Goodbye, Small World

 
Today I took down my model railroad layout. I haven't done a thing with it for years and the dust has built up to the point that it looks like snow. (Can be cleaned, but it will be a pain.) I wanted to show you some of the best sections, but I should have checked to be sure the pictures were in focus. Oh well, you'll have to squint because I'm going to show you anyway.

This is a scratch-built (as in not from a kit) gas station. Sections like this were not broken down. I just lifted the module from the layout and boxed it.



Here's the hobo's shack along the tracks. Mostly a couple of kits, but lots of details added.



My layout was smallish, done in HO scale. This is just a hillside detail. This I also saved intact. If I play sometime in the future, it can be cleaned up, touched up with paint, etc.



This was one of the very first modules I ever did- a farm field with tractor.



Gotta have the station. This kit was exceedingly cheap. In fact, I think it came as part of a basic circle "toy" set. Not even good quality stuff. But you can always "kit bash" and add details and good painting.



Finally, this was scratch-built, but it's not meant to be anything special except an end-of-display bit of landscaping to give the perception that the layout is bigger and not just confined to a table top. I actually thought this turned out pretty well, The building is nothing but cardboard and a plastic cookie box (painted).



Actually, I'm not sad to be taking this apart. Model railroading is a hobby for people with a lot more expendable cash than I have right now. At the time I did all this, I was working for/with a man who sold HO scale parts for detailing at model rail shows. I would turn around and spend most of what I made to grow my hobby. That worked out really well. However, he died, which was beyond sad for his family. I miss him a lot, too. He was much more than a railroading friend.

I have boxes and boxes of parts and kits and "stuff," all focused on building my dream layout. Am I ready to give up this idea and sell it all? Nope. If I ever get to the point where I can't hike, this is going to be my hobby of choice.

Can't just join a club and play occasionally for several reasons. First of all, I'd never be able to do it in moderation. If I jump in, I'll be in over my head again. Second, the closest club is Grand Rapids- a 2 hour drive away. I don't know if the third issue is an issue any longer. But it used to be true that the clubs didn't really welcome GIRLS.

Anyway. Now the dust won't get any deeper, although the boxes will still be in a corner of the living room. Sigh.

In other news: I wrote a chapter in DMS Mistletoe and did laundry.

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