Model Railroading

[storzech]

Hey there do we have any rail fans or model railroaders. Please speak up if you want to set up a meet for railroading.

[storzech]

I will have more photos available as I clean of the other areas of the layout. If you have any questions about the hobby, you are more than welcome to ask, and I will do my best to answer.

[BabyLou]

I will have more photos available as I clean of the other areas of the layout. If you have any questions about the hobby, you are more than welcome to ask, and I will do my best to answer.

looks pretty kool so far

[PrincessDragonette]

I did it as a kid, I had a whole town at one time including some classic pieces that belonged to my dad. Nice to know there are still people that are into it . Looks great by the way.

[Chloe]

Last year I took apart my model railroad and have only just started again making a layout in the loft.

This ones going to be special, Will be the first layout thats DCC based on a large station with 14 platforms, 24 tracks.

I assume you are doing yours in HO scale as you in America ??

Are you using DC or DCC ??

Whats your fav train you bought ??

Nice pics so far, keep us updated with your progress

Chloe

[storzech]

I am using DCC. I recomend digitrax if you are going DCC. If you got questions you are more than welcome to ask. Here are more photos.

[babydoc]

Hi,

Have several HO Locomotives bith regular and DCC. about 20 cars and a very small amount of track. Looking to put it all together soon. Most purchases from eBay over a two year period. Had a small setup on the basement of parents home when age 8-12. Will join a discussion group if one is set up.

Babydoc

[storzech]

For now this can be used as a spot for us diaper wearing model railroaders to chat. I have almost cleared off another part of the layout for pictures, give me another day or 2.

[storzech]

Here is another part of the trainset. I do have a Thomas the Tank engine for my nephews. You will also see a flor mill and grain elevator, brewery, ice house and platform, mine, a couple distribution warehouses. More building will be addend once bought and assembled.

[storzech]

Here are some the other picures are too big for uploading.

[Chloe]

Looks like you are nearly ready for the soul destroying part of the build, the ballasting of the track. Boy do I hate that part.

It came down to a choice of two dcc systems after alot of research. Digitrax and Lenz, but seeing as 3 people I know have the Lenz 100 set I went for that.

If you need more space to upload pics, why not get a free www.Photobucket.com account. You can then externally link your pics.

Chloe

Ps sent you a pm Hope you dont mind.

[storzech]

I have got more decders and starting wire drops for the track. It is slow to get a train set this size operational. I hope this will helo bring out the child in the rest of you by running trains in diapers

[franmichele]

Well, this is interesting. I registered here awhile back, but hadn't been on or made any posts for a long time. When I logged in tonite I noticed this thread right away - because we got back into trains about 2 weeks ago after many years w/o a set.. I has a set in my first childhood (this is my second) but hadn't done any model RR for many, many years.

Very recently my wife (Mommy) and I decided to get into model railroading because we want to build several locales, including an area where I used to live where the track ran right by my front yard. I used to love hearing those trains roll by.

I quickly learned that I'm a total novice now - I don't know DC from DCC or Southern Pacific from Shinola and everything is buku expensive and there's so much out there to choose from that we don't know where to start. We got burned on a Bachman N scale set, then went out and got a Life Like HO set and are currently waiting for some supplies to start our layout.

If anyone wants to talk to a total 'train dummy' in diapers, here I am. I need all the help I can get!

Fran

[storzech]

I am willing to help you out if you want. I am a more advanced model railroader. The first question I must ask is what do you want to get out of the layout.

[franmichele]

I am willing to help you out if you want. I am a more advanced model railroader. The first question I must ask is what do you want to get out of the layout.

Thanks for the reply. It's great to find someone willing to help a little on this. We just want to have some fun with model raailroading, using trains, buildings and scenery that are realistic and duplicate several 'real-life' places we remember from the past. One thing we've already noticed is that there are a lot of different brands and types of HO trains out there and some of them can get pretty expensive. With the bad experience we've already had with the original N-scale set we bought, we're a little leery about getting in too deep with equipment. As novices it's easy to make costly mostakes when you don't really know what certain trains and equipment are really worth, where the bargains are, which internet companies can be trusted, etc, etc.

We were thinking that with all the questions we have about the hobby and the ongoing interaction between us might get a little boring to the other babies out here, so if you want to move it off the board and into email, let us know and we'll giver you an email addy to write to. Thanks again. Fran

[babydoc]

Hi All,

Just a note to say I am in model trains also and have several HO engines, a few freight cars and about 30 sections of track. Looking to do a setup soon but don't want to spend tons of money. I was able to find many of my engines and cars on eBay through auctions. I have several favorite sellers if you want a list. Transactions went smoothly and products arrived in secure packaging. I have both DCC and conventional engines. Advice always welcomed either here or through private email (let me know for my email address). Happy Railroading Everyone!

Babydoc

[storzech]

If you get DCC and wanty something to expand with I recommend digitrax, if you want to spend money. The best locomotives and rolling stock I get are from these companies( Broadway Limited Imports, Atlas, Proto 2000 from Life Like, Atheran Genisis, and Inner Mountain). I buy top of the line so none of this stuff is cheap. If any of you lived near Norfolk, VA I could give you a basic run down of what is what, but one thing I highly recommend to stay away from especialy if doing a large layout with multiple trains running, DO NOT get the Life Like Power lock track, you cannot easily isolate track sections especially if you want a wye or reverse loop in the layout.

[rusty pins]

Interesting! for years as a kid I was into N scale from about age 10 to about age 17. I never really had a good layout, just a track plan on 4 x 4 plywood and some buildings but I still have a large collection of N scale engines and rolling stock. I'm currently back into S scale since my first train was an American Flyer when I was about 6. I have an 8 x 8 layout under construction with 2 levels and 3 main lines with some turnouts. I don't have room for anything larger but I do have about 70 AF cars and at least 16 AF engines, mostly steam and several that I have restored from basket cases. I like American Flyer S gague for many reasons, one is the size. The scale is just perfect and flyer was the most scale and realistic trains made from WW2 through the early 1960's

[franmichele]

WOW! First off I want to thank all of you who are taking time with a newbie (both on the board and as a modeler) to give me a little advice. First off, I don't think we're going to make model trains a 'heavy' hobby. We both have a lot of other things going and just want to make a simple layout (if that's possible these days... lol) We have a few beginners books on the way and they may help, but there is way too much information out there and it gets pretty overwhelming.

Storzech, as far as your advice to stay away from the Power-Loc track, you're a little late. After getting thoroughly screwed on a Bachman N-guage set (which is for sale if anyone's interested) we decided to go with HO and the set we bought was LL with their track - which we like, because it's easy to snap together to get rails aligned properly. Fortunately, we weren't planning to do a large layout w/ reverse loops, etc.

At least for the time being, this is going to be very much a KISS setup, with more accent on the layout than the rolling stock. We weren't planning to spend more than a K for the whole setup (which is nothing these days) but that might change if we were to get really involved in the hobby.

Babydoc, I'm sending you my Yahoo email addy. Please don't feel obligated to hold the baby's hand all through this project, but maybe we can establish a little dialogue and communicate occasionally. In the meantime, I'll stay in touch on the board too. Big baby hugs to all! Fran

[storzech]

The update on the layout. I have completed wiring switches on Eola yard, and the Brewery branch. I am having to improve some track work for the power plant sub by putting in a few #6 switches. I also over the weekend converted 2 70t switchers to DCC. These 2 will be used for the beer plant and probably the rock plant.

[monkey2323]

hello ive been into the model railroading since i was young iam 26 now lol i am with a club called sopervalley model rails i will have to put up pics when we get back together after the summer we have a portable layout that is ho scale and is 26feet by 16 feet that we take to about 10-15 shows per year and we also have a permanent layout in our meeting place that is big i wil have to get you guys pics

[storzech]

The train set update. I have finished all switches to be operated via stationary decoders. Now I am starting on detection and rack power. Slowly but surely I am bringing the trainset to life. I have been in diapers while working on it. Hope to talk to other rail roaders here.

[storzech]

This update I have great news. I am now up to 70% of my track on the train set has power now. I also now ordered my first back of signals for the layout. If you are wondering, yes I am signaling to train set using speed signaling. I hope I can get some here interested in the worlds greatest hobby.

[pbaby]

i have an n scale layout will see if i can get some pics of it on here.

[storzech]

I finally have all swithes and track powered. I am now on to signals, scenery, and more buildings. I just ordered 15 custom built signal masts for $900.00. I will be using IHB signal rules for the whole layout.