I currently model hi-rail O gauge but something is happening to me. I have this urge to switch to HO because of the extra room I’ll have(currently 22’ x 22’ but never seems enuf!) and the realism I like about HO. I’m starting to downsize my O stuff a bit and just may Ebay it all and start HO. I need some info on things like DCC, which I WILL use, and track selection(codes and radius, etc). Is there a good book available with this info and more that I’ll need? Can I be roped into this? It seems interesting! Thanks in advance!
Your LHS should have a selection of books to help you. [#welcome] to HO you should enjoy the the finish product.[:D]
This may be helpful:
http://www.litchfieldstation.com/lobby/PDF/WhatIsDCC.pdf
Helped me a good deal in understanding DCC and, imho, removes the mystery and intimidation.
try http://www.tonystrainexchange.com/ there are loads of DCC hints and tips there. as far as good books go to Kalmbach at www.kalmbach.com They have some great publications.
here’s some good ones:
chuck
My word of caution, having just gotten back into HO three years ago - THERE IS WAY TOO MUCH STUFF OUT THERE AND WAY TOO MANY OPTIONS.
Do some reading and find find some staring points.
As for DCC, I started easy and eventually ended up with Digitrax Super Chief radio. I wish I had started there.
I started to build a logging road for my shay. I then fell in love with articulateds and wish I had less 18 inch curves.
I started with screen and plaster scenery, like 40 years ago. Then I found WS plaster cloth on newspaper. Then I found carved styrofoam. That is almost as much fun as radio DCC.
I wanted a huge canyon and found the bridge before I built the canyon. That way it fit.
Good luck and have fun, AND post some pics. I love them.
DCC is great for a large layout and/or a lot of operators. For a smaller one man pike the benefits are less obvious. The sound does good things for realism.
Code 100 rail used to be the HO standard, and is still in plentiful supply. It is a little oversize, scaling out to something like 200 pound per yard rail. The heaviest rail ever used in North America was 156 pound per yard on the Pennsy’s four track mainline from DC to NYC. Code 83 is available and closer to scale size. Painting your rail rust brown will make it look much smaller. A code 100 layout with painted rail will look better than a code 83 layout with bright shiny nickel silver rail. I’m laying code 100 'cause I got a lot of it thru the club for very little money. Any rolling stock built within the last 30 years will run just fine on code 83. Nickel silver is the best rail material. Atlas, Peco, Micro Engineering, Shinohara and others make fine track. They all interchange so you can mix-and-match. You can go with sectional track (Snap Track) or flex track. Flex track lets you do easements on curves and reduces the number of joints compared to snap track.
Nearly all HO equipment will go around an 18 inch curve. Long cars, passenger, HyCube boxcars, trailer train flats big steamers
HO is the largest selling scale, and the most popular on this board. But if you want to make the most of your available space you might even consider going smaller. If your space never seems enough you’ll do a lot more with your space in N scale. I think you’ll be surprised at the detail on quality N scale trains these days. And because N scale is the second best selling scale worldwide, you’ll have pleanty of selection in locos, rolling stock, and curve radii. Take a look at what Dave Vollmer did on just a door layout.
Whatever you decide, I guarantee you won’t regret going with DCC.
Best!