I just thought it might be interesting to see what everyone finds as the most challenging aspect of the hobby we love; and if anyone has any tips to help out. For me personally, electronics and scenery are the two most challenging aspects of the hobby. What about you?
Most Challenging Aspect of the Hobby
- Thread starter GMRCNut868
- Start date
To me, the biggest challenge has been to come up with a satisfying track plan. Many times I thought I had it reasonably well designed but after building it, found it lacking. I am now into my seventh attempt and hope it will deliver what I expect.
how many are we allowed to have?
For me, in no particular order:
Trackplan.
Realistic detailed scenery.
Building, rolling stock details.
details detail details.
For me, in no particular order:
Trackplan.
Realistic detailed scenery.
Building, rolling stock details.
details detail details.
I used to be 1-2-3-4, but lately Ive been 2-1-3-4
I find #4 is not so bad once you find a technique.
#1 and #2 can be the result of poor management, and lack of #1 causes lack of #2, and lack of #2 causes lack of #1. The 1:1 world is very complex!!!!
#3 is the result of lack of #1 and/or overmanagement by the regulating agency(ies), i.e. wife(ves).
I also struggle with figuring out what's appopriate for an era, and manufacturers seem to be afraid to list a date range. I'm no rivet counter, but I don't want it to look outright silly.
Robin, I can definitely agree. Since I have a lot of interests, just narrowing down what I want to do and coming up with a decent track plan is tough to do. I've built layouts up through the scenery and torn them back down again because they just didn't work out right. My wife keeps wanting me to FINISH one instead of tearing them down and starting over. The one I'm working on is in its third scenic treatment and track plan. Hey, it's a hobby!
John
John
well, my #1 would be money.
#2 would be painting skills. I can handle rough stuff, but the detail work gets me.
Everything else I have under control.
I am at the stage where I think I have a good track plan and am narrowing down what structures and landscaping will be on the layout (N Scale).
If you want to check out the track plan, www.muskokacomputes.com/CVR_Layout.htm
any advice would be a help
#2 would be painting skills. I can handle rough stuff, but the detail work gets me.
Everything else I have under control.
I am at the stage where I think I have a good track plan and am narrowing down what structures and landscaping will be on the layout (N Scale).
If you want to check out the track plan, www.muskokacomputes.com/CVR_Layout.htm
any advice would be a help
Resurrecting what others only see as junk>>> http://www.the-gauge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8868 <<< I probably love model trains more than I do real ones. They're remarkable example of micro-engineering, especially the older stuff. While I enjoy seeing the latest offerings from Kato, Spectrum and Broadway Limited, there's nothing quite like the smell and the racket of older diecast and tin squeeking around the layout. My 4-8-8-2 Cab-forward, once a $25 basketcase, now hums around the club layout sporting a Back EMF decoder and superbright LEDs, all the while utilizing the original 30 year old 3 pole motor and drive train. I also love to see how little I can spend on what I own---not cheap, frugal---. I see too many guys at the club holding out for the latest high tech and high detail offerings and accomplishing little if anything else in the hobby.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!
For me it is a lack of space. As many of you have seen, my little one switch layout has gotten a bit 'repetative'!!!!!!
But hey, in the meantime, I've been scratch building freight cars and other rolling stock along with a few structures. (wait till you see the new Ash Creek sawmill I've been working on!!)
So, all though I can't build a layout, I'm enjoying waiting for the space, to do it
Drew
For me it is a lack of space. As many of you have seen, my little one switch layout has gotten a bit 'repetative'!!!!!!
But hey, in the meantime, I've been scratch building freight cars and other rolling stock along with a few structures. (wait till you see the new Ash Creek sawmill I've been working on!!)
So, all though I can't build a layout, I'm enjoying waiting for the space, to do it
Drew
If you mean by 'Challenge' the greatest problem we have, then for me it's clearly TIME. At the moment I have quite a stress with exams in our school and additionally medical problems with my wife's parents. Both keeps me out of my basement - in the last month I couldn't invest more than a few hours for my hobby! 
But if you mean by 'Challenge' that part of the hobby where we would like to achieve really good results, then it's landscaping, detailing and weathering structures and rolling stock. Since I still have to build roadbed and lay track I'm also a bit 'off the line' at the moment.
However, I'm staying optimistic - exams will be finished and then the scene will brighten up to take up the challenge of landscaping!
Ron
But if you mean by 'Challenge' that part of the hobby where we would like to achieve really good results, then it's landscaping, detailing and weathering structures and rolling stock. Since I still have to build roadbed and lay track I'm also a bit 'off the line' at the moment.
However, I'm staying optimistic - exams will be finished and then the scene will brighten up to take up the challenge of landscaping!
Ron
I would have to say it would be thinking three dimensionally, I'm in the process of redoing a track plan for the fourth time because of it and am still not that happy with it.
1-Time *Just got a Motorcycle*
2-Bravery *Don't think I've got the skills to do it*
3-Money *See #1*
4-Memory *Forget to work on stuff (Neighbors get cranky with
sawing at 2am)*
Yup, That sums it.
2-Bravery *Don't think I've got the skills to do it*
3-Money *See #1*
4-Memory *Forget to work on stuff (Neighbors get cranky with
sawing at 2am)*
Yup, That sums it.
1. Space
2. Time
3. Money
They're all sort of related, and can all be classified as fitting the hobby in with the rest of my life (and others). I look on challenges more specific to MRRing, like scenery, electrical, etc., as being advantages of being in the hobby.
2. Time
3. Money
They're all sort of related, and can all be classified as fitting the hobby in with the rest of my life (and others). I look on challenges more specific to MRRing, like scenery, electrical, etc., as being advantages of being in the hobby.
Greatest challenge...............picking a project that doesn't require a lifetime of research, and the need to scratchbuild 90% of it!
Really! Who else would contemplate building an outside frame, 3' gauge, compound articulated 2-4-4-2.............in N scale!
Really! Who else would contemplate building an outside frame, 3' gauge, compound articulated 2-4-4-2.............in N scale!
cidchase
Active Member
%!@&^%$(*&!@#$&%%%!!!
Oh, hi there, didn't see you!
Yeah, I've just been working on
changing over some couplers on a couple
of older cars and locos
Oh, hi there, didn't see you!
Yeah, I've just been working on
changing over some couplers on a couple
of older cars and locos
F
Fred_M
I like building scenery and buildings and find the biggest challange is deciding what to build and what not to build or do. There is so much I would like to build, but time and space have to be a limiting factor. I want to build a beach scene with a 30 story luxury hotel, but a pesky roof is in the way. I want to build a working grist mill, factories, houses, steel mills, etc., not by assembling kits, I want to scratch build them all. I myself am not an operator and am happy to watch a 50 car train circle my layout over and over. I do it for the art and variety. Get tired of one thing, I do another for a while. FRED
Electronics!
I just can't figure it out, I watch and read all the stuff on here about it but I just can't get it. :curse:ops: ops:
I just can't figure it out, I watch and read all the stuff on here about it but I just can't get it. :curse:
ops: ops:Ballasting, drives me nuts. I never think it looks right, I'll post some pics as i get started and get some feed back. Hey Freddie notice your from MO, ever been to Magic Dragon cars show at the lake?
For me it was wiring..So I got smart and used Atlas Controller with selectors..:thumb: You see any wiring challenged person can wire a Atlas controller and selectors-one wire to each block-KISS at it best..Shoot,I had to get help wiring my DCC layout(bus,feeder and walk around plugs) except the engine terminal area where I used selectors for my blocks.
You see any wiring challenged person can wire a Atlas controller and selectors-one wire to each block-KISS at it best..Shoot,I had to get help wiring my DCC layout(bus,feeder and walk around plugs) except the engine terminal area where I used selectors for my blocks.Mine is space. I've now filled the layout with trains -- every track in every station is full -- and I still have boxes of them in the crawl space.
The next biggest is scenery. I'm not artistic and I can't picture some of the situations that I've built into the layout. (John Allen used to divert himself by trying to devise expainable scenery for crowded track plans.)
The next biggest is scenery. I'm not artistic and I can't picture some of the situations that I've built into the layout. (John Allen used to divert himself by trying to devise expainable scenery for crowded track plans.)