Seaboard Central 2.0

[wazzou]

Congratulations Dave.  You're off to a good start.  What is the size of the space you'll have to work with in the new place?

[DKS]

Can't wait to start seeing actual room dimensions, so I can start plugging them into AnyRail to see how the space might come together..

[eric220]

Cograts Dave! Always good to see that first train run. Can't wait to see this evolve.

[davefoxx]

Thanks, guys.  I will try to get measurements today or tomorrow, so that the designing can begin.  The big question is: Do I wait to finish the room before starting construction of the dream RF&P layout or do I build the Seaboard Central as a HCD layout now?

If I build the HCD, that could cause me to procrastinate finishing the layout room.  However, if I do the financially responsible option and finish the room first, it could be months (or longer) before I'm building a layout.  Unfortunately, finances will dictate that money spent on remodeling will have to go to other areas of the house before they go to the train room.

DFF

[wazzou]

Dave -
I'd go with the door now to scratch your itch for the time being and when funds and priorities align, you can build the Dream.  My 2 cents.

[Dave V]

Dave,

If you go the "doormino" route, you can build your HCD now and then incorporate it into a dream layout after the basement is ready.  The Juniata Division is probably going to be absorbed one day as Stage 1 of my dream layout.

That way you don't lose the work you put into the Seaboard Central 2.0.

[Bsklarski]

Or turn the HCD into a branch line off the main layout, or, or have two layouts lol

[DKS]

Thanks, guys.  I will try to get measurements today or tomorrow, so that the designing can begin.  The big question is: Do I wait to finish the room before starting construction of the dream RF&P layout or do I build the Seaboard Central as a HCD layout now?

If I build the HCD, that could cause me to procrastinate finishing the layout room.  However, if I do the financially responsible option and finish the room first, it could be months (or longer) before I'm building a layout.  Unfortunately, finances will dictate that money spent on remodeling will have to go to other areas of the house before they go to the train room.

DFF

I know where you are at, Dave. When I bought my first house, the plan was to finish the basement and then start the dream layout. Well... it took seven years to finish the basement--because I also had to finish every other room in the house as well. That was a long time to wait. If I had to do it over, I'd have done a door simultaneously with the basement. That might have stretched the basement out another year or two, but I'd have enjoyed the wait much better. Make your own decision, but use my experience as a real-world lesson...

[davefoxx]

Thanks, guys.  I think I'm sold on building the HCD layout.  The Seaboard Central 2.0 could easily be incorporated into a larger layout.  Not only as the original Seaboard Central was, but the branch (A&R on my version) could be extended, too.

Thankfully, the train room is clean enough that I could start a HCD layout now.

Thanks again,
DFF

[MichaelWinicki]

I could start a HCD layout now.

There's something to be said for that.

[DKS]

There's something to be said for that.

+1!

Let me know when you're ready for a 1:1 print.

[NSCALE37]

I HAVE THE BOOK WITH BOTH LAYOUTS IN IT IF YOU LIKE A COMPLETE COPY OF BOTH GIVE ME A FAX NUMBER ,AND I WILL SEND YOU A COPY

PETE OTT

[conrailthomas519]

I can also relate to the financial restraints of remodeling projects in my own home.

[wm3798]

When I was renovating the attic to prepare it for "The Big One" I built the infamous Temporary Rig... basically an extended door layout that was easy to move around the room to keep it out of harm's way as work proceeded around it.  Other than covering it up while I was sanding sheetrock, it was in service pretty much the whole time.



Note the raw insulation in the background.

It was critical to have something to tinker with while the renovation was going on.  I was doing it one piece at a time as budget allowed, so it took a while.  Without having a layout to fool with, it would have been dreadful.

Lee

[davefoxx]

Yeah, it really makes more sense right now to build the HCD layout.  I won't be able to afford or find the time to finish the layout room for probably years.  It's this reason why I haven't bothered to measure up the room and waste anyone's time coming up with layout plans for the whole room.  Besides, I'm a slow worker, so a HCD is much more my speed right now anyway.  Who knows? Down the road when the six-month-old is a few years' older and we've settled into the house, then maybe I'll have more time.

Anyhow, if things go according to my plan this weekend or next, I may purchase the materials to build the basic table structure of the HCD layout.  I'm really pleased with how the Virginia Central's table was built (banquet table legs extended with electrical conduit), so long as the layout was pushed up against a wall on one end to minimize swaying.

Thanks,
DFF