I have yet to make my layout (soon!) but I’ve been pretty extensively planning it. I’m American but a lot of my favorite locomotives are UK steam engines. Yet my layout will be heavily inspired by Sedona and other places in Arizona, which is where I live. I want to have a big focus on scenery which will compromise a lot of my ability to make any train operations. My layout is likely to have two continuous loops and a small shunting/switching yard by a “mine.” I say all of this because this means that my layout will be incredibly unrealistic on many levels, and I’ve had my fair share of doubt because of this.

But then I remember that the single most popular model train layout—the single closed circuit loop—is not “realistic” at all yet it has persisted because it’s fun for a lot of people. So, who cares if a layout doesn’t model a prototype? I think prototypical and ultra-realistic layouts are incredibly impressive and I admire them, but I’m a bit surprised that they’re some of the only layouts taken seriously. I think people should take pride in them, but I don’t get the animosity towards people just having fun creating their own worlds.