hello im new to model trains and would just like some advice on a good way to start out.
[#welcome] The first thing to do is read, magazines and books on planning a layout, find out what your interested in doing, what scale do you want to use, a railroad your interested in. Don’t make it a chore, have fun doing it, it’s all part of the hobby and having fun with trains. Others will fill you in more than me, I tend not to be long winded.
ENJOY ![(-D][(-D]
Welcome!! For alot of people model RR all started with a train set.This was how it happened to me.Train set for Christmas,then mom donated a card table for the circle of track, then I took over the ping pong table(added bonus,it was green like grass!)then I graduated to the legendary 4x8 sheet of plywood.After that I added another 4x8,then a 4x4 extension,etc.Everyone has a different story to tell.You’ve found this forum,it is a very valuable tool and alot of fun.As mentioned earlier get yourself some info,surf the web,pick up a magazine,etc.Visit a hobby store and look at some of their “how to” books,talk to knowledgable people,and HAVE FUN!! This is not a fast paced hobby,relax take it slow and enjoy yourself.Feel free to ask questions.Model Railroad people are some of the nicest people you’ll meet.Happy Railroading!
Tim from the banks of the Missouri River
Welcome again. Read and know what you want in general terms. Scale, size, and what you like to do (make models, do scenery, run trains, Switch cars). Start slowly, doing what you like best, first. Budget and space availible also dictates some. The most important starting place for me was reading old Model Railroader mags. I buy old copies from clubs and ocassionally a model shop owner will sell old issues cheaper. Try to meet old modelers. They like to help as does this forum, though we are best at specific questions.
I have read advice from others who seem to know what they’re doing, and they have learned a thing or two. They often advise getting a single good (more money, like always) locomotive because that is the arms and legs of your experience. A poor locomotive will not help you to enjoy yourself at the outset.
Secondly, get a few (four or five ) 'ready-to-run" (RTR, we call it) cars to tow as the train. Next, get some snap track (EZ-Track or Uni-Track) and make a small, fun track on a ping-pong table or sheet of 5/6" plywood. This is so that you can run trains and still keep keen while you find out what you need to know in order to last. If you spend too much too soon, and start building too soon, you will very likely have a less than happy experience.
A final bit of advice: for about 11 years now, HO scale trains, particularly, have become more detailed, more reliable, and have become “smarter”. They can be purchased with a microchip that will make it do just about anything that the real McCoy does, including all the sounds. It is called DCC, or Digital Command & Control. It is intially a bit pricey, but not a show stopper for most people. Once you learn what DCC has to offer, you will have entered a whole new world of model railroading.
Good luck!
-Crandell
I don’t reccommend train sets because they are generally low-quality. (at least most the HO scale ones are). For starters I’d reccommend Athearn RTR freight cars and
Athearn
Atlas
Kato
Life-Like / walthers Proto1000 (we refer to it as “P1K”)
Life-Like / Walthers Proto2000 (we refer to it as “P2K”) locomotives. But there is also the Life-Like “train set” line. I’d generally aviod these.
Another tip is- Pick 1 railroad and model it well. Do some research. You ought to research railroads in your area; even if you choose not to model them. This caused me to add the “CGW in 1968” era on my layout just because it was a local road.
I’m sorry if any of this sounded confusing. I try to help explain things to newbies but sometimes I find it easier if I don’t post and further comlicate things.
Local hobby shops are full of $10 - $15 books on getting started in model railroading. Several take you through purchasing locomotives, cars, track, structures, scenery, and even walk you through building your first simple layout.