No Room for a Layout?

Many times I have heard it said, "I have no room or money for a layout, so my modeling will have to wait."

All of us at one point or another have had an excuse of why we are not building models. The most popular things people say is that they either have no room or no money. But, before you put away your tools, let me offer some counter points:

Not everyone has the luxury of a giant basement where one can build their dream layout and keep 5 or more operators busy. But is that a reason to give up our hobby? Not at all!

When my wife and I had our first son, we had moved to a rental home in Northern California, and as many of you know, basements are an endangered species out west. With the birth of a child, I had something more important to spend money on. That's a pretty good excuse.

Model by Shawn Branstetter

Fast forward a few years, and I finally began building smaller models, in different scales. I began to rekendel my passion for trains, and the excuses began to fade! I soon learned that smaller projects were very rewarding for a couple of reasons. First, I did not have to spend a lot of money. Second, I saw the results of a completed model in a short amount of time.

Models by Edward Traxler, www.etraxx.com

Others have joined clubs with modular layouts. Take Edward Traxler for example. He recently switched from HO to On30, joined a MRR club and his modules are really coming along nicely. Modules allow you to build and store them in reatively small spaces. You do not need a large layout room to enjoy running trains. Connect the modules, connect the wiring and start running.

Models by Joern Pachl, www.joernpachl.de/model_rr.htm

Dioramas are another aspect of the hobby that can be extremely rewarding for you. Mic Greenberg and Chuck Doan have been doing this for many years. Layouts can tie you down with specific equipment, dates and scenery which can burn you out. I have seen this happen many times. Dioramas allow you to build many different types of models so you can explore all your interests in the hobby. And if you would like, sell them. It's been said, the best businesses are started from your hobby. 

There are so many aspects to the hobby which is why it is enjoyed by so many of us from around the world. You do not have to spent a lot of money to produce award-winning models. You do not even need a large layout room to run trains. 

As I finish writing this, I will pose this question to my fellow modelers; What do you enjoy most about the hobby that is low cost and easy to start?