Model Railroad Hobbyist | July 2015 | #65 IMAGINEERING column Verne Niner Starting over: A tale of two layouts ... Have you ever wished you could start over with a model railroad project, saving the best of your previous efforts while building on your experience and following new interests? I found myself pondering this at the beginning of 2015. I was preparing to dismantle my current layout, change scales, and start all over again with something new. Ultimately, the best choice for me was actually to rebuild rather than start over from scratch. In the following pages I’ll share how I am rebuilding my former On30 layout, the Estrella & Sonora Grande RR, into an entirely new concept and story. And along the way, I will show how changing circumstances and interests can (and should) influence your layout plans. I have been “having fun with trains” for more than 45 years, and my interests have spanned different railroads over that time. Over the years, I have found historical research an absorbing hobby in itself, and I was intrigued by the rich mining and railroad history in XX EXPLORING THE CREATIVE SIDES OF THE HOBBY MRHMAG.COM • TABLE OF CONTENTS • INDEX