N-scale questions from a mom with no brain for this

"Julie" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@enews1.newsguy.com:

Factlet: You can get the Thomas trains in N scale ....

Reply to
JB/NL
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JB/NL replied: Factlet: You can get the Thomas trains in N scale ....

----------------------------------------------- Yep! Brooklyn Locomotive Works has Tomix N Scale Thomas & Friends:

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Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:
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History of N Scale:
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Railroad Bookstore:
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's Books and Toy Trains:
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to 1,000 sites:
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Reply to
Bill

Pretty much most N scale equipment will run on most N scale "code 80" track. I doubt that you'd have any problems at all running Micro-Trains, Kato, Atlas or the newer Lifelike equipment on the Kato track, although I've never tried it.

To clean my track I wrap a piece of cloth around a small block of wood (1" x

1" x 2"), and wipe it along the rails. If it's really dirty I squirt some zippo onto the cloth first. I clean the points on my turnouts with a toothbrush.

Regards, Ron McF

Reply to
RonMcF

Thanks. I read that in my foray through the archives of this group, but since we're keeping the wood set for him, I think we'll start with an "older" setup for him. Down the line if he expresses interest in adding a Thomas item, we'll think about it, but at 7 1/2, he's GOT to be growing out of this Thomas stuff soon (uh, right?).

Reply to
Julie

Thanks, I'll definitely check that out. He specifically mentioned the 4-4-0 as being his favorite, but the Kato steam engines are out of reach financially.

This is actually a lot of fun. I only wish I weren't such a procrastinator...

Thanks again to everyone for their help.

Reply to
Julie

"Julie" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@enews1.newsguy.com:

Probably :)

But I thought it'd be one of those 'nice to know' things :)

Reply to
JB/NL

Not to start a disagreement with greybeard, but Bachman engines are a hit and miss thing. Some run fine, many are lousy. I'd be very reluctant to suggest one in this case. Kato is a much safer choice for ensuring there's no disappointment 15 minutes after the box is opened on Christmas day.

The maxim generally followed - and it really comes to play in N scale, is that you get what you pay for.

Julie - if you can purchase from a hobby shop, have them test run whatever you decide on.

BTW, there are a couple of internet email groups (yahoo) that deal strictly in N scale and might be a good place to post a quick query, though the answers will be about the same.

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin" MRR Electronics Special Effects Lighting

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Reply to
Mike Tennent

No disagreement, especially when speaking of the older Bachman. I have some of them that won't stay on the track, but it seems the QC on the newer ones is a little better. three new engines from Bachman in the last year and they all run great, right from the box. No diesels though, I have enough diesels, especially when I won't be running them except in "tongue in cheek" bashes. Getting them from a shop where you can see them run is a good idea though, might save some disappointment. (Although I never run them first, if it runs, it runs. If not, I fix it.)

Reply to
Greybeard

OK, just didn't want to sound like I was being argumentative this close to Christmas.

I just think she should stay on the safe side with a Kato diesel, since it will be his only engine for a while.

Or maybe it's because I recently got a Bachman steamer than ran fine for a little while, then developed a hitch in the mechanism. I haven't had a chance to fix it yet.

Cheers,

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin" MRR Electronics Special Effects Lighting

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Reply to
Mike Tennent

(Chuckle) I have more problems with diesels, just one more reason I don't run them. But, I always thought keeping them running was part of the model experience. (But when I'm trying to figure out a 2:1 reduction for a Cary/Tyco Pittsburg, maybe that doesn't say too much for my sanity.)

Reply to
Greybeard

salvé Julie skrev i diskussionsgruppsmeddelandet: snipped-for-privacy@enews1.newsguy.com...

Dear Julie, All the Thomas rolling stock are based on actual British prototypes :) Thomas is "himself2 a well kinown Southern Railway tank engine, I forget the type, N7 I think but am probably wrong...someone will undoubtably jump on my bones for blasphemy soon..... :D Beowulf

Reply to
Beowulf

Ummm... well, I wouldn't accuse anyone of blasphemy except perhaps some of the illustrators that the Reverand Awbry was forced to work with. Awbry was clearly a railfan, and some of the loco's are dead-on prototypical, and some are rather fanciful creations of a fevered illustrator.

w.r.t to Thomas history, Thomas as drawn in the books is nearly, but not quite, a match for the LBSCR E2 0-6-0T. LBSCR being the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway wich was merged into Southern by the Grouping Act of 1919.

-dave

OK, this is pretty far off topic. Back to the woodwork.

Reply to
n6nz

Definitely nice to know. Just don't tell my son! :)

Reply to
Julie

My son has actually discovered some "true" Thomas history in one of his train books ("The Illustrated Book of Steam and Rail"); he was thrilled to find some information about the real "Stepney".

Reply to
Julie

Salvé Julie skrev i diskussionsgruppsmeddelandet: snipped-for-privacy@enews1.newsguy.com...

Dear Julie, The Terriers have got to be one of the cutest engines ever :) and in their original colour scheme very pretty indeed. Beowulf

Reply to
Beowulf

Salvé skrev i diskussionsgruppsmeddelandet: snipped-for-privacy@f14g2000cwb.googlegrou ps.com...

E2 thats the one :) I've been reading too much LNER :) Beowulf

Reply to
Beowulf

When we have taken our British O-gauge layout to the NMRA National show, it has been a real eye-opener to see small kids in their father's arms saying things like "Look, Dad, there's Duck/Olive/Stepney/etc" Even city of Truro. The parents told me their kid was 4.

Reply to
Christopher A. Lee

Julie,

One more item to add here (don't know if it has been mentioned)...but Tomix makes N Scale versions of Thomas and Annie and Clarabel along with a few other engines and cars. I got a Thomas set and it ran pretty well and my son was just enthralled by it.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Hayden

Hmmm...

We haven't heard back from Julie. I am curious to find out what happened and if her son liked the train set he received. Maybe she'll giv us an update someday.

Peteski

Reply to
Peter W.

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