When reality hits home.


goscrewyourselves

goscrewyourselves

I'm the one
When I walked into my "train room" this morning, and took in the shambles it is, the reality of what I had begun hit home. It became apparent that my ambitions, love and enthusiasm, for this hobby has over taken my abilities.

Right now I have the following "projects" under way:

My wife's Layout, being the most important;
Wiring of the layout;
My scratch built home;
Painting an engine;

Each day I go through the forums, looking at what you guys have achieved, and it is truly incredible. The reality, the detail and the precision. Your work has inspired and motivated me to do more, and to do better than what I have. In my minds eye, I have an end result, a final standard, something worthy of showing off if you like. At present, I can't see myself attaining those requirements and that is causing a great amount of frustration and procrastination for me.

I am certain that I am not the only one who is/has experienced this, and most probably will not be the last either.

So, what do I do now?
How do I get past this and get back on track (no pun intended)?
Where do I go to from here?
What have others done to "get over" this problem?
 
Tony, you have just stumbled over a gumption block. How you proceed is to take your projects one bite at a time, just like eating an elephant. If you look at the project as a whole, you will be overwhelmed and probably never get anywhere. If you are still at the beginning of track laying, focus on getting all the track down and working. Wiring each section as you go. After you get the track down, wired, and working, you can proceed to the scenery stage.
If you get bored putting down track, then you can try your hand at painting an engine, though I would recommend starting with a plain old 40 foot boxcar red boxcar first, and after getting the hang of it, then try painting an engine.
 
wombat457 said:
..., looking at what you guys have achieved, ... At present, I can't see myself attaining those requirements and that is causing a great amount of frustration and procrastination for me...
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I feel your pain. Living in a region where the median income and household wealth are among the highest in the nation, I am surrounded by people with huge layouts and rosters to match. I've just had to accept that other modelers have enjoyed greater material blessings than I have, and that I should only worry about doing the best I can with what I have today [in terms of time/space/money].

Some of the things I've done to fight this type of thinking include: (1) spend less time viewing the so-called "showing off" threads; (2) devote at least 15-20 minutes a day making some type of progress on the layout - every little bit adds up over time; and (3) get involved with other local modelers and host operating sessions. I've found that even my guest operators who have huge layouts at home still enjoy operating on my unfinished garage layout once in a while. Enjoying the comradery of other modelers is very important to me, and still would be even if I had my own 30'x100' empire.

I try to divide-and-conquer my layout construction into small mini-projects. When I'm doing one of these projects, I just imagine what it will look like after I finish what I've planned for the current day's work, and look forward to doing that when I get home from my daytime job. With each incremental amount of progress I make, I see myself getting closer to the goal and that keeps me motivated. The key is to focus only on my own space and not compare it with anybody else's. To paraphrase a slogan from a popular 12-step program, I just compare "myself today" with "myself yesterday".
 
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Ken,

Thanks, and I do agree with you that it is not the size that matters, because it really doesn't.

"...When I do a project, I just imagine what it will be like after I finish what I've planned for the current day's work, and look forward to doing that when I get home from work. With each incremental amount of progress I make, I see myself getting closer to the goal and that keeps me motivated. The key is to focus only on my own layout and not compare it with anybody else's. To paraphrase a slogan from a popular 12-step program, I just compare "myself today" with "myself yesterday"..."
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That is good advice, thank you. I am going to have to force myself to look at the progress in that way.
 
I often tangle with this problem. I have many projects that have been started and have not been completed for whatever reason. I keep most of my projects in plastic "shoe boxes" that you can get at Lowes or Home Depot for something like $1.20.

If I run into a stumbling block, such as "I need .... to continue", I put the project back in the respective box, label the outside with masking tape with what I need and put it on the shelf. That way, a quick look before a visit to the hobby shop or train show jogs my memory.

Lately, I've been trying to... not really prioritize my projects, but track them. It's ok to have a building in the works, a quick project and a long term project all going. The quick project, such as replacing the couples on a boxcar gives me a sense of accomplishment. Buildings are never really finished and they won't be until their place on the layout is selected. Long term projects often require more thought and possibly tools that I don't currently possess. I won't start something else along one of these tracks until what I'm working on has been completed.

I hope that helps.
 
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My layout is all but complete, more or less. Everything is in place, track work (other than fixing it to the track bed with adhesive) about 1/2 of base scenery has been completed and buildings have their place on the layout. Feeder wires are done as well, just needing a bus wire to connect them to.

Once I got to that stage, I took a break and did some smaller projects - nothing major but something to give me some diversity as well as practice for the layouts completion. But now I need to get back to the layout proper, and complete it. I guess I am just lacking the confidence to do that, or at least do it to a standard that, not only my wife will be happy with, but one that I also will be happy with.

That is probably what I am really having an issue with, my own abilities to achieve a successful outcome. Just glad (in an odd sense) that I am not the only one who has had to confront this at some point and thanks for your advice, appreciate it.
 
I can't really give you my own advice because I'm in a road block myself with being overwhelmed and just wishing I had more space, money, skills, etc..... My uncle however who has been a modeler since he was a kid told me to pick you priorities and finish them first. I made my priority to lay the track and get power to it before anything else. Now that I can actually see my trains come to life, its helping me enjoy the hobby again and gives me the spark to want to continue. I might also add though to post some pics on here. Everyone was very supportive and encouraging when I put pics of mine on here and it helped me realize that everyone's project is great in its own regardless of the size, detail, or expense. I can feel your pain but everyone has been helpful on here and they will have the support you need to pick back up!
 
Tony, while I enjoyed following your build for the diorama, I really was hoping to see you get back to the wife's layout. You've been doing a great job on that and I enjoyed seeing the progress you made each week. I'm still in the slow wiring stage of my layout which is the part I like least about the whole build. I hope you haven't gotten to a part of your build that you don't like which is inviting procrastination.
 
Thanks guys.

Jim,

Thank you for your encouragement with the layout and for your very kind words regards my "job" on it.

I think you may have hit the nail on the head though - I have gotten to a part of the layout that I am worried about, the wiring. It isn't that I don't like that aspect of building a layout, it is more my lack of knowledge and understanding of it. Perhaps that is apart of the way I am feeling. This one (critical) stage is preventing me from having it up and running.

My fear with the wiring is that I am going to mess something up and; therefore, destroy something. If all that was involved was wiring from the power source to the track, I would have it done, ages ago. Perhaps I am over complicating things, I really don't know. To be honest, I wish I had someone to come in one day and do it for me as I watched and learnt. While that may not teach me a great deal, which I think it would, it would allow my wife and I to enjoy the layout and give me back the much needed confidence and incentive to fully go back to work on the scenery and so forth.
 
For the wiring, take it one step at a time. I guess its easier if you're doing DCC, but in my case, I'm doing DC.
One day just drill holes through your table top underneath every rail joiner.
Another day go out and buy 18 to 22 gage stranded wire in black. Cut lengths of the black wire long enough to solder to rail joiners and drop through the table top. Make enough for all the rail joiners you've drilled holes for on ONE SIDE of the track only.
On another day, figure out where you will divide the blocks for power control and install an insulated rail joiner between each block on the OTHER rail.
On still another day, pick up some red wire and solder lengths to rail joiners and make enough for all the rail joiners between two insulated joiners for a single block.
Then continue with different color wire for each block, for the one rail only.

Then get someone here who knows more about wiring that I, to explain how to wire it all together underneath the layout. But at least at this point the wires would all be ready for that step and the different color wires will keep things easier under the layout. If you've run out of different colors before you run out of blocks, a little spray paint or permanent markers can provide additional varieties.

Now, if you have a reversing loop (as I think I suggested to you at one time), then, well, you're probably on your own, cause a reversing loop would require a block with both rails completely insulated from all the other track at both ends.
 
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Wombat, I've got the same problem that you have. Going on this forum and seeing who's doing what is always exciting because there is sooo much great stuff being done by you guys. My layout isn't really impressive or very large, but I enjoy it. So my goal is to not compete with everyone else but to try and learn from everyone else. There is certainly no rush to accomplish the "finished product" on our layouts, well for me there isn't. I spend probably 2 hours a week doing something with my layout, running trains or cleaning track or whatever. So I guess my main point is that YOU have to enjoy what you are doing and at your own pace.
 
The biggest stumbling block I've had lately is I have to do rewiring on the layout. The stumbling block has been the college-aged daughter who left home for college, got sick and had to come home. All her stuff had to go somewhere...right where I was going to move the boxes that are kept under the layout while rewiring it. (The peace offering to the wife for the layout. "See honey, I can keep stuff in containers under the layout" idea.)

So, after a cold winter-too cold to comfortably work in the basement-I decided to go with replacing track in trouble areas instead. One area has been taken care of with the relocation of a switch. The other may require switch replacement and some new track. Both of these projects are not in the areas that need to be rewired. So, some progress has taken place.

The biggest stumbling block I've had is a virtual stoppage for four years while working very early morning shifts at the job I had at the time. Weird hours made for no progress at all!
 
Hey Tony,
I truely know how you feel, you get to a point that you are somewhat uncertain about and you put it it off for a while. I was in that boat and in some ways still in the boat. I was afraid to glue the track down, so I put it off. I had never put down roadbed before, so I put it off, etc, etc. I was also looking at all the amazing model railroads out there and feeling very down about my small and uninspiring layout. Through the folks on this forum I was able to do one thing at a time. I put down the roadbed, was it perfect? No, did it work for what I needed? Yes. All the other things that I was not confident in doing started to become easier. Did everything come out like I had been doing this for 20 years? No. I think the bottom line with this hobby is, we try to do the best we can with the skills and resources that we have. I think you layout is going to look great and I believe your wife will be very happy with it. Take one step at a time, don't get to far ahead of yourself and try not to compare your layout with a professional one. Use their knowledge and skills to become the modeler you want to be. I just reminded myself to take this advise as well. Hope you and your wife are well, put some layout pics up when you can.

Thanks
Scott
 
getting there is half the fun, its the doing that puts you there, you have a dream to push you on, thats the key. You just keep prodding on. A model railroad is never finished.
 
Tony,

I too have sensed a feeling of being overwhelmed. I've found myself at times with this hobby where I've spread myself too thin with too many projects, too many locomotives, and too much scenery work to do. So far I've found the solution has been to take a step back, take a break, and reassess my priorities of my layout. Then take small steps whenever I work on it to crossing off my projects. All the while remembering that it is a hobby and it is meant for pleasure and enjoyment.

Hope this helps.

Brad
 
Well tony i have the same problem plus i have health problems that slow things down when i am ready to work on it so i hope you get the fire to get going
 
Believe me, you're not alone. I started building my layout in the mid 80's and am still going at it. I hit a stumbling block in the early 90's when I ran out of supplies I had rat holed away. I started with a plan and stuck to it, so my cash of supplies were right on target. What put the brakes on was a lack of hobby shops in my area. A lack of means NONE. I worked on scenery from time to time, but there were period of time that I did absolutely nothing for months. Finally e-retailers came onto the internet and I was finally able to move forward. All of the track has been installed with the exception of a lumber mill. The buildings for the last town have been completed and now ballasting and scenery is all that needs to be finished.

Model railroad forums have been a big help. Not having any local hobby shops, I have learned about many new products and have also gotten ideas from what members have posted. Now it is a matter of having the time to work on the railroad. We have long winters here in Montana and that is when the majority of the work gets done. I have way too many interests that keep me way too busy in the warmer months.
 
Tony - I started the current railroad after buying our house in 1997. It is still not completed. It will never by finished but I would like to see it completed. There is difference. I started it with my small sons and now they are grown and gone. I wish I had started something simipler with them but that we did have fun. A few years ago I stopped adding new projects until I finished some first. I declared portions completed and not be touched. Since then I've gone back and reworked some areas just because my newer work looked so much better to me. Step back and enjoy the ride it will be longer than you thought.
 
Stoker said:
Wait till you get it all wired and running and then decide to tear the entire thing up and start over, which is where I am at.....:rolleyes:
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thats where i am at,also. ran the layout everyday or other day while i was building it. now that i got it done(it's a 4x8 u shape) i am looking at starting over.
 
i know i have 4 or more projects going on at one time, at various stages of completion. they say it has more to do with my various concussions that have diminished my ability to stay on one task, as i used to finish one project before the next. i call it short attention span theater, my girlfriend calls it annoying.
 
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