I started model railroading back in 1980. The bug was so bad. I worked on my
layout day and night, year round. I graduated from high school in 1986 and left
home in 1988. After I got married in 1991 I started a new N scale layout and
when we moved in 1995 I boxed everything up. Well three kids later its still
boxed up and my wife wants me to setup shop again. Some thing inside me
wants to and something is holding me back. What should I do. I started reading
MR again and feel like Rip Van Winkle. So much has changed. DCC, ETC.
Over the past summer my wife wanted my Lionel trains put up around the ceiling.
My kids love it. but not really hands on. Do I just jump in and start? Any advice? Thanks
Make the jump! I had a MR setup (4 x 8) many years ago while still in the US Air Force. Rebuilding it after every military move got old so I sold it all and went about my everyday life. Finished raising the kids, got them married and am now retired. I have just gotten back into MR recently after nearly 15 years. I agree with you on the “Rip Van Winkle” feeling. Technology sure has taken a big leap in MR. I run 2-3 locos at a time so have not gone with DCC I feel that the old “tried-and-true” DC with control panel is more than satisfactory for my need.
What ever you decide, DCC, DC, battery or wind-up, don’t let technology stop you from having the best time of your life – sharing your hobbies with your childern – as I did.
Make your decision a family affair and ask your family if you can set it up in a common area. Then ,read up on new technology and have a blast rediscovering the joy of modeling. you will be surprised at the outcome. Lots of luck.
ken_ecr
I can relate–between roughly 1988 and late last year, I got out of model railroading entirely. I was still interested in trains, but didn’t have time, money or space for it. I’m glad I did, though–in the past year I’ve gotten very into railfanning, volunteering at local railroad museums, and making little trains run around at home.
First off I would like to say Welcome Back.
My advice would be to buy the Kalmbach Book, Building the Wisconsin Central in N scale. (If that is the skill your working in) It covers alot of the current trends in the hobby, and will be kind of a refresher course for you will getting you up to date with the more modern technology. (This was MR’s First project railroad that used DCC)
Now granted I am one of those new young guys (21 years old 
) that seems to plugged into the new technology. But recently my club did a study and found that if starting over, that DCC is just as expensive if not cheaper than conventional DC block control.
We found that for a basic 2X4 layout, (Or 4X8 in HO) that the the DCC system was only a few dollars more than a conventional system.
The conventional system included a single MRC Tech-4 Power pack at $100.00 Two atlas conectors at 8.00 a crack, 6 switch machine control boxes at $4.00 and assorted wiring for around $10.00 we came up with a total price of around $150.00
Digitrax’s Zephyr DCC starter system can be had from Loys Toys after shipping for $165.00. The only wiring thats really neaded is some feeders to every siding, and to two or three points on the mainline and your off and running.
Your loco will need a decoder, but there are services out there that will help you with that, and even newer locomotives already come with a decoder installed.
My suggestion is if you have to buy a new train control system, I would spend the little extra money and go with the DCC as it eliminates alot of wring headaches, the Digitrax system is designed to grow with your layout, and talking with other people that have used the Digitrax system, after a few lessons in how to work it, Kids can use it with ease.
Welcome back, I wish you luck. and feel free to ask more questions as they arise.
Oh one more thing. I justy want to note that the prices I list are those from my local hobby
Some thoughts:
- Can you afford to get into the hobby at this time? - read budget
- Do you have sufficient equyipment to do what you want to do?
- With family repsonibilities do you have the time?
- Have any boys you can railfan and work with? (some girls too but not as many).
I would think modular with a loop at either end. That way if time exists you can add a module in the middle and still have something running. DCC needs some thought. Yes it easier if you start out that way so you don’t have a slug of engines to convert at once but it isn’t necessary. I caution people to try several systems for ergonomic and logic reasons alone. Some are better than others and the most popular isn’t necessarily right for you.
My layout is in boxes and the actual layout is disassembled waiting to be bolted back together. It is “U” shaped and 9ft x 9ft. The thought of finding all the pieces is overwhelming.
Had to put up in 1955 when I went into the air force. Had a huge HO layout. Was fortunate as a kid to work part time in the old Northeastern Scale Models, Ballardvale, MA puting together and packaging the Ambroid Kits. Just recently started back into it after all these years. Intimidated no. Why? Modeling and ops is still about the same. DCC do a little reading.
To check the hobby out and get a quick review I bought up back copies of MR to fill in the gaps. That in itself was alot of fun. And finding this site helped even more as we are in real time. If you love this hobby don’t hesitate and ask questions right here. Like swimin’-you don’t forget. Hope this helps. Got a grandaughter, 6yrs old, that would rather have trains than dolls. So, what else could I do - hmmmmm?? 
I was intensely into the hobby up until I graduated from high school, in 1989, at which point my interest became much more “armchair”. Ten years later, a housemate got married and left me with a 15’x15’ room to do something with, and you know what happened from there. Well, you’d probably guess that I started filling this space up with benchwork right away, but alas, I have not made as much progress as that; I definitely intend to do just that, though, eventually.
I’m on the same “DCC or not DC” bubble, primarily because I have so much old equipment that does not have the space for decoders. But, as I am purchasing new equipment, I am favoring DCC units because I have been told that the circuitry will improve operation even under conventional DC, and I’ll be able to convert at some point in the future.
Welcome back to the hobby! I’d say start smaller; don’t feel bad about modelling at a skill level that is lower than you remember having previously achieved. I bought some Kato Unitrack at the train show this weekend, even though my layout is Micro-Engineering weathered brown code 55. I set up a simple loop just to be a test-track for breaking in new engines (and old ones that have been in boxes for years), and I do get a little thrill even seeing short trains roll around a plain oval. Makes me wonder if, rather than going for the full 200 square feet of train room, I would have been happier focusing on a 4x8 or smaller. Built with Unitrack, without any gradients or complex bridges. I’m working now on a really tiny (6" deep) diorama, which may be worked into the bigger layout later.