Southern Pacific Switching Layout

[P5se Camelback]

... During the troubleshooting stage of my wiring problem I have to disconnect most of the track from each other, So now I am back to just having benchwork set up, and not much else.

So I gather that none of the track had actually been "laid," but was actually just sitting loose on top of the plywood. :? :?

I'm not sure I quite understand why there would be a need to "disconnect" any of the already "laid" track to do electrical troubleshooting. As all of the track that I currently have down is the product of many hours of work, drawing the centerline of the right-of-way, gluing down ties, block sanding the top of the ties to insure that are FLAT, driving spikes into the ties next to the rails, sliding three track gauges along as I go to insure that I maintain the proper gauge. If I had to "disconnect" all of that to troubleshoot a short circuit, I'd dump all my model railroad stuff at some consignment store and switch hobbies to reloading 9mm ammo to take my friend, Mr. Ruger target shooting! I guess I'm just too old to understand the new way things are done these days!

I have also been thinking about how long it is going to take to "Finish" this layout, and by "Finish" I mean have the layout be fully operational, fully sceniced, and have a decent amount of super-detailing. I have about a year and a half to finish this layout before I go off to college so I have been considering something smaller. I have had my eye on the Mid-Atlantic & Western layout from the May 2001 MRR. I think that a layout that size could be built within a year and a half. What are your thoughts?

O.K., Justin ... you asked ... so I will offer some perspective ... and no, this is a different kind of perspective than the kind I was discussing with Gary S. last week.

There has long been a saying (since long before you or I were born) in our hobby that all model railroaders used to joke about and laugh amongst themselves, because in the overall scheme of things, the saying is depressingly true ... if your overall goal is to "finish" your layout. The saying is .... A model railroad is never "finished." One reason for that is because as you go, you get better at doing things ... to the point that the early things you did are not quite as good as the things you currently do; so you tear things out and redo them to "bring them up to the current standard" ... which keeps improving.

You see ... model railroading is a hobby. Hobbies are primarily a diversion ... a relaxing distraction from the stress and struggles of what happens during daily life. As a diversion, it is generally approached in a relaxed atmosphere because the purpose of a hobby is to relax one's self in some activity that is found enjoyable in some way. There is no rush, no hurry ... just dogged continued progress towards the goal of building a model railroad and eventually operating trains on it ... again, for the purposes of relaxing!

Somehow, the young "modelers" of today have become in so much of a hurry to get it "finished" that they don't actually build anything anymore ... they spend three times as much to buy it "pre-built," because to have to build something would take too long and delay getting the railroad "finished." For some unknown reason there is this mighty rush to get it "finished."

Well, Justin, you do what you think you ought to do ... make the decision based on your own thoughts ... not someone elses! Eventually, if you always look to someone else for approval to feel satisfied, you will never be satisfied! YOU must satisfy yourself ... no one else will!

But, tell me, Justin, ... just what will you do for relaxation, fun and the enjoyment of personal accomplishment once your layout is "finished?"

I'm just wondering ...