Input

Bobby

Welcome back to the hobby

The best advice I can give you is to become a subscriber to MRH and then begin reading the back issues. As far as a how-to video, I don't thing there is such an thing out there that would have all the answeres you are looking for. Some of the techniques used 20+ years ago are just as applicable today, others are not.

Plug

I don't know of any list of what has changed (what hasen't would be shorter), but you can get up to speed pretty fast by watching Trainmasters TV (see "goodies" on the tab above.) Most of the new stuff is in DCC control and scenery techniques.

Membership costs, but is better value than most books.

pqe

I'll give it a shot....

Then others can add what I leave out.

Benchwork

Carpentry is the same as it always was. The big inovation is use of pink foam (Foamular etc.) for benchtops. This stuff is strong enough to support any model and soft enough to carve with a nail file. You can easily make realistic geography.

Track

Pretty much the same-- roll your own turnouts are popular thanks to tools and jigs made by Fast Tracks. Most people hold their flex track in place with caulk rather than nails. If you are into detailed track, there are some exquisite tie plates and joiners available.

Wiring

This is simpler than it used to be, although there are some special issues (like twisting buses) to accomodate DCC. 20 years ago, there were several different command systems as alternatives to DC power packs and cab zones, and those have been winnowed down to DCC. (There are other options, like wireless control and dead rail). There are some depenable clamp on connectors, so you get less solder in your face. This is where a book may be useful.

Scenery

Folks still cast rocks from latex forms and make messes with plaster and sculptamold. This is usally applied over the pink foam. Webbings of cardboard are less common than they used to be, and chicken wire is exclusively used to keep chickens in the coop.

Water modeling products have come a long way, so no more glass or acrylic ponds. You can model the bottom half of a duck, and his wake.

Foliage is the most dramatic change-- zip texture is zippo in favor of static grass and reasonably accurate flowers.

Trees are getting real too- super trees are actual plants that look like deciduous trees, and there are a lot of new foliage options including scale leaves in many species.

Structures

The old craftsman kits are passing on, being replaced by laser cut wood kits-- no more bundles of sticks and a plan. Grandt is still the king of window detail.

White metal castings are less common. They are in the process of being replaced by 3D printed items. (A CAD genius designs something, has Shapeways print it with state of the art printers, then you can order a copy for a modest fee, some of which goes to the designer.) You can buy your own printer, but they are not quite ready for prime time.

Rolling stock

Pretty much the same, except the locos have internal sound. The decoder wars are in full swing. Most models have details that rival the best available in 1998. They are more expensive, of course.

Paint

Everyone uses acrylics now, and the old names with railroad specific paint disappeared overnight a couple of years ago. Folks are scrambling to find equivalents, or learning to mix their own colors.

Glue

I guess the patent on superglue ran out, because cyanoacrylates are used for nearly everything. It comes in bottles you can actually close, too.

As I said, others will fill in the gaps.

pqe

And there is no such thing as a silly question

This forum is just great : Ask, ask, and ask. I think the most grumphy answer you'll ever get here is to use the search option and look for old threads. And this part of the hobby is just free!

.

Lighting

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are replacing incandescant "grain of wheat" and "grain of rice" bulbs in several layout applications, just as in the home. Mini LEDs now are favored for locomotive headlights, marker lights, ditch lights, passenger car interior lighting, caboose lighting and structure lighting. They can be driven at low voltage (anything from 3 volts to 12 volts will work) and low current using a DCC decoder, or straight from the rails. They are current-sensitive and require a resistor to limit current through the device. Circuits and simple math to make this work are easy to learn. They have extremely long life when proper resistors are installed.

Larger LEDs in tape-like strips are emerging as a good choice for layout lighting, rather than floodlights, spotlights or fluorescent tubes. They consume little power, but require special mounting techniques and power supplies. They come in several different color temperatures ranging from blue-white to warm-yellow and personal inspection and education are needed before purchasing lights for large areas.

Kalmbach

I think a book or video covering beginning model railroading is your best bet.  This will give you a solid foundation and would be less confusing than searching through multiple on-line posts and publications.  

After getting an overview of the basics, MRH and other on-line sources are great to expand your knowledge in specific areas.  

When I got back into the hobby, a Kalmbach publication called "Introduction to Model Railroading" was very helpful.  The title of the book has changed to "Getting Started in Model Railroading."   

"Glad your getting back into the hobby!"

Joe

 "Is there a step by step

A lot of it depends on your specific hobby interests and pursuits . Some stuff is pretty much the same as it was 20 years ago and some has changed a lot. I'd just pick up where you left off and then reexamine each segment of the hobby as you approach it. MRH magazine and youtibe are great free sites to learn about the changes in techniques and products. Browsing ebay also can be educational as you see new products and their prices. If you expand on your plans and interests you can get more specific advice and answers from those most familiar with the subjects.....DaveB

Books

Highly recommend books by Pelle Soeborg and Lance Mindheim. Both have been inspirational to me and cover new techniques building a layout. You should be able to find them on Amazon. As far as videos be sure to check out TMTV or purchase Mike Confalone’s series from the MRH store. Absolute awesome stuff.

Tim Garland

Second Tim’s suggestion

”Second Tim’s suggestion on books by Pelle and Lance”.  Very informative and inspirational.

Joe

Honestly, with the exception

Honestly, with the exception of DCC, I think the core of model railroading hasn't much changed. It's a lot around the edges.

Looking at pqe's list.

Pink Foam existed and was popular in 1995. Well, Dow blue Styrofoam was discussed more and subsiquently Owen's Corning became the Big Box standard, so now pink, but it is the same stuff. And it still has the issues that Joe F. has outlined. There are more tools available to work with it, but the core is the same.

Flex track is still the bread and butter. More code 83 than there used to be, but it's still same old same old, Code 100 is still out there. Yes, fast tracks has brought handmade switches to the masses, but It's not like that's a requirement for building a layout. Most still do it the same way.

Electrically, best practices for DCC basically have you building a Medium to large layout almost the same as you would have before. It's only the smallest layouts that become "simplified."

Agree with PQE on Scenery, the old standards are still there and still valid, but Static grass and really the entire Scenic Express product line has really increased the level of realism.

Structures as well, Lazer cut kits are taking over, but the core of plastic kit building is still there.

I guess what I'm saying is that to the 80% case, most people build a layout in 2018 exactly the same as in 1995. The biggest difference is DCC.

Thanks

Thank you all very much. Maybe it just seems a lot different having been away. Hoping that I am more patient than I was 20 years ago. Really appreciated.

Don't forget YouTube

I disagree that there are no videos out there. There are both amatuer and professional videos on YouTube. There are building a layout start to finish videos from Model Railroader. There are tutorials on every subject you can imagine. For instance I learned 5 different ways to make rocks, and 4 different ways to paint them. 

And it not overwhelming, although some of the amatuer stuff can be pretty boring.