Getting Started

New people in the hobby

Bluesssman — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:26:07 +0000

I have been looking at many of the posts from people getting into this fabulous hobby. One thing that I have noticed is we new people do not know what questions to ask because we have no experience. I compare this to friends asking me what Harley Davidson they should buy when they have little riding experience. They have no experience as to what they want or even what questions to ask. I have worked out a whole list for them.

trackwork

gravity72 — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:31:53 +0000

Hello

i am new to rr modeling i see most people use flex track i have a load of bachman fast track

can i use this or should i go a different type of track

Thank You

DCC Impulses: Wired Decoder Installation Part 1

smittyb25j — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:14:48 +0000

Well here goes nothing, been reading Model Railroad Hobbyist since you all started. Well it has taken that long for me to figure out how to make a post, I guess you call it that. I just want to thank Bruce for his time and trouble getting this article printed. You have helped me a lot, and I mean that sincerely, please keep up the Great Work.

Modern 4-axle engines

B and B Railways — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:01:06 +0000

Hello,

I am looking for some modern 4 axle engines if anyone can help me out-these are to be used for a branch line. I will be getting two genset engines down the road, but looking for other 4 axle engines that are out there that are seen on rail lines today

Wiring a turnout

elpaseodoc — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:27:10 +0000

Howdy, I'm one of the new guys. I've resurrected a 30+ year old HO train set. Since I have no permanent place to set this up, it's on the kitchen island which has a granite top. SO, this is a temporary setup. Because of where it is, I have had to use Bachman EZ Track.. What I'm stuck with is this: How do I wire my turnouts? I have made three turnouts to park trains on but do not know how to do the wiring with this track or on this surface. I end&

Not sure what to do....

B and B Railways — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:05:49 +0000

Evening all,

I am finding my self in a rut at this point in time. I am ready to start building my layout in the new year, although it seems I am in need of some decision making as well, and I am in need of some sounding from those in the hobby.

Standards

JoeJ — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:38:53 +0000

I'm starting my first layout, a small HO scale industrial switching layout on a shelf no more than 2 1/2 feet wide by 6 1/2 feet long. What standards should I adopt for minimum radius curves and turnouts? I'm modeling the modern era, so equipment will be rather large, but speeds will be slow and trains short (and, unfortunately, no passenger equipment).

Starting US Layout in the UK

Captain Swoop — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:52:14 +0000

Hi folks, just signed up.

I am at the moment planning a layout set in Kansas in the area around Hutchinson and Wichita.

I am planning on setting it in the late 90s so I can run 'patched' Santa Fe and BNSF.

My layout is going to be based on 5' by 2'6" modules with a scenic length of 25' running to a hidden fiddle yard. It is being designed as an exhibition layout that will be shown under the Cleveland Model Railway Club name (Cleveland the county in England).

My Potential Layout Area

scarpad — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:03:53 +0000

Here's the area I am thinking about for an N Scale Layout. It used to host a bar area in my Home Theater Area. It's shape think would work well for a build up, I'd like to hear opinions and suggestions.

Begining to Look at a Layout

scarpad — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:15:12 +0000

I have an area in my Basement that I was using as a bar Area. I really don't entertain much anymore so I was thinking of using the area to build an N Guage layout. I will post pics later but to describe it, it is a lamenated countertop on top of a cabinet with a shelf. It's rougly 4 by 6' but its a bit of an odd shape. I think at the very least it would hold a 2'x5' board easily. Where should I begin?

Just starting - an encouragement to beginners

rtw3rd — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:10:21 +0000

If you are a model railroader (and you probably are since you are reading this) then at one time you were a beginner. As a beginner you might have been intimated by those wonderful layouts and said something like “I can never do that!” I was one such modeler and although I was convinced that I never could achieve the level of those wonderful layouts I just wanted to have fun with model trains.

Building a modelers tool kit...

Bighurt — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:41:40 +0000

So often I read articles or posts on weathering or modeling a building etc. And I take the time to read what tools they use. Yes the #11 blade is pretty vital, nearly everybody uses Floquil pens on their trackwork, and I can't remember not reading India ink being used in somebodys weathering project. Most people probably buy tools, inks, chalks and brushes out of need for a particular project. I thought it might be nice to come up with a list, top 10 what have you of things a new modeler shouldn't be without. Perhaps there already is and I just haven

ONE bit of advice to a beginner

DKRickman — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:51:05 +0000

This is inspired by my thread about starting over. While there is a lot of good advice there, some of us (myself very much included) can get long winded. I wondered if there might be a more succinct way..

What ONE bit of advice would you give to a beginner in the hobby? If you had the change to tell him or her only one thing, what would it be? Assuming that they will listen to whatever you have to say, can you condense all of your experience into one single nugget that will make their modeling journey a happier one?

New Layout Design

arf161 — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:09:19 +0000

Hi everyone, it's been a while since my last post, and unfortunately I'm still on the drawing board, but in a better position this time to actually start building this layout! So here's the story. In the image, the 4x8 double oval you see on the right is an existing layout that I want to add on to.

Hi from Spain!

mcrval — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:55:36 +0000

Hi everyone!