I just got started into this hobby, I was helping my aunt take down her Christmas stuff in the atic, and I ran across a train set. I took it to the local hobby shop just to see what all I needed. It blew me away with all the stuff that is out there for this hobby. So after talking to the owner wich is a good friend, he showed me his set up at home. I knew then I was hooked, I went ahead and bought some flex track and a new boxcar. It started off just on my table wich I have down in my lower room. Well that didnt last long because I moved everything off of my work bench and set it up. Well that lasted for a night, I was back off to the hobby shop for more materials and some more advice. So I ended up buying some more flex track and two turnoffs. I set it up last night and found out Im running out of room. So I headed to the hobby shop at lunch and picked up another work table, so now I have a 4’ x 8’ work bench, Thanks Jeff. This has all happened since last Sunday, thank goodness it is a long weekend. Its amazing what yall do with all the stuff I have saw, just on this web sight. Thanks for having me, total 768
You are one sick person!! [(-D]Welcome to the club!![:D][:D][:D]
Welcome!
And you seem to have caught the ropes extremely fast, very good job!
I’ve been seriously in the hobby for 5 years yet I still haven’t used flex track on my own layout!
Great job again!
total768,
First of all, [#welcome] to the forum! Good to have you aboard! [:)]
Make sure you come back and visit us often. This a great place to come to for information and advice. Most of the folks here will bend over backwards to give you a hand. Bring all the questions - even the ones you might deem as “stupid” - and we’ll try and help you as much as possible.
total768, this is a great hobby. As you start collectiing, make sure you spend the time reading about layout design and also figuring out what you want to accomplish with your layout.
We’ll be here when you return…
Tom
I hope you will forgive some gentle ribbing, but I couldn’t resist. Surely you meant “turnouts”. [:D] In fact, everything about your reports suggests to me that you are somewhat turned “on” by the hobby.
Welcome to the forum!
-Crandell
Total768.Welcome to the World’s Greatest Hobby and to this forum.Enjoy,ask questions,and most of all,have fun[:)][:D][8D][:p]!
Good one, Crandell. [(-D] I completely missed that one…
Tom
Ahhh…The Force is strong with this one…[#welcome]
[:D][:D] Weelcome to the wonderful world of model railroading!!! any advice you need im sure we would be glad 2 help… Tim
Welcome!!!, I hope to hear more progress from you.
Selector: Caught your note on turn-offs, I have seen on t.v. in the last while a few shows on railroading and on 2 occasions "turn-outs were referred to as turn-offs, which makes sense, I had never heard the term turn-out while referring to a “switch” until a year ago and had no idea what it was, I also asked some of my railroad friends and this was definitly not a common term, my Dad was a switchman for a short time ,carried a switchmans lantern, had a switchmans key and was called a switchman, never heard the term “turn-out man”—768-now you’re hooked eh?
On a real 1:1 railroad they are called switches. On model railroad electrical switches out number the rack type switches so gradually the track type came to be called turnouts. Something I learned on this forum.
I toured a factory that makes turnouts/switches during the NMRA convention in Cincinnatti. Someone in the group asked the foreman that led our group what the prototype called them. He said the terms turnout and switches are used interchangably on the prototype.
Glad ya made it total! Told ya this place was awesome!
I can’t wait to come run trains on your layout! [:D] Glad ta help Dude!
Rotor
Welcome to the forums, total768!! Watch out that your layout doesn’t TAKE OVER your whole workspace. Make sure to leave room for: spray painting, assembling kits, and trouble shooting electrical snafus in your locos…they will occur. Hope you have fun with the hobby…Most of us do!!
[#welcome] to the forums the biggest tip i can give you is research the brands of locomotives so you only buy quality stuff that will last.
brands i would buy: Atlas ,Athearn RTR ,Athearn genisis , Athearn blue-box, Life-Like proto 2000 if it’s brand new the price can be a dead giveaway if it’s quality or not -plan on spending about $40-$100+ for an ho scale locomotive