Motivation

[Bsklarski]

OK guys and gals. I need some motivation. I have not really done anything since December. The HO layout is pretty much torn down and I have only been working on the N scale layout. I know I should have been working on it over the winter, but the summer when it is hot I will retreat down to the basement where its cool and no humidity. Give some motivation, show me pictures, anything. Playing with the 1:1 trains all day does not help, coming off a 2 week vacation gave me some much needed rest. Motivate away!

[MichaelWinicki]

Tough one Brian...

I get the "I work around trains all day, I don't feel like coming home and doing the layout thing."

I think you've got to motivate yourself.

What do you envision for your space?  Can you "see" the final result in you mind?  Maybe that's the challenge– you can't "see" what you want to accomplish.

Have you put a track-plan up here on Railwire?

If you have a track-plan in mind and have some idea of what you want to accomplish, then I'd step up and post a deadline on when you'll get some specific task done.  Adults hate deadlines because we know they're effective. 

Post a deadline.

Show us a picture of what you've done when that deadline comes up.

Meet one deadline and then add another.

There's some motivation for you.

[Dave V]

Maybe model something disconnected from your work?  For example, steam-era or some other geographic locale, or both...  Narrow gauge, perhaps.  Maybe stick with New England but do On30 Maine narrow gauge?

That way, it's model railroading, but should remind you less of work.

[GP38-2freak]

Enjoy the weather (I sat out in the garden, cool drink and the dog besides me) and try to combine relaxing and modeling..very nice time for that

[vt_railroad_guy]

Maybe model something disconnected from your work?  For example, steam-era or some other geographic locale, or both...  Narrow gauge, perhaps.  Maybe stick with New England but do On30 Maine narrow gauge?

That way, it's model railroading, but should remind you less of work.

I think this a great idea.  All it took for me was purchasing an atlas trainman starter set (conrail) for my daughter.  Now I'm envisioning the mountains of west virginia instead of the woods of maine.  It's a nice little diversion from my diversion

JDB

[SkipGear]

Just spent the day at a ball game (Reds won!!). Now I am ready to head downstairs, relax and cool off in the hobby room, (after I fix the lawnmower..boo).

[bc6]

Well I haven't built a layout in about 15 years but my door shows up tomorrow. Although I don't have everything I need like foam or banquet legs for my door that wont prevent me from  starting my layout. I will be going to home depot to pick up some lumber, liquid nails etc that should be a little motivation for you. This all started with a little scratchbuilt structure called Wootys below.

[Mike C]

Few pics.........Mike

[R L Smith]

...something from Vermont perhaps?





No surprise to anyone here, but this layout was torn down about a year before Bachmann came out with the 70-tonners.  The SW8's made a good stand-in though.


Ron

[Chris333]

I haven't done much lately either. Even when I force myself to try and find something to do I can't. Then last week I worked on some Z scale flatcars and a On30 Climax at the same time.

[Bsklarski]

A few notes:

Im going to save my Unitrack for a smaller holiday layout. Im going to use code 55 on this as I have started with c55 and used it on the past 2 layouts.

I am thinking 1960s and 1970s, no further. this will put me a good 40 years before now. That should be a good enough distance to todays GEVOs and ES44s.

I need to stay in the Northeast, as alot of what I own now reflects this. New Haven, PRR, BM, ect.

So far, I really like what some of you have posted for pictures, Especially with the Unitrack, if I didnt have as much C55 as I do now, I would have no issues of getting more Unitrack

[MichaelWinicki]

Good choices there Brian... NE... 60's/70's

[gkoproske]

Here's what you do --
20 minutes a day.  That's all you need to devote to the hobby.
It can be a visit to a hobby shop, reading a RR magazine, reorganizing your workbench, sorting your decals, putting together a wall of a building kit.
Anything, just 20 minutes a day.  You'll be refreshed without being dragged down.
And the best part is, those 20 minutes add up. 

[GaryHinshaw]

Another thought: are there any modelers in the area with working layout?  If so, hook up with them (especially if they have a really nice layout) and soak up the atmosphere and run some trains.  If that doesn't get the juices flowing, just keep taking a break for a while.  Motivation will probably return when you least expect it.

-gfh

[ednadolski]

Another thought: are there any modelers in the area with working layout? 

Following that line of thought:  try to find a layout or club with some sound-equipped locos.  Alternately, see if any LHS near you has a sound demo setup.

I've always been amazed at how sound can bring a model to life, and how it fires up the imagination.

Ed