It's the end of the line ...

[nfotis]

One way to sidestep the lack of available space for a physical layout, is to construct a modular layout in segments (www.fremo.org and www.free-mo.org are the most well-known modular railroad standards).

This way, you can construct modules (or you could say 'operating dioramas') in your cramped space, then meet with other modular railroading users (say, every month) for a weekend at a large area (e.g. a college basketball area), then play together.

At this time, I am trying to start a FREMO group in Athens, so we can play together with our trains.
It's lots of fun and very social!

Here are some links with photo, to give you an idea of what's about:
http://www.williwinsen.de/album/2007_07_20_Petersfehn/html/default.html

FREMO hp index - english text
http://www.fremo.org/inhalt_e.htm

Here are some photos from Alsfeld (in 2006, they had a BIG celebration for the 25 years of FREMO, and made a HUGE layout, as you can see)
"25 years of FREMO" - celebrated in Alsfeld / Germany
http://www.lcu.de/person/fremo/alsfeld06/index.html
http://www.brenneis-photogalerie.de/alsfeld/Lengler/index.html

Some pics of the Alsfeld US-H0 part
http://www.williwinsen.de/album/2006_10_06_Alsfeld/html/default-1.html

america-n in FREMO Alsfeld
http://www.america-n.de/Activities/Alsfeld2006/Alsfeld2006.htm

Wolfgang Dudler presents pics - mostly US-HO
http://www.westportterminal.de/meetings/alsfeld.html

pics of HORE - H0 - Europe -
http://www.lcu.de/person/fremo/alsfeld06/index.html
http://mhomscheidt.dyndns.info/Alsfeld_2006/alsfeld.html
http://www.voelklein-bodensee.de/alsfeld.htm
http://www.goerlitzer-kreisbahn.de/Modultreffen/Alsfeld_2006/alsfeld_2006.html
http://bf-vln.de/fremo/alsfeld2006/index.php

Various other module railroad albums:
http://www.williwinsen.de/album

http://www.der-moba.de/index.php/Module_und_Segmente gives some nice
diagrams that can be helpful (the concepts work for FREMO and free-mo).

Hope this gives some inspiration to others.

Cheers,
N.F.

 

[Blutorse4792]

Space has never bee an issue with mois. It's the money. The hobby is becoming too expensive for me :'(

 

[nfotis]

Space has never bee an issue with mois. It's the money. The hobby is becoming too expensive for me :'(

The trick is to start small, and progress in steps. It's not necessary to own a great fleet of SD40-2 and SD45s plus 100+ freight cars in order to start.

Heck, with modular model railroading you can even own not a single car, but play with other's trains passing through your modules.

A big single-track module (with emphasis on landscape) can be built for as few as 40-50 Eurodollars in material (some tools, like a power saw are needed beforehand).
And it's great fun building things with your own hands, trust me - you feel a sense of accomplishment. Not to mention the fun when you are in a module building session with others.

Cheers,
N.F.