11-21-2009, 11:36 PM
Today, I suddenly had an idea (it occasionally happens! 
) ... I thought I'd consider building a rough layout for my youngest (6-year-old) son to use.
He often runs trains on my larger HO/00 layouts with me. He doesn't get too rough with them but then he has occasionally makes me nervous by how he handles them or runs them too fast, etc.
So I thought I'd build him a small switching layout -- he's already shown interest in shunting freight cars around on my larger layouts. My idea was to create a very small, basic shelf layout. Then I could give him 1-2 of my older, more basic locos and rolling stock (as well as his Thomas locos), and he and I could shunt some cars around on it. The plan was to create a layout/environment where it wouldn't matter if he got too rough, either with the layout or the locos.
Just curious -- has anyone else done this? We bought a very small plank -- only 9" wide by 3'10" long! -- to start experimenting with. Hmm, I'm even tempted to make it a little more serious and add some scenery & detail & have some fun myself!
Rob
) ... I thought I'd consider building a rough layout for my youngest (6-year-old) son to use.He often runs trains on my larger HO/00 layouts with me. He doesn't get too rough with them but then he has occasionally makes me nervous by how he handles them or runs them too fast, etc.
So I thought I'd build him a small switching layout -- he's already shown interest in shunting freight cars around on my larger layouts. My idea was to create a very small, basic shelf layout. Then I could give him 1-2 of my older, more basic locos and rolling stock (as well as his Thomas locos), and he and I could shunt some cars around on it. The plan was to create a layout/environment where it wouldn't matter if he got too rough, either with the layout or the locos.
Just curious -- has anyone else done this? We bought a very small plank -- only 9" wide by 3'10" long! -- to start experimenting with. Hmm, I'm even tempted to make it a little more serious and add some scenery & detail & have some fun myself!
Rob
Rob
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.robertrobotham.ca/">http://www.robertrobotham.ca/</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.robertrobotham.ca/">http://www.robertrobotham.ca/</a><!-- m -->