Hello
I am new to Garden Railroads and I need your help. I need every thing to know for a beginner. I have some books and a subscription to Garden Railways magazine. But I need more. Help.
Bert and Mary Poppins
Welcome to the forum…[#welcome]
What do you need help with specificly? Theres lots of talent here but you’ll need to a bit more specific. My pointers…
Track? …Aristo straights and curves, LGB switches, wider diameter the better.
Layout?..KISS to begin, get more complicated as time and $ allow.
Track Power?..go Big! 5amp powerpack min for outdoors, 10 and you’ll never worry.
Battery-R/C…dont know / wont comment.
Scale? …Ouch theres a sticky subject, run what appeals to YOU
Manufacturer?.. All are good (except New Bright)
Good Luck and above all else …Have Fun.[8D]
[8D]
Just hang around here a while. You’ll learn more than you ever wanted to know[:D]
“Never go to the elves for council for they say both yes and no.”
J. R. R. Tolkien
POPPINS[#welcome]
READ back through the replys, you may get your answers , and don’t be afraid to ask questions . people will try and help you. BEN
Yes, welcome!
We all here probably love the hobby more than our own trains themselves (if not very closely), we are all experts at something and are willing to share. My knowledge, though limited, was garnered here and is…as per most…at your disposal!
Again,
Welcome [4:-)]
[#welcome] You said you have some books, just make sure one of them is Garden Railroads- Getting Started by GR Magazine, very informative for the foundation of things.
[#welcome]Bert and [#welcome] Mary, so which one of you wrote in ? Are both of you interested in railroads, gardens, or ???
Lots of information, use the search function, it will find topics with your interest. Then add to the thread, that when you see a subject, and write away.
Stop by, and visit us at the garden coffee shop, say hello and have a cup and a donut.
Devour the books, use the internet for searches regarding trains, track, and plants. Ask questions here, and see if you have a local group, look before you buy is my motto. That way you really get what you want.
Have a great day.
Tim
[#welcome] Bert and Mary
Garden Railways magazine is a great source of information as is the Internet and forum. (see Rene’s links)
But as others have said just ask a question and you will always[tup] receive an answer.
Don’t forget also that we often share our forum with different topics and from this we duild international relationships and friendship.
All the best in our great hobby
Gary
Dear Poppins
You don’t need help taking this adventure, just start walking down the path and take in all you can and enjoy it , then in time you will start to creat your own dreams. Soon you will be working very hard at having fun… The first time the trains goes all around the first look you sit back and smile. The 2nd time you think you did it right, the 3rd you’ll think, how can we improve on it better.
14 years later after many visitors and open houses you think, why did we not do this sooner?
Hey there,
Welcome! Can’t add much to what has already been said. Great bunch here. Enjoy the forum! Later eh…Brian.
Thank you,
I really appriciate it. But there seams to be confusion with my forum name. No I am just one person. I am a 13 year olb boy who loves trains (the most) and Mary Poppins.
I still get emotional at the end of Mary Poppins when she flys away. Somtimes when I am sad( boys can have a sensitive side too) I cry. But I love the movie so much I can rememmber all the sounds words and most of the dancing from Mary Poppins.
Don’t think when I am done with my railroad that I will pick up my Umbrella and Carpet bag and fly away, like my friend Nicholas Parker did. I am here to stay
Nicholas moved away to Memphis Tennessee.
Oh, to shorten every thing, when you reply, you can just call me Poppins.
Poppins
Being as you are only 13, then it’s highly likely that finances will be tight for you, so I’d recommend a starter set. There are many to choose from. The major manufacturers that offer starter sets are Bachmann, Aristocraft, USA Trains and LGB. Bachmann sets will, in most cases be your least expensive sets and LGB your most expensive. You also have to decide whether you wi***o model diesel or steam. A wise man once said, “One’s sense of history usually begins on the day of their birth.” Being as I’m 45 and only vaguely remember anything that resembles a steam locomotive, I tend to model mainline diesel. It’s what I know, what I see, and what I relate to. One other piece of advice, when you decide to make your first purchase, consult with an adult whom you’re close to. We can give you lots of advice here but can’t walk you through making a purchase over the phone or on-line.
Good Luck to you. See you around the forums.
Mark
well you had me fooled. Now did you have to have your parents sign a paper to be on these web sites beings your a miner??
Hello,
No, they didn’t. They just said g ahead. I am taking it nice and slow. Nichlas took it really fast, so that is why he laft the hobby for boardum.
But know. Finances are not tight. I don’t plan to make a start until I purcahse a set, and since Nicholas moved away, I got his job at the trains store. $7.50 and hour is not that bad. One days pay is $44 something, 3 days pay is $134 or something, and ^ days pay is twice that. I am told to work the monday-wednesday shift.
I get the job on my birthday when I turn 14. That is on March 13.
Poppins
[(-D][(-D]Hey Poppins, Bert, Mary or whatever
You need to get a life, at least Garden Railways is a start also try football.
Just kidding[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
All the best
Gary
Hey Poppins I,m here on the Sunshine Caost with Grandad, Im 11 willl be 12 in May,so I guess that makes me younger than you.I’m on school holidays.
Love Courtney
Poppins,
Have you thought about joining a garden railroad club? There are clubs all over the world and usually membership isn’t very expensive (maybe you can talk your parents into a family membership and they can come too!). Clubs routinely have open houses, where you can see what someone is doing, ask questions, and learn new things.
Garden Railways prints a club directory in every issue, or you can go here and click on clubs: http://www.gardentrains.org
Rene
Hello,
Yes, I have thought of joining a club, but where I live Garden Railroading is a rare activity. I belive there are 4 or 5 garden railroads in the state I live in.
But the nearest club is cleed the Peidmont Garden Rairloaders and that is in North Carolina, but I might join in some day.
I am currently a member of My Large Scale and this site.
Oh, by the way gary, I do have a life. I play football and basketball, but I have a lot of free time for my 2 strongest interests, Garden railroading and Disney Movies, especially Mary Poppins. I got the Mary Poppins 40th anneversery DVD for chirstmas, and So far, I watch that every day. But I have seen other movies too. I saw White Noise last weekend and Sleepy Hollow the week before, and there are loads besides that, but I have senn Mary Poppins the most.
Poppins
It seemd Courtney is interested in Mary poppins as wel she reckons she cn recite it!
She is gettingready to go back home after being with us and a few of her cousins for a bit of the long summer school break.
Rgds Ian
Bert,
Welcome. It’s a great hobby, you’ll meet many great people and there are very few curmudgeons out there. You budget isn’t bad at all.
I made my decision on what to run based on budget, space for curve radius, and target audience. I’m using european 2 axle rolling stock and locos because of the tight radius curves along with my target being 2 grandkids, 5 & 7. The 2 axle cars are better for them when putting on the track.
Enjoy,
SM