How often do you change your layouts and why?

I would like to hear from folks on how often they change their layouts. Do you change your layouts because they don't live up to your expectations? Or because you just want to try something else?

I am relatively new to model railroading. I got into the hobby four years ago. My first layout was never finished. I laid the track but never finished the scenery. I scrapped it when I had to move it from the family room to the garage.

I then tried to build my "dream layout". My mistakes were typical of a newbie. I tried fitting everything on a 4 x 8 layout. Mountain with tunnel, river and bridges, houses, commercial buildings, industry and farm. Not to mention a grade that is too steep for a small layout. I have to run the train at a good speed for it to make it to the top.

What is beneficial from my experience is that I am constantly learning from my mistakes and hope to apply this knowledge to my next layout whenever that will be.

Cheers,

Bill (Montreal)

my current layout has been under construction for 27 years, there have been some minor tweaks but it is essentially how I designed it.

but this was far from my first layout. none has ever been finished, is there even such a thing as a finished layout. but for me the building of the layout is the fun.

welcome to the worlds greatest hobby

most people build more than one or two layouts in their life.

you are learning,

learn from the experts. some older books I think are classics

A,B,C's of Model Railroading Kalmbach publishing How to operate your model railroad, Bruce Chubb anything written by John Armstrong.

I think one of the best ways to design a layout is to design a prototype railroad. it needs to have a purpose for being there. then after you have designed the "real" railroad or borrowed one that actually exists. figure out what it is that you want to do with your layout, do you like switching, long freights, or super detailing, look into the minor players. "narrow guage", traction, industrial, and don't be locked into a certain scale, most people start either with toy trains or an HO set. however there are many more different sizes and scales.

consider the massive "G" scale or the super detailing of "O" scale (not three rail) the middle of the spectrum "S" scale. the ever popular "HO" scale the scale of long trains and big scenery of "N" scale or the super small "Z" scale and a few more I didn't mention, narrow guage, is popular, as is the "On2.5" which runs "O" scale on HO track...the old fashioned trolley line that meets every train at the station, and thene there is the era, are you modeling modern trains, Amtrak. or the local Commuter district. how about the ever popular steam/diesel transition era. old timers and every where in between.

and then when you start building, unless you are modeling the desert abandon the table top (even desert's aren't flat) lok into "L" girder or open grid framing or spline roadbed. and railroad layouts can be islands, double decked, around the wall or on a shelf. it doesn't have to be big but it does need to be well thought out.

enjoy the hobby

Bob (for what it is worth) I model 7 March 1966, in "O" fine scale traction. I have an interurban barely hanging on with chewing gum, baling wire and lots of pride. we run from the big city to several smaller communities in a free lance railroad that takes a little bit from Sacramento Northern, BLS, and a couple small private Japanese railroads. it is Around the wall in a 14X56 ft basement.

Bob