001 The Augusta Railway - A New Start!

There is nothing more dangerous than giving me a week off from work.  Normally used to 60-80 hours a week of running factories, the sudden stop from endless amounts of information and decision making doesn't work for my brain.  It must keep crunching, thinking, designing and planning.

So here we go again.  My last three home layouts barely saw the completion of the benchwork.  The first one, The Dixie Central, was not the right size for our new house, so it is now gone.  The next layout, The Wasatch & Jordon Valley didn't make it past the drawing board.  The most recent layout, The Utah Night Shift was just getting some track when I started having trouble with my vision, and wound up finding out I have diabetes.

My health has improved a little, but I'm finding out that I can't just quit building models.  I've got to find a way around the issues while I'm waiting for my eyesight to stabilize.  Working out daily, trying to eat right, taking my medication...all of this has to start working sooner or later.  What I've discovered lately is that I don't HAVE to build an award winning layout...as is my normal desire.  All I have to do is have some trains running to make me happy. We can do that, even with eye problems.

When I found out about the disease, I kinda had my own little pitty party.  I backed away from friends and the hobby while I tried to spend time figuring out meds, eating, exercising and the like.  What I didn't realize is that trains and my train buddies are part of what makes life worth living.  So while I was getting physically healthier...I have been getting emotionally less healthy.  Time to balance it back out again.  I need trains!

A quick survey of my shop, which I've been cleaning up the past few days shows that I have three options for a new layout:

1.  A 1940's southern US layout in HO.  I have tons of track, DCC steam with sound, enough rolling stock and pre-built buildings to construct a layout.  Thus, I won't need to invest much in it to make it happen.

2.  A modern day layout in HO.  I have the track, DCC locos with sound and tons of rolling stock.  No structures though.

3.  An On30 steam layout.  Again, lots of track, DCC locos and more than enough rolling stock.  I also have some structures and I like building in O.

Since scratchbuilding is a ways off, I think it best to go with a 1940's Southern Steam layout.  All I need is lumber, and many of the structures are already assembled.  Building models is where I'm having the most trouble.

Thus - welcome the new August Railway!!!

Congratulations to my good friend Mark Evans, who is now Master Model Railroader #500!  An amazing feet, and I'm glad he got the great number 500.  Good job Mark!  It is also an inspiration to get me going again.  

So, I'm back....

Not full steam...but we are going to build a layout this winter...and actually finish one for a change!