# OUTDOOR LAYOUT FOR SALE!



## Guest (Apr 12, 2009)

Well, I spent all day yesterday cleaning up sticks, rocks, leaves, weeds, dog poop, dead animals, and other misc. wind-blown trash off of my outdoor layout and I still don't have it clean enough to run trains. Plus, I estimate that about 80% of the plants I planted last year did not come up and will need to be replaced, and I'll need to replace most of the mulch and ballast.









Someone, please, remind me why I like this hobby again?









Ed

P.S. At least I can come inside and run my trains in the basement where all I have to do is dust them off weekly.


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

ED,

You got into the hobby because it's FUN!! Give the plants a chance, a lot of mine aren't greening up yet.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Ed Harvey on 04/12/2009 12:02 PM
Well, I spent all day yesterday cleaning up sticks, rocks, leaves, weeds, dog poop, dead animals, and other misc. wind-blown trash off of my outdoor layout and I still don't have it clean enough to run trains. Plus,* I estimate that about 80% of the plants I planted last year did not come up and will need to be replaced*, and I'll need to replace most of the mulch and ballast.









Someone, please, remind me why I like this hobby again?









Ed

P.S. At least I can come inside and run my trains in the basement where all I have to do is dust them off weekly.










Oh, I don't know. I have to replace ALL my plants EVERY year at an average cost of about $850.00 EVERY time, EXCEPT the eight hanging fuchsias. THOSE I bring 205 miles into town where they are cared for in a nursery all winter at a cost of about $45.00 EACH. THEN in late May I have to pick them all up and bring them back. Because of their size, it takes a special trip just for them--EACH way! And, of course, my entire yard is buried in snow and ice more than half of the year so I don't get to use the railroad line all that much. My first run was yesterday, but it is still too cold to do much until May. By mid-September I will be done for the year and will watch my garden die off once again. Maybe it is just something to do. After all, I keep going back to it !


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

A suggestion-move to So. California. Chris W., John Corradini, Jim Francis, Tommy Mejia and I and many others will keep the light on for 'ya.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By gary Armitstead on 04/12/2009 12:22 PM
A suggestion-move to So. California. Chris W., John Corradini, Jim Francis, Tommy Mejia and I and many others will keep the light on for 'ya.










Sure. ALL the large-scale model railroad layouts should IDEALLY be built down there. Regrettably, some of us have committed our lives elsewhere. If I were to choose an ideal place to build AND live, however, it would probably be the high desert of Nevada or Arizona. I have seen JohnJ's comments on living in the climate of the American southwest and I can certainly understand the sentiment.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

At the risk of quoting an old Dustin Hoffman movie...

"I got one word for you; Plastic."


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Sheesh! Just a suggestion. You guys sound like you've had TOO much winter. What's that?


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By gary Armitstead on 04/12/2009 12:54 PM
Sheesh! Just a suggestion. You guys sound like you've had TOO much winter. What's that?









Going through a LONG winter tends to do that to us. But we get over it. The coming of spring and then summer makes it all worthwhile.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

It is said that "Anticipation is often better than the having." Thus, those that live in summer weather all the time do not have the "better" of the anticipation of it coming.









Please, do not burst our little bubble; we gotta keep thinkin' that or we will move where you are and there just is not land enough for all of us to do so!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

GONNA PLAY YA GOTTA PAY AS THEY SAY HAPPY EASTER THE REGAL


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blueregal on 04/12/2009 1:21 PM
GONNA PLAY YA GOTTA PAY AS THEY SAY HAPPY EASTER THE REGAL









Right. Nobody ever said taking on this hobby is either inexpensive or easy (at least, I certainly hope not) ! It isn't ! 

Not even in southern California, I would think.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

It's definitely not inexpensive in SoCal! But we CAN "visit" winter when we want to. Pacific is 20-30 minutes away. Skiiing less than an hour. Thirty minutes to the desert. AND an earthquake every few minutes!


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Now see if you had kept up on it over time , it would not have been so bad.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Ed, 
Your location, at the bottom of that hill may be a problem. Plants may stay too wet? I was only there once, so this is conjecture on my part.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

i think Ed/Carol need to move out of town....get a yard big enough for dogs on one side and trains on the other.


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## Fred (Jan 2, 2008)

Rojer on weather limiting railroad time, here in Detroit right now temp is 35 windchilll of 29, high todat 42 with rain today & next 3 days. I also have many leaves to gather up and track to be leveled out & reballasted before I can even think about running trains.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Ed Harvey on 04/12/2009 12:02 PM
OUTDOOR LAYOUT FOR SALE! Well, I spent all day yesterday cleaning up sticks, rocks, leaves, weeds, dog poop, dead animals, and other misc. wind-blown trash off of my outdoor layout and I still don't have it clean enough to run trains. Plus, I estimate that about 80% of the plants I planted last year did not come up and will need to be replaced, and I'll need to replace most of the mulch and ballast.









Someone, please, remind me why I like this hobby again?










You neglected to mention your price for the layout.


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## Engineercub (Oct 18, 2008)

Hello Ed,
I am new to actually working on my layout though I switched to G-scale about 10 years ago. Honestly, your layout is great and I'd hate to see it another old road bed with no life. You and Carol have done a superb job, I mean god, look at that oil refinery and that fine Conrail equipment ;-) I know it takes work to maintain it but that is what keeps you healthy and active. Besides, once the crap work is out of the way you will have the whole Summer to enjoy it and have friends over to run on your layout. The work part is wearing me out having to do it between shifts but I know in the long run it will be worth it. I wish I knew what to tell you about your plants but I'm sure that someone on MLS is a horticulture whiz as there is so much talent here. Keep your chin up Ed, your layout's pictures are real nice and I personally think it is worth working for. Just my 2¢.

-Will


p.s. - Did you build all the buildings on your layout? They are real nice.


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Doc! 
Every year I spend most of my vacation around the 4th of July fixing up the train yard for the HUGE party I have EVERY year.....the people that come over look forward to seeing my layout in amazement......this year I am trying to fix some of the yearly problems so I can actually enjoy my vacation for a change! This year, and next and so forth!

I repainted my buildings and an still NOT going to bring them in when it rains or snows..I like to see a vista outside when ever I look outside at my layout at night all lit up!
For me that is what I like to see....that I guess is the main reason I do what I do.

BUT I think the better idea is to BRING the buildings inside!

Even this year I ask myself the same question...why? I don't know why...I just do it! It is a yearly ritual since 2001!

At times I get bogged down and really ponder if I want to keep it up.......THEN Marty comes over sees/feels what I am thinking without even without me saying anything, or maybe he just notices I have lost momentum, what ever the case this year I owe everything I am doing right now this year to Marty he has has given me the gusto I have been missing....BUT I still spend most of my time in my train yard tweeking...when I could be out with grandkids and going places with my very understanding wife.

In any case I like trains, and will cut back my spending BUT will always work, paint, and run them..and will always like to see my city lit up.

I am just trying to eliminate some of the yearly pre-season preperation...that is a yearly ritural..that I tire of.

If I had an area large enough to have an inside layout my outside layout would be a thing of the past! BECAUSE the SUN and weather is too much work! The SUN alone is brutal on painted structures! 

BUT Ed really you need to put up an electrical fence to keep the dogs out...OR better yet get rid of the dogs and get a bird! Less hassle!!!! 

Just MHO

Bubba


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I always find (in everything in life) It's better to do a LITTLE at a time and not save everything until the last minute and try to do everything at once. It's hard but I think if you try that philosophy you'll find everything in LIFE more enjoyable. Set yourself up a small FLEXIBLE schedule to do things do the most important ones first kind of a prioritized list. The REGAL


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Ed..... I'll give you $1.50 for it...


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

I'll go $2.00!


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Look out Ed, the vultures are circling!


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

Ed I feel your pain







When I saw what frost heave did to my layout(my mistake) after I got it all laid out, I was wondering also if this is worth it. I had it exactly the way i wanted it and looked forward to running trains this summer instead of working on track. I was really frustrated at my stupid mistake with my concrete roadbed, now I have to cut a lot of it out and get rid of it,MORE work. But after always looking at MLS every day I get a lot of ideas and a lot of inspiration. I am going to change my layout and make it even nicer, and I figured out I like building things just a little better that running trains, I like the feel of of a project when its done right. So treat it like a journey, always seeing how you can improve your layout, not working at it.

Hope all this good advice form everyone helps!

tom h


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## GG (Jan 1, 2009)

Before I retire and a quick comment; 

$10 CAD tops offer and you pay the freight to a Zone 3 environment. 

Sorry... but this is my best offer.















gg 



My comment: Home Depot will solve many of track issues. .


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## leonpete (Jan 4, 2008)

I went over my layout about 4 weeks ago with my shop vac getting all the leaves and twigs cleaned up. Had it all spiffi. Now it has blowen more leaves back on it and will have to go over it again. Looks like it did before. Oh well, thats part of an outdoor layout. Was looking at the layout today and see I need to do some reballasting also. I would like to replace some of my R3 turnouts also with #6 if I have enough room to space the track farther apart. Cleaning up the layout is basically a year round job but gets easier once everyone gets there leaves cleaned up so they aren't blowing all around. Hang in there, it's still a great place to watch trains.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2009)

OK guys (and gals), my little self-pitty party is over. I've decided to keep my layout and to keep working on it. I purchased a load of replacement plants this week and I'm ready to clean and plant again. I just love to watch the trains run too much to quit. I guess I've got the bug. Thanks for your encouragement.

Ed


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2009)

Jerry, the problem isn't water, it's birds and other critters. They dug the all up last fall and over winter. I'm working on a plan to stop them this year.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2009)

Marty, I'm all for this. Now if we can just convince Carol to move to the country. My dream home is on 10-20 acres with an outbuilding, some woods and a pond or stream. Ahhhhh.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2009)

Will, my buildings are all POLA and PIKO. I have not talent for building my own from scratch.

Ed


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## msimpson (Jan 5, 2009)

Dead animals? Yeah, one lousy buffalo carcasse will really knock the bloom off the roses -- 

Down here in Florida, all we worry about is hurricanes, tornados, floods, droughts, stray dogs, deer, possums, raccoons, neighbors, yankees, and kudzu. (PS, kudzu can be killed, but only by direct application of thermonuclear devices -- the ones around the edge of the blast zone come back quikcer and stronger!) 

Glad you decided to stick with it. 

Regards, Mike


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

You left out 'gators!


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## Bob Vaughn (Jan 5, 2008)

I feel your pain....every november thru feb my layout is under a cover of live oak leaves...those snotting leaves get in the switches and even get in my truck with the windows and doors shut.....I have looked into covering it but have not figured out how to go around the two large trees....It seemed like a neat idea when I built it because it was cool and shady but with the first leaf fall that idea went bust....Mabey some day....


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## jbram (Jan 18, 2008)

Hmm: 

Well I did catch the dusting off part, but ! are you supposd to do that ?? Guess I'm about 8 years late . Or maybe more, I don't think I dusted them when we moved in 2001. 

They look like they been out in the weather. 

John


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By jbram on 04/19/2009 6:29 PM
Hmm: 

Well I did catch the dusting off part, but ! are you supposd to do that ?? Guess I'm about 8 years late . Or maybe more, I don't think I dusted them when we moved in 2001. 

They look like they been out in the weather. 

John

I caught that one too. I seldom dust off my rolling stock. Looks natural that way.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

It's a hobby. Expect to work on it just like yard work. I slept, ate and breathed RR for 45 years. Now I am still around trains only in a smaller way and know and expect to maintain it as well as run it. Love it. Later RJD


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

I built a 30 by 50 foot metal building and use a third of it for my layout. I still have my outdoor layout, but I am not sure for how much longer. I love working on getting some detail on my indoor layout that would be ruined outside in a single season worth of sun. I spent two days making repairs to my son's Piko buildings some of which were warped (roofs) by the hot sun. I do not heat the building except for my workshop in one corner but the trains do run into the workshop. It really extends my season and vastly reduces the work of keeping up an outside layout. Why spend 20+ hours kitbashing and painting a nice building then watch it get ruined in almost no time? Not for me!! I appreciate others who don't mind the maintenance who have great outdoor layouts and respect and understand the work they do!! I love visiting them, God bless them all!!


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By billsharron on 04/21/2009 10:46 AM
I built a 30 by 50 foot metal building and use a third of it for my layout. I still have my outdoor layout, but I am not sure for how much longer. I love working on getting some detail on my indoor layout that would be ruined outside in a single season worth of sun. I spent two days making repairs to my son's Piko buildings some of which were warped (roofs) by the hot sun. I do not heat the building except for my workshop in one corner but the trains do run into the workshop. It really extends my season and vastly reduces the work of keeping up an outside layout. Why spend 20+ hours kitbashing and painting a nice building then watch it get ruined in almost no time? Not for me!!* I appreciate others who don't mind the maintenance who have great outdoor layouts and respect and understand the work they do*!! I love visiting them, God bless them all!!
I agree with you on that one ! Every structure I have with ONE exception is kept inside and mostly protected from the UV rays of the sun. I was able to make an exception with the Kennecott models because of the way they are built and painted. They DO have a certain amount of exposure to the sun, but NOT to precipitation or wind. The Cicely model town is about to get a new canopy added on the south-facing side to protect those models from the sun UV effects. I have already had some problems there and will be correcting that early in the season. For now I have internal shades pulled down and only raise them to show the model to guests. The effects of the sun are very strong here because of the extended daylight during the tourist season (we devised that just for the tourists, of course ! ).


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