No More Trains


You know a subject thread like this is kind of interesting,...someone who was involved for years suddenly deciding to give it all up...not just switching scales, but leaving the hobby. :eek:

If this was posted by someone who had only been in the hobby for a short time, then it might be inappropriate. But this is a decision by a fellow who has been deeply involved for years. So there may be lessons to learn. :confused:

I'll be interested to see if he can truly abandon the hobby in total.
 
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I have to comment here - I purchased an engine from Larry late last year. After the transaction I was curious. So I started digging into some of Larry's adventures. You see, most of us have maybe one or two hobbies. But it turns out Larry is very passionate about a bunch of stuff - one of those being metal sculpture. If you're adventurous, spend some time with a Google search or two and take a look at the work this man has done and the legacy he's left in a couple of different states.

Goodspeed Larry. I hope when I'm your age I can have half the passion you have!

-bill
 
riogrande said:
Actually I did read it, and was still confused. I've never seen anyone post something quite like this and I've been on forums since I was a freshman in college in 1977.
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I don't get what is confusing about this thread.

It's like a multifaceted conversation. If you don't like it, don't participate...there is nobody in this world who can't learn something new.

In the words of uncle si, I am a renaissance man.


Sent from my Vic20 using JavaMoose
 
riogrande said:
Actually I did read it, and was still confused. I've never seen anyone post something quite like this and I've been on forums since I was a freshman in college in 1977.
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Don't you want to change that date? Internet wasn't around then. Not even DARPA-net.
 
Actually, ARPAnet was conceived in the early '60's and had established connectivity across the US via a select number of universities by the time 1977 rolled around... According to Wikipedia, there were 57 hosts in 1975.

Uncle Si rocks - Now who took my iced tea????
 
Thanks Everyone for your really nice comments. I really mean that.
For your concerns about my Model railroading "career" it's still alive, just not on a tabletop or a 4by8 sheet of plywood. I still have the "want to see what everyone else is doing" on the Forum & I still receive RMC magazine(runs out in Nov.). I still have my 24 by 40ft. metal building(right now it's almost full of Electronic stuff)to build another layout maybe someday in the next 5 years. Then I will be 80 yrs. old.(75 this yr. in Sept.). My wife says no more train layouts, but I can tell her then(in 5 yrs)she can't buy anymore fabric for quilting. I don't think you're never to old to start something new(a multilevel mountain covered double mainline continous running)& I have a plan for someday. I'm also going to start doing Metal Sculptures in the next 8 months because I've had a lot of interest from past collectors that want some more of my art(Dragons). I'm still looking for a sm. truck frame to build a parade buggy(Model T truck body)for a friend of mine. That would take about 2 yrs. to complete. I would build the whole truck body frame out of 1" square tubing & cover it w/1/8th aluminum skin. Then there's my hobby that I'm doing right now of scrapping Electronics for money. This hobby is getting bigger & bigger every week. If I don't run out of stuff to take apart in the next 2 or 3 yrs. then this hobby is going to outlast all of my other projects. Then I still take 3 weeks off every year for a vacation in North Carolina digging in the dirt for precious Gems. Then I spend about 3 weeks when I get home tumbling them for display in my Gem cabinets for all my close friends. Then this summer I take kids down on the Peace River in Arcadia to look for Sharks teeth & other Fossils. End of Larry's Novel!!!!!!!!!:):p;):D:rolleyes::cool::eek:
 
Burlington Bob said:
Larry, it sounds like you have a fuller, more active life than many people I know who are half your age! You rock!:cool:
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A lot of my friends that are younger than me have passed away because they didn't stay busy after they retired. This old addage that I'm going to sit on the bank of the river & fish all day was their outlook on retirement.
When you've worked hard all your life it's hard to sit on the river or in a rocking chair on the porch & watch your life fade away. I still have a hard time just to sit down & watch TV & rest. My wife keeps telling me to relax a little. I do, on the computer. I spend about 3 or 4 hrs. a day & part of the nite sometimes reading my web sites & 3 email sites & listening to the music on my puter. That's what puts me to sleep. I have so many idea's that sometimes I just lay in bed trying to clear the old noggin so I can go to sleep.
I still haven't accomplished all of the things that I want to do before I pass.
It's real hard for me not to work 10 or 12 hrs. a day, 6 days a week. When I worked at Walmart I went to work at 6am & had to get up at 4am. It took me a long time to sleep till 6am. The same when I got out of the service in 1959. :D:)
 
Windex 'waxing' ?

Larry said:
After you wash it & let it dry or dry it w/a soft cloth, spray it w/Windex window cleaner & wipe it off. The best wax you can ever use on a vehicle & it stays shiney for at least 2 years & is easy to wash. Try it in a small place on the paint. Is that factory paint or your paint? The dust doesn't like to stick to the Windex. I did my Chevy HHR & all my friends think I had a custom hand wax done on the car. Took me about a half hr. to do the whole car. I used a bath towel to wipe off the Windex.
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This posting of your caught my eye, and I just ghad to ask a follow-uo question. Is this really true??

I googled 'car waxing with Windex' and came up with some negative reports?
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-505626.html
http://www.drbeasleys.com/blog/2012/04/06/washing-with-winde/
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1431089
 
beiland said:
This posting of your caught my eye, and I just ghad to ask a follow-uo question. Is this really true??

I read all of the Links about Windex on my car. I used a soft towel to wipe off the Windex & haven't had the troubles that were stated in those links. My car is still shiney & I still wash it w/reg. car wash when it needs it. It still stays real shiney like it was just waxed. maybe over time it will ruin the wax job I had on it the year before I wiped it down w/Windex. Anyway, if the Windex ruins the wax job I'll just wax it over again in about a year. I like the way it looks now. It needs to be washed right now, but it's been a tide cold for about a week & I'm not tooo quick to wash it in cold weather. I'll post how the paint looks after I wash it. I guess I better watch what I promote when it's not the right thing to do. Old age has it's downfall on us geezers.:eek:
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I'm thinking about building a new Layout w/Bachmann NS EZ Track. Just thinking, no plans, yet. I will need a bunch of 22" radius curves, a lot of straights, etc. Just a few turnouts. The layout will be 24ft long & 5ft wide.
So, all you guys that have a lot of this kind of modular track, let me know after June of this year. I have permission from the wife to start "thinking" about another layout. I didn't sell the last 22 engines & I'm going to keep some of those & sell the rest. I've already got guys on the waiting list for the engines I'm going to sell. Everything on the new layout will be scratchbuilt. I like a lot of Bridges & Tunnels & Mountain scenes which I didn't have on the last 4 layouts.:D
 
Larry-GO FOR IT!! You only live once...as somebody else said, 'we're all going to be dead for a really long time, soon enough.'

Regarding NS EZ Track, its a very good product; at least the sectional track. I haven't used the swtiches or cross overs as of yet, and have no plans to, either, as they are currently designed. The curves come in sizes from maybe 18" radius, all the way up to 35" radius or so. I have used a good number of their curves in the past, over 24" in diameter, and never had a problem.... I've also used the Kato Unitrak in HO, without a problem either. I've been in the hobby, with one sized layout or another, since about 1975. The Kato, is code 83, I believe, and also has switches and such, besides the sectional track in its product line. From what I've experienced, the Kato track conducts electricity better, or has fewer corrosion, or 'dirt' issues than just about any other HO track out there. I used it on my 18x24' layout mostly for curves, I had from about 2000-2008. Ended up selling the condo where the railroad was kept (in the storage unit), but saved the track, for reuse.

My plan, since Ribbonrails jigs weren't fully available, in 2000, when I started that layout, nor was I good with joining flex track on curves, was to use the large radius sectional track as a slightly offset guide, using the MLR tracklaying spacers/gages, to laying double track flextrack mainline. Am I doing things the same way today? Not sure yet, but 'its later now,' and I want to enjoy at least a portion of my trains, running thru a sceniced layout, in my basement, in this lifetime; not the next. I figure in the next lifetime, either 'all layouts are exactly as the builder/designer/owner imagines them', without all the issues typically found with building a layout in this one; or I'll be shoveling so much coal to keep the 7734 loco running, that they'll be no time to concern myself with which track is better....

Carl, aka Otis
 
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Carl, I've never used the Unitrack, but, a lot of my friends around the country do & they love it. For what I'm thinking in the future is a continous running mountain layout in a small area w/a small staging area. No more having 60 to 80 engines & over 300 pieces of rolling stock. Very few people or vehicles. I sold all of that when I dismantled the recent layout.
It might be another year or so before I find enough track to even get started. A friend said he had a ton of steel track, but in my metal building that won't work. I'm going to need enough for about 3 layers w/1&1/2 to 2% grades. I will need more curves than anything & it will be 2 banked mainlines.
W/my Recycling business I only have a small area for trains.:rolleyes:
 
Quick... someone que the "Welcome Back Cotter" themesong! :D
Who was it that said I tried to get out but they pulled me back in?
We'll all look forward to the build Larry!
 
Larry said:
Carl, I've never used the Unitrack, but, a lot of my friends around the country do & they love it. For what I'm thinking in the future is a continous running mountain layout in a small area w/a small staging area. No more having 60 to 80 engines & over 300 pieces of rolling stock. Very few people or vehicles. I sold all of that when I dismantled the recent layout.
It might be another year or so before I find enough track to even get started. A friend said he had a ton of steel track, but in my metal building that won't work. I'm going to need enough for about 3 layers w/1&1/2 to 2% grades. I will need more curves than anything & it will be 2 banked mainlines.
W/my Recycling business I only have a small area for trains.:rolleyes:
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Larry:

The advantage of KATO Uni-track is that KATO markets a complete system in c-83. Curves range from nominal 16" to 34" radius. I had trouble with the switches, not working as I wished, but as with any other brand, a little tweaking would be nice. They even offer built up crossovers similar to their N scale product.

Joe
 
Long, Narrow Layouts

Larry said:
I'm thinking about building a new Layout ..... Just thinking, no plans, yet..
The layout will be 24ft long & 5ft wide.

...Everything on the new layout will be scratchbuilt. I like a lot of Bridges & Tunnels & Mountain scenes which I didn't have on the last 4 layouts.:D
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Hi Larry, this posting of yours got me to thinking about the subject of long, narrow layouts,.....perhaps the types that might be located in a used mobile home trailer,...or the similar size space.

I decided to start a new subject thread on 'mobile home' layout possibilties. Have a look HERE
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=299338#post299338

(the first one I reference has lots of bridges, tunnels, and mountain scenes ;) )
 
Rico said:
Quick... someone que the "Welcome Back Cotter" themesong! :D
Who was it that said I tried to get out but they pulled me back in?
We'll all look forward to the build Larry!
Click to expand...

Thanks Rico for that song. Now, it's stuck in my head. Someone emailed me about 5 minutes ago & asked me when I was going to start the new layout.
That might be next year, the year after that or the year after that or maybe never. Depends a lot on my Health which is pretty good right now, but be 75 this year & when the body gets that old you never know when something is going to break down & stay down.:eek: If I do anything I'll "Warn Everyone" way ahead of time. When I start the process it might take me 5 years to get enough track together & by then I will probably lose interest. Keeping 10 engines might make me move faster & then it also might make me want to sell them so I won't get interested.:D I have enough 2by4's & 2by6's to build all of the open grid tables left over from the other layout. I'm going to use the 1&1/2" pink & green foam insulation boards when I build the new layout because I will have a lot of streams, canals, ponds & lakes & ditch's & this will be easy to form. Also, tall mountains.:)
 
What about 'gatorboard?'

Years ago, I was involved with the tradeshow business, etc, for my employer. The 'exhibitions group' at one point, made me a display board, out of some type of plastic sandwich material, that was about 1/2" think, and 2'x8.' It seemed to me, then (about 1995), this type of thing could be the future of model railroading. It could be cut with a knife, glued together, like plastic, and was both strong and light. Not as strong as say, pine, or plywood, but given its light weight, I could see that adding material to strengthen it, ought not to be a problem.

Plan would be to buy a sheet(s) of the stuff, use one for the 'table top,' and cut up the other sheets, into 1x4's, 1x2's, etc, and follow conventional construction methods back then, only use the new material, and glue/adhesives, instead of screws.

Never followed thru with the idea, and haven't seen much discussion beyond the typical 'foam over wood,' for scenery, but at the time, substituting this material for wood, and screws, seemed like a 'no brainer,' to me, if you wanted to keep things like the weight of your layout down(for the sake of easier moving, amongst others), by this point (2013).
 
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