Number of failed layout attempts before success?

Four or five depending on how you count a revision. Most got as far as trains running but the wiring was too intimidating. I keep trying to simplify but I get carried away by design.

 

I have only built one and that was for my son. We decided to trash it last year with his permission of course. It was only a small 3 x 4 table with a small loop and two spurs. It was a nice learning experience and now getting the room ready to build my monster layout. Room is 10' x 17'. I have redrawn the layour at least 9 times. Here is the latest without a small change that I made after talking to an old switchman that I know.

 

More common than one would think...

I guess a lot of us have 'grandiose' ideas of what we would like to do... and find that our space limitations... even in N scale... kill off a lot of the things we'd like to do. Even a well 'planned' layout is subject to multiple changes in planning. I could probably list hundreds of conceptual layouts quickly sketched out on envelopes, scrap paper... even on grid paper at scale... only to find faults with every one. My present attempt to make a layout is going on 2 yrs... and the last 18 months has seen very little activity.

I felt that doing modules would solve the 'dying on the vine' syndrome for my layout attempts. But... my first few attempts were very modest door sized plans which were supposed to be 'expandable'. The problem I faced was my choices (preferences) of motive power and rolling stock. Once the track was laid... the first thing that would kill the project was the shallow curves (less than 12" radius) which looked awful with passenger cars and six axle diesels. Then... I like long trains too. The door layouts were limiting the trains to less than 20 freight cars and very short passenger consists... again... a project killer. Now that I have acquired... what I considered an adequate right of way for reasonably long trains and better (not great) curves... I find that the amount of track is going to have to be scaled back if I want scenery depicting mountains and at least a reasonably sized town with industries, yard and locomotive facilities (roundhouse etc). It seems these thing really 'eat-up' 1:160 scale real estate. So now I'm again 'frozen' in place trying to decide where to make my 'sacrifices'. The likelyhood is the amount of trackwork... and that includes size of yard and no engine facility.

So... I'd say excluding my current unfinished attempt about 4-5 starts and abandonment. The problem with previous attempts was the loss of track and turnouts in particular... once glued down... they really are difficult to salvage. At least with the Unitrack... any changes will at least be less costly from a 'loss' perspective. If I have excess track... it can be sold even at a partial loss... but not a complete loss.

 

I am still on my first real layout. I have taken all of the track off of it twice. I really cannot have more room in our current home and so I have to stay within my space. I do not have the time or the money to abandon what I have. I am trying to learn all that I can from this layout. I would like to get it a finished or close to finished state.

I know that I will be moving in a few years and I hope to have room for a larger layout after the move. I plan on taking this layout with me and use it to run trains while I am working on the next one. I originally thought about trying to incorparate this one into my "big" layout, but I probably won't. I probably will use the structures and the operational ideas from this one on the "big one" if it ever happens.

 

I've started one layout... an HO 4x8. Planning stages of another layout. It will be a shelf layout. We'll see how it goes definitely ready to start some new techniques.

Cheers

 

The number of HO false starts is too depressing to want to count. One way or another, life always butted in and got the upper hand.

In N scale, this is # 2. #1 was an expanded HCD layout that sat on the dining room table. That one got as far as being ready to start fastening down the track, when life showed up again. It was tore apart in anticipation of a move, not knowing what kind of space I'd have for railroading, if any. That move ended up never happening.

Instead we are just wrapping up almost 8 months of construction on the place we have...including a weather tight multi-purpose building for storage, workshop, and trains. Now the never ending battle with life is on the "will my health hold out long enough?" front. We'll see.

 

Great thread discussion. They are all learning experiences, and that's a big part of the hobby. No regrets whatsoever on any of my layouts. Only #3 was "finished".

I'm on #5b. I was working on 5, but now have a new and much better idea. Layout 5 is now merely a service loop while I weather rolling stock and wait for the beginning of Layout 6 this summer.

 

I consider each one of my layouts a success, from large to small to large again. I'm on #5. It is the most successful, because it had the most experience in design and construction. The next layout will be even better, with very mild grades, and even longer runs--if I can afford it! Translating some of my scenes (modules of various size) will be a real challenge.

 

No failures

I've started, and subsequently abandoned, 4 previous layouts. The first three were built in rental homes and were demolished due to a move. My current layout is my second one in our "permanent" residence. My first one was an L-shaped point-to-point that I thought was necessary due to space concerns. I quickly decided that a point-to-point wasn't what I wanted. so I scrapped it and started over with an around-the-room.

All that said, I don't think ANY of these layouts have been failures. They were built to provide entertainment and a medium for creative expression, a way to learn new skills. I've thoroughly enjoyed working on each one, I've learned new techniques every step of the way, and some of what I've done has indeed been "creative". In my book, that makes them all a success.

I think your real question was how many layouts have we actually COMPLETED. I've never completed one, and I doubt seriously that I'll ever complete my current one, at least not for several years. My kids will be moving out in the next 5-6 years, and I'm already scheming ways to take over more of the basement. I'd like to start a much larger HO layout, using half of the finished basement. Time will tell...

 

Many interesting answers to the question, I especially like the optimism expressed in the responses that indicated that someone was working on their third (failed attempt). I built a HCD layout for my son several years ago for Christmas with the idea that it would be his to scenic (add scenery?). As it turns out the inner loop turns were of too tight a radius to run a steam loco that he bought and he was probably too young to do the scenery. That one is still mostly in tact but resides on its side in my shed - he can come and get whenever he wants it.

Now, several years later, I am building my second (failed attempt). I am enjoying it a lot too. The tightest radii curves are 13.75" (in N scale), My GS4 runs fine on it. I took an HO plan and modified it to fit the space that I have - narrow and long, so no 18 -22" curves but I have over 100' of mainline with a lot of route variety. I suspect that someday I may tire of the various continuous loops I have - based on all the point-to-point or point-to-loop plans that I see a lot of people running. In the meantime however, I have about 20' by 33" of scenery to build with some bridges and a lot of buildings to go along with it. I have already found my cars for the 'Sunset Limited' that I wanted my 'wartime black' GS4 to pull and my track is almost ready for it - just have to figure out some wiring issues...

If this is failing, I'm enjoying it.

 

I might look like an odd man here, because so far I didn't have any failed layout attempt.
As some other member mentioned, the secret is to start small.
My 1st layout is a tiny switching micro-layout ( 11" X 23 " ) . It is about 98% complete, I only have to add small details such as rusted rails and old ties along the track.
Working on a small layout has allowed me to complete it. I enjoy operating it because my 1st goal was reliability.
For those interested in micro-layouts, Carl Arendt's website is a gold mine.
http://www.carendt.us/

Right now i'm working on a "bigger" layout, a 24" X 36" oval.

Jacques

 

One thing I did learn is to put the layout in a finished room. I get so much more out of it that way. I now have a one car garage and not sure how it is going to work out due to the garage door. It still lets in too much heat and dirt. I might add a partition with a french door that would take the place of the garage door or go behind it.
If I had it my way it would be in the living room Which would mean that my wife would probably kill me! A finished basement or a large upstairs room would be ideal I could still do my trains and spend time with the family.

 

I've had 5 layouts in my life. The first was a Lionel O scale layout built by my Dad. 4x8' plywood painted green. A figure-eight in the middle surrounded by two ovals. I loved it!

Eventually, the Lionel was taken down in favor of an HO scale layout on the same board. Nothing original; large loop, couple of sidings, minimal scenery. I enjoyed it, but I can't say I learned a lot. Hey, I was just a kid! LOL

The next layout was in N scale, built from an Atlas plan. I was still young and didn't have much money so I modified the layout a little by dropping some of the passing sidings and such. Better scenery this time, but still rather crude, even by my standards. I made a few changes to it here and there but eventually got tired of it. I wanted something "bigger" (like, who doesn't?).

That layout provided material for the next layout, a fairly large mountain-style layout. Very long mainline. It got as far as benchwork, roadbed and mainline track laid. There were plans to incorporate the old layout benchwork with the new layout but a move interrupted the whole deal. I thought I'd have lots of space in the new place, but there was so much work needed on the place that I never got started on a layout.

Then life interrupted. 20 some odd years later, the layout bug bit hard again and I needed a layout. I had saved my old equipment and much of my track and was please to find it all in good condition. During the 20 year hiatus, I had continued to read the hobby magazines and collected several more track planning books that I didn't already have. I decided to make a small layout using 2" foam for benchwork. I had an old kitchen table that would provide support.

I applied my vast experience (?) in building this, my current layout. Still had a lot to learn but I think I did better with the current layout than any one before. Better trackwork, more and better scenery. But it was too small! Since it was small, though, an addition was possible. The addition was built and L-girder framework was built underneath both since the layout was now too large for the old kitchen table.

A lot of scenery was done on this layout and I am pleased with most of it. I've only modified a few areas.

But the smallness is getting to me now. The layout is as finished as it's going to get so I'm planning a larger layout. I have a choice between two rooms, one 11'x12', the other 12'x15'. Both rooms are finished. I'm leaning towards the smaller room simply because it's on the main floor of the house where I won't be separated from other activities. The smaller room has some issues with doorways and a closet, but I don't think the issues are insurmountable. I'm planning an around the walls layout but planning has been on hold for several months now while I develop a better idea of what I really want in a layout.

All of my previous layouts have been roundy-rounds. I like watching the trains run. I also want to have other operational considerations so the next layout will have continuous run capabilities AND a purpose for existing! And there's the rub! Getting all my 'druthers' onto one layout. I don't want to compromise too much since, at my age, this will most likely be my last layout. I'll be 62 next month.

So, I have to say that none of my layouts were "failures", they just didn't have everything that I wanted in a layout. They were the learning opportunities and my training ground (no pun intended) for building my Dream Layout.

Hopefully, I'll get back to some serious planning soon and be able to post trackplan(s) for critique.

 

3 and counting.... Someday, I will make the time to start again. For now it's N play loops and Christmas O.