If the members of this NG were to start railway modeling from new, what mistakes would they avoid.
This is really a cunning way of picking your brains, as I'm thinking of taking up the hobby. Many thanks for any help.
Please reply to: snipped-for-privacy@clara.co.uk Remove AT to reply Many thanks
thinking of
To cunning, unless you like 101 answers containing totally contradictory advice!
No way, ask here, then read the answer here.
Go DCC from day #1, and avoid Code 100 track *hangs head in shame*
new, what
thinking of
Hmm, when I started we only had resistance mats, whilst HF coach lighting was black-magic (that could blot out the roads TV reception if you got it wrong...) and code 100 track was 'fine scale'! Happy days...
As someone who's recently returned, my one piece of advice would be to not be a cheapskate. Generally you do get what you pay for. 2nd-hand track on eBay is cheap, mainly because it's rubbish Please reply to: snipped-for-privacy@clara.co.uk
Umm, no. As Jerry has said, read the newsgroup, contribute to the newsgroup. You'll get more out of it that way.
Cheers, Martyn
Don't use Sundeala as a baseboard top. Don't ballast your track until you've played with your layout for at least six months.
Fred X
00 gauge
First think about what room you have and how you will access it (permanent installation or stored somewhere). Once you know how much space you can afford, you will have an idea as to the scale you will be able to use (N or OO), depending on how realistic you want to be and if you want the railway to be end-to-end or tail-chasing. A decent length of train in 00 scale is engine plus 8 coaches, which is 2metres+. Then decide what location and period you want to model and research which engines and coaches would look realistic. Only then, start buying. Then consider what sort of layout you want and sketch loads of options before settling on a design - lay the track and try it for 6 months, before permanently laying it.
Proprietary track. Ambitous layouts like Euston or Kings Cross. Obscure pre group railways unless you are a skilled kit builder. Avoid P4 if you want quick results. EM or OO will get you there quicker. N gauge unless you are into watch making. O Gauge and Gauge 1 unless you have very deep pockets.
The rest of the advice about layouts given so far is all valid. The bit about baseboards is worth noting. I recommend light plywood box construction so that you can pick up and overturn your boards easily for wiring and fault finding.
Best of luck. Let us know how you get on.
Alistair Wright '5522' Models
I'd be grateful for more info about pros/cons of Sundeala. Am just about to start my own, and had thought Sundeala was the way to go!
Many thanks
Chris Y
Placed on top of a Ply board its ok Its good for pining track and deadening the sound (until you ballast the track with PVA) but it will sag if unsupported.
Peter F James wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@peter-james-imac-g5.local:
Really decide in advance what exactly do get most enjoyment out of doing. Building-track, rolling stock, scenery, buildings? Operating? Researching? Getting away from the wife? What? having done that plan your hobby around your main interest.
Then look at the space you've got sombody mentioned that a decent length train in 00 is around 2 meters long, god knows what that is, 9' perhaps? Well not necessarily, branch line terminus you can spend years at perfecting all the little details would handle trains no more than about 3' long (holiday peek!) in 00, you could get the whole thing in to about 10' x
18". Likewise, if you enjoy collecting stock then a small "depot layout" - little more than a small MPD cold be 3 or 4 feet by 2 ... again 00.If space is really an issue than go for N gauge, on the other hand, big garden whay not a G gauge garden layout?
You enjoy building stock? Why not start of with some 0 gauge kits?
Bottom line you've really got to decide what you want out of the hobby before asking questions such as why should you build your benchwork out of
3/4" MDF and not Sundeala or why is DCC such a waste of expense, time and effort. ;-)Once you do know what you want then this is the place to come back to to find out how to achieve it.
"Peter F James" wrote
Most of us learn by the mistakes we make, and it's fair to say that those of us who have not made any, have done nowt.
Firstly sit down with a pen & paper and make a listing of all the features which you want to incorporate in your layout and why. Then consider how the various control, coupler and other options are likely to facilitate these, and only then start to think about a track plan.
Don't be over-ambitious. If you're working alone consider your limitations in terms of skills and time available. The worst thing you can do is take on a task which you're not likely to finish for whatever reason. It's better to have modest ambitions and actually get something up and running which you know you have the capability of finishing.
If you live near an active model railway club it might pay you to go along as a visitor (don't join in the first place) and get some ideas, but don't let them hijack you into their way of thinking or doing things. Stay open minded in other words.
John.
Well, my depot layout is a catalogue of c*ck-ups, most of which I don't think I've learned from. I wish I had:
1). Not allowed such a tight radius curve coming off one of my points. It looks OK when you look at the track but when a loco goes over it it looks stupid. 2). Studied track layouts of real loco depots beforehand. 3). Decided, and left space for, all the lineside buildings, catenary masts, manual point levers, signals, and barrow-type crossings BEFORE I had ballasted. Not an insurmountable problem, but it would have saved a bit of hassle. 4). Realised how vulnerable a mesh fence right at the front of the layout would be (it's still up though - fingers crossed). That Ratio fencing is the fiddliest thing in the whole world. 5). Used something lighter in weight than MDF to construct my bridge/tunnel/backscene. It also makes them look overscale. 6). Realised that painted cork underlay would look crap pretending to be concrete, and not very strong either. 7). Pinned down the cork underlay under the track instead of gluing it, which made it go rock hard. 8). Could find a better way of painting that plasticard with bricks embossed in it - it looks sort of OK but I'm still not happy. 9). Found a better way of weathering my stone walls than covering them with thinned dark grey paint. 10). Made a proper wiring diagram. 11). Found a better and sturdier way of making between-baseboard electrical connections than those 25-way computer connectors. I still can't think of one, but I think moving them about (with all the wires soldered to them) to disconnect/reconnect is going to cause problems before long. 12). Found a better way of joining the two baseboards than a pair of bolts linking together adjacent 2 x 1 lengths. Since my layout is 'on the floor' of the loft, I have to lift it every time I want to join/seperate the boards. 13). Realised that, if you're as lazy as I am, everything will take much, much longer than you think, so not to be too ambitious.However, I did make some better decisions:
1). I'm glad I didn't erect catenary over the whole layout - putting it at the front of the layout would have obscured everything further back. 2). Weathering the track and ballast, and painting the sides of the rails. It was boring but worth it. And you only have to do one side. 3). The concrete effect I was after is sort-of achievable with Dulux textured paint. 4). Making new doors for the Peco diesel depot kit makes it look loads better. 5). Every scenic c*ck-up or mistake or dodgy-looking bit can be concealed with something. A lineside hut. A downpipe. Some bushes. If I hadn't realised that, I would have given up ages ago!Regards,
Stuart.
There's nothing wrong with code 100 rail - in S or O scales.
In message , Alistair Wright writes
On the other hand, if wheel/rail accuracy and authenticity are high on your list of criteria, and you are not saddled with lots of existing stock to convert, then P4 may be an option for you. Check out
As others have said, think carefully about what you want before jumping in, but enjoy whatever you decide on anyway!
Ah, so that's where I'm going wrong. I do P4 for "quickies", a decent small loco kit only takes a couple of months to build, and there is masses of space for mechanisms and clearances.
No, N just works out of boxes. I think it has quite a lot to commend it for diesel period modelling, less good for steam. However, I'd probably convert the track/wheels to something a bit finer, at which point one is heading rapidly towards 2mm scale...
Its 2mm scratchbuilding where the slow work comes in...
If I started again, I'd probably look at both S and 3mm scales.
- Nigel
Hi Peter
Lots of good advice elsewhere in this thread but my 2p worth is find your local club and join it. That way all the academic things that other people are saying will be put in a practical context.
If you tell us where you are in the country (town is enough) I am sure someone will know of a club nearby.
Elliott Chairman Fareham & Dist MRC Also member of Wessex Assn of MRCs
Spending too much time planning and not wenough time doing.
As others have said, you learn from your mistakes, so get on and make some.
Build something small and temporary, and don't put so much effort into it that you'll be unhappy about starting over.
Don't listen to excuses about not enough time/space/money...
Tim (not modelling at the moment because of not enough space/money/time and also big plans...)
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