Hello From The S.F. Bay Area


Trigster

Trigster

Member
Hello All...After more than 15 years of not having a Train layout I've decided the time has come...
I very recently bought the SCARM software and what a pleasure that is compared to days gone by !!!
I've had Marklin HO Trains since I was kid and received my 1st set for Xmas from my parents...I've
continued to collect bits & pieces here and there over the years so I've already got about 95% of the
gear I need...It's going to be very a modest 8' x 4' layout that will essentially be a 'Big Toy Train'...

For now it's going to be a pure analog layout as that's basically what I have...And I've always enjoyed
manually controlling a layout...The emphasis will be less on realism and more on fun & action...It'll be
all 'M' Track w/electric switches and one piece of automation being a '6600 Speed Controller'...

I'm sure I'll have a few questions...Trig :)
 
Welcome to MRF Trig. Glad you made it here. Go with what makes ya happy, I believe that's pretty much everyone's attitude here.
I'm trying to get my layout set up for DCC, and needing lot's of help, everyone is pretty patient here. See ya around. :)
 
Thanks Paul...And I've already made some progress !!!...The Dining Room Table is clear and has a simple Oval
laid out for testing and trying to re-familiarize myself with the In's & Out's of Marklin wiring...eeeyyy :)...But
I'm sure it'll all come back to me !!!...The 'Base' is in the Garage and the Foam Board is on the way...Trig
 
Welcome to the forum Trig. We have the friendliest model railroading forum on the net. Once you get settled in, come over to the Coffee Shop and BS with some of the members that hang out there.

Willie
 
Welcome Trig. The old M track eh! With the center stud pickup and AC power. I built an 8 x 4 for my 2 boys back in the late 60's, with a 4-6-2 steamer and an Electric with pantographs. Only a few coaches that they had to share. Never got any scenery, but they had fun. The layout had a double outer track with individual power pack/controllers, but with an up and over crossover that could be isolated so they could swap tracks. Don't ask me for the plan, I doubt I could repeat it, suffice to say the crossover required grades of Roller Coaster proportions.
 
Thanks Much For The Welcome...My gear dates from late 60's thru the mid 80's and maybe a piece or 2 from the 90's...All Analog...
The New Layout is going to have 3 Main Lines and be Bi-Directional...Which takes a bit of cramming on an 8 x 4 Train Board !!!
It's pretty symmetrical and very busy...Later I'll throw-up a SCARM Diagram in 'Layouts'...And yes the grades will be a bit steep...:)
 
Welcome Trig! Your post brings back some sweet memories.

I remember my very first layout, a Lionel 4x8 built by my Dad in the basement while I was upstairs fast asleep on Christmas Eve, 1959. Probably the most exciting Christmas I've ever experienced. Train set consisted of a 2-4-2 with a tender that had "Lionel Lines" painted on its side, a hopper car, gondola, flatcar and a caboose. As a 5yr-old I probably had every bit as much fun with that setup over the following year as I've had with any of my "adult" scale trains! Then my family moved, the layout went into storage, and I forgot about trains until I got a copy of Railroad Model Craftsman at age 12 and the "fire" was rekindled!

I see you have found the Coffee Shop. Great bunch of guys. I pop in there myself maybe once or twice a week, but lately I've been too dang busy to write up replies there [I'm just a slow two-finger typist LOL]
 
CSX_road_slug said:
Welcome Trig! Your post brings back some sweet memories.

I remember my very first layout, a Lionel 4x8 built by my Dad in the basement while I was upstairs fast asleep on Christmas Eve, 1959. Probably the most exciting Christmas I've ever experienced. Train set consisted of a 2-4-2 with a tender that had "Lionel Lines" painted on its side, a hopper car, gondola, flatcar and a caboose. As a 5yr-old I probably had every bit as much fun with that setup over the following year as I've had with any of my "adult" scale trains! Then my family moved, the layout went into storage, and I forgot about trains until I got a copy of Railroad Model Craftsman at age 12 and the "fire" was rekindled!

I see you have found the Coffee Shop. Great bunch of guys. I pop in there myself maybe once or twice a week, but lately I've been too dang busy to write up replies there [I'm just a slow two-finger typist LOL]
Click to expand...

Indeed...Long Ago...If I'm not mistaken it was Xmas of 1966...My next older brother had Lionel & the oldest had a Train Board that I think was 'N' gauge of some flavor...???
All I remember of that was Dad hauling it out of the garage now and then...The Lionel's went the way of most other toys and the sole survivors are my Marklins...I've been
pondering the idea of a new set-up for quite some time and have just recently decided on the size and form...Essentially a 'Big Toy Train'...Not terribly realistic but something
i can run anytime and mess around with for years to come...Trig :)​
 
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