trying to make a list of what i need to lay some track. my layout will be mid 1800’s. bought de witt clinton and john bull (will get freight train later) was told to buy dcc ready turnouys, but don’t i have to have engins dcc ready. don’t know for sure, but don’t think either train wired dcc. any help, appreciated. lynne ps don’t want to use ez track that came with the trains
I don’t have DCC so I don’t know about DCC ready turnouts. You will need a good base to put it on but keep in mind you are not running real trains on it. The wiegh in ounces not tons. I recomend flex track everywhere with few exceptions such as lift outs. You will need a road bed. I don’t use cork I feel it is to hard to ballast and there are cheaper ways of doing it. Use you imagination. You will need smalll nails to fasten it down with. The spikes at LHS are rather expensive when you can go to Lowes and buy small nails in plastic pack. I recomend Peco switches (turnouts) As I am haveing trouble with electric in my older but not ancient Atlas and no problem with Peco.
I stagger my rail joints. You can sldie one rail 1/2 way down and have the joints 2 feet appart. The real ones do that for some reason. It makes for much smoother turns.
lynned,
First you will have to describe how big a layout you want. I assume the scale is HO. There are many sites on the net that can give you the information you need. As a place to start try here:
[url=“http://atlasrr.com”]
They have layout drawings, layout design software and even track ‘packages’ for most of their layouts.
As far as what track to use, that is largely a matter of personal choice. I use Atlas flextrack and turnouts. They work with DC or DCC. There are many other brands of track and turnouts, Peco, Kato, ad infinitum, but the Atlas track is available in hobby shops all over. Many of the others you have to shop for or buy on the internet.
If you answer the basic questions, how big, what scale, DC or DCC, how many trains at once, etc. you will get all the help you need on this site.
If you need more basic information, check out the links page on my website, link is in my signature. I listed most of the sites I used when building the BRVRR. The information available on them will give you the basics and get you off on the right foot.
By the way, WELCOME to the forum.[#welcome]
layout is 4x8, ho scale. bought atlas flex track code 83. read boxes trains came in, no imformation if engins dc or dcc. also went to bachmann. they don’t give engin info. thanks lynne
I have the trains you describe - DeWitt Clinton and John Bull - and they are not DCC. In fact I’m not sure you can add a DCC board to them since they are so small. DCC ready turnouts work with both DCC and DC. Atlas track should work just fine.
Enjoy
Paul
paul thank you lynne
You wouldn’t want to add a “board” to them to run DCC. What you want is a genaric type decoder like the Digitrax DH163D HO Scale Mobile Decoder. You may even be able to get away with an N or Z scale decoder like the Digitrax DZ123 Z Scale Mobile Decoder.
These are very small decoders that are designed to fit just about anywhere.
Check 'em out and see what you think at;
[8D]