Outta Steam

I can't remember the last time I've made any progress. I spent the summer full scale railroading, and now I'm having trouble getting back to model railroading. I'm just disinterested. Thinking scale change (AGAIN), but really? Any motivational tips or encouragement would help.

 

Think of modeling as a continuation of your 1:1 experience. You have the extra privilege of being able to associate your real-life experiences with your models, while most of us can only imagine what the real thing is when we're modeling.

And envy you like nobody's business... :teeth:

 

Right there with ya Greg. My layout progress stopped hard about 2 years ago. I've come to realize I'm a "list oriented" kind of guy. Unless I have a list of things to do I can't seem to figure out which project to work on so nothing gets done. My problem is my "to do" list for the layout has gotten so BIG, huge, overwhelming!! I've just gotten exasperated. Still love model trains so my addiction has veered off in a different course. Now I'm more into collecting and bashing, well more into collecting.... My bashing list is now getting long enough to be daunting as well. I was really looking forward to last winters layout party to get me juiced again but my wife's family was going through a crisis and that took up all my time for that period. Makes me sick to see all the work I've done and not being able to use it to its full potential. If I can't find time again soon to doing something on the layout I'll re-commit again to this winters layout party.

Maybe you've grown bored with your layout? Have you thought about doing some serious demolition and create a new spur and/or industry to get you jazzed again??
Brian

 

Operations ! The freight must be moved in a timely manner.. !

I've found that even if it does feel bit like work, even an obligation, the accomplishent factor balances it out.

The biggest kill-joy for me, is if you wait too long between sessions, and track-cleaning / loco-maintenance becomes a big job (instead of small and routine), THAT'S the mental-block for enthusiasm.

 

Agree with everyone else here and I'll add this...let it ride! My interest comes and goes as well with the seasons (too hot in the Summer to be in the garage with my trains), sports seasons, what the family is into, etc...So I've learned that I'll come back around and have a frenzy of activity and then a long lay-off. I think what you're experiencing is normal. Humans are cyclical. Sleep cycles, seasonal cycles, etc...

 

The thread on lance mindheims article is worth checking out: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?160195-Something-to-consider

I find model railroad articles to always be heavy handed when it comes to the subject of layout design. Every author proposes his own fix for model railroading. I do agree with the basic comment about how we sometimes make our layouts into something that is no longer fun.

I do think we tend to get huge ideas about what will work best and yet a lot of us had our best time with model train when we got our first trainset and just ran a short train on an oval. But once you get into reading model magazines and now the web, there is always that need for more and more. Perhaps more is not the best thing for all of us.

I was just thinking about how I loved the model magazines of the 70's. Most peoples layouts weren't perfect and featured a lot of toy trains. I've seen Tyco and Bachmann structures on so many of those old layouts. Yet, the owners seemed to be enjoying their layouts despite not being completely prototype.

One thing I also recall about those times was how we could see a toy train component in a layout setting and we would use our imagination more to fill in the blanks. These days there is so much focus on perfect representation of a scene that what you see may not have the same effect of transporting you into something more. And the public aspects of sharing your progress on the web can lead to self criticism that I find paralyzing.

So back to your problem with losing interest Greg. Maybe you need to go simpler and easier. Just do something that is completely pleasing to you. Kind of like when you were a kid and would lay your head on the floor to get a head on view of your toy train coming around a curve at you. It's what I did on my layout and I am having a blast with my TOY TRAINS! But again, everyone has their own answer for their moments of dissatisfaction.

And after reading other comments people have made I think they have some good input as well.

 

There is much to be said for going in fits and starts. It gives you time to rethink, to recharge your batteries, and it is really very much a natural flow for something as relatively unimportant as a hobby...I mean in the Grand Scheme of Life's Obligations. I have now gone about eight months without doing anything major on my new build. I did put in a hand-laid butt point turnout in May, but that whole enterprise took about two hours tops.

On the other hand, taking too long can be a problem because it tends to allow us time to consider new ideas, or failed ones that we have already put into place, but which we have only now come to see. It can be as overwhelming to realize you have some important repairs or new ideas to implement in what you have already crafted over many long hours as it is to face a new layout with all you have to do over the next year or six. Taking too long to getting to enjoy it, even if just with powered track to run a train back and forth, can cause us to stall, too lose confidence in our plan or even in our own commitment (yikes!) to the whole thing.

So, I also lose steam, but I have learned that it is as natural as passing bowel gas...it just happens. When the urge is great, I deal with something on the railroad. When I have other interests, and this is almost always during the nicer summer months (we have tons of rain and wind on the east coast of Vancouver Island from November through to March), I do what seems right and what energizes me. I don't want no stinkin' chores at my age...not in a hobby, anyway.

 

Greg, I too work for a major class one railroad and sometimes get burnt out because of problems at work, but that is also the nice thing about model railroading, this is my train set. Also of note, I do not model the railroad I work for, instead I'm interested in railroads from my youth. Like others have mentioned, starting over in a new scale at first might rekindle the fire, but in the long run that added expense of having to purchase all new equipment might put that fire out. There is nothing wrong with dry spells, we all have them but what works for me is actually putting the layout aside and running RSC / Dovetail Train Simulator on my computer. Not only can you operate trains on different routes, but you can also build your own route and you need zero basement space. TS 2015 is not for everyone and there are other simulators out there like Run 8 and Trainz, I just happen to like building my own routes in TS When I grow tired of Train Simulator, I usually head back to the layout and pick up where I left off. Another suggestion, try picking up a new video of a favorite prototype or a new book on that favorite prototype. I also find videos of Model Railroads inspiring, many can be found on YouTube along with the professional videos created by Allen Keller Productions at Great Model Railroads. Long story short, no one is going to run you out of town because you've run into a dry spell, but something to rekindle that fire might be something you have not previously tried, like operations or custom detailing locomotives, cars, etc. trying a Train Simulator or just watching a good railroad DVD?

 

I have just started model railroads (Railways in UK terms) been a modler of some form all my life. Think small is beautiful. Lots of big railrods here but size, in many cases is not all. Take a look at the T-Trak stuff it gets half a world in 1 ft. Get hold of your goals and think what matters, a small bit done well is better than lots half done. Stop goals forward they spoil the fun. Worry about tomorrow tomorrow, one day it will not come for all of us. Just have a bit of fun today, be content even if its just to imagine the trains of you youth painted on tha bare boards as you whatch the trains go by.

 

I’m back. I wasn’t feeling the mojo for a long time. 5 years. But now I’m getting back into the hobby. I guess I just needed a break.

 

Welcome back Greg! Boxcab is exactly right that we all have times like this.

 

I think many of us go through the same periodic loss of enthusiasm. I too enjoy the real thing perhaps more so than modeling, so often waver between the two. Lately though, I'm back to enjoying the model side.

If you have model train shows upcoming in your area or club open houses, drop by. It'll stir your interest I can almost guarantee.

 

Thanks for the responses. I’m looking forward to a model railroad swap meet in a couple weeks. In the mean time I’ve painted my backdrops and now I‘m reworking my track. Next up make some buildings.

 

It hits us all. I usually get motivated early on a Saturday morning, standing in either the work shop or the train room. For example, while I know the most efficient course to advancing my layout may be to build all the control panels at this point, but I may not be motivated. Walking around the train room, I may spot a building or something I'd rather be working on, so I do it. Or I wander into the work shop, pull out a bunch of cars I've been working on and decide to paint them.

Used to be sometimes I would never get motivated for extended periods of time. One trick I have learned (and this takes some discipline), is if I hit a period of not being motivated, I find a cleaned up workshop or train room helps. I think it says "clean slate", "clean slate". There is ALWAYS some project in the workshop begging to be thrown down on a clean work bench. A work bench with a bazillion projects in progress almost "un-motivates" me.

2 weekends ago, we went to a college football game on Saturday and I didn't have much time in there, so what little time I had I started cleaning up and spend some time during the week cleaning up. Saturday morning I walked and just started connecting Tortoise machines. Making harnesses w/ edge cards and all that stuff. It has sort of inspired me now to finish all of the wiring before I jump back on to scenery.

Of course, I will get sick of wiring, lose some inspirational "oomphfff", clean up some, walk back in a week later and start on gaaawd knows what.

 

I've been slammed this entire world with just dad life. It has all come home to roost. I'm a scout leader and changed roles at work. Time is short and commitments outside of work are greater.

But I'm starting to get back involved and we'll see how it goes.