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Do all train layouts whether it’s small or large become boring over time? If so what can you do make sure you never get bored with your train layout?
Build a new one, incorporating ideas you wished you would have done on the previous one.
Lather, rinse, repeat, until you figure out what you really like.
For many, yes. It's not the layout, it's what the owners want out of the experience, and for many it's the conceptualization and then the construction. When it's all done, say in two or three years, there's a period of interest, but then another idea comes up and that becomes the focus. It's the same with model kits. Some like to build them, but not necessarily have a working railroad.
To situate me in the topic, I create layouts because I like a realistic setting for the trains to run in. For me, the hobby is about running trains. Building a layout is merely a means to an end. It's not that I don't get much out of building a layout, or even from planning a new one...I just like having the setting to play my trains with.
If you use them as a learning / teaching opportunity you can go a very long time before it is 'done'. Then there is operating. I've been operating on a friend's railroad for over twenty years now. I still haven't seen and done everything on it. What do you like doing? Building scenery? Laying track? Building and detailing rolling stock? Electrical? Operating?
I've built 3 layouts in the last 5 years. I enjoy the structure building, detailing, and scenery more than running trains. I get bored tear it all down to the frame and build another new concept.
I'm working on a little 3x2 HOn30 layout now. I hope going back down the narrow gauge rabbit hole is a lot easier on something this small.
Over these many years since 1961 I have built 7 Layouts for myself & 3 large layouts for other people & now I'm helping someone redo his O scale Layout. I've been working on his for about 2 months & it does give me a break from mine. I'm like a lot of other people I enjoy more of the construction & hardly ever run my trains. Right now my track is to dirty to run any trains & if anyone wanted to come over for a visit to watch trains run. They couldn't unlesss I had a few hrs. to clean it up ahead of time. When you get bored you need to make some changes to the layout so you get interested again. I'm already thinking about adding some more tables to be able to get all of my rolling stock out where I can see it. My last layout in Florida was 3 times bigger than the 1 here in Ga. But, I always do something to keep from getting bored by making changes or rebuilding some engines, etc. You can always get new idea's by going on the Train Video's on YouTube or right here in this group.
For me it seems there is always something else to be done, whether it is enhancing scenery, adding vehicles and people to add realism, weathering rolling stock, or just imaging what like was like 70-80 years ago (my era) when a train came through town.
I think the trick is to never stop buying new stuff. Ever.
(says the guy living in a cardboard box)
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