Starting my first Model Railroad layout
December 17, 2009 1:05 PM Subscribe
Advice and tips for starting my first HO model train layout?
I'm planning on starting the bench work for my first model train layout soon. It could take years for me to finish, but I'm willing to work on it a little at a time. I already have the basic location in mind for my design (the railyards in Milwaukee's Miller Valley, currently Canadian Pacific owned, it used to be home to the Milwaukee Road shops).
What I'm looking for is just general advice on starting out/things you wish you would have known when you started with model trains.
In addition:
1) I like electronics projects, and was wondering if there are any good resources on electronics projects for model railroading.
2) Good plans for layouts that can be stored easy or foldup (or could be covered easily)
I'm planning on starting the bench work for my first model train layout soon. It could take years for me to finish, but I'm willing to work on it a little at a time. I already have the basic location in mind for my design (the railyards in Milwaukee's Miller Valley, currently Canadian Pacific owned, it used to be home to the Milwaukee Road shops).
What I'm looking for is just general advice on starting out/things you wish you would have known when you started with model trains.
In addition:
1) I like electronics projects, and was wondering if there are any good resources on electronics projects for model railroading.
2) Good plans for layouts that can be stored easy or foldup (or could be covered easily)
Response by poster: I'm going to be starting with 4x8 or so, but I have a toddler and cats, so if it can fold up, or be covered up, it would be nice.
posted by drezdn at 1:14 PM on December 17, 2009
posted by drezdn at 1:14 PM on December 17, 2009
In that case, you're going to want to plan out your layout from the get-go, since you're not dealing with a lot of space. Do you want trains to run continuously? Just a switching yard? etc.
Google is your friend for getting ideas from other peoples' layouts. There are a couple of good magazines and books out there, though I got out of the hobby long enough ago that I can't give much for specifics. Check out your local library and flip through books for a bit to get a feel.
I've seen impressive setups done piece by piece by making mini-dioramas with buildings on 8x10 pieces of plastic, and then putting them together like a puzzle once you have the space. In the meantime, they can adorn bookshelves and the like. I liked that setup, since the scale model everythings was more interesting to me than the trains themselves.
posted by craven_morhead at 1:30 PM on December 17, 2009
Google is your friend for getting ideas from other peoples' layouts. There are a couple of good magazines and books out there, though I got out of the hobby long enough ago that I can't give much for specifics. Check out your local library and flip through books for a bit to get a feel.
I've seen impressive setups done piece by piece by making mini-dioramas with buildings on 8x10 pieces of plastic, and then putting them together like a puzzle once you have the space. In the meantime, they can adorn bookshelves and the like. I liked that setup, since the scale model everythings was more interesting to me than the trains themselves.
posted by craven_morhead at 1:30 PM on December 17, 2009
My dad is a train buff, and I watched him set up his stuff when I was in high school. He was originally going to go with HO but decided to go to N because it allowed for more stuff in a smaller space. IIRC he bought a "kit" that had a basic layout plan, but then modified it by adding another loop of track around it. It was so awesome!
He had a friend build him a custom table for the layout. It allowed easy access to the electronics underneath. This would keep it away from toddlers and cats too.
posted by radioamy at 2:58 PM on December 17, 2009
He had a friend build him a custom table for the layout. It allowed easy access to the electronics underneath. This would keep it away from toddlers and cats too.
posted by radioamy at 2:58 PM on December 17, 2009
Yeah, N scale will definitely give you more trackwork in the same sized area. Some people don't like the lack of detail on the scale, or at least how tough it is to get details right. It's also tougher to find specialty bits and pieces. Worth considering though. Don't go O scale.
posted by craven_morhead at 8:53 AM on December 18, 2009
posted by craven_morhead at 8:53 AM on December 18, 2009
The cat spells havoc!
I would devise some protection. Try the idea of a suspended cover for the layout, even if made of semi-rigid cardboard or poster board. Hang from the ceiling with pulleys. Lower when not in use means that Cat-zilla will not be visiting the layout.
posted by Drasher at 9:45 AM on December 18, 2009
I would devise some protection. Try the idea of a suspended cover for the layout, even if made of semi-rigid cardboard or poster board. Hang from the ceiling with pulleys. Lower when not in use means that Cat-zilla will not be visiting the layout.
posted by Drasher at 9:45 AM on December 18, 2009
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posted by craven_morhead at 1:10 PM on December 17, 2009