Having finally got through sorting out my boxes from last move I thought I would actually inventory the stock I have and see what if anything could be rationalised. However after a radical purging a number of years ago which after I kinda regretted getting rid of the things I did I now am more careful about what I plan to liquidate and what is to keep in the inventory. I wasn’t so surprised at most of what I found although the biggest was how much N Scale stuff I have accumulated over the years this being both UK and US stock. In my last purge I got rid of a lot of UK N and am now wishing I hadn’t. Although the main thrust of my interest is to be 2mmFS and not some much 2mm. Ok so what you ask is the point of this post, well the thought occurs that maybe hoarding an rubber gauging is fun for looking at the swag but not necessarily a good thing for actually achieving.
With this in mind I am going to downsize (sell actually) the HO and Z US stuff as I see no future for this as I have enough stock for a small N scale New England layout and I like the train moving through the landscape model that 2mm gives you. The other scales and gauges are there for flitting around when my attention wanders and or the mojo wains. Thankfully plans for huge basement filling inventories are not possible due to a) lack of space, b) lack of money and c) lack of desire to have said huge estate. Shunting a few wagons around for an hour or so is my idea of fun and although the idea of watching express trains whizz by might be appealing in order to do it properly you need large amounts of space. I really do realise that in order to actually create something I need to keep it small.
So I really need to concentrate and focus. I have been listening to a tech podcast talking about managing ones time and setting time aside to work on certain things. Right so I’m off to ‘do’ rather than talk 🙂
Great post. In parts it feels like a sentiment I’ve been mulling over a lot recently. I too have been through a few heavy purges over the past few years. A few were driven by a genuine desire to better focus my collection on things that would become part of an actual layout and others were driven by just an impatient need to tidy up piles of “stuff”. I too now realise that in some of that haste I’ve parted with a few models I really wish I hadn’t gotten rid of and a few that I may have a bit of trouble replacing. I guess this is how you learn sometimes, eh?
I do a pretty lousy job of hiding the ease of which I can be distracted by other model railway ideas, scales, gauges, and themes. What I’ve found by exploring them was that each allowed me to actually “test drive” the idea and many actually helped me to better appreciate those parts of the hobby I do appreciate. Testing on a live system I guess – to think in terms of profession for a moment. I’ve always described myself as a native N scaler and I do find I’m most excited about models in or near to the 1/160 ratio. Every journey away from N has brought new experiences that I’ve enjoyed and helped me to think about how I work, when I work in N. I enjoy any exploration of the philosophical elements of this hobby and am delighted to realise practical examples of expanding my experiences in the hobby. I think I’m a better model railroader for it. Reading your reflections I think you’re there too.
One area that I admire and envy just a bit is how you’re experimenting with proper 2mm finescale work. It’s one place that I’ve really wanted to go for a very, very long time and of all the distractions I’ve pursued it’s the one that I’m the most embarrased for having never really tried. A variation I started learning about a few years ago was the European finescale N variation for traditional N by taking 2mm finescale track and wheel standards but using the 1/160 scale ratio and keeping the 9mm track gauge. I’ve been trying to follow a finer scale approach to my own N scale modelling and I’m really tempted to adopt this fiNescale approach for Canadian prototypes. I already enjoy building the track and completely agree with the better running that could be realised through the adoption of finer standards and wonder how hard converting locomotives and stock (Canadian) to use this standard might be?
Thanks for the great post. You’ve been posting some great stuff lately and I’m looking forward to the next ones and seeing where the adventure takes you.
Thanks for the comment and kind words Chris and have been suffering a bit of overload of recent and going through the ‘stuff’ has made me look again at what I really want. I agree on the philosophical thread of things and do enjoy the flights into fantasy but am desperately trying to butt-kick myself into activity. I feel I am procrastinating too much for reasons that are not unsolvable like baseboards. I think there might be a bit too much analysis paralysis going on..
As for 2mmFS, well I could entice you to go down that route but its one thing talking about and another doing. The guy that does the Euro 160th I believe is a member of the 2mmSA and post regularly on their VAG if you wanted any more encouragement to go off piste 😉
Anyway look forward to checking your progress and now wheres that S Scale Assoc app form… lol