As the subject title posts I’m brand spankin’ new to model trains. I will begin by saying that I am doing my homework and reading as much as I can and educating myself on this huge hobby. I have purchased a years subscription to Model Railroader magazine and have also scanned the internet for lots of information. I’m not a stranger to scale models as I have built and painted many projects over the course of my life, (I’m 44yrs old), even created terrain for some pieces. I am a Journeyman Carpenter and a Graphic Artist. So, in a long winded sort of way, and I’m sure I’ll be opening a can of worms here [;)], but I am lacking in the knowledege of which product or brand name is a good one. I don’t want to break the bank, but I do want a good quality product. I am very interested in DCC and dont mind spending $200 to $300 on a quality engine. I still have a lot of research ahead of me, but I plan to be in this for the long run ie. full basement layout, eventually [:)]. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Tim, (?), welcome. We don’t yet know what aspect of railroading appeals to you at the moment. It will change in time, of course, but what about it do you wish to model? The answer to that question directly bears on how and where you should apportion your discretionary dollars.
You could pick any DCC system and expect to like it in time. You’ll find them all to be very durable and reliable. But which of the many railroad companies would you like to model, dead and gone or still running? Which era…Civil War down south, early CPR days, Canadian Northern, or an American road perhaps? Modern diesels…again running where and for which company?
Crandell
One of the things people new to the hobby do is to start buying stuff that they think is neat looking, the result is a bunch of train stuff with no theme or timeframe. Later when you get to some serious modeling, you find you have equipment from various RR and timeframes that do not go together, and you have to sell of a bunch of stuff you do not need at a big loss.
As Crandell said, now is the time to get some focus on what you would like to model. By this I do not mean details yet, but what timeframe (steam, transition, modern), what part of the country, contenent or world interests you (cityscape, big industry, forests, deserts, mountains), what type of running (industiral switching, long runs through wide open spaces, or something in between), what type of railroad (big like BNSF or CN, small short line, or a line that links 2 big RR).
Do not think you have to start with the ULTIMATE BASEMENT LAYOUT. Start with something small and managable. Consider it a learning tool that may last a few years, and be replaced by something bigger and much better.
BTY [#welcome], come back often and ask lots of questions; there usually is someone out there with the answer.
The first question you have to ask yourself is - WHY?
Obviously, you didn’t just wake up one morning and say, “I want to become a model railroader.” Something had to lead up to that choice versus, say, World War I battlefield dioramas or models of all the ships on both sides at the Battle of Jutland. So, what was it?
Once you have identified the inspiration, then you want to attack research - not of the skills and brand names involved in modeling, but the whys and wherefores of the prototype that sparked your interest.
Having boiled that down to its essence, you will then be able to ask, not, “What general mass of brands are best?” but, “Who makes the best (specific locomotive in a specific scale)?” The results are much more likely to meet your needs.
For a specific example, I could ask, “Who makes the best model locomotive?” and get lots of answers about Marklin, Athearn, Bachmann… Not a one, to the best of my knowledge, has ever distributed a Japanese prototype locomotive in 1:80 scale. Since I model Japanese prototype in 1:80 scale…
I rest my case.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in 1:80 scale, aka HOj, since September, 1964)
Hi, welcome to the forums. There are no doubt thousands of correct answers, the trick is finding the correct one for you.
I’d start by picking an era you’d like to model, only because you have to start somewhere. My layout is nominally set in 1954 because I wanted steam and diesel on my pike. I could have gone earlier, but not much later. My RR is currently called the Jacoby Creek & South Quarry. I live near the old Quarry and my property backs up again Simpson Timber land. My RR is pretty much limited to motive power used by the Northwestern Pacific which means nothing newer than a GP 9 or bigger than a Mikado. Even the Mikado is a stretch because the only one ever operated was narrow gauge!
Give some thought to industries you find appealing. Either industries you know about, or would like to learn about. Your railroad doesn’t really need a purpose, but it certainly helps tie everything together. I started with a quarry, a furniture factory, and a saw mill and timber operation. Eventually I’ll be moving some of the product to a small wharf for shipping by sea. I can observe these in actual operation.
As far as scale goes HO is certainly the most popular and has a wealth of locos, cars, structures, etc. How much room do you have? - 40 x 50 feet will let you do just about any scale. 3x5 feet will limit you to N or narrow gauge I’d guess, or perhaps an engine facility in HO. I model N, and I have a 10 x 13 room that will (eventually) have two tiers.
DCC is fine, but you can start with simple DC. It’s very easy to upgrade later. Try to avoid getting “everything under the sun”. Challengers are really nice, but then you need a way to turn that monster around. I got a great deal on a Heavy Mountain in trade, then realized it wouldn’t fit on my turntable. I’m contemplating adding an engine stall and trackage to allow it to go straight through the turntable - seems like a lot of work to run a loco that doesn’t go with my layout. Nice engine though… I suppose I could spring f
[#welcome] to the world´s greatest hobby!
How to make a good start into this hobby? Not an easy question to answer. It finally depends on what you like and you should develop a taste for it. A good things is to read a lot and get as much information. This is the more passive part of it, but finding out what you really want requires quite a lot of information of what is available and can be done.
Aside from the information gathering phase, I´d suggest to start building a simple beginner type layout before laying out a lot of cash. You will develop a feeling for the skills you need to come up something that´ll eventually meets your requirements. Take a look at these pages:
The layout featured in the videos may not be one of the most thrilling ones, but it is a good start.
As for DCC, if you have the means to go into it right from the beginning - do it: There are many good entry level systems which can be expanded later. Digitrax Zephyr is certainly a good start.
Have fun!
Since you are ultimately going to build a large layout in your basement, there are two things that I would do right at the beginning.
One is to get a DCC system that can be used as a walk-around system. The two best major brands today are Digitrax and NCE. Both have beginner systems and both of these systems are expandable. I would start with the NCE Power Cab because it is a walk-around system from the get-go. Later when you decide if you want to go with a bigger more advanced system, there are a couple of ways to go. Should you decide that you want to change to Digitrax, you can use the NCE system at the workbench for programming and troubleshooting, or you can sell it. If you want to go with the NCE Power Pro as your more advanced system, you can then use the Power Cab unit as a second throttle. The Power Cab can also be expanded if you choose to do that. I have an NCE Power Pro at home, and we have Digitrax at the club. I feel that the NCE system is more user friendly and intuitive than Digitrax, but you can learn the Digitrax system, and you won’t go wrong with either one.
Second. A large layout that you are planning will have several towns with industries. Your layout will also be most likely be set against the walls and be 18 to 24 inches wide so you can reach everything. So I would build a module that would be of a town with industries. Something about 2 ft wide and 6 or 7 ft long. This would become a switching layout that could be built and operated all by itself. You could select a track plan for this from the many available from the MR track plan data base that you will have access to. By building a small switching layout, you will gain experience and practice on how to learn and do things. If you get this one wrong or not quite right, you can salvage most things and start over. You would be starting over in a small way rather than a large way if you started on the large layout
First, have fun. The forums can get technical and preachy. It took me years to understand that this was a hobby and not another way to produce stress over perfection. You can start very small. MR had a plan for a 1’ x 6 or 8’ layout called the Gumstump and Snowshoe. It had grades, a bridge and two tiny yardsand could stand up on end in a closet. Yet, it required all the skills (and some challenges) of a large layout. You could actually operate it, with one locomotive and several freight cars and it could be incorporated in a larger effort. I don’t think this is in the MR track plan data base, yet. I do remember seeing an HOn30 (narrow gauge) version on a forum. Welcome and remember to have fun.
Hello and welcome!
In general, when buying locomotives and rolling stock, you get what you pay for. The $65 Bachmann diesel is not as good a loco as the Proto 2000 diesel that costs $250. FWIW, though, you will find supporters and detractors for all manufacturers. Personally, I think Bachmann’s Spectrum line provides a nice balance between price and detail / performance, but not everyone agrees with me.
Now, I don’t operate sound-equipped locomotives, so my answer may be different that someone who does, but I’d rather buy a “DCC-Ready” model and add my own decoder. If the loco truly is “DCC Ready”, it’s often just a matter of pulling out a jumper and adding a decoder with an 8 pin connector.
A couple of people have already made the point, though: decide on the theme / prototype, road name, and era of your layout, then acquire equipment accordingly. You can fudge a little (like I did) because historic New Haven stopped running steam in 1953; I still have some steam in 1956, because I want to run both steam and a new paint scheme that the NH adopted in 1955. Just have a good, internally consistent reason for what you’re doing.
Also, have a fairly finished track / layout plan done before you start building benchwork and laying track. You will have less to undo later if things don’t pan out the way you envisioned.
Bye all means, just jump into a nice DCC system from the start. They are easy to wire up, and easy to learn for even for newbies. That’s exactly what I did. I have an NCE Powerhouse Pro wireless system and love it. It’s very easy to use and learn.
As for DCC engines, you’re gonna spend around $200-$300 for a good quality one with DCC and Sound factory installed.
Some of the top locomotives are made by Walthers Proto 2000, MTH, Broadway Limited, Atlas Gold Line, Athearn Genesis.
If you have a local hobby shop that has DCC systems you can check out and see what you like and pick the one the best fits you.
Welcome to the hobby. There are so many ways to go, you didn’t even mention scale. The only things that I recommend these days is, build modular, use good quality framing materials (being in the trades you can get wood leftovers for cheap since the most used size is under 2’ for support lumber), use foam for the base, and use buss wiring even if it is going to be DC.
Timbo,
Others have given great advice. Some things that stand out to me are:
- Identify a theme for your layout. What will it haul? What era is it set in? Is it a class I railroad or something less? If you will eventually have a basement sized layout, a full class I sounds likely. However, personally, I like the idea of devoting an entire basement to a branch line of a class I or regional railroad. That theme allows a large layout to remain simple. A large layout can get overwhelming for a single hobbyist.
- Stick to the theme when purchasing products. The dollars can add up and if you buy something that ultimately doesn’t fit with what your goal is, it will probably become useless and cost you money. There should be enough “cool” things to buy within any given theme as to keep your impulse buys consistent with your plan.
- Build a 2x8 or 2x10 switching layout first. A town or a small yard that can be part of your larger layout will give you enough variety in building and operating to learn the hobby. From benchwork, wiring, structure building, etc. you can get your feet wet with most aspects of the hobby. Oftentimes, a large layout can be overwhelming right at first, which might ultimately discourage you from remaining in the hobby.
I don’t know much about steam, but if you’re going to have a post 1980 something era layout, I think the Atlas GP38 and/or MP15 w/DCC and sound would be excellent choices. They are accurate models, well detailed, and have some of the best drive chassis’ in the business. They are worth the $200 to $250.
Good luck.
WOW!!! All I can say is wow!!! Obviously I barely even scratched the surface of this hobby [:)] This is fantastic information and I will consider everyone opinion respectfully. There is a lot to digest here and will make many, many notes. BTW, the scale I’m shooting for is HO, sorry for not mentioning that in the beginning [:-^] Also, I am rather limited for space at the moment so a 4’ x 8’ table appealed to me. Although the idea of 18" to 24" against the wall also sounded intriguing. Time line? Still unsure. I love steam, but I’m also beginning to enjoy the 1950’s cityscape era. Much to think about . . . As for going out and buying up a bunch of stuff that doesn’t follow a proper pattern, no, I won’t do that. As excited as I am to start my project, I felt it necessary to approach this in a “studied” manner and ask lots of questions first. Thank you VERY much to all that responded to my query, you will definitely be hearing a lot more from me soon. [:D]
I would add that it is good to build something fairly easy and quick to use. For 4x8, it’s fine to get some snap together track and ready to run equipment.
This is so you can gain some experience and satisfaction.
Don’t get overwhelmed, and stuck in planning and research They have ther place, but that can lead to just becoming an armchair modeler. Jump in and do something.
You need not create hand layed track…etc…, realize, some skills take time to develop.
The biggest thing to remember… have fun!
Cheers!
William
Am old, retired geezer. Was armchair modeler for years. Had a lot of HO but no sense of direction in chosen hobby. Then, started local HO modular club, which grew to 11 members and learned a LOT about mrr’ing I never had a clue about! The experience has served me well over the years.
My 2 cents*…papasmurf in NH*
papasmurf’s comment got me to thinking about something else. Check around to see if there is a model RR group or club within a reasonable distance from home. Often they have classes for beginners; it is a good way to get a head start on some modeling skills. Also, go to some train shows, look at the display layouts and talk to some people there. You can pick up some good ideas there and mabe make some new friends in the hobby who can help with your work. I would invite you to our group, but Maine is a bit of a haul from Alberta! [ap]
Actually, there is a train club at a local mall not far from me. Funny, I went to talk with one of the guys there on the weekend and he was so busy talking about himself and his love of trains I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Oh well, I’ll keep looking around. [:D] Just curious, what are the opinions about the Atlas or Athearns pre-boxed sets for sale? I know the price is pretty cheap, about $120 to $140, but I was wodering what that has to say about the quality of the product?
Given that you’re 44 and have some modeling experiences already, I think you’d find that the stuff in the pre-boxed sets won’t have the sophistication, level of detail, smoothness of operation, weight, etc–the whole look and feel–to give you a lot of long-term enjoyment. I’d recommend instead that you buy a single higher-end locomotive and a few good quality cars: an Athearn Genesis locomotive, for example, with Genesis or Athearn Ready-to-Roll cars, or similar products from InterMountain or Proto 2000 or others, or perhaps a selection from different product lines so you can compare them. Buy enough to satisfy that urge to get started but not so much that you run up a huge bill. Once you can hold them, look at them, run them, etc, you’ll have a better feel for what you’ll want in the future–and your initial purchases will be a lot more likely to have enduring appeal to you.
Dean
If you’re only talking about a 4X8 layout to start I’d put the DCC thing on hold for now and get an MRC power pack as a starter, the 9500 series would be a good one as it has preinstalled gauges in it for volts and amps.
The “main” purpose of DCC is the ability to be able to run 2 or more “seperate” trains on one track at the same time. With a 4X8 you will barely have enough there to run 1 train at a time per track, let alone 2.
Get the DCC ready engines so that you have the option to readily convert them to DCC when the time comes that you have the amount of trackage to justify converting if you wish.
Electronics are constantly changing, as in computers, cell phones, etc, so what you buy today will most likely be obsolete within 2 years anyhow if not sooner. That’s not to say that older systems will not work just as well as new ones but new features are constantly being added and changed so start “simple” as you can always change it later.
Mark
RMR
First off, I’d like to say [#welcome] and in the words of Minnie Pearl (I know a lot of people will say, “Who?”), Howdeeeeeeeee!
I’d suggest that you get more reading material. Kalmbach has all sorts of books about model railroading. I think Model Railroader is sort of the bait; they show us great looking layouts, and that’s the hook. Check out the links below I found for you.
Track Plans and Layout Planning
And above all else HAVE FUN!!! A hobby is meant to be enjoyable, not torture.