My favorite thing about the layout is how it reminds me of layouts from when I was a kid. I would say leave as much intact as you can. If you're going to strip it all down and start over then just build a new layout.
I'm thinking you should think about what you like best (new plan) vs. refurbish and then do segments of the work at a time with help from others to keep the motivation going. Something like that. The nickel-silver track replacement seems like a good idea if you decide to refurbish things. It'd look better and run better as you said.
I believe you mentioned the track plan is one of your favorites. If so, and the track / switches are in good shape, then I would leave them in place; replace items as needed. I would gut the wiring and redo it so down the road you can more easily trouble-shoot if necessary. Completely remove the scenery, ballast the track, redesign the street network, and go from there. Save some structures and add some new ones.
You could use Tyco Tru-Steel track if you decide to toss the brass track - I've had a great experience with it so far! Then you could have some more old Tyco getting some use on the layout!
That's a Tough Question. I really like it. Maybe a few Upgrades and Repairs would work wonders. If you have room to store it then why not do that and just completely from Scratch build a Brand New One. This will give you two Layouts. One a Classic and one Modern.
As a viewer I would like to see the layout either refreshed or rebuilt. It’s such a fun layout to watch (and run I would imagine). reminds me of early Atlas HI and N Scale railroads. U would like to try an O gauge version myself. Do you have d to he track plan? Thank you for sharing your videos
If you build a new layout, please add some Tyco operating accessories to it! That would make for a very exciting layout! Life-Like and Pemco made some neat accessories too!
I would not add them to this layout, but would like to build an all Tyco layout using the action accessories and buildings. If I ever have the space I would love to build a layout with the TycoScene layout board.
If you're going to do something new, consider making it transportable! If you'd rather keep the general look and feel of what you've got, some more precision planning for restoration should go into it. It shouldn't be too tough to replace some of the structures; some of the existing ones could be repaired or "remodeled", e.g. plugging or "reroofing" the one with the missing roof part, and the water tank could be modeled as removed by the railroad. If you keep the brass track, it should be cleaned with mineral spirits and treated with No-Ox-Id "A Special" to prevent oxidation. Happy railroading!
I would renew all the grounds scatter and new track using the existing plan. Then refurbish the buildings and adapt just plug to fit them and the vintage street lights. If you replace the old wiring at the same time you will have a modern functional railroad that does justice to the original design and builder. And maybe add a few little additions of your own.
I see that you have used brass track and if you don't use de-oxit the track will continue to tarnish. I used brass & steel track on my last layout I had to tear down when we moved from GA to TN. When I build a new layout I will use only nickel silver track & switches. I've already got 75 feet of code 100 nickel silver flex track but I have a bunch of old Atlas switches that are brass, so I will have to update all the switches (turnouts) to nickel silver. If I were you I'd scrap all of it and start over using nickel silver track & turnouts. Putting it on tope of foam is a good idea. That way you could add some elevation to the layout. My last layout was a double mainline on a flat table top. I would use cork roadbed also. Of course it's your layout and you'll do what you must. I think adding elevation to an otherwise flat layout is a bonus and adds a certain amount of interest. As an aside, I wouldn't use any rerailer track as it just doesn't look realistic. Cheers from eastern TN
I would avoid completely scraping everything and starting over with the blank table. I had once gotten an o gauge layout that I thought I would restore but ended up eventually getting rid of the table itself and just kept the track. That table might not work well for newer plans and such If you are happy with the layout overall and you dont see yourself wanting to change the plan of it or anything. Then your best bet is likely replace the track with new track, redo the lighting and just touch up the scenery and buildings Overall it is very much something you need to think ahead a bit. Determining where you see yourself and a layout in the next two or three years, what control system you want to use, plans etc. Essentially determine the space you have and what your dream layout in that certain space would look like. That then will pretty much tell you if you should just fix up the layout or completely get rid of it and do something else
I’d say, update it. I mean it’s not like an old car or truck that if you changed anything on it and you were to be judged and loose points… The track plan is pretty cool, those lights in the buildings are a pain, they always burn out. It’s your train set, you get to make the calls and I’m sure whatever you do and possibly share, as you’re doing it, will be fine with your subscribers. Ron
Sadly that large layout belongs to the train club I am a member of. They are just nice enough to let me keep my layout there as I cant get it down the steps to my basement.
You know, as much as I like to keep things original, and I like brass track, it does tend to be high maintenance. So what good is preserving an original layout if you can't run trains on it? I'll check out your poll, but I think I would say just replace all the track and wiring.
Do a retro mod. Much easier to start fresh. Upgrade the track an add dcc then add all the vintage buildings (which you can still get) that way you retain the memory but have better running. Just have fun with it
Since i would up having to sell this layout I would like to rebuild it in the future. Maybe use code 83 track and modify it a bit to make it expendable and make it DCC.
raffle it off and hopefully a newbie or kid wins and than you wouldn't have to worry about it it would help someone else out or rebuild it and upgrade or keep it like it is i myself see nothing wrong with it but thats me i run straight dc
Pull off the N-scale buildings and any that are just plain shot. Re-do landscaping with the mindset that you're living in 1973. 😀 I'd stick with original track where I could, but I understand wanting to simplify.
If your gonna redo everything with new track and thing. Why scrape it off just get new plywood planks and screws and build fresh. I myself wood just fix it up a section at a time
Do I remember correctly that you were not going to be able to move this layout as-is to your home because of the size? If you do a full break-down, would you then be able to rebuild it in your home?
My favorite thing about the layout is how it reminds me of layouts from when I was a kid. I would say leave as much intact as you can. If you're going to strip it all down and start over then just build a new layout.
I'm thinking you should think about what you like best (new plan) vs. refurbish and then do segments of the work at a time with help from others to keep the motivation going. Something like that. The nickel-silver track replacement seems like a good idea if you decide to refurbish things. It'd look better and run better as you said.
I believe you mentioned the track plan is one of your favorites. If so, and the track / switches are in good shape, then I would leave them in place; replace items as needed. I would gut the wiring and redo it so down the road you can more easily trouble-shoot if necessary. Completely remove the scenery, ballast the track, redesign the street network, and go from there. Save some structures and add some new ones.
if it were me, i would salvage everything possible and start from scratch- just me. good luck whatever you decide :)
You could use Tyco Tru-Steel track if you decide to toss the brass track - I've had a great experience with it so far! Then you could have some more old Tyco getting some use on the layout!
That's a Tough Question. I really like it. Maybe a few Upgrades and Repairs would work wonders. If you have room to store it then why not do that and just completely from Scratch build a Brand New One. This will give you two Layouts. One a Classic and one Modern.
As a viewer I would like to see the layout either refreshed or rebuilt. It’s such a fun layout to watch (and run I would imagine). reminds me of early Atlas HI and N Scale railroads. U would like to try an O gauge version myself. Do you have d to he track plan? Thank you for sharing your videos
Hi VR&R. It’s a nice layout but could definitely use a rebuild. B st of everything of what you decide to do
Strip it. Leave the cork road bed👍🚂🇨🇦🇺🇲🙋
If you build a new layout, please add some Tyco operating accessories to it! That would make for a very exciting layout! Life-Like and Pemco made some neat accessories too!
I would not add them to this layout, but would like to build an all Tyco layout using the action accessories and buildings. If I ever have the space I would love to build a layout with the TycoScene layout board.
If you're going to do something new, consider making it transportable!
If you'd rather keep the general look and feel of what you've got, some more precision planning for restoration should go into it. It shouldn't be too tough to replace some of the structures; some of the existing ones could be repaired or "remodeled", e.g. plugging or "reroofing" the one with the missing roof part, and the water tank could be modeled as removed by the railroad. If you keep the brass track, it should be cleaned with mineral spirits and treated with No-Ox-Id "A Special" to prevent oxidation.
Happy railroading!
I would renew all the grounds scatter and new track using the existing plan. Then refurbish the buildings and adapt just plug to fit them and the vintage street lights. If you replace the old wiring at the same time you will have a modern functional railroad that does justice to the original design and builder. And maybe add a few little additions of your own.
I see that you have used brass track and if you don't use de-oxit the track will continue to tarnish. I used brass & steel track on my last layout I had to tear down when we moved from GA to TN. When I build a new layout I will use only nickel silver track & switches. I've already got 75 feet of code 100 nickel silver flex track but I have a bunch of old Atlas switches that are brass, so I will have to update all the switches (turnouts) to nickel silver. If I were you I'd scrap all of it and start over using nickel silver track & turnouts. Putting it on tope of foam is a good idea. That way you could add some elevation to the layout. My last layout was a double mainline on a flat table top. I would use cork roadbed also. Of course it's your layout and you'll do what you must. I think adding elevation to an otherwise flat layout is a bonus and adds a certain amount of interest. As an aside, I wouldn't use any rerailer track as it just doesn't look realistic. Cheers from eastern TN
I would avoid completely scraping everything and starting over with the blank table.
I had once gotten an o gauge layout that I thought I would restore but ended up eventually getting rid of the table itself and just kept the track.
That table might not work well for newer plans and such
If you are happy with the layout overall and you dont see yourself wanting to change the plan of it or anything. Then your best bet is likely replace the track with new track, redo the lighting and just touch up the scenery and buildings
Overall it is very much something you need to think ahead a bit. Determining where you see yourself and a layout in the next two or three years, what control system you want to use, plans etc.
Essentially determine the space you have and what your dream layout in that certain space would look like. That then will pretty much tell you if you should just fix up the layout or completely get rid of it and do something else
I’d say, update it. I mean it’s not like an old car or truck that if you changed anything on it and you were to be judged and loose points…
The track plan is pretty cool, those lights in the buildings are a pain, they always burn out.
It’s your train set, you get to make the calls and I’m sure whatever you do and possibly share, as you’re doing it, will be fine with your subscribers. Ron
May I suggest you incorporate the smaller layout with the larger one I see near by? Just a thought on my part, nothing more.
Sadly that large layout belongs to the train club I am a member of. They are just nice enough to let me keep my layout there as I cant get it down the steps to my basement.
@@VintageRoadRail Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't know.
@@michaelmohrmann No worries, now way for you to know. :)
You know, as much as I like to keep things original, and I like brass track, it does tend to be high maintenance. So what good is preserving an original layout if you can't run trains on it? I'll check out your poll, but I think I would say just replace all the track and wiring.
I would slowly replace the track with nickel silver track.
That's a good route to take
HO-31 WATERLEVEL WESTERN
Do a retro mod. Much easier to start fresh. Upgrade the track an add dcc then add all the vintage buildings (which you can still get) that way you retain the memory but have better running. Just have fun with it
Since i would up having to sell this layout I would like to rebuild it in the future. Maybe use code 83 track and modify it a bit to make it expendable and make it DCC.
raffle it off and hopefully a newbie or kid wins and than you wouldn't have to worry about it
it would help someone else out
or rebuild it and upgrade or keep it like it is i myself see nothing wrong with it but thats me i run straight dc
Sadly I did have to sell it as I didnt have room for it at home and the train club I was keeping it at started a remodel. :(
Pull off the N-scale buildings and any that are just plain shot. Re-do landscaping with the mindset that you're living in 1973. 😀 I'd stick with original track where I could, but I understand wanting to simplify.
How wide is that Control Panel? Thank you.
Almost 2 foot long.
@@VintageRoadRail thank you.
If your gonna redo everything with new track and thing. Why scrape it off just get new plywood planks and screws and build fresh. I myself wood just fix it up a section at a time
Do I remember correctly that you were not going to be able to move this layout as-is to your home because of the size? If you do a full break-down, would you then be able to rebuild it in your home?