Tileguy said:
Lee, while i dont have time to get into all of the particulars at the moment i would ask you this.Please do not take offense and feel the need to defend your decisions.
You asked for input and I gave it,this is just my opinion and it cost you nothing.You can use it to help or ignore it as you see fit, either way i wont be offended
I still would really urge you to visit the site i posted and read all of it.
As you are new to the hobby i trult believe you will find this helpful.
Absolutely no offence taken or intended in any way. I just couldn't understand which way some of your input was meant to know what to do with it.
I did have a look at the site and it seemed to be research... prototype... research... prototype etc... I felt that it didn't tell me anything other than "If you want your layout to be like a real place, make sure you research it all thoroughly first." I don't want my layout to be like a real place so I don't want to do loads of research. Unless I was blinded by the things I wasn't interested in, I don't feel as though that site told me much.
I am sure that the info there was of great use to those people designing a certain type of layout. It didn't seem to cater for the "in my mind, I imagine a layout like this..." type of person. I am reading far too much timetables, industries, operations and prototypes type stuff in a lot of places and I don't want to let that all get in the way of the most important factor... my imagination.
I'll run some trains till I get fed up of seeing them, then I'll send them to the storage yard and bring out some new ones. I might send some trucks round the industries but they won't have much purpose other than to create a bit of interest in that area.
I think where my mindset might differ from most railroaders is that I don't really have that much interest in real trains. I have 2 books from years back (when I tried to model a train in 3D), no photographs and no real desire to sit watching the real thing. I just love watching model railroads though so perhaps that's why my layout doesn't seem quite right in railroad terms. It's also perhaps why I don't enjoy reading about all the real life stuff.
My consists will contain rolling stock I like the look of rather than ones that serve a purpose or that fit an era or place... I'll try and get a photo of my train stock so you can see what I mean. The diehards would go mad
but that's how I am going to be running the layout... pure cosmetic, time passing, thought provoking, unrealistic enjoyment.
I won't be offended by anything that anybody has to offer... but that doesn't mean I won't debate things I don't agree with... I'll always explain why though.
Dorcas: I look forward to seeing your layout... Great minds eh??