Hi all as the topic states I am very new to this.I got into it for the ability to be able to model and recreate favorite places or great looking scenery. I have always been drawn into the scenery aspect of this hobby. I just recently started building my very own layout and I have to say I may have bit off more than I can chew but Im going to stick with it. I bought a few things from hobby lobby Im working on a river waterfall and bridge module and was wanting some advice. As far as trains and train sets go hobby lobby has a few to select from. But Ive read on various forums that you get what you pay for as far as trains go. I was wondering if it would be worth my money to buy any of the train sets from hobby lobby? I am going for realism here and I havent really decided what my overall layout will look like or even what era I want to do this in I guess it is going to come down to money. But anyway any advice? any resources you could share with me ? Im also very interested in building my own buildings and especially building my own bridges. So any help in that aspect would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks guys Im so glad to be apart of this wonderful and interesting hobby.
Welcome to the forums and to model railroading.
Since you haven’t selected a theme or era it’s a little difficult to direct you specifically. Most folks seem to recommend staying from sets, other than high end ones that suit your era/theme. They seem to feel you do better selecting locos you want and cars to fit the industries you have planned for your layout. Of course if you have a connecting railroad or an interchange you can have most any type of car for your era, as they could be “just passing through.”
Do you have your track laid yet. It is recommended that this be done early, so that you can run trains and be sure your track is in good order. That way you won’t have to tear scenic things up should you have a track problem.
If you want to scratch build, go to RESOURCES above, then click on Index of Magazines. Search for scratch building articles. Also, with the search function to the right you can search for scratch building threads that have been on the fourms. Many good scratch building folks here.
When you have pinned down and era, theme and some other “druthers” I’m sure you will get a lot of good advice here.
Good luck,
Some of the trains sets have decent stuff, but stay away from basic “Bachmann” or “Life Like” sets, especially the dusty ones. [:D] Generally, train sets are inferior. You are better off figuring out an era to model and a specific road or two, and then look for representative models of quality. Even so, quite a few guys would buy something basic and perform a lot of modifications, including installing their own drive-trains, to get what they want that can’t be purchased for less than $400. So, they’ll strip off details, fill holes and gaps, sand them smooth, repaint shells, redecal, add their own or other suppliers’ detail parts, and so on. The hobby can be very consuming and involving, depending on the goals you set for yourself.
Any of the Bachmann “Spectrum”, BLI “Paragon” or “Hybrid” engines, and their PCM lines, Walthers “Proto 2000” engines, Atlas Master series, and Athearn “Genesis” engines are sure to be a good way forward for you. Again, you really do need to know what fits your needs for modelling fidelity, and what has good reviews.
If you like to build kits, Branchline, Red Caboose, Proto 2000, Accurail, and others have very good kits, some very demanding. There are other kit manufacturers. If you go to internet hobbies.com and look at their list of suppliers, you’ll find many companies that offer kits for rolling stock.
-Crandell
My self, the few times I have been to Hobby Lobby I look at there prices and laugh my caboose off! Here are a few links for trains and parts.
http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/servlet/StoreFront I have used Ulrich Models and when I had a problem Steve bent over back wards to set things right! I give him 5 Stars.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/default.asp I have never used, but have heard good things about them.
My self, I like Proto 1000 and 2000’s as far as engines. With out sound you should be able to pick up diesels for around $65.00 or so.
What part is over whelming you? One thing I have found in this hobby is it easier than you think. You just to have at it. Onces you get started you find your self going “That was not that hard”. I use foam for my mountain, I stared at a 2 foot mound of pink foam for all most a year. I was afraid I could not carve or paint it to make it look right. I did ask a lot of questions and watch some videos on You Tube. Finally I made my self go do it.
Came out pretty good.
So ask and we will help. Main thing is be specific with your question, and if we use a term you do not understand. Ask what we mean. It took me a couple of weeks to figure out LHS meant Local Hobby Shop! [:-^]
And [#welcome]
Cuda Ken
Welcome. My layout is also based on places I have been and things I have seen, thus a series of scenes that I like. I have been at it now for 4 1/2 years and it has been fun.
I have learned to do styrofoam scenery, scratch build styrene buildings, and build nice wooden kits. I have learned to make trees out of all sorts of stuff. Each project is a learning experience.
Do NOT buy a train set. Buy one engine that is the engine of your dreams, what ever that is. I suggest at least the first one to have sound.Get a few cars that you like. Lay some track so you can watch a train run, and then add stuff that you like. After a while you will have an idea of the layout as a whole, and can move in that direction. All your favorite stuff wil fit.
If you like scenery, build your favorite scene. Build a building you like. There is always a place for things you like.
You can look at pics of my dream layout as it emerged by clicking on the pics part of my sig.
Good luck and have fun. .
I’m going to jump on the bandwagon here and add my [2c] against getting a train set. Since you seem to want to model existing places, it would seem to me that all you have to decide on is what era and your equipment and structures will be a given.
In my opinion, it’s much better to decide what you want and go selectively acquire it rather than buying a set which may cause you to end up with a lot of stuff you don’t want or need. Especially if realism is an issue, I doubt very much that you will find equipment in a train set that will meet your standards.
You’ve only bitten off more than you can chew if you quit. Sure, it may take you several tries to get the look you’re going for, but you’ll learn as you go and do better every time. There are very few right and wrong answers in this hobby, just a lot of preferences.
Money needn’t be an issue unless you’re in a hurry. Personally, I’m on a fairly tight budget, but I squirrel away $20 from every paycheck for my hobby. Sometimes it takes me a few months to save enough for a major acquisition, but it works. I’d rather take my time anyhow. There’s always something to tweak on my layout… or I can just run trains!
Let me offer the standard advice. Read a few issues of Model Railroader. Many town libraries subscribe and you can read the back issues for free. Read the ads, that will give you a feeling for the prices of things. Go to a train show. You get to see working layouts, and you get to buy all sorts of stuff. A lot of the used stuff can be a good deal. Personally I avoid buying new stuff at train shows if I can buy it from my friendly local hobby shop (LHS). Partly 'cause my LHS needs my support and partly 'cause if it breaks or doesn’t run the LHS will help me out.
Sounds like you have some track down? and are ready to run trains? And this is a smallish one man kinda layout? In which case, you need a power pack, a locomotive, and some cars. You can buy a train set, that gets you the power pack, a shortish train, and an oval of snap track. You may not need the track, the power pack will be a bottom of the line unit, and the train will be of OK but not great quality. But it will run.
Price out an MRC power pack, a smallish locomotive, and a few cars. If the train set looks good and is cheaper, go with it. If the buy separately is competitive, buy separately. Rolling stock from any of the major makers is plenty good enough for anyone. Proto 1 or 2 K, Athearn, Accurail, Walthers, Atlas, Kato, and MDC all make fine rolling stock. Much of the fun in model railroading come from seeing the models move under their own power. MRC is the name in power packs.
There are many fans of Digital Command Control (DCC). DCC is fantastic for a multi operator layout because it allows multiple engineers to control multiple locomotives on the same stretch of track. DCC requires a $25 decoder installed in each locomotive and a DCC controller/amplier to operate. DCC will cost you $200 or so. For a single operator, DCC doesn’t do all that much
Welcome to the hobby, and proceed small steps at a time and it will not overwhelm you. I agree to not buy a set, but individual pieces. Get the handbooks advertised and located on this site… books on benchwork, layout design, scenery, etc… and using those techniques you can not go wrong. Later on you will develop methods on your own. Use this forum for any question, and any frustration. The members have helped me immensely, and I owe a lot of my layout to what advice they have given me!
Good luck and have fun… Hal
I must respectfully disagree on the usefulness of DCC for a single operator. I have a fairly small layout (5x10), but the ability to have all 9 of my locos sitting on the tracks and only moving the one(s) I want to at that moment is just incredible. Well worth the $250 or so I’ve spent on the system and decoders.
I have to agree with CTValleyRR on this. If you can afford DCC at the outset, even a single operator with a small layout can benefit immeasurably from DCC. Operating on a DCC-powered layout permits trains to be running on the main line while performing other functions on sidings, in yards, etc. I started out without DCC, but I quickly moved to it and have never looked back.
Rich
I can only recommend to start with DCC right from the beginning. There are good starter sets, which are not much more expensive than a good powerpack and most of the newer, quality brand locos come DCC ready - all you have to do is plug in the decoder.
DCC lets you enhance the locos performance, and, if you go for sound, is still a must to have. After all, with DCC, you control the loco, not the track power!
The OP does not state what scale he is modeling in but if your Hobby Lobby is the same as ours and you are doing either N or HO then we are talking about Bachmann sets, and to me even with the handy money saving 40% off coupon I don’t think they are worth it! Last summer as I was out in our garage working on the new layout one of the older gentlemen that walks around our condo complex stopped in to see what I was up to, after a few weeks of this he stopped over and said he had just bought a set from hobby lobby and was wanting help to build his own layout , the first thing I told him was that you get what you pay for and that the engines and such in the sets are not the greatest, well fast forward several months and several more sets, he comes over wanting to run one of his locos on my layout because “Your layout is so much quieter then mine” well after a little good natured ribbing I got out one of my mid level Atlas locos, one of my Kato GG1’s and his Bachmann locos and ran them, well suddenly what I had been telling him all this time sunk in!
Well I might be a bit contrary here…
There ARE good train sets out there, Atlas Trainman sets are high quality, as are Bachmann Spectrum.
First off, find a good Local Hobby Shop, unfortunately these are getting fewer and farther between. If you prefer mail order, Trainworld is excellent, as are MB Kliens, First Hobby, Bessemer Hobbies, and Yankee Dabbler.
While there are many good online resources for information, I still prefer books…
My favorite soup to nuts books are both out of print:
Dave Frary, Build The Pennsy Middle Division in HO Scale.
Lou Sassi, A Realistic HO Layout for Beginners.
Planning:
John Armstrong, Track Planning for Realistic Operation.
Tony Koester, Realistic Layout Design.
Tony Koester, Layout Design Building Blocks.
Scenery:
Dave Frary, Building Realistic Scenery for Model Railroads.
Lou Sassi, Realistic Model Railroad Scenery for Beginners.
John Pryke, Building City Scenery for Model Railroads.
Nick
Wow Thanks so much for all the info and suggestions. I am checking out the various links and things you all have suggested. I guess my next question is size. I am down to either HO or N scale. I know N is smaller and all but I am really looking for realism in the hobby. I guess what I am getting at is I know it takes a while for a train to slow down so I want the same in my model does this make sense to anyone? I want smoothness and realism and to have joy when operating my train so I dont mind spending the money upfront to get the very best I can possibly get to ensure my enjoyment in the hobby. I know you pay for what you get in anything you do these days but I do have to stick to a budget here I want to get started right away so I am looking for a set or a site that offers everything to get started at a reasonable price and quality setup. I need everything track train rolling stock I mean everything aside from some scenery things I have nothing… I know this post was alll over the place please bear with me,lol
Your trains do not have to stop on a dime. Whether DC or DCC, you can have both inertia (delayed acceleration) and momentum (resisting slowing down). These are two of Newton’s laws: An object at rest tends to stay at rest; an object in motion tends to stay in motion. It’s probably easier and more precise to do this with DCC.
I endorse the start with DCC recommendation. You’ll most likely end up there someday if you continue with the hobby anyway, so why spend money on something you won’t use later?
When you look at sets (ish!) or indovidual companenets, be sure to check the couplers. The NMRA horn/hook couplers not only look awful, they aren’t very reliable either. Kadees are the best but, at any rate, be sure to get some version of the couplers which look like the real ones. They are all more or less compatible with one another.
You’re off to a good start. Doing some thinking and planning and asking questions will pay off in the long run. Short run, too. Welcome to the hobby.
Did you go to your local hobby store? That way you can check out what you like, either HO or N, I did that same exact thing a few months ago, I decided to go with HO and DCC.
I’m a complete newb, and after only 3 months my layout is coming along nicely, and I have trains running now, it’s just AWESOME!
What kin of train did you get?
The
Quality-wise, there really isn’t much difference between N or HO. The major manufactures will serve you well in either scale. However, if sound is your thing, currently, HO is the better choice.
Model in HO…I started with an HO set, and have dabbled in other scales, but kept coming back to HO. It’s large enough for me to manipulate easily, and small enough to build a decent layout in a reasonable space.
Equipment-wise, with the exception of one PCM/BLI and two Spectrum steamers, my entire locomotive roster is Atlas (Silver, Classic, and Trainman). A mix of Athearn Blue Box, MDC/Roundhouse (both now out of production), Bowser and Accurail kits make up the majority of my freight car fleet. I have a few Atlas and Athearn RTR cars as well, but they are a minority.
While there is much debate over the necessity of it, I replace all the plastic wheelsets with Intermountain metal wheelsets. I find they roll better, and add a good amount of weight to the cars down low. Car already equipped with metal wheelsets, generally retain their OEM wheels. Every car, locomotive, and caboose get Kadee couplers before setting a wheel on the layout.
I highly recommend investigating DCC. I use CVP’s EasyDCC system. DCC isn’t the end all be all control system, but the
Far as scale, what kind of room do you have for the train layout? My train room is 19 by 22 and I run HO. HO sure eats up the room. I all so like long trains, a 20 car train eats up the 19 feet long section. In some ways I wish I had went N scale.
One thing I not seen you ask about is sound engines, is that on your wish list? There are by far fewer sound engines in N scale than HO. There are less steam engines in N scale as well.
Far as wanting the very best, one thing I have learned is the expensive engines are not necessarily better made. I have spent more time fixing $600.00 steam engines than $90.00 diesels. I have had very good luck with Proto 1000’s and 2000’s. The Proto 2000 have more detail parts, but 1000’s are not bad. Both run and hold up very well.
Cuda Ken
I believe this may be my first post. This is the right place to have your questions answered. Don’t over look the published track plans from books from Atlas. My pike is a 4x8 N-scale from 9 N-scale railroads. It features a 45 foot mainline run which comes out to 1.5 scale miles. There are many advantages. The track plan was already worked out, every thing fit, and complete track packages were available from Atlas. For the decades I’ve been a model railroader, these books seem to be a mainstay. The plan I choose has a couple of places which seem designed for an extension. My plan is for the more advanced flex track, as I have some real estate to move towards.
This published snap track plan gave me a proven, time tested layout.