The Perils of Apartment Living

Work and the recent FIFA World Cup meant I had put aside work on Dewarville for some weeks. Now I face a decision. I live in an apartment and with ever-increasing rent, I doubt I will renew my lease when it expires next summer. So what of my layout?

Right now it's extruded foam insulation board on five folding tables with some--but not all--of thee KATO Unitrack glued (Elmer's) down. I've not done any landscaping yet.

But I have a choice to make. Do I work on it as if I were going to stay in my current place? If I do, what damage would be done if I have to disassemble it for a move?

If I hold off doing any landscaping, and then I stay in the apartment, a whole year would have been wasted.

In such high rent areas of America or with the uncertain housing market, many of us rent. And it's rare to rent in one place for the long term. Model railroad layouts are obviously meant to have some permanence. They cost a lot of money to develop.

I think there is a market for someone (KATO?) to develop model railroad modules that one could buy and assemble to place on a floor or table. These modules would have Unitrack and placements for structures and landscape elements. They would be rather easily disassembled and put back together again in another location.

I know that Woodland Scenics and some other niche companies offer such modules but they are expensive and not transportable.

My vision would of course be rather Genericville USA but I think a company could get creative. Imagine a set of urban modules, desert modules, mountain modules that could all be mixed and matched.

I know many model railroaders will scream that part of the hobby is slowing building up something from scratch. I get that and I admire those with the talent, patience, and money to do it. But for those of us without the time, patience, money, or permanent living conditions, I think a pre-assembled modular layout would be welcome.