Model Railroading

[srothstein]

I am curious if anyone else here is into model railroading. My son wanted to start and I grew up with my dad collecting trains. We are building and N gauge train layout right now. And as I am with other things, I am already starting to plan my next layout. I was hoping to find opinions on which gauge trains others use and think is best.

[philip964]

I have N, Lionel O gauge, LBG G gauge and Brio wooden trains.

Don't have a permanent layout, but always wished I did. I have built several permanent layouts for others (young brother, young brother in law).

But all these are toys compared to the scale train hobby guys.

[srothstein]

Thanks, Phillip964. I have done HO, O and the Brio trains before for my kids when they were young, much like you. The closest I have ever come to a permanent layout was my wife buying one of the Brio play tables and when I nailed the Lionel track down in an oval on a sheet of plywood for my oldest son. This time we are building a simple permanent layout in N gauge. We have the track about half laid out and when I finish with the track my (second) son will build the scenery and buildings for it. It is still going to be a very basic layout though. My deal with him is I do the engineering work of getting the layout done and he does the scenery (he is much better at that type of thing than I am). This is his second permanent layout, but the first was a Lego city with a loop of train track around it. His two daughters love playing with it and the older likes to help him build it too.

For my next one, I was looking at a U-shaped layout filling the 16x20 shed. This one will be much more complex and even multi-level. I am amazed at the changes now in railroading, such as the digital control systems and even moving highway cars for the scenery. I am trying to decide what to do with the layout and which scale I choose will make a big difference in that. An expensive choice, if I do it, would be to add the Faller car system so I have street traffic to go with the trains. But that makes it a last layout also. Probably take me years to build.

I have considered building an outdoor G scale layout, but my wife says it is her yard and I am not allowed.

[philip964]

When you get to natural scenery I am a pro.

With N gauge accuracy of getting the track down is very important. Plus having a cushion for the track to lay on. They get very jumpy because they are so small and light.

[srothstein]

We are using Kato unitrack to help with that problem, but right now the track is just laid out on part of the layout. I have three locomotives we will use. They are an E8A, an F7A, and a GG1 - by chance all from Kato. While the other two run well, the GG1 has shown us it is very sensitive to bumps in the track or the track shifting ever so slightly.

I am using a 1/4 sheet of plywood as the base, with 2x4 braces to stop it from flexing. We put a 1" think insulation foam sheet over the plywood, and then a grass mat from Bachmann on top. When we first did it, the wires running under the track would cause the GG1 to derail. We moved them under the grass mat and it was no help. Now we have them under the foam and it works most of the time. I plan on running a bus under the table when the DCC controller comes in and the rest of the track. That way I won't have anything causing any extra bumps. We will also nail the track down to stop any shifting. I am hoping that will solve the GG1 sensitivity.

The GG1 has 5 passenger cars and is a Pennsylvania RR replica, tuscan red with gold stripes. The F7 is a Sante Fe freight with the warbonnet paint scheme for the engine. The E8A is a Chicago and Northwestern passenger train that is as close as I could find to a model of a train my wife took as a child going from St; Louis to Chicago. We are planning on one more train on this layout, but haven't decided what. These are all 50s to 60s era trains and the others I wanted are different eras. We may keep it all in one time frame, but we might add an older steam engine or a newer AMTRAK train. I used to take the AMTRAK in the 70's fairly often. My son likes the idea of a steam engine but he also likes the modern diesels since that is what he sees all the time.

I was going to add a trolley in our city area, btu I don't like the only one I can find in N. Bachmann makes an auto-reversing trolley but I think it is more of a toy than hobby level. I am not super into the scale accuracy but I want something with some quality so it lasts a while.

I may call you for help when we get to the scenery, especially the mountains. After all, what good is a layout if the trains don't go through at least one tunnel?

[surprise_i'm_armed]

https://www.historictrains.org/traintopia

Frisco, Texas (Collin County side of the city) contains an area with full size rolling stock of all descriptions. But also, housed within a building, is an enormous model train layout.

The above link details what I believe might be the largest model train layout in the world. It's gigantic.

Although I didn't drill down into the whole website, I have seen this model train layout in person, and it's quite impressive.

IIRC, the owner of the model train set originally lived in Waxahachie. But then he moved to Dallas to be closer to his grandchildren. He set up the train layout in his Dallas residence.

After he died, his widow contacted the Frisco train museum people, and donated the huge model train setup.

Again if IIRC, the museum got a $300,000 grant to take apart the Dallas house, extract the entire train set, transport it up to Frisco, and reinstall it in its new home. All $300,000 was spent on this effort.

If you ever get up to Frisco, this is a must see, given your interest in this hobby.

SIA

[philip964]

https://www.historictrains.org/traintopia

Frisco, Texas (Collin County side of the city) contains an area with full size rolling stock of all descriptions. But also, housed within a building, is an enormous model train layout.

The above link details what I believe might be the largest model train layout in the world. It's gigantic.

Although I didn't drill down into the whole website, I have seen this model train layout in person, and it's quite impressive.

IIRC, the owner of the model train set originally lived in Waxahachie. But then he moved to Dallas to be closer to his grandchildren. He set up the train layout in his Dallas residence.

After he died, his widow contacted the Frisco train museum people, and donated the huge model train setup.

Again if IIRC, the museum got a $300,000 grant to take apart the Dallas house, extract the entire train set, transport it up to Frisco, and reinstall it in its new home. All $300,000 was spent on this effort.

If you ever get up to Frisco, this is a must see, given your interest in this hobby.

SIA

From the strange inheritance tv show it appeared to be LBG.

Again the scale guys are the real thing.

[PUCKER]

Going to check out the link above....and for the "closet train folks" (like me)...PLEASE do post pics of your progress!!

I had a very large bedroom as a kiddo...and in the corner I had a 4' x 8' plywood train layout...it was definitely a kid-level build (with my parents helping - can you say "very cool paper mâché mountain with a RR tunnel through it?"). One large outer ring/oval with an inner ring, some very minor structures, I had the (at the time) ultra-realistic controller (early 1980s) that you could switch to "real" mode...it would take over half the layout to slow the train down to a stop..it was pretty neat for what it was. And who could forget the Chattanooga Choo Choo? Imagine my joy / surprise when I came down to the Christmas tree as a young kiddo and there it was...circling around the Christmas tree...blowing smoke rings!!! I jumped / screamed for joy! Yep - parents have it on 8mm video...

[PUCKER]

You've got to check this out, Cab ride on Mr. Porsche‘s VERY large model train layout:



If you're ever in Bavaria: https://www.traumwerk.de/en/info-2/

Here's the video home page for PILENTUM: https://www.youtube.com/c/PILENTUM/videos

[powerboatr]

Going to check out the link above....and for the "closet train folks" (like me)...PLEASE do post pics of your progress!!

I had a very large bedroom as a kiddo...and in the corner I had a 4' x 8' plywood train layout...it was definitely a kid-level build (with my parents helping - can you say "very cool paper mâché mountain with a RR tunnel through it?"). One large outer ring/oval with an inner ring, some very minor structures, I had the (at the time) ultra-realistic controller (early 1980s) that you could switch to "real" mode...it would take over half the layout to slow the train down to a stop..it was pretty neat for what it was. And who could forget the Chattanooga Choo Choo? Imagine my joy / surprise when I came down to the Christmas tree as a young kiddo and there it was...circling around the Christmas tree...blowing smoke rings!!! I jumped / screamed for joy! Yep - parents have it on 8mm video...

i still have my chattanooga engine and one passenger car, they sit on a shelf inside the door. that was a cool engine as a kid, puff puff

[philip964]

I am the oldest. Every year before Christmas Mom would go through the toy chest with the kids. Naturally my toys were the oldest and most beat up and were old fashioned metal which scratched. Plus younger brothers didn’t speak up and were thrown out.

But my dad always said don’t throw out that Lionel train.

He served in World War II in the South Pacific. When he returned he was up in his parents attic getting his stuff and he asked where his old Lionel train was? Oh we gave it to the steel drive was the answer. Sorry.

So my old Lionel train is the only toy from my youth I have.

[srothstein]

One of the things that surprised me when my son suggested doing this was the interest of the grandkids. When we brought the first layouts home, they were a little excited. They lost interest as we were getting it set up, especially when we had trouble running the trains at first. But with a working layout now (just a simple inner and outer loops with a siding on each) they started playing with it and did not want to stop. My son and I are doing the work to set it up, then the daughters are the ones running the trains and loving it. We are getting more track ordered now for Christmas and I hope to get that part running soon. Three loops, all with cross overs so they can change which one they are on. One with a siding and then one that splits into a five rail yard. And with N gauge, it is all on one sheet of plywood.

I just connected the DCC controls so we can run three trains at once on the loops. Next modification is to get the sound chips for the locomotives. Air horns and engine and brake noises that are synchronized to the throttle setting. That is something I never had as a kid.

And to really help them get interested, we are taking an Amtrak ride on April 2 from San Marcos to Dallas, coming home on April 3. I haven't ridden a train since the 70's so I am kind of excited about that too.

[PUCKER]

srothstein: very cool!

phillip964: All of my old Lionel HO scale trains are wrapped up and in the attic in boxes...I've got a few of my Dad's original train cars...they were very large scale (and all steel, of course) - he was born in 1941, just had his 79th Birthday a few days ago - I've got a few of the tracks too. A few years ago I actually thought about getting a train set, building one, etc...as we've got a MASSIVE garage/shop, well, at least for living in the 'burbs (1,600 sq ft with very high ceilings - oh the fun I could have with that)...but I've got other hobbies that dominate my time...still, someday...I do appreciate seeing what y'all (and others) are doing!

[Jusme]

One of the things that surprised me when my son suggested doing this was the interest of the grandkids. When we brought the first layouts home, they were a little excited. They lost interest as we were getting it set up, especially when we had trouble running the trains at first. But with a working layout now (just a simple inner and outer loops with a siding on each) they started playing with it and did not want to stop. My son and I are doing the work to set it up, then the daughters are the ones running the trains and loving it. We are getting more track ordered now for Christmas and I hope to get that part running soon. Three loops, all with cross overs so they can change which one they are on. One with a siding and then one that splits into a five rail yard. And with N gauge, it is all on one sheet of plywood.

I just connected the DCC controls so we can run three trains at once on the loops. Next modification is to get the sound chips for the locomotives. Air horns and engine and brake noises that are synchronized to the throttle setting. That is something I never had as a kid.

And to really help them get interested, we are taking an Amtrak ride on April 2 from San Marcos to Dallas, coming home on April 3. I haven't ridden a train since the 70's so I am kind of excited about that too.

If you weren’t on such a tight schedule, DART, and TRE have connecting lines that you can take from Dallas to Ft. Worth, as well as the historic train that runs between The Ft. Worth Stockyards and Lewisville. You can get your “train fix” pretty well covered in just a day or two.

I’m loving this thread, I always wanted a train set as a youngster, but my parents never had the money. Now that I’m closer to retirement, I’m seriously considering getting into it. It will definitely, take my mind off of the current political climate.

[srothstein]

If you weren’t on such a tight schedule, DART, and TRE have connecting lines that you can take from Dallas to Ft. Worth, as well as the historic train that runs between The Ft. Worth Stockyards and Lewisville. You can get your “train fix” pretty well covered in just a day or two.

This is one of the problems Amtrak has now. Their scheduling is crazy. My other daughter was going to join us on this planned trip, but she lives in Houston. She wanted to come to San Antonio by train, but it just isn't feasible. It turns it into a four or five day trip for her. As for the connecting lines, the one I really want to take the kids on is the trolley in downtown Dallas. If I had thought (or remembered) the historic train in Ft. Worth, I might have gotten off Amtrak there instead of Dallas. The San Antonio train actually goes to Ft. Worth and then turns right to go to Dallas.

I’m loving this thread, I always wanted a train set as a youngster, but my parents never had the money. Now that I’m closer to retirement, I’m seriously considering getting into it. It will definitely, take my mind off of the current political climate.

This is one reason I agreed. I also think one of the problems many retirees have is that they sit round with nothing to do. You need something to keep you active and thinking, whether it is this hobby or anything else. I have had simple train sets in the past, but nothing recently. I am shocked at the changes in the hobby and guarantee it can keep you busy. Digital train controls so you can run multiple trains on one layout without a problem, even multiple trains on one track. They also let you control sound and lights and other functions now. I am already thinking of my next layout and what I want it to do.

Only one warning for you. As with a lot of other hobbies, it can get expensive fast. One of the trains I want (Kato N Gauge model of the Pennsylvania RR Broadway limited, with two locomotives and 15 cars) is going to cost me about $1,345.