The Model Railroad Fantasy & The SRY Rail Link Reality | Boomer Diorama ~ # 241 

My layout is currently under construction. It is reasonably big. But here is the rub - it is being built for me by a professional layout designer/builder for a number of reasons: I am in my mid to late 60’s and have been in remission from a terminal illness for the past 11 years and you just never know when it might come back. So for me, my focus has always been on building structures and scenery which is why your channel is so important. In my mind, I just don’t really have the time to learn carpentry and electrical to the level of ability in order to have a canvass for my real passions in this hobby. Which makes me feel like a bit of a fraud when I watch other modellers on RU-vid or on Second Section who do everything from scratch. But these are my circumstances and I just can’t wait to start working on scenicking the layout and running operations when it is complete (sometime in 2025). I retire on Sunday, March 31, 2024 and the first task is to build a small diorama using the skills and techniques I have learned from Glover Road and River Road. You are such an inspiration and a master of your craft Boomer, and this channel is, to my mind, the only one where we can learn the basics in such detail.

My modeling Nirvana is my 12 by 2 shelf layout where I spend countless hours of enjoyment, your commentary is spot on, thanks for sharing Boomer.

I think it's different for everyone, not everyone is after the same thing. I like continuous running, my locomotives and rolling stock actually get used and a train can continuous run while I'm working on the layout. I don't see a downside to it. It's just a hobby, there's no right or wrong way to do it, and no right or wrong layout.

That wood planking in the first part is incredible

My layout is so much more than just money, time, and my modelling efforts. I use my layout to help me through a journey of not only having a midlife crisis but through my journey of sobriety. My layout is in the era of 1987 Youngstown during the transition from Chessie System to CSX. Does it look like a "hobby shop buffet table"? You Betcha!! We should be so lucky to still have a brick and mortar hobby shop here in Youngstown. I do my best to model the Hazelton Yard with the Campbell works blast furnace. It's the spirit I'm trying to capture. Anyhoo, Thanks Boomer for all your wisdom and as usual it's spot on for us old school scale modelers.

I think I'm lucky in that having grown up in the UK, the shelf layout is much more commonplace due to lack of space for most model railway fanatics in a British home. I do agree with you that smaller can sometimes be more satisfying, and I think that's especially true for beginners to the hobby, who may not have the work processes down to be able to complete large areas quickly. I have plans to model a loading and unloading siding at a horseracing track, just because it offers an opportunity to present a scene rarely modeled. There's opportunity for hay and grain in, manure and trash out, and of course, horses and racing yard staff in and out, all very likely to be served by only a siding or two at most, and gives me the fun of modeling all of the stuff the public doesn't normally see at a racecourse.

My bread and butter for 34 years as an engineer was switching and industry placement . I enjoyed the work. I worked the mainline but at a point I realized that it wasn't as challenging and interesting as my local jobs. Local work and switching challenged me daily and so I want to replicate that in my vision with things I've seen. I love your modeling and the philosophy that goes with it. We're kindred spirits in our views of operations and you've been a great influence on my modeling. Keep it going! Cheers!

I've been designing a larger layout (14'x28' space) for several years, focusing on a very particular area and prototype. I have personally really enjoyed the challenge of selective compression, cropping, editing, establishing view corridors, determining parameters based on train lengths, radius constraints, grades... to really capture IT. Having not started the build yet, your comments have for years now prompted me to think and rethink my goals. It is sometimes said, model how/what you rail fan. I personally really enjoy watching long strings of cars passing before me. I find immense interest and peace in the movement and rhythm, in recognizing all the subtle variation that exists, that can be detected, as one looks closer and longer, recognizing that repetition is an illusion. At one point, I was considering what one might call a "macro shelf layout" - something big enough to support this experience, but not in pursuit of more railroad per se. A very interesting topic, the scale of scale modelling. I always enjoy what you share Boomer.

I spent my first 60 years modelling various scales but always having temporary layouts crammed into the available space. I was happiest with a garden layout in G scale which modelled a private timber tramway. When we decided to move out of town to a bigger property with a fresh build home I included space for my dream layout. It is roughly the size of a double garage and is On30. The trackplan of the two main stations is as close to scale as is possible. The larger station would be the size of your entire layout. There is a continuous loop joining them, which can be used to run trains to entertain guests, or create a sense of distance between the terminii. I have built everything solo and run it solo, and that is the way I like it. If I had built a smaller layout I would have finished it and got bored. This layout will keep me busy for the rest of time.

Your commentary on this reminds me very much of the late David Jenkinson ( RIP ). David was a very skilled UK modeller who built several layouts. The most well known of his layouts was a double track circle about 8 feet diameter, with one station and off stage storage loops and a central; operating space , the staion called 'Garsdale Road' It was based on 'Dent' station on his favourite line, the Midland railway line from Settle to Carlisle. Having had good response to Garsdale road, including exhibiting it at shows, he then set about building a much larger layout with several large stations, again based on the Settle Carlisle line. Some time into this project his realised that it was far too big for him to operate single handed, and that he didn't know many local modellers that would be available for operating sessions. The end result was he scrapped the unfinished large layout and built a larger scale layout in the same space, but with a trackplan that he could operate single handedly.

Circles can be cathartic when coming home from a stressful career. The sound of many metal wheels on metal rails is thoroughly relaxing, It's all in what you want.

Mr Boomer sir, thank you for all the videos you have done and the time you sacrificed for us to do so. I have been watching for weeks now and have fumbled on how to respond on how thankful I am for your videos. I am so appreciative of how talented and how much time you have put in your craft. Only someone with the knowledge and experience you have can verbalize so effortlessly and open about of a subject such as the art of miniature modeling. Your openness, honesty, and the humor you have of this hobby is much appreciated. You have inspired me to really dig deep in to the modeling aspect. There is so much fun to be had(than just buying stuff and doing loops) and forcing me in the comfortableness world of pushing my skills. I really enjoy your dialogue and perspective, it’s a glimpse of the hours and effort you have put into your craft. I am building a 2’x 24’ switching layout but first I am building a 18”x55” layout to practice my skills. Again, thank you for the great amount of inspiration and perspective you describe about this hobby. I truly appreciate it. Thank you! By the way, Happy Birthday, I hope you had an amazing day. Cheers! - Justin

As a chef, I look at a plate as a protein, a starch and a veg. If you watch people go through a buffet, they’re coming back with 3 proteins, 9 starches, and 4 veg piled on their plate. So many layouts end up looking like a trip to the hobby buffet table.

The art is in the scenes! You took compression, and signature points of interest and told a story. If you look at all 100 miles, how much of it is just a railroad going along side a road or field. I could watch trains go back and forth on the SRY all day. The details like the little film studio or the tenant building behind the warehouse all have a story. The diner and the old widow at the abandoned farm house all tell stories. AS you pass along the line, the grain catcher at the brewery, or the overpass provided you joy to model. That really what this is about. Joy. There is so much to this and other hobbies. We do it because we want to feel happy.

100% agree with your thoughts in this video. We all seem to get tempted by far too many models and feel we need to make bigger layouts to justify our investment. Staged dioramas ( ie small layouts ) are quicker to plan and construct and can offer the visual appeal that we modellers seek. It is easier to take a view of a smaller layout that just enables you to see the trains and scenery rather than the walls of the room, tea cups and other non-model items. Bigger layouts take a lot of maintenence too. Full marks for the suggestions in this video.

Another strong statement! I love the sense of satisfaction, with every part of the process, that I hear in your voice and see in your face as you show and describe and teach.

Another moving “sermon” regarding the art of model railroading. I’m embracing the concept of finishing one section of the layout to near completion before moving on to the next section. I think this takes away the stumbling blocks and discouragement of always looking at an unfinished piece of work. This way I walk into the train room and look at the finished scene and the “Plywood Pacific” sections don’t eat away at me and discourage my enthusiasm for the layout! Thanks again for another thought provoking video.

I was thinking of building a large table layout that I remembered from my childhood, and then I started following you. The shelf layout lets my aging (67yrs) body to easily access the entire layout to truly model the scene I wish to express. When I started my goal was to focus on the details, and the self layout lets me do that. So thanks Boomer for your sage advice. Happy Easter. ✌

The mantra of a my mentor Geoff Knott - "Scenery disturbed but the least amount of track" and I have used that to model in O scale to good effect. Have fun it's good for the soul and well said, Sir.

One of the most fun layouts I had was a 2’ X 8’ N scale layout. It was great! My current layout is in a 50X25’ basement. I’m doing it in stages. I have a fixed return loop / yard and will be building a movable one for the other end. This way, as I progress I can move the return loop yard and still operate. Your videos are so inspiring. Cheers!

I am building a 700mm x 200mm micro layout. It will be a 009 narrow gauge steel mill. Even in such a small space I have a real vision for what I want to achieve with visual effects but also operations. Love your channel as always.

Excellent a advice Boomer! I have taken lots of your advice over the past three years and I can see the benefit of the ability to complete a scene as well as see the enjoyment of a point to point operation that allows for prototype operation without taking hours to complete the operation. I'm more of the modeler type than the operation type, I guess that's why I can relate to the smaller shelf layout. It allows for completion in steps that keep me motivated. Cheers!

Always love watching your operational vids! Beautiful work. Thanks for the great content.

Thanks for calling out the big layout. I am still in the process of trying out different tracklayouts. And have no idea, and don't care of the scenery. I probably end of hanging it on the wall as a painting of tracks. Like a mosaic.

Great thoughts, great video. Having fun with my layout in a 8’ x 17’ room, sometimes wish it was bigger - but I think you’re right - if it was bigger, I would be more likely to get either bored or discouraged. At this point anyway…

Some thought provoking commentary. I think your artistic sensibilities inform a lot of your perspective on being satisfied with what you've done, as it should. Some of us, myself included, are frankly just too lazy to put that kind of detail into our layout. However at the end of the day I would agree with you about not being dissuaded from creating a layout because of some size limitations. Your layout is an excellent example.

I really liked the part of the alley that goes up to the hill. The way you arranged it gives it a very unique touch. Nice layout. Greetings from Chile.

I was first inspired by Lance M. You have really inspired so many. I watch I don’t know how many channels and your name comes up often. That’s so awesome, good on you for what you do for the model railroad community. My railroads are getting smaller too! I wish it was a bit bigger, but it’s going to be fun nevertheless. The track is down and wired and it works wonderful. Now the fun starts! Thanks Boomer! Corey

Thanks Peter. I'm in the early stages of planning an old grain operation here in South Australia, intending it on being a shelf layout within my garage. Point-to-point, rather than a full circle One of the considerations for me, has been trying to figure out how to condense the operation into a smaller size rather than full scaled to HO. Im going to take on some of your points from this video, modelling it just enough, that a local person would say, "Hey, thats my town in the background", while having enough rail (and yard) to represent the rail activity within it. Thanks for the ideas.

Thanks for that one. Feeling inspired about my decision to go HO on a small shelf in my garage instead doing nothing because "I don't have space."

30 or so years ago, I “finished” a model railroad in a spare (unfinished) room. Not long after, I just abandoned it. Today, the room (still unfinished) has become a repository for all the detritus usually found in junk drawers and garage corners. I’m now boxing up the rolling stock, locos, structures and assorted details. The plan is to empty the space, finish it as a room and then (maybe) build another (my fifth) layout. I think my problem is that I see art as a verb; once it’s done it becomes an artifact. The layout now under destruction had plenty of operational possibilities, hand laid track and scratch built/kitbashed structures. But, when it was done, apparently, so was I. In my 70’s now, so there’s little chance of finishing another one. If I do proceed, I will build smallish vignettes and connect them with whatever track work fits. Nothing deeper than 18” along the walls of a 15x12-foot room with a point-to-point design.

What a wonderful attitude to your hobby. Makes it all the more worthwhile. Best wishes. :-)

Boomer, you always seem to offer encouragement at just the right time! When I found your videos back on Glover Rd, I was attempting a whole room layout and was so overwhelmed and discouraged with model railroading that I was ready to quit. I started over with the shelf layout, and yes, the stress greatly diminished, and the feeling I could do this was back. Then, I recently downsized my living conditions, having to reduce my shelf layout from 12'x16" to 6'-4"x12" because of the lack of space and very discouraged. What was I really going to do with this? But, following your videos for over two years, the passion to make this small space come alive was still there, and this video reignited the will to move forward! The vastly smaller space will likely produce a more postage stamp result. Thanks for the encouragement, Boomer, with this video! For I was seriously thinking about ending model railroading for good! Cheers

Thank you for inspiration and removing all excuses. Incredible what you have built.

Last week I walked to the local Model Hobby Expo, which was about 4 Miles from home. I could've taken the car or bike, but I felt like the walk. It was various hobbies, but mostly HO & N Train layouts & suppliers. I paid close attention to smaller HO switching layouts and one in particular had me staring & discussing for a while. It was 6 ft long by 18 Inches. Spectacular 70's City Scene, with incredible detail & lighting. He made tall scenic items, light poles etc, 'unplug' from the base with phono connector plugs. So that the whole thing came apart to fit within the standard size suitcase he had laying near the layout. Support legs, the lot, went in that case! The scenic backdrop was about 14 inches tall, which looked fine & helped it all fit. It was his covid time project. I mentioned your channel. Obviously he's already a believer.

Thanks for your words of wisdom!!! Lots of modellers dream about a great big layout. To me, that's no problem. When you stop dreaming, you might not be living anymore ... but that's a subject for another time. For me, the trick is to think about my "dream layout" as a series of steps ... a series of modules. Tons of enjoyment building a specific structure ... getting some electronics and sensors to work ... exploring lighting, sound and maybe motion to add some realism as I see it. It's all enjoyable and part of the journey ... which I think you might agree ... will never end. All the best ...

So we'll put. Boomer, you nailed it. I have had several shelf layouts in my Apartments I have lived at. None of them got completed. But I had a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. Bruce in Minnesota

Thank you for yet more inspiration. You promote a "you can do it" attitude and I greatly appreciate it. I don't have much space, but I have enough. At least to make something work. I do also view the railroad for what it actually does, instead of just going around in circles. Thank you so very much.

I've constructed shelf and large figure of 8 roundly, roundies. I got bored with the oval layouts very quickly once the trains ran a few times. So they got scrapped and recycled to the she'll layout. So on that note, I'm with you on that one Boomer. It took a couple of weeks to catch up on all your videos. What a great story with your construction. Thanks for sharing. A pleasure to watch.

Excellent points!!!

Your opening comment above is golden and has more to do with life than being limited to this project. Brilliantly said.

Interesting philosophy. Food for thought. Thanks for sharing!

I have a 20' x 40' layout, yes it's big, but it was part of my long term planning. I didn't inherit it and I'm in my early 60's. I was also told that I wouldn't finish it and I'm proving them wrong. It's my retirement project which I started before being retired and I'm still not retired. It's not the size of the layout, it's your vision, accomplishment, willingness to achieve your goal in this hobby. I personally like big layouts so I can operate with friends.

If your grandios plan is a massive layout. Then be prepared to be disappointed. Start small, then add on. It makes the hobby more enjoyable, emotional, and economical.

My 10’X13’ layout is twenty years old and for all intents and purposes is “complete”. It has been a marvellous journey and I enjoy operating it, however modelling opportunities are limited now unless I rip something out to rebuild. As a change of pace, I’m building a small shunting layout on a hollow core door ( 27”x64”) so I can play with my grandpa’s British trains. Hoping to use all the knowledge I have gleaned over the years to make it awesome. I consider myself lucky to have these options. Thanks for sharing, Boomer!

An absolutely great video and commentary!!!

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I do love your layout, and you have done a remarkable job making it so believable in such a small space, but I've been running things in circles since I was 10. It's the only way I know, but then again, I model in O. I think it must appeal to my borderline autistic disorder personality. It is small for O, although. I do have all my loops interconnected with my yard and can run in loops or switching opps or both. The good thing about loops is that I can still run back and forth in small sections, but why would I do that when I can run continuously 😊. I guess I do run things back and forth during switching, and then I run in circles. You might say I have the best of both worlds. Yes, I know, my O can't compare, but that won't stop me from trying. Love ya, Boomer. Keep the great content coming. Doing my part to restore the ozone layer since 1964. See, running in loops can be a good thing😊.

Outstanding! This is a perfect example of what I'm trying to do. And why! A link to this video is going out to several people because you had said what I wanted to convey but don't have the talent to explain it anywhere near as elegant as you have done. It's like a personal favor to me! Thanks beyond words! Bart

Happy birthday! Thank you for the talk, layout operation and prototype videos. I’ll bet it was AWESOME standing next to those three locomotives as they throttled up and pulled away! I wonder if that overhead crane in the opening scene is foreshadowing a future scratch build!?!

I’ve got a 7’ x 18” shelf layout on the go. Inspired after finding your channel a couple years back… progress is pretty slow, but I’m taking my time and enjoying the process. Going for quality over quantity…at least that’s the plan 😅

Another awesome video. I'm building my little MNNR in a 10x12 space and I have no doubt it's the perfect size to keep me going in projects for the rest of my life, which is exactly what I wanted. Being a pretty tightly packed area full of little side streets and green rail alleyways, I'll never run out of little vignettes and details to add. Thanks again for bringing a sense of reassurance.

A great layout indeed! I really like your methods and the way you present everything you do, in a way that is easy to understand and comprehend. I REALLY like your layout so....I wonder if you would do a drone view from one end to the other (so far). I'm a small rail modeler and I'm doing another, probably my last, (I'm close to 70 now) so I want this one to have good action and visual appeal, just like your layout. PLEASE keep up the great work. You truly inspire me to do more! Thank you and God Bless!

Thanks for your uploads your quality on your layout is amazing and explaining so much when I was 14 I built my first layout (Fleischmann) H0 and wat you told today is exactly wat I had running circles the fun was over fast now I am 55 totally diverted life and moved house again bought my new house with a small room for my trains even my wife is happy and helping with the new room but one thing is clear that is I am building a shelf layout and I don’t need it to run in circles to enjoy it people like you make you want to go back to the hobby and enjoy thé proses of the build not running these circles over and over again thanking you for your quality of the videos greetings from Holland 🇳🇱

Well said Boomer, agree 100%. I would like to use this video as a jumping of point for an upcoming vid of mine from a different perspective if that's cool with you? -grant

Honestly a shelf layout is exactly what I want. But having a single track loop around a room that's say 8-10 inches deep just for track and some minor scenery would be cool just to have a loop.

Preach it, Good father Boomer 🙏📿 So many valid points, which I've more or less stated myself in my recent rambling videos. "You have room for a model layout, you don't have room for a train set" you know? Also, I think that, there's a key difference between being a railway/ Railroad modeller and, being a model railway/ Railroad enthusiast... Want to run trains in circles and not really bother with the scenery? The story? The artwork involved? Then you're a model train enthusiast! And that's absolutely fine, that's cool and valid and you enjoy it! But.. do you enjoy making scenery, buildings, crafting a story and a word for your trains to work in?... Then you, you are a railway/Railroad modeller, regardless of the 'quality' of the work, so long as the heart is there - I hope you can see my point, Mr Boomer. Kindest regards, from a very very... Very long term subscriber

Pausing at the 6-minute mark to comment ..... I am starting to appreciate the less is more, or the right-size concepts, promoted by you, Mindheim, Klimoski, Rice, and others. It's a difficult switch from the John Armstrong school model railroad design.

I am working on my 2'x12" piece of nirvana, now.

Boomer, your layout is what I would strive to build for myself. I smaller switching layout in an interesting location. I just need to figure out an appropriate location to do it that would feature BNSF.

Another great video. Jumping back into the hobby I’ve learned it’s more about the journey and not the destination. Instead of modeling the Nickel Plate, now you have me thinking about modeling the little known short line that ran through my hometown instead. 3 interchanges, grain elevators and factory traffic all within a span of 30 miles. Seems way more doable than trying to do the NKP justice.

Admittedly a tinplater with the old toy trains, so not aiming for this level of detail at all, but I made the most of my small train room and I'm enjoying it. Lot of running in circles, but I do get a kick out of shuttling cars to all the different sidings I have, loading/unloading them with the operating accessories, then shuttling them over to the long siding I use as an interchange track in little ops sessions too.

As always, Boomers attention to detail comes through in a well executed production, leaving much to ponder until the next episode. It's nice to see the layout from a different perspective, thanks.

Another excellent video, been following you for a few months now. I was paralized from starting my second layout, something a little more realistic, due to not developing a track plan. I wanted to keep it small, so could be completed in my lifetime, yet, wanted a interchange with NYC, 2 towns, logging operation, 2 mines, trestles, rivers, lakes......then a track planner i met in a Facebook group told me "whats the hold up? You need to start SOMETHING, or else you never will." Well, i stripped it all down to the logging and a mine, and a loop back to hidden staging, even that took up 2 hollow core doors in N scale! 4 weeks in, over 60% of the track is down, and hoping to finish that aspect this weekend. Thanks for making these well edited videos, and happy Easter to you and your family.

Your layout looks Nice

Nice sync between the train horn and the music! As always a great video.

Boomer, thank you for all the inspirational videos you create. Your work is amazing! You have awoken the creativity in me that has been dormant for decades. I know now what my retirement ( coming this year) will be filled with. Thanks again.

I am in the middle of a big layout in Australia. Been a couple of years now and am starting to get overwhelmed. I can see the big picture yes, and will be happy when done, yet i find more fun in the construction and detail parts so having a good time. Love your work. You have taught me so so much! Cheers.

I didn't get a chance to watch this yesterday, but I hope you had a 🎉 Happy Birthday !!🎉

So true.. I've got over the "I need a 160k sqft warehouse to do what I need" 😂... Duncan Way looks good and from the prototype video I see the access to the warehouse across the right of way from the plastics facility...

Well said! Thanks!!

Want to add my thanks for your channel. I am finding that my new shelf layout (modeled on your Grover Road) is opening up all sorts of feelings in how I feel about my hobby. It is amazing how much I enjoy the slow switching. Still have lots to learn. I am redoing my first attempt at static grass.. I think the next one will be better! thanks again

Great video!!

I share your passion for trains and I admit I will always be intrigued by a “run by” but my favorite train watching activity is watching switching. I have stood on the bridge over the BN North town hump yard for hours. I used to watch crews switch out scrap metal yards and other small industries when I had a chance. (Those small scrap yards with their electromagnetic cranes moving cars to be loaded as well as loading are interesting to watch. Your philosophy is perfect and I really enjoy your channel.

Lots of people in Britain and elsewhere seem to be real happy running their passenger trains in circles. I don't know what they see in it, but, hey, to each their own.

I really enjoyed this video. Your ideals are spot on. You are wise with your ways and communicate them very well. I too had a large plywood layout, but now I’m down to a 4x8. I haven’t started scenery yet. Watching your videos, has inspired me to start some scenery in a small spot and grow from there. Track can be finished as things progress. Thanks again and look forward to future videos.

I enjoy your sharing; 9x11, 2 computers, 1 Twin size bed is all that fits!!! I will do a Big Boy someday on a Plank or Wood and hopefully it will fit on my Center Speaker; LOL!!!

I too got over my big layout ideas and going to a shelf layout.

Grazie a te raccolgo importantissimi spunti per ciò che realizzerò. Grazie 🎉

There's the line,, " Express your creative efforts". To me , everyone is fighting their own demons. The trick is to keep your interest up, don't burn yourself out . I jump from one thing to another trying to avoid that. It doesnt always work. I just realized, that why i burn out sometimes is because my skills aren't up to the vision. I don't have "close by " anyone to help with this. It seems my skills blanked at 2001 . I'm not the person who can research well. When I was in school my thing was ," You can teach me anything in class, but I can't teach myself with homework". Unfortunately I went to a highschool that had 4hrs of homework a night. You see where this went. So now I guess I realize that I've never grown up un that respect. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Enter Boomer! So I gave a large layout, and my way was do all the track through a section than phase one of the scenery then phase two when everything is done .Then came opps, woops have to change some trackage , oh wait I still have to oaint some cars and I gave maybe 10 engines to repaint and/ir install decoders. Trust me, you burn out fast when you find yourself walking into your train room and saying," where do I start". I'm now working on anything , finishing it and move on. Thanks to Boomer he has "taught" me new skills so I'm not overwhelmed so much. Boomers idea is great because your enjoying the creative effort as you get things done. YAHOO!!! Thanks Boomer!!!

Good timing... I have an "around the walls" N scale layout now in a room that's roughly 24'x11'. The layout is 4 years old, and 90% of the work got done in the first year. What little work gets done these days only happens because I feel guilty for not doing it. It's become a chore. I'd been toying with the idea of tearing it down and staring over with an HO shelf layout.

totally agree with you, I had a reasonably big layout but due to illness in the family it had to be reduced to a shelf type. I am finding I'm running more trains now than I did with the larger layout plus Ive got tons of scenic material and items from the old layout that fills the smaller shelf layout perfectly.

Started with a 8x12 ful loop shelf layout around a small room.. going back into the hobby sticking with small switching shelf layout

" Time to say GOOD BYE?!!! " 🤔 ... NO!!! 🤗 CHEERS and Happy modeling! Ain't mechanical swiss clocks are famous for reliable circeling!? 😂 I take it easy mate, your shelf-layout philosophie is one great part of an luckily really big game😁

All very good points. It's making me rethink my 12 x 24 point to point, which is in its 3rd year of construction...

Again you are spot on....mine is large but it's construction is all shelf about 18 inches wide. I did put in a section of track to make it a continuous run but it looks like a point to point. bottom line , just build something my first one was in a closet( N scale) had a lot of fun till we moved.

Spot on.

You are an open-minded thinker as well as an artist. I like this channel because of that (and Dusty).

Boomer, great philosophy on layout design and operation. You need something on the layout that gives you the option of “shunting puzzles” (and I don’t really like that term, but I understand it). My layout is not large, but I get enjoyment, and it is a journey, for me, not just the trains. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, they are always so insightful, and give us thoughts to digest. Cheers, and stay safe, Michael

Howdy Boomer! Really really really like your philosophy here. Quality over quantity. My thinking now is to build a small 'modular' style layout. Maybe 2x6 or 2x8, designed to allow additional modules if I should so desire - similar to what you are doing. Start with a small switching track plan and go from there. Probably free-floating on legs so I can easily move it if needed. As always, thanks for sharing your insights! They help a lot 🤠

I live in a condo, and I'm working on an N-scale 28" x6' layout that combines running around circles with switchin/industries. Plus it can fit under my bed. I'm also working on a 12" x 6' switching layout that I can "hang" on one of the longer walls

I wish the magazines, covered people like you instead of these ridiculous mansion sized layouts. This is what the hobby is about, this is exactly what needs to be showcased to encourage folks! I love the idea of your layout, I live over on the island, where sadly we just have the SRY running to Superior Propane but I live a short walk from Top Shelf foods in Duncan and have always dreamed of a layout comprised of just the Duncan area, the idea of nice compact layout like yours appeals to me immensely!

You don't need to build reality , if you can imagine it you can build it.

I love your work and layout. Very detailed and you put a lot of work into it. I don’t do train layouts but slot car layouts. You make me want to get a train layout .

Great wisdom in those words , collecting a vision rather than creation of one's vision.. The fight is real...settling on what one can have vs what one envisions , can be a real bummer 😞 so these are valuable words.. Thank you Boomer and hi to Dusty

Exactly! Simple switching in a yard on my clubs massive layout is my paridise! I get to use many of the features of my expensive DCC sound loco's which doesn;t happen when I go roundy roundy. My Modeling philosophy precisely! Thanks.

Yep it's wants VS reality, my Wife and I bought the home we live in now and reality is I have a 15x10 basement room to set up a layout, I've collected Conrail equipment in HO for 40 years and decided to switch to N Scale to do justice to what I wanted in a Conrail layout!!! Love your Video's Boomer!!!!

Congrats with your birthday & your wonderful layout. Inspired by your footage I started to build a N imaginary Dutch shelf layout. A challenge whilst in low lands landscape is less appealing than BC which I plan to visit in 2025. Cheers and regards from the Netherlands.

Spot on as usual. Always marvel at your scenes. I hope your birthday was great and looking forward to sharing many more with you. Stay safe!

Hi Boomer, You just described my 25 something years in model railroading in 3 minutes My layout is 11ftx22ft I wanted to run trains , well that got boring after a while and no work was ever really done on it eg scenery. Since watching your videos using verious techniques you have taught , now it's more like a shelf layout its 22ft long and is a marshaling or fiddle yard, I've not even used the remaining area and the last time it ran was 18 months ago ,does this sound familiar , I have had more fun now in the last 2 years than ever before. This is now all ballasted weathered with static grass using your pitch technique and incorporating a Diesel maintained depo , I no long run trains like my gindy aunt mindlessly around a big layout but much rather have operations and move rolling stock to another part of the yard similar to what you have. So now my layout is smaller and when we move house the next it will be more a shelf diorama layout which will be far more enjoyable. A perfect example, my son got into the hobby we were going to a club he would running his trains but got board just running without a purpose around a big layout . Then one day on our layout he just started cutting trains up and putting them into yards and sidings that he had designated , in that short time he had matured into the art of model railroading, now at 25 he wants start building a small diorama, I think he's been watching you videos LOL. So these days I encourage potential modelers to start out small see how you go with that. The problem also is people go to clubs and get all excited and go home an have this idea that a big layout is the be and all . You have really hit the nail on the head regarding this topic , this would one of you best videos yet an old saying Big things come in small packages. Thanks Shaun

I guess you and I have very different experiences of other layouts. I have no issue with the highly detailed small layout. Personally, mine fits somewhere in between--mid sized. Most of the larger layouts I'm aware of, however, do not run in circles but run point-to-point and are designed for multiple person ops. I don't know a single large layout that runs in circles. There are different priorities for sure, but the only layouts running in circles that I know are small, convoluted spaghetti bows.