Summer is Coming.....Do You Have Any Model Railroading Plans for the Summer?


Greg@mnrr

Section Hand
In case some of you don't know it, Summer will be here soon. I know that I redirect my interests to things I can do outdoors at home and at the cabin and model railroading takes a backseat to summer activities. But, I do rail fanning and when the hot humid weather hits Wisconsin I'll retreat to the basement and do some modeling. Usually the hot weather happens in July or August.

I know that I have plans for scratch building a structure on my cabin's deck during the summer and working on 30+ ore cars that needs some additional detailing and changing out some wheel-sets. I do 5 or 6 ore cars at a time.

Not to be noisy will you share what your Summer modeling plans?

Greg
 
Living in Georgia where it's often 90 degrees and up during the summer, I imagine I will be over my layout shelf a lot this summer (which happens to be right in front of my window a/c unit :) ). I'm thinking I might have more time this summer, as well, since many of my weekly activities will be on break.
 
My MRR tends to slow down as I'm putting more time on the road with the Harley. I do get the opportunity to visit distant hobby shops though.
 
Summer weather allows me to paint models, without aggravating my lungs, so my modeling activity actually increases.

Boris
 
Spending time with my G scale garden railway and getting in some exploring of the IC mainline just across the border in Illinios. Going to try to railfan Gilman IL later this week.
 
Greg,
I'm working on my layout expansion/rebuild and just finished the bench work. I want to have the track layed and operational by Memorial Day. After that, the lure of summer and the great outdoors will be too great. I will keep working on the layout, but at a slower pace.
Jim
 
Let's see...90+ degrees in the summer with the hot sun glaring down. Layout in the basement where the AC manages to keep it 15 degrees below the main floor of the house....Mowing and trimming the yard and weeding the garden.....Working on a hobby in the cool basement....

No brainer. I'll be outside watching the grand kids in the heat, swimming in the pool. lol

I'm trying to spend more time on the layout so it will be split.
 
Spending time with my G scale garden railway and getting in some exploring of the IC mainline just across the border in Illinios. Going to try to railfan Gilman IL later this week.

Are you going to follow 45 North/South? I did a couple of years ago, was surprised by the lack of anything on the rails. Back when I was at Chanute in the 80's, there were little switchers in every town and a bunch of ICG cabeese. I found 2 the last trip. 1 at Gilman and 1 further north at an ADM grain silo.
 
My layout work increases in the summer. Frequency of mowing goes down with the extremely hot weather and I only water the yard within 30' of the house and train shed perimeters (grassfire precaution). From May til September temperatures are generally 90°+ most days and the air-conditioned train shed is the place to be. Got a dedicated beer fridge and trains, what more could you want? I hope to get a lot more scenery done this summer.
 
I usually just sit in Gilman and wait. If it gets to boring, I back track to Watseka and set up on the UP for awhile. Back when gas was cheap, I used to explore up and down both the UP and the IC. Once summer heat and humidity kicks in, I also retreat back indoors with my indoor trains. I work seconds, so I dont get the nice cool evening play time on the garden railway much of the year. Mike
 
Now that I am retired, I will have more time to spend down in the COOL basement during the summer working on the layout. Even though I have a couple of acres of lawn, after taking care of it for over 40 years, I have that chore down to a science.
 
Not Model Railroading, that takes a back seat to ourother summer time activities; however, my wife and I are hoping to go back to Colorado to ride several Narrow Gauge trains, The Durango and Silverton doing the up hill run from Durango to Silverton. The Cumbes and Toltec Scenic. Then maybe the George town Loop R.R. I also want to follow as best as I can the old Rio Grande Southern's right of way.
 
"Summer is Coming".

Is that like Winter is coming Jon Snow? :p Should we be worried?

The "summer" thing comes up every year as if that means it's time to put away the trains until fall or cut way back. The answer to all of this is it partly depends on where you live.

Where I used to live, central NY state, the summers were lovely so I would spend more time outside. I'm in northern VA now and summers are generally on the hot and humid side so in a way, summer here is a bit like winter. You don't spend much time outside as it is uncomfortable - basements are generally cool.

Now spring is a bit different - weather hear in northern VA tends to be more pleasant so do some gardening etc.

In conclusion, summer coming doesn't have a major effect on the hobby for me. *Jedi hand wave* move along, move along.
 
My layout work slows down, golfing, camping and the layout is in a ups stairs bedroom that’s stuffy when hot outside.
 



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