Laying the first spikes in the train room

This is a pic of Lance's first model he created with "Grandpa".

Some of you may be wondering why we gave up our TV room so that Lance and company could turn it into a model train room.  The answer is a bit varied.  We had talked for years about turning the attic into Lance's room, we've had multiple quotes and no matter how much we try to do ourselves its just out of our budget (the entrance being in the master closet one of the biggest problems).  Lance has always had a fascination with trains (I potty trained him on the bribe of getting "James"), he has pretty much mastered Aquarium maintenance for now (he has three stable tanks with live plants); he needed a new hobby.  So he agreed to move into the smallest bedroom, give the bigger bedroom to his siblings and in return we gave him the TV room for his trains.  It's sorta that simple.  One of the few positive by-products of 2020 was that Lance formed a great friendship with our elderly neighbor who just "downsized" his train layout into one 40x20ft room.  Dil's layout has appeared in magazines over the years, before the chaos started we would see cars lined up in front of his house once a month with all his friends that would come to operate his huge layout, like so many people he lost those visitors this year.  However, Lance is learning a ton from Dil and in return he spent the fall selling a bunch of his old trains for him on Craigslist (his family has him in lockdown so he couldn't do it himself) but most importantly they've formed a friendship that they both need through these crazy times.  Putting my homeschool mom hat on there is a ton to be learned from model training; Geometry, electrical, physics, wood working, computer programing, art (in many forms; like air-brushing, sculpting and weathering), history (as he researches to make his layout as realistic visually and operationally as possible); just to name a few.

Here is the front of one of his weathered Locomotive on his testing diorama.

Now I'll turn this post over to Lance to explain in his own words:

Most people when they think of a train layout picture a train going in circles and figure eights continually with no real purpose other than watching the train. But in the real world trains have a specific job to do. They have customers that want things delivered and picked up in a timely manner which requires complicated track-work and smart maneuvers to get the job done. This is what my buddy Dil and I love about the hobby, making operations that are just as complicated and stressful as the real thing. And the best part about this is that my siblings can join in! Now we won't be tempted to play on computers on rainy days, we will just grab a train and move cars. Building a layout is not as easy as I thought. All the way from DC and DCC control of the trains, to minimum curve radius and hand laying switches!

We have recently completed the bench work for the lower level and have started planning the yard (where cars are sorted by destination.) and the main line (where the trains run from point to point) and we are also planning what our railroad will move (Coal, Propane, corn, beef, lumber etc.) and what scenic elements we want to model. Once we finish track for the lower level we will start construction of the second level above the lower. this will allow us a far away destination for our freight and passenger trains and a grueling climb to the top for that heavy coal train. Its going to be an awesome ride!