Getting Started--how?


mattm

Member
We're rapidly moving along moving into a new house. I've been a pretty serious hobby woodworker for the last 14 years and am giving up that hobby since we moved from 10 acres with large pole barn to 1/3 with a shed. Doing remodeling has been a hobby over the years too, but this house we've paid a contractor to come in and make it ours so all but minor projects will likely be wrapped up this week so I need to start thinking about a hobby other than sitting in front of the computer or TV all evening.

I dabbled in model railroading when I was a teen so I know a little but not much other than that at least the "make" side of the hobby is attractive to me. I'm wondering the best way to get started? I have some fairly significant seed money to get started with, but don't want to jump in and just spend that with no plan. I've got a roughly half of a 21' by 21' area of clean, dry basement we plan to dedicate to hobbies and I can probably lay claim to at least half that.

I'm thinking HO as that's what I was familiar with before. Should I consider another scale?

Should I plan a layout and start building? Or build some kits and collect some rolling stock and locomotives first?
 
I would say come up with a plan first. There are a ton of good books and magazines that can give you ideas on how to proceed. A well thought out plan can help you prevent spending money twice. A plan is also more than just where the track will go. It can and should include an idea of what the railroad will be doing, and where and when it will be doing it....

I just rejoined our local club after a 25 year hiatus, so anything I build at home will be very small. My best advice would be to start on the smaller side, but have a plan for expansion when you decide the time is right.....
 
Welcome to the forum, glad to have you onboard!

I am Lionel O gauge guy for the most part, but I find DCC very interesting so I have HO too and I even have an N scale set. I still love my old HO DC trains too! I love toy trains. I always refer to them as toys, they are too much fun to be anything else! It does not matter if it is a state of the art modern $800 Lionel Legacy command control or a simple $20 DC locomotive, to me they are toys. I am proud to play with my toys!

Everyone seems to find a niche in this hobby and for me it has defiantly been the technology. You will find yours and if your like me it won't be your first choice. I started with conventional Lionel steam locomotives and after I had about half a dozen I realized I preferred the diesels. Then I got fascinated with the command control systems and rebuilding old HO trains. Christmas is a big part of my love for the hobby for me, that is always a constant. Playing with my Christmas trains is seasonal, but I am looking out for deals year round.

I always tell people to start slow, find out what you like best or if you even like trains before spending a fortune. With the space you have (more then many) you could do any scale.

I would start out with a starter set just to see how you like toy trains. Others recommend going straight for the top of the line and save yourself buying things you may out grow. I disagree, but I can see their point of view. This can be a very expensive hobby or a very inexpensive hobby, its up to you. I don't see my early purchases as mistakes, I see it as learning and I still enjoy the first set I got even though its relegated to being a Christmas train.

HO is the most popular and has the most plentiful inventory to choose from. N is second, but catching up it seems. O is a distant third. For me a big advantage to O is the size. Easy to work on and easy to see for my getting old hands and eyes. I am still able to work on HO, but the high end models have more detail then I can see. N is much to small for my hands and eyes.

I think this set is a great starting point for HO http://www.amazon.com/Bachmann-Trains-Digital-Commander-Ready/dp/B000BPPNWE It comes with everything you need to be up and running in minutes with 2 DCC locomotives and a very basic DCC command control system.

This is a great starter set for O http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Lionel-O-6-30233-PRR-Flyer-Train-Set-p/lio-6-30233.htm It also has everything you need and it features Lionel's new Command control system "LionChief" it differs from other systems in that each locomotive has a dedicated hand held controller.

Both of those sets use easy to set up sectional track systems with built in road bed. Many modelers don't like those kind of track systems because they are not very realistic. But I see it as a great starting point and if you do want to go to more realistic track systems you can sell the set on eBay or use them to run under Christmas trees. I stull use both of those track systems because they are simple and easy to use. Bachmann and Lionel both sell expansion packs if you want to have more then a simple oval, most do. Because I stay with these track systems it was easy and inexpensive for me to build my inventory of track and trains by buying starter sets. Now I buy more specialized and higher end models but I still use the same track.

Here are some links to my local hobby shop and it is also a very big internet seller with great customer service and very competitive pricing. There are many good train dealers Train World in New York and Amazon are both good too, but watch the prices at Amazon, they can be inconsistent. If you are looking for something particular don't hesitate to post a thread and ask, you will be surprised by the level of expertise on this forum and someone will know where to find the best deal.
Lionel O Sets http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/O-Ga...=Y&sort=3&cat=333&brand=Lionel&show=60&page=1
HO Sets http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/HO-Scale-Train-Sets-s/334.htm
N Sets http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/N-Scale-Train-Sets-s/335.htm
Train World http://www.trainworld.com/
Amazon model trains http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_lin...rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1485999602&pf_rd_i=276729011

There are many other dealers but those are the one I know best. There are other scales of trains as well but these 3 are the most popular and what I know best.

N, HO, O, DC, AC, DCC, or full scale Lionel Command Control does not matter what you go with, just have fun!
I am glad to see a potential new model railroader and I would be happy to help you any way I can, as would almost any one on this the BEST forum on the web!
 
I've been out of it for some time but never got rid of my stuff because I plan on getting back into it. I was and am a builder. I made a lot of my stuff. Kits, kitbash, or from scratch. Probably more parts and kits available in HO than any scale but if you build then any scale is ok. I've always been a scale modeler. That pretty well put my childhood Lionel on a display shelf.
I would decide on a scale first. I would find a club of like minded individuals that you enjoy being around and start picking all their brains. See what everyone is doing and using and what trips your trigger. You are going to start down the wrong road no matter what and sooner or latter you're going to make changes. That's inevitable. If you have good stuff that others want, that makes it much easier to move it for what you want at that time.
Have a good time with this hobby. Don't get so tied to any one thought or aspect of it that you lose sight of this. It's a hobby and it's supposed to be fun. Get your family involved too. My wife and daughter were both into it and that's one reason I've never gotten rid of my stuff. They'd have a fit.

Steve
 
Welcome to the forums and to the hobby.

How to get started ... this is my order of doing things:

1. decide on a Scale

2. establish how much room you have for a layout (rail way)
NB: Regardless of the amount of room available, start smallish with an 8' X 4' up to a 10' X 4')

3. Think about what you want, a point to point layout or continuous layout

4. Look at track plans that fit the area you have available OR design a track plan for that area

5. While doing points 3 and 4 above, build your bench work - what the layout will sit on
NB: See below for bench work materials

That is how I would start to plan out a new layout. Without the above, nothing else can be done.

Bench Work:

Bench work is usually built from the following:

1. 1" X 4" wood for the framing and leg supports
2. 1/2" ply for the top of the benchwork
3. 2" X 4" wood for the legs (my preference as 1" X 4" can be used)
4. 2" Extruded foam on top of the 1/2" ply (this is what your layout will sit on)

All of the above is to get you started only, something tangible to work with. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. Most important thing with doing this is to take your time, "plan each stage" and to ask questions.

​Hope this helps...
 
I'd agree with Wombat, except I would make #1 to pick an era.......do you want to do Steam or diesel......both?....do you want big modern diesels? Passenger trains? What you choose will impact a lot of other things. Passenger cars and modern freight cars require wide turns both for function and appearance. 40' boxcars will run on almost any available track. Steam locos need a way to be turned, either a wye or a turntable (or a reverse loop) and those take space (unless you just plan on "the big hand of god" coming down and flipping your locos around)

Era will also determine what industries are available as well as building materials.......a double stack container facility will look pretty out of place on a steam era layout. Grain elevators were smaller and usually wood or corrugated metal in the steam and transition eras, but got bigger and turned to concrete in the modern era.

Nothing is more frustrating than buying a bunch of stuff (building kits, locos, rolling stock) and then realizing that half of it doesn't fit with your plan.
 
One question that wasn't covered: Who will be involved in this layout? You alone? You and your wife? Young children? Teens? Grandkids? Adult friends? How often? The answers to these questions should be taken into account when planning. For example, if you have a child/children or grandchildren, say 6 to 12 or so old, you may want to start with something very simple that will keep their interest for at least five minutes at a time. While this might suggest O scale (Lionel), you might still want to go with HO for future expansion. Kids can be kept interested if you let them help with the scenery, temporary track-laying, etc. The easiest thing would be to start with a starter set on a piece of 4' x 8' plywood, and a very simple track plan. If the layout is for you, alone, then the whole project will be at your discretion. Best of luck!
 
I'll echo others here and say A#1 is figure out what you want. Decide what scale... If I read you right, you have something like 21' x 10'... That's enough space for a nice HO layout, a pretty aggressive N layout, and not-much in O. What's your interest? Do you like running trains around and around? Do you want to make up / break up trains in a yard? Do you prefer passenger or freight? Do you like old-time trains? Steam engines? Diesel? Modern? All of these will make a big impact on what you do.

I'll respectfully disagree with those who say start with a 4' x 8' plywood empire or similar. That may be a good move, but it may also be a recipe to become quickly bored. You need to know yourself and decide what's best. My advice on that count would be enjoy the planning process. Don't get so eager to just start building that you make missteps and put yourself off.

My very best advice is this: Get hold of a good track planning program (I prefer anyrail myself) and start "playing" that way. Build many virtual empires at no cost. Change scales, change formats, change layouts. Dream it electronically before you start building it physically...

Also, as a veteran of 3 prior layouts where I bit off too much... Do take the concept offered here of 'start small' to heart. That doesn't necessarily mean a sheet-of-plywood empire. But having started out my first adult layout attempting a 40' x 50' empire and never even getting close to finishing it, then going down... down... down... to the point I'm now happily working a 14' x 14' layout that I actually stand a chance of getting going... consider the 'sweet spot' between too small and toylike to be interesting vs. too much to actually do.

Sorry to ramble. Just my best advice.
 
G'day from Australia....welcome to the world's most awesome hobby..and in link the hobby's best forum by far...All great advice in your replies already recieved..they know their stuff....I started in N Scale...but after a few months I realised it was too demanding in certain areas so once I saw a friend's HO layout I knew that this scale was better suited for me..so I began by buyng a couple of Starter train sets and went from there..Bought a lot of DC stuff but then switched to DCC a few years ago..My main tip is this....IF you think that you'll look at DCC..make sure your locomotives are either DCC Ready or Dual Mode...if DC (Analogue) is what you kick off with. When you end up transitioning across to DCC , then all your locos will run immediately (Dual Mode) or only need a 4 function or sound equipped DCC decoder in DCC ready ones... otherwise many require finnicky hard wiring conversions depending on the brand so you can control them via DCC..Great to have another new member..You'll have a ball...Cheers Rod..
 
PS - Youtube, youtube, youtube. A picture is worth 1,000 words, and a video is worth 1,000 pictures. There's TONS of stuff on Youtube from layout tours and overviews, to tutorials. Make good use of it BEFORE you commit yourself.
 
Hi Matt, Welcome to the forums.
As you can tell most all of us are more than glad to offer advise and help.

If the space you have available is 10' x 21', which is the same area I'm working with, you can build a fairly decent HO gauge layout providing your ok with staying with some of the smaller loco's depending on the track plane design. Because I designed a folded Dog Bone layout, I have a basic track plan on the site here, with a return loop on both ends to accommodate continuous running if I wanted but still can be operated as a Point-to-point too, I found that a 20" radius is about all I wanted to work with from the stand point of the central area to be able to move around fairly freely. If you have 10.5' in width you probably could go to a 22" radius without too much problem but your table work would also make the central area tighter.

I'm running all early steam 2-6-0's, 2-8-0's as well as some two truck shays by MDC and also their Early Climax Loco's and a couple of their box cab Diesels. These last two loco's all use the same chassis and drive system so if one works they all will handle the radiuses. I also am using # 5.5 & 6 turnouts especially in my curved turnouts which with a more limited space sure come in handy and allow you to fit in a whole lot more so keep that in mind as you'll probably be making use of more than a few of them!

I'm not sure of your age but if you like to scratch build structures or even equipment, HO is about as small as I care to go.

Hope this has helped a bit.
 
so I need to start thinking about a hobby other than sitting in front of the computer or TV all evening. ....

I dabbled in model railroading when I was a teen so I know a little but not much other than that at least the "make" side of the hobby is attractive to me. .... 'm wondering the best way to get started? ... I've got a roughly half of a 21' by 21' area of clean, dry basement we plan to dedicate to hobbies and I can probably lay claim to at least half that.
Since you are interested in making things, perhaps you would round up a few craftsman freight car kits (e.g. Funaro and Camerlengo) and make a few, or perhaps a building or two (e.g. Bar Mills).

I'm thinking HO as that's what I was familiar with before. Should I consider another scale?
Well there is a reason HO is the number one scale. Good availability (hence generally lower cost), fairly small size but big enough for some good detail too. But if you just want a loop of track with really detailed built up houses, stations, industries etc. perhaps a larger scale would be good. On30 has the advantage of O-scale structures and HO size track.

Should I plan a layout and start building? Or build some kits and collect some rolling stock and locomotives first?
Will you be satisfied with a nicely built kit sitting on a display shelf or do you want to see it rolling down the track?

Regardless, I don't think I would recommend planning an entire 10'x21' layout and trying to build it. I would start with something smaller that could be expanded, or that is easily re-purposed into a larger space later. You will find several threads here and on other model railroad forums where people planned a great big layout, spent lots of time and money to built it, and then were disappointed. One almost needs to learn what aspects of the hobby are the most interesting and most important as they go. The more you learn the more the "final" layout design will change ( not only the track plan but the railroad, time, and place being modeled).
 
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Footnote:

MRLDave mentioned choosing an era, I think that is also good advice. It also raises a couple of questions that you might want to consider once you have your basics in place.

The era is an important one due to a couple of things:

1. It will determine whether you have Steam or Diesel. That in turn will, or may, determine the smallest radius for your layout, a subject that will no doubt be covered in due curse, which will or could determine the amount of space you may need.

2. It will, as MRLDave stated, also determine what (if any) industry you choose to have, the type of scenery you put in and the over all atmosphere and feel of your layout. Once again though, these are things that can be considered once you have your scale (HO is a good choice by the way) and track plan sorted out.

3. One thing that rarely gets much attention is whether you want a "Prototypical" or "Fictional" layout. If you choose a prototypical layout then you will be restricted (to a certain degree) to what goes on your layout. A fictional one leaves everything up to you. It wont matter if you run diesel and steam, as I do, or if you stick with road name or what ever road names you want. Essentially, a fictional or non-prototypical layout gives you more flexibility which, in my humble opinion, isn't a bad thing for a first serious layout as it allows you experiment and play with things.

Iron Horseman also raised a VERY good point, no matter what you decide on now, it WILL change, perhaps in a major way or in a minor way, but "something" will change. That is one thing about this hobby that is an inevitability, and one thing that makes it a never ending one that retains your interest as you learn.

Your initial question was how to start though, and that should be the most important thing at the moment. Get it ight from the outset, and all else will fall into place:)
 
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An impressive group, all with great advice!

One thing I failed to mention was reading books and magazines about the hobby is priceless. The forum bookstore is a great place to find them. Reading about trains is almost as much fun as playing with them, for me.

I believe no two modelers enjoy their trains exactly the same way. as you see in the various way others would start. Considering everything that has been said I think I will go back to the basics that apply to any new venture.

Keep it simple to start. Crawl, walk and then run. This is a trail and error hobby, live and learn.

Take bits and pieces of advice from everyone and tailor them to you. Its your hobby, you decide!
I'll give you an example; when I first became interested in DCC I asked about books. I got advice that books about DCC are mostly out of date and of little use. I went with my instinct to have a book. Ignoring the advice of experts I bought this book http://www.modelrailroadbookstore.c...for-Your-Model-Railroad-Model-Railroader.html They were correct, it was out of date, but it remains one of the best books I bought. I enjoyed reading about the technical aspects of DCC. It explained the fundamentals of DCC and gave me understanding of how it works. I found it the perfect starting point to learn DCC, for ME! I want to do more then use technology, I need to know how it works!
There is now a second edition of the book with more up to date information. http://www.modelrailroadbookstore.c...odel-Railroader-Books-Wiring-Electronics.html

Find your niche in this great hobby and HAVE FUN!!!

Don't be rushed to have a layout that is worthy of the pages of model railroad magazines. I would bet very few of the modelers in the magazines first layouts were worthy of publication, if any!

I got the idea of having a permanent layout in December 2012. I built my bench work in January 2013 and I still have yet to decide on a permanent track plan. Even my bench work is unconventional, but I can crawl on top of it and it won't budge. I have found one part of the hobby after another that fascinated me and spent weeks and or months with each. I am still evolving in my hobby and that is perfectly fine with me, I love my trains and they bring me great joy. I don't have the "perfect" layout, but I challenge anyone to tell me they have more fun with their trains then I do!

There is no right or wrong way to enjoy this hobby, just have fun!!!
 
There's been lots of good advice here on this thread, and I do hope you don't find it overwhelming! Model railroading has as many options as you want to consider!

When I finally had the space for a layout, after many years of armchair modeling and reading, I was very lucky to be given a layout from the estate of a retired railroader by his widow. The best part was the layout fit my space. I'd always liked his basic layout, but redesigned it to fit what I wanted to do. My interest in railroads had changed over time and I came to enjoy the Northeastern U.S.'s anthracite coal region's roads. I use a combination of prototype and fiction to meet what I want to do.

The area is generic northeastern Pennsylvania scenery. The time period I model cuts off at midnight, March 31, 1976-no Conrail for me! This sets a limit as to what I can purchase, so I don't buy what I don't model. It also sets limits on the types of buildings and materials and vehicles and so on that I can model. On my rather small budget, it makes a lot of decisions much easier.

My point is that it took me a long time to get to where I am today, and so don't feel rushed into doing something. Take a look at what prototype roads are in your area of interest and think about what you want to do. Check out web resources, books and other reference materials-and don't forget about local libraries, historical societies and railroad historical societies. Even if you go with a fictional railroad, you may still need to research things like how a particular industry's tracks were arranged so you can adapt it to fit your space.

Enjoy and keep us posted!

Photoman475
 
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We used to have an old OO Hornby layout that my dad bought at an auction. I've seen it running a couple of times and was hooked. Unfortunately, the tracks rusted and it went into cold storage. But I always loved just getting the tracks setup and pushing the cars on it (without any locomotive! that's all an 8yr old need! :) ). India didn't have a lot of hobby shops/the stuff was pretty darn expensive for us to replace them. Anyways, fast fwd a few years, I'm now in NJ and can actually get my own layout! I bought one from craigslist for about $200 - came with a spaghetti layout + locos + rolling stock + scenery. ripped everything out and am trying to plan my layout. Personally, I just like to see trains run; so do the kids. so all I'm looking to do is place some track down and let 'em rip! I do like some automation, though - signals, uncoupling, sound etc - so am thinking i'll go dcc ... thing is, its pretty much you that defines what constitutes a layout. You can go the whole hog and build up everything or take it piece by piece ... if you've never done it before though, makes sense to start small so you can experiment and understand the concepts.
 
G'day all...Re DCC...One or two companies , off the top two I know of , Bachmann and Kato....in HO and N Scale make DCC starter sets...There is a Bachmann one that comes with an EZY Command controller , track , rolling stock and two 4 function DCC on Board locomotives and is well under $200 USD..The track is Bachmann clip together sectional EZY track..It's reliable and how I began in HO. I now use Atlas Flexi track but there's a lot to be said for clip together section track whilst you are experimenting and dipping your toe in the water so to speak..The Bachmann track in train set form is usually 18" radius but you can also buy 22", 26" , 33" etc.. and long turnouts and various lengths of straight track ...worth a look as you explore all your options...Another tip..Standard Bachmann turnouts are okay for 4 Axle locos..but the narrower turnouts are advised if 6 axle locomotives are to be used..I learned that pretty quick...Cheers Rod..
 
To answer some of the questions:

I do envision taking up to a 10x21 part of that space. At one time we talked about me taking the whole space for a woodworking shop but I decided I didn't want to tie it all up like that or deal with the noise and dust in the house. The other 1/2 will be work space for my wife's hobbies (stamping and scrapbooking) and my 12 year old daugther's crafts (whatever catches her eye today) and a hobby work area for me. Plus we need to keep a clear aisle between an outside basement door on one side and a door to the storage/mechanical room on the other.

Right now I'm more drawn to the "build" aspect of the hobby. I'll go with DCC for the same reason I have a thermostat I can control from the web--I think the technology is cool. I'm not sure how much time I'll spend operating a layout realistically, but I would want to be able to, and I'd want a design where I can just run trains.

My daughter will want to see moving trains pretty quick but I doubt she'll take much interest beyond that. She has a million and one things going on, hence our move 25 minutes closer to her school, activities, and friends.

I don't know anyone else locally or semi-locally in the hobby. There don't really seem to be any particularly close clubs, and I wouldn't really be interested in joining a club that owns a layout. I would be interested in a more social club that meets and has a presentation/demonstration and the like. I've been a member of a woodworking club like that and made some good friends with common interests that way.

Era...I was born in the early 70's and that time forward is what is most interesting to me. I'm not particularly caught up on perfect realism with respect to a moment in time and I am drawn to the past though so I could see a plan where a railroad is still using a roundhouse for diesel maintenance and serving a mix of older and newer industry.

Sounds like maybe the thing to do is plan a smaller layout for one corner that can be expanded later.
 
Hey again,

I enjoyed reading your thoughts and you sharing some of your life with us, thanks.

If you are a technology guy I think you will love DCC, it is fascinating!

Sounds like you have a good plan to get started. Crawl, walk and then run!

Keep us up to date with what you do, its fun for many of us to share in your hobby with you.

I'll share with you some advice the great modelers on this forum have shared with me.
1. It's your hobby so you make all the decisions, there is no exact right or wrong way.
2. There are no dumb questions, help is here for you in plenty!
3. No time tables, no dead lines, just HAVE FUN!!!
 
"...Sounds like maybe the thing to do is plan a smaller layout for one corner that can be expanded later...
That would be a good option. Just remember, when doing your track plan, to allow for the ability to expand at a later date.

From what I understand, you are pretty much like me in your thinking. It is more about the build of the layout than the running of trains and so forth. I think that enhances your plan of starting "small" and (perhaps) adding later. The last thing you would want to do is spend a heap of money on something that might not hold your interest once you have completed it.
 



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