07-28-2009, 12:53 AM
Josh, I think that if you build it, you will find that it is just too much trouble to set up and take down modules. You will probably just put up favorites and leave the rest in storage. When our modular club sets up a show, it takes 10-20 people 2 hours or more to set it up, trouble shoot, level the layout, and get everything running. Ho is very unforgiving of any irregularities in track work including dips, bumps, jogs, or any misalignment. You would be a lot better off to reduce what you model by modeling only a small part of the line instead of trying to cover the entire railroad.
As an example, I want to model the Los Angeles Junction Rwy on a 7 foot by 9 foot L shaped layout. I am not going to try to model the entire railroad. Even though it only occupies a space of 10 miles by 10 miles or so, it would be too much to try to include it all. I'm going to model the "C" yard and the Great Western Malting Company on the 7 foot leg, and District Ave in Vernon on the 9 foot leg. I will probably free lance something in the corner, perhaps pick an industry I like from Commerce or Vernon and move it into the corner.
If you made your layout to consist of the Codoni Ave district on one leg with the Doherty Ave district on the other leg and the back side just connecting the two or containing another switching district, forming a "U" shaped layout that would fit your 25' x 15' room easily and allow the layout to remain ready to operate whenever the mood strikes you, you would enjoy it a lot more. Frankly my least favorite part of the hobby is setting up and tearing down a layout.
As an example, I want to model the Los Angeles Junction Rwy on a 7 foot by 9 foot L shaped layout. I am not going to try to model the entire railroad. Even though it only occupies a space of 10 miles by 10 miles or so, it would be too much to try to include it all. I'm going to model the "C" yard and the Great Western Malting Company on the 7 foot leg, and District Ave in Vernon on the 9 foot leg. I will probably free lance something in the corner, perhaps pick an industry I like from Commerce or Vernon and move it into the corner.
If you made your layout to consist of the Codoni Ave district on one leg with the Doherty Ave district on the other leg and the back side just connecting the two or containing another switching district, forming a "U" shaped layout that would fit your 25' x 15' room easily and allow the layout to remain ready to operate whenever the mood strikes you, you would enjoy it a lot more. Frankly my least favorite part of the hobby is setting up and tearing down a layout.