Saturday, May 13, 2017

When it Comes to Building a Layout, Do the Math




















A math professor came by to see my layout today.

The professor, who is 65, has been collecting track, locos, cars and other model railroad stuff for years for that “someday” layout.

I wished him well, and said I hoped he could realize his dream.

But I also said, appropriately for someone who teaches mathematics: “Do the math. It took me 20 years to build my layout. Where will you be in 20 years?”

Of course, if he retires, he may have more time to build that dream layout—it might not take him that long.

But still: Life is unpredictable. We can’t take our health for granted. We hope to be capable, able and independent in our 80s, but there are no guarantees.

There are many people like that math professor who plan to build that layout one of these days.

Buy like I have said before on this blog, the best time to build a layout is just like the best time to plant a tree: 20 years ago, or now.

Or to put it another way: Do the math.

1 comment:

  1. Recently dragged the bins of stuff I had tucked away under the stairs for 20 years and decided I should do SOMETHING with it rather than it just sit there. I would rather be able to atleast see the trains. Built a small shelf 'layout' above my work at home office and now I can have a train go back and forth past my monitors while I work. And I couldn't be happier!

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