I have a small area in my gov’t housing garage to setup a model railroad. I was looking at N scale size for the area. It is appox 4x10 area.
I’m new to the hobby, but have had freinds with sets and had alot fun running the trains. It will be a great hobby for me to have after I retire from the Navy in 2011 after 24yrs fo service.
Any ideas??
WhoBob
If you’re just starting out, don’t go whole-hog and jump off the deep end into DCC and all the other fancy stuff. Start simple with regular DC, conserve your money while you’re building, then after you have the layout operating to your satisfaction, spring for the DCC. Again, start out simple. Find one of the cheaper DCC systems and experiment with it. If you find that you like DCC, you can go to a better system.
The entire layout does not have to be built all at once to have a good time.
Cars and engines are fun to buy but good useful books and good quality tools are wise ways to spend hobby dollars.
Just because a track is fastened down does not mean it has to be there for ever if you don’t like it or think of something better.
If something is new to you, try it out first before committing to it. Try laying a few feet of flex track, try seeing what prefab track looks like. There is no harm in having a 1 ft by 3 ft piece of plywood and try stuff out on it even if it never becomes part of the layout.
If the layout is to be against a wall, think how long your reach is (with real dexterity not just being to touch something) and factor that in for width of layout. 2 feet is a pretty good practical limit I find.
Try to visit other layouts for ideas. If there is an NMRA division nearby, see if they have monthly meets with layout tours. Visits and talking to the owner can make clear what even a well written book or article cannot.
Scenery is easy. Great scenery may not be, but basic scenery is, and visitors like to see scenery. Even tan paint covered with green ground foam is scenery.
Dave Nelson
4x10 is a great size for N gauge. You can do alot in that space. A lot of “first timers” get turned off in a hurry by poor running equipment. Don’t buy a “train set” The quality usually isn’t there. Invest in a good quality locomotive ( Atlas, Kato, Spectrum ) better to have one good running engine than a siding full of poor runners. get a book with track plans for your first layout. you can change them some to fit your space. These track plans are proven to work well. I really like the knuckle couplers made by Kadee. Most of the better quality rolling stock have them already, but you can convert later. GOOD LUCK…Jerry
First of all, welcome aboard, and let me thank you for spending your career serving your country. We all appreciate the sacrifices you’ve made.
I came back to the hobby (I’m in HO, by the way) after many years, pulling a lot of old stuff out of the attic. I’ve been going strong for about 2 years now. My biggest piece of advice is: Plan before you buy. I have a number of structures that I really didn’t need, and now I’m struggling to fit them into an already overcrowded layout. Sometimes, when you’re just starting out, it’s easy to buy a bunch of stuff, particularly if the price is good.
Jeffrey and I agree on most things, but I’ll express a difference of opinion on DCC. I think you should go for it right away. DC requires a lot of extra “block” wiring for anything but a simple layout, and you can greatly simplify your wiring and control systems by going with DCC. With 4x10 in N-gauge, you will likely be running multiple trains pretty quickly, and DCC just makes that whole process so much more fun, and so much easier besides.
So, you’ve got your space defined and you’ve chosen your gauge. Next step, to me, is to choose the era you want to model, and the type of industries and scenery you’re interested in. This will guide you in your choice of road names and rolling stock. It’s a good idea to do a little research and some serious thinking here. You might want to look for a train show in your area. Most of the good ones have both vendors and operating layouts, both of which are good sources for ideas and inspiration.
I agree with Mr. Beasley about the DCC. It is easy to wire and easier to run. I also agree that now is the time to read, study and plan. The more you do so now, the less often you’ll have to change your layout and the more money you’ll save.
I wrote the following for people just starting out–The Beginner’s Guide to Layout Design. The link is in my signature.
[#ditto] To Mr Beasely and all, and beware of Ebay it is fun to shop there but be careful I now have 4 engines purchased cheaply and no way of converting them to DCC they are to old. But I have purchased some great rolling stock and building kits. I put together a 4X8 tablejust for the kids and I to "play"on.
24 Years of Service. Thank you Sir for your Service!
Question for you. How are your eyes? Mine started going south in my early 40’s and by the time I was 45 I just could not work well with N Guage nor could I do the details like I could. I switched from N to HO. With the new N Scale Locomotives coming out and their incredible detail to boot, it’s would be tough to steer you away from them.
Will you always be constrained for space? It is tough moving in the Military. I KNOW! I stayed out of Model Railroading until I left the Military and settled down in one spot longer than a year. To me it made sense.
You are also correct. It is a fine hobby to start and you will be surprised the number of Former Military folks do this hobby. My local Hobby Shop owner spent 12 years in the Navy.
Chris
USAF/ANG Retired with 24 years
WhoBob, thank you for your service to our country.
One question, is the area of space to build in 4x10 or is that the size of the railroad you can build? Four feet is too far to reach across- you need access to the other side.
If it is just the area of space, then maybe build a door sized layout? Easy to move when the time comes and easy to access all sides. Check out the “N” crowd thread, Dave Vollmer has built a beautiful door sized layout you should see.
Since you’ve run trains with your freinds and you know this is something you want to do, then I am also one for going DCC from the start. I am biased because of the system I use so I suggest the NCE Powercab. With its 7 foot cord, you actually have 14 feet of train following capability. And it’s upgradeable with nothing becoming obsolete. Others have different opinions on which system to use which is OK, you really need to try the different systems for yourself to find the one that’s right for you.
Stay away from Ebay untill you know what you are buying. Alot of newbies get stung pretty good without even knowing it.
Atlas has DCC installed on some units, I would buy one this way for your 1st engine. ( they also run on DC ) After you learn more, then should try your own DCC install.
Like others have already stated, plan well before you spend. Read up on everything from layout design to track laying to scenery building.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions- there is a ton of help right at your fingertips.
Craig
Bob, Welcome to the forum.
I believe there is a trend happening in MR. There seems to be a lot of people shifting to N scale in the hobby. Check out the N scale thread there are a lot of people that can give you advice.
http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/957052/ShowPost.aspx
Bill
Bob,
I want to jump in and agree with those who are encouraging you to go DCC from the start. No sense investing in DC, since you’ll likely wind up wanting DCC before you’re done.
I also agree with the advice to get a nice Atlas DCC-equipped locomotive to start with. A quality loco makes all the difference in enjoying this thing and just struggling.
Welcome to N Scale!
Here is a link to a recent forum thread, “Building a new layout (N Guage),” that really covers your question very well…
http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/986219/ShowPost.aspx
Go to “The N Crowd” thread…
http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/957052/ShowPost.aspx
You might want to start a N Scale layout on a door like Dave Vollmer has done that will be fully portable at a moment’s notice in case you are reassigned before retirement. 4’ x 10’ is large enough for the “door layout” plus a workbench and storage area in one end of the room.
Here’s Dave Vollmer’s N Scale “Pennsy Middle Division”…
http://kc.pennsyrr.com/layouts/dvollmer/index.htm
Question to Ponder: What year, geographic region, and railroad(s) are a prototype for you to research and gain inspiration? Remember, you can always freelance a layout based upon many of these factors.
For Example: My N Scale layout is circa 1956 with a freelanced interurban plus a Pennsy mainline surrounding the traction layout in a 9’ x 9’ area. The interurban will require a lot of scratchbuilding including overhead wire, and I’ve taken a year planning what to do with an around the walls trackplan. The interurban has smaller radius curves while the Pennsy has larger radius curves. This is why you must first do your homework.
While the vast majority of my books and magazines are Kalmbach Publications, I would highly suggest, “N Scale Model Railroading,” by Robert Schleicher, as a great N Scale primer. Its apx. 1/2 inch thick and can be purchased for apx. $10 - $15 on eBay. Here’s a link to the table of contents…
[#welcome]
Thank you for your service to our country!
Any chance you are located at NASJAX?
Let me add my voice to those saying to go with DCC from the very beginning. Start small/slow, yes, but DCC will allow you to individually tune loco performance, play with lots of sound options besides allowing you to run two trains without any extra wiring.
If you wait, you could end up with a lot of straight DC locos that you have to convert later and then you will kick yourself for not getting into DCC sooner. [swg]
Also have to agree with the previous poster who mentioned you need to consider your eyes as you age. I started out in HO and boy am I glad I did. I needed glasses by the time I was 30 because I was staring at a computer screen all day. Now that I’m in my 50s I have to use an optivisor all the time just to see to work on HO, much less N.
Just something to consider.
NAS Lemoore. VFA 41 “Black Aces” Night Check FDC. On Det at Nas Fallon.
To canondale 61 You can convert any engine to DCC. Some may have to be hard wired after you isolate the motor. It can be a challenge but it is rewarding. Just converted a brass E6 from the 60’s.
Hey, tgindy, thanks for the endorsement!
Yes, my N scale portable layout is a nod to the requirements of military service (11 years and counting!) I highly recommend it, as I’ve PCS’d (that means MOVED for you non-military types) with an N scale door layout and had no damage.
Good luck, and thanks for your service!
Major Dave Vollmer, USAF
Think of it this way … my opinion only … the heart of the train system is the engine and transformer . DCC right now will save you having to convert and bring a whole new world to your experience . The sounds and control is light years beyond what I had without it and I converted and am glad I did . And if you ever decide to pick up a older model engine she’ll run on it also … but a dcc engine will be crippled on a dc system . Go to a club or store with the dcc setup and I think you’ll understand .
I would agree with the idea that starting with DCC will make you happier, sooner.
Also, a magnifier headset (that’s probably not the right name) is a necessity for my 40 something eyes, but makes most things doable for me.
As far as planning, I’d get John Armstrong’s “Track Planning for Realistic Operation” and a couple of his layout compilations, and one or both of Iain Rice’s plan books (the names escape me right now, one is smaller plans, the other is, I think, Mid-Sized and Managable). Get some ideas from those, then get XTrkCad (http://www.sillub.com, free registration info halfway down the page), and see what you come up with. For building benchwork I’d get Linn Westcott’s book, cleverly titles “Building Model Railroad Benchwork”, if memory serves. But that’s a ways down the road!