All Aboard!

The model railroading bug has bitten me again! This time it is more of a localized rash than a full-blown infection.

Something I do not often share with people is that I used to be an avid model railroader. Well, more of an armchair model railroader. I did more reading, planning, and collecting than building. As a result, there are a lot of unrealized projects. In our basement, we actually have a train table that my grandfather custom built to go around in a ring, but currently it is being used for storage. I never placed anything permanently on it.

This is probably somehow connected to my habit of not finishing things.

I made a little bit of progress a couple of years ago, and intended to document my meager attempts with a blog. I started work on what is known as a “pizza layout,” a small setup, often around the size of a pizza box. I think resuming this project is a good way to dip my toe back into the water before attempting the daunting (but exciting) task of creating a large layout.

As for the large layout, I have been rethinking my plans. A large part of it was going to be a small town, and I realized I could make it a miniature version of the town from my “bad” story. But as I was in class, I my mind began to wander. What about something more fantastical? Steampunk and dieselpunk seem perfectly suited for model railroading (steam and diesel being the two types of locomotives). I think this could end up as a pretty cool layout. I use the term cool relatively, of course.

All of this does beg the question, should I be devoting time and energy to side projects and hobbies? I not only have classes to keep up with, but my current story begs for attention. (I have accepted it will not be done in time for NaNoWriMo, but whatever, I can use that time to write draft two.) Plus, I should probably clean my room soon.

I do not see a problem with working on the pizza layout. And I think I can justify this as a creative release, so long as it does not keep me from doing other things. Writing, school, and work should take priority.