr Fixit" wrote: SouthsiderO701 I would like to add my welcome to you, and I would like to offer the following;
Dear [Insert Loved One's Name or Names] Mum and Dad;
Please excuse me while I go and "play with my trains" as you put it.
While I am "playing with my trains" I may have to do some of the following activities;
Study - - -Study - - -Study - - - - - and study, a whole lot more.
"Catt" wrote: 16, is to old for playing with trains? Brakie I think we are in trouble. :mrgreen:
"Brakie" wrote: Me too..
One week from today, 5/9/14,
I will successfully complete the first half of my 71st Circumnavigation of the Sun !!!

"Catt", "Brakie", ........ yeah Me too !!!

SouthsiderO701,
I was 12 when I started this:[attachment=17421]
The Freighthouse, on the far right side of the photo, I built just before my 15th birthday !:
This is also one of my hobbies:[attachment=17420]

The first two lines of my signature, apply.
You already have the design skills, GO FOR IT !!!!