Desicion Making

1427 Views 7 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Ozzie21, Nov 2, 2008

alanw

Discussion Starter · Oct 27, 2008

Hello

Well I'm narrowing down the choices of what I will be modelling on my layout.
I have two basic rules:
It has to be something I will enjoy.
It has to be a challenge.

After that, choice of scale, protoype location and operations is pretty much wide open.
I am finding four main factors influencing my choice (in no particular order).
Budget: Limited at the moment.
Space: More than I thought at first, but narrow, basically about 20' down one wall.
Interests: Not enough room to list here.
Availability: Outside of a very small sampling of NA Nscale stock and a couple of NA HO kits I do not have a collection or anything similar so no need to use what I have. I enjoy building though so RTR shouldn't be a huge factor.

I am getting pretty close to making a final desicion so I'm not looking for what to model but I am curious how other members go about the process of choice.

What drives your desicion making?

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madon37s

· #2 · Oct 27, 2008 (Edited by Moderator)

QUOTE (aw1 @ 27 Oct 2008, 15:43) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>...
What drives your desicion making?

Hi, My decision making is based on firstly what room i have to make a layout in (see "my layout in the loft" section). I then plan what length of trains i want and can accomodate making sure i can fit most things in like Engine shed,Goods depot, Signal box and obviously the station area etc.
I also like to have non railway scenes like houses, roads and on my recent layout an airfield!!.

Operationally i like to normally have a tailchaser but cant on this layout so have gone for the terminus staion with run around loop and two platforms for more than one passenger train at a time.
I have also got a freight line which comes from a higher level down to the station level giving a nice incline to come down and pull up. (i think it is roughly a 1 in 45)

Kind regards
Paul

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alanw

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 30, 2008

Thanks Paul

I had a look at your layout thread. Coming along very nice.
I like the airfield, great opportunity to combine your interests.
If you are adding sound it will give you something a little different than most.

Looking forward to your next update.

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bluey robinson

· #4 · Oct 30, 2008

What drives your desicion making?
[/quote]

G'day,

As I am going through the deecision making stage I am very empathetic on trying to get a gist of what works for other people and what it is I want!

I think what tricks my trigger is the huge impact the railways had on the social and economic climate at their conception. In reality they still do, the media is full of their importance in peoples lives. But I am a devotee of the start of the industrial revolution. The period immediately following the Napoleonic Wars. I really like the Regency style of architecture, before the florid Victorian boom! So that is what I am hoping to reflect in my layout. I'm modelling in the antique! Besides if I make it a bit tough, cos there isn't much RTR, well that stops me shopping!!!

Good luck with your decisions

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alastairq

· #5 · Oct 30, 2008

I find decision-making rather an ackward skill.....

Over the years I have tried all sorts of themes....

but I did find that, I tended to devote all my energy into one project, to the exclusion of others..and this will last 3-5 years before I suffer burn-out, and either have a break, or move onto something totally different.

hence, I have lots of books, lots of US HO stock, some UK stock of a general nature...and scales varying from O to TT and all stations in between...nationality irrelevant! (still have some OO9 stock from a german south west african project I conducted...in 1982!!]

rather than go all-out into one particular field, I often find nowadays I get more pleasure from batting about from this theme to that theme, seeing what really catches my eye....I rather like the idea of lots of small, different modelling themes rather than one big one.

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Chinahand

· #6 · Oct 31, 2008

Hi aw1 and welcome to the MRF.

Given your available space I think the basic decision you have to make is whether you want an end to end layout in 00 or a scenic layout in N Scale with a through station and full length trains. You could have hidden loops at each end to give you a continuous run. I went for the 'less is more' option and am modelling in N Scale.

Cheers,

Expat.

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sbc3510

· #7 · Nov 1, 2008

One factor you haven't mentioned (maybe it dosen't apply to you) is time.

I am rapidly approaching my 50's and this was one of my major factors. I don't know for how long I can climb the loft ladder! For this reason my overall principal is keep it simple. Quite difficult if you want to retain an element of challenge.

In terms of track plan it is 3 continuous loops, each feeding into a fiddle yard of 10 tracks. A minimum of points (outside the fiddle yard). Despite trying to keep it simple, progress is frustratingly slow ...

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Ozzie21

· #8 · Nov 2, 2008

It's what ever turns you on. That's all you need to know.

Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia

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