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6 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

It’s not partly the simple fact that you are a natural team-worker, is it?

 

What was/is your natural style/place in paying work - team, or lone-wolf?

 

I ask because I can get next to nothing done if in a group, to contribute to a team effort, I have to take a piece of work, seclude myself, do it, and then bring it back. So, I’m wondering if you might be the opposite, as many people are.

I second this. I work much better with others, as good as my solo work may be. 

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I think I am happy working alone or with others, sometimes I can be quite happy on my own for days doing projects of my own, whether domestic or hobby. I think its a motivational issue with the actual railway project at the moment. There's been all kinds of stumbling blocks to do with the building itself (ventilation, lighting, heating), the temperature/damp issues, issues with the DCC Concepts products, issues with DCC sound decoders and loco performance, all sorts of things. I expect every model project has its bumps and its just that I've embarked on one bigger than most, at least outside of a club environment.

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On 15/12/2019 at 14:47, Martin S-C said:

There's been all kinds of stumbling blocks to do with the building itself (ventilation, lighting, heating), the temperature/damp issues, issues with the DCC Concepts products, issues with DCC sound decoders and loco performance, all sorts of things. 

 

Hi Martin.

 

Sorry to hear you've had the mid-project glums. Having been involved in a project or two, both in my home life and professionally, I can sympathise. You start a project with a wonderful mental picture of how it's going to end, and even  if you're the best project manager in the world you don't foresee all the pitfalls. 

 

As the great Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu said: "No plan of battle survives contact with the enemy".  As soon as you try to put your plan in motion all sorts of unforeseen issues come out to play. You get to the point where you start thinking "What's the next thing that can go wrong?" 

 

So how do you cope with this? Let me say that you're in a great position to do exactly that, because you've already achieved so much. Look at the list  above and don't say "stumbling blocks", say "challenges overcome". The railway room is ready, the baseboards are built, the track  is laid, the DCC is sorted … I could go on.

 

Don't make a "To do" list. That will only make you feel worse. Make a "Done" list. (You'll have quite a long one by now). Be as detailed as you want to - it just makes the list longer. Every time you make progress add a line to it.

 

Then print it off and pin it up in your railway room. Every time you walk in there look at it and think "What can I do to make it longer?" It's very motivational to be able to add a line to it, and if you keep your old versions you will see how it grows with time.

 

This way every time you make any progress, no matter how small, you can celebrate it, which keeps you thinking that you are making progress. Overcoming the major issues just becomes a bigger celebration.

 

And set yourself some milestones - maybe completing one station or landscaping one area if the layout , or finishing the plan for the signalling. Whatever, if you decide it's a success when you achieve something that isn't a finished layout (does such a thing actually exist?) it's another reason for a celebration 

 

You can even keep a list of achievements for the days when you can't face the railway room. Simply list all the stock you've got ready (built, painted, weathered) to run on the NMGSR and watch it grow.  (Please post some pictures when you do - I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that seeing such craftsmanship is an inspiration and the comments you get will give you a boost).

 

Trust me - it works. In the past I've had to speak at seminars on how to keep a positive state of mind in the face of a difficult project, and this is a sure-fire winner. 

 

Regards

 

Cam

 

Edited by CameronL
Added a bit
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Well said.

 

A thing I always used to repeat to my team when I was running large projects was the deeply un-original phrase “eye on the prize”, which is another good motivator.

 

In short, just keep thinking how b***y good this railway is going to be when it’s ready to play trains on!

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It's looking good, Martin. You may step away if you need to, while you get that black dog back on the leash, but you've made an extremely solid start to a really great project and it'll still be there, with all its glorious potential, when you next feel like it. Be kind to yourself about this project and in all things.

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Hi Martin, I think Edwardian has a very good point. As humans and modellers we can't keep going at maximum happines or energy all the time. 

 

What has been achieved so far by you and Neil is in itself unusual and worth celebrating. Looking at your recent photos I was particularly taken by the photo below. Those wagons at the back by the window look really far away - not because of some modeller's trick but because they actually are far away (relatively speaking). Being able to achieve such views and that depth to the scene on a home based layout is quite a feat. Raise a glass to yourself :)

 

On 14/12/2019 at 14:58, Martin S-C said:

Dsc05328.jpg.59200f428f04a3870bd1dee78f2d8250.jpg

 

Edited by Mikkel
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What Cam has said about lists is very interesting. I've just finished a great book for makers, and there's a whole section on 'to do' lists. Some people loathe them, as did the author until he found the joy of checkboxes, because the act of ticking something off was great, but he didn't like obscuring the thing by crossing it out, but with a checkbox, you get that nice feeling whilst also being able to review what you've done.

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Thank you to everyone for the awesome and very supportive comments. This is why I love RMWeb. Where else can you get useful therapy and toy trains in the same place?

I think what ails me isn't to do with the model railway project specifically but life in general and that's why its so hard to break the cycle. The apathy has affected (infected?) all areas of my interests and relationships. I have a wargames campaign project on the go as well where I am the umpire for about 8 players and that has stalled because my interest in it has collapsed. I possibly need a chat with my doc.

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I would like to send my very sincere thank yous and best wishes for the season to everyone who has contributed here. Your comments have been very much appreciated.

I am however going to be taking a break from RMWeb. Negativity from the admins when raising the issue of poor site response times has been the last straw.

I'll come back in the spring, or when I'm feeling able to deal with life generally, if that happens to be sooner.

My love and respects to you all. Take care.

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Here in New Zealand I had the RMweb forums drop out and not be available for anything up to an hour at a time lately so there is something strange going on with RMweb's servers.

 

Martin, do what you need to do and take a break.  A few months ago now I took a complete break from railway modelling and disappeared for a while because I needed to clear my head and shoot a few black dogs that had been bothering me.  Remember there are more than a few folk on the forum who care about you so don't make yourself a complete stranger.  We'll be here waiting for your return.

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6 hours ago, Martin S-C said:

poor site response times

 

1 hour ago, Annie said:

RMweb forums drop out and not be available for anything up to an hour

Yesterday afternoon (middle of the night for those on GMT) there was no access at all for about two hours. My computer told me that the problem was with the link between Cloudfare (whatever that is) and the host, not between my computer and Cloudfare, so I did something else and came back later.

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  • 1 month later...
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On 23/12/2019 at 14:33, Martin S-C said:

I'll come back in the spring

 

...just sayin'... :)

 

I hope all is well with you Martin, and that you're safe and sound during the current upheavals. I stopped by because I've just re-discovered the Excel (Random) Freight Train Generator, developed for Nether Madder and Green Soudley, on my hard drive and wanted to say what an inspiration your layout continues to be. Your presence on this forum is certainly missed, but it is a great credit to what you had already accomplished that this remains one of the standout projects on RMWeb.

 

This thread is a veritable mine of valuable information and it's a pleasure to revisit it. I'm looking forward to the next update, whenever and whatever that may be :)

 

All the best,

 

Schooner

 

EDIT: Ah-ha, found it! @CameronL, thank you for a great tool. One day I'll get to grips with it in anger...!

Edited by Schooner
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Thank you Schooner. I am still here, very well, virus-free but just taking a break from railway modelling for a bit. The layouts electrics and track are still about 90% done but Neil is missing a few small electrickery gizmos from DCC Concepts and of course nothing is coming out of China right now. In any case we'd agreed to halt things until the warm weather came around because we'd then tackle the scenery and things like Celotex and such need to be sawn and sanded outside.

Then the virus came along and Neil isn't working at all. So we are taking a bit of a longer break than we planned.

I am wargaming instead, my other hobby.

I shall definitely be back later in the year though.

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  • 8 months later...
27 minutes ago, Martin S-C said:

I have been playing about in AnyRail and come up with another design

 

Well come on then, let's see it!

 

Nine-tenths wonderful news Martin - it's good to hear from you and I'm glad it's largely positive. It must have been a difficult process to work through, but I wish you joy of the revised plan. I won't be alone in looking forward to more as and when you have more to share :)

 

All the best,

 

Schooner

 

ps. It might not have been right in the end, but NM&GS was hugely inspirational and a large part of why my idle daydreaming of returning to modelling became full of intent and more concrete. For this I'm very grateful.

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