How much time do you spend on ...


goscrewyourselves

goscrewyourselves

I'm the one
Hey guys,

I was thinking how much time I spend on my layout and thought to myself, self - damn, that's a lot of time. So I got to wondering how much the "normal person" spends on their layout each day or week, and yeah I am suggesting that I am not normal when it comes to this hobby :)
 
I have a friend who spends every waking hour for months at a time on the hobby and then he'll suddenly stop and do something else like war-game all day for a few months then go back to the railroad. I go in fits and starts...yesterday I spent about four hours playing with decoder pro, today I'll spend an hour or two at the club. I didn't touch the layout or anything to do with it for 3 months until last week.
 
Another interesting question!

Even though I don't fit the bill as "normal" I will share my time with you.

I am very inconsistent, some weeks 0 hours others 8-10, sometimes more and everything in-between.

That is only counting specifically doing something on the layout. That does not take into consideration working on my inventory, reorganizing storage, buying, window shopping, reading and numerous other things related to my hobby.
 
wombat457 said:
Hey guys,

I was thinking how much time I spend on my layout and thought to myself, self - damn, that's a lot of time. So I got to wondering how much the "normal person" spends on their layout each day or week, and yeah I am suggesting that I am not normal when it comes to this hobby :)
Click to expand...

Not being considered 'normal' I can only say this is pretty much all I'll be doing, all day, every day, now that I'm actually close to actually having a layout. Even after the 'rush' wears off it is now my' thing', like I yousta be into hunting and fishing, to the exclusion of all else except family! I personally see no end in sight for my daily contact with this hobby.

The long term commitment required is one of the things that appeals to me the most about this. It does require a degree of maintenance but far less than a pet or plant!

A layout is as complex or not as you like, the degree of personal control over all aspects is a 'power trip' that harms none and is very satisfying as evidenced by the buoyant nature of most of this hobbies practitioners!

Just sayin.
 
If I am working on a project, or a locomotive or car for someone, I'll spend up to 8 hours a day until the project is complete. If I'm not, I may just go in the train room, crank up a couple of trains, and let them run as a background distraction while I do something else. Maybe an hour or two per week.
 
Before I retired about six weeks ago, I would spend about 10-12 hours a week in the train shed. Now It's about 30-32 hours a week. Anything more than that and it would become "another job"! As the weather cools down I will spend more time doing outdoor stuff than indoor stuff. Here in North Texas, it is still 97-99 degrees every day from noon until sunset.
Willie
 
Counting 10 hours on Saturday at the museum, at least an hour a day on this forum, 2 or 5 hours researching/designing things for questions people ask on the forum, that would be 25 hours a week. Then throw in at least 3 hours a week looking at stuff on-line stores, e-bay and the like. Then from time to time I actually work on my own equipment and situation. Those are usually in marathons though so average them out. I think that gives me 30 hours a week.

Which is why I have to NOT go to the museum in order to get anything done around the house. This is one big another reason I am on this "low volume" forum instead of some of the others. I figured I had about 10K hours invested on one of the other big ones.
 
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I have been retired for eleven years now and built three layouts in that time. I tend to work solidly for weeks on a layout until the benchwork is done, sub-roadbed laid, tracks laid and wired, and the ballasting done on the tracks. From there, I take my time and consider details of the scenery in a location and then work on small areas...say building a bridge, making a mountain with tunnel portals, etc.

For some reason, once a layout is scenicked, I tend to spend less and less time in the train room. However, if I conceive of a photo idea, or if there is a photo contest I think I can compete in, that becomes my pastime for the week. Otherwise, once I am running trains, maybe a couple of hours a week is enough for me. I have other hobbies: photography, physicial fitness through cycling, running, and stand-up paddle boarding (sup), and my wife an I watch TV most evenings with recorded programs we both enjoy.
 
Well, after reading the replies so far seems that (for the hobby at least) I AM normal after all :) I have to agree with Genetk44 or more his friend, I tend to be the same way. When I get on a kick, it is every waking moment doing something - generally messing something up so I can spend more time fixing it. I'll do that for months then will stop for awhile, when things get a bit tedious or routine.

With the onslaught of winter (shudder the thought) the layout or something to do with it will be my sole distraction from the weather.
 
I'm very "manic" when it comes to hobbies. That is, I get really into something and then some of my intense interest wains, after some time. Good news is the interest in all of my hobbies has never completely wained, it has just ebbed and flowed over the years. I can't think of a single hobby I've ever taken up that I've ever quit or quit and never returned to. They all settle into a slow simmer with a blue flame. All things in moderation I guess.

Brad
 
I am very inconsistent. Right now I have only two hobbies and this one I have many resources stored up for. I have a lot of stress and pressure to deal with currently. My other hobby requires the stars to align and ~$15 and clear weather. Right now I spend about an hour each day. That will go down as I have a lot to work on to sell my house. I need to finish building about 15 accurail kits. I still have to sell my nscale trains from my last layout.

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Not as much time as I would like, right now I am in a period of constant travel for work so I'm usually gone Sunday afternoon through either Wednesday or sometimes Friday. That being said, at the moment I have been able to spend about 2 hours each weekend working on some Accurail Kits I bought, as well as Installing decoders, LEDs, detailing, and weathering a pair of Genesis SD75M warbonnets I have.

With travel though I don't have a lot to do considering where I'm traveling the few months, so after the 10-12 shifts I'm working I spend some time researching and trying to come up with a track plan (something I'm painfully slow/behind on and not good at haha). During my shifts when things slow down (like right now) I spend time on the forum, and shopping around places online and eBay. So I guess all in all, I would say I spend around 5-6 hours a week at present on the hobby.
 
I haven't been able to spend much time at all working on trains because of my remodeling projects. Now that summer is coming to an end, the remodeling will be coming to a halt (thankfully).

When things are "normal" I probably spend anywhere from 6 to 10 hours a week working on the layout. I have so many other interests that keep me busy, I feel lucky to have that time available to work on the trains.
 
I know the weather plays a big part in how much time I spend on the layout too. When it is nice out, the domestic stuff takes priority or getting out on the bike (while I can). When the weather turns "nasty" I'll spend more time in here and on the layout or things for the layout.

Problem I have is, each time I look at something on here, and look at my layout, I find ways of increasing, improving, altering or whatever things. If I stayed outta here, I probably wouldn't have as much to do and more money :D
 
I really tend to loose track of time when working on the railroad. I will go down the basement for a touch up and end up weathering several freight cars, changing out some couplers and trucks, and additional putzing. I still have several older freight cars that are ebay buys that need upgrading to run satisfactorily.

I probably spend 12 hours on the layout per week, plus or minus. I am not going to estimate how much time I spend on the forum, though.
 
I am in about the same boat as you Tony. Now that the last town on the layout is in, details will be added and I have already been looking at older parts of the layout and have a lot of plans on updating a number of things that were done over 20 years ago. Over the years my skills have improved and newer items have come on the market, so I am sure that I won't run out of things to do. Finally I will have more time to operate once restoration has ceased for the winter.
 
Not nearly enough time spent on the layout. Maybe a couple hours a week, I try to dedicate one night a week for working on it and another night for running it. Usually other things come up that prevent both :mad:

40 hour workweek, 2 hours a day commuting, school weekends and yard work don't leave much time for me. Not to mention Football season is here.......

I think I would spend a lot more time on mine if it wasn't in my garage, I needed a basement or dedicated train room in my next place!

Steve
 
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