Braking the analysis paralysis

Over the last year or so I have been researching and thinking about different themes for my next layout. Sketching track plans, collecting some rolling stock, misc. building kits, reading forums and websites, etc. But very little actual modeling.  My goal was to have the next layout come out at least as good as the finished portion of the last one. The down side is that in the same amount of time I could of built two or three bad layouts and learned more and at least had a layout while I did it.  So with that said, I think it is time to build something, anything, while I contain to work on the bigger plan. Something simple, something small, but something that gets built and runs and I can experiment with different construction techniques.  I spent Sunday along the Michigan Southern, a short line in south central Michigan. It seems to be a little line just begging to be modeled. I think it is time to start building.

I’m finally getting settled in the new house to the point I can really start thinking about the next layout. I have been exploring a couple different themes and evaluating my potential layout space. I have also been researching different brands and construction methods for track. I think I’m about ready to start on a small test bed layout. Something simple, just a short shelf, Central Valley tie strips and turnout parts, code 70 and 55 rail, and gasp…..maybe modern era industrial park. We’ll see.

Required Reading

I like track planning books, I like to see other peoples thoughts and ideas on paper. I have a lot in my collection and just like everything else, some are better than others. A I work on the plan for phase 2 construction I have come to realize I keep coming back to these books. While they all are not track planning books the do all have valuable information.

John Armstrong's books might be a bit dated but I think some of his ideas border on sheer genius. When you consider that his Canidagua Southern plan is over 50 years old and is still better than at least 70% of the plans we see presented on the Internet forums I have to give the man some respect and mine his work for some good ideas.

Tony Koester's Lessons learned book is interesting considering he lived with the layout for 25 years and tells what did and didn't work out. I normally only learn from my own mistakes but I'll listen to experience and try to avoid a few.

Lance Mindheim's are my newest additions and I think they are among the best. His plans are nice and open, not too much track, or too many elements crammed into the space. I also like that he has drawn the plans in CAD so we know they could be built as drawn. Some of the plans use some often over looked prototypes for inspiration. The fact that they are self published is very interesting to me. I wonder if this was done to better control content, or as some sort of cost control.

The others just have good useful information in them.