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Ask Slashdot: Tips For Getting Into Model Railroading?
An anonymous reader writes: A relative of mine has been hinting that he'd like me to take over his model railroad collection in the event of his death (or even before that, to make this a bit less morbid-sounding). I'm intrigued by the idea, because I've been interested in model railroads for years, but too commitment shy and too transient to actually start a collection. That's changed enough that I'd like to start planning a train system, and am looking for advice from people who have been at it for a while. A couple of parameters: 1) I'm only interested for now in HO-scale stuff, so I am not all that interested in the relative merits of the other kinds, cool as they might be. 2) Related, I am somewhat less interested in the rolling stock than I am in the construction and control of the track and surrounding landscape. Interested in learning from experienced model railroad enthusiasts what lessons you've learned over the years that would be useful for a newbie, especially if you've made some cool automation for your system, or have built extensive support structures. This includes negative lessons, too, if you've overloaded circuits or floorboards. I'd *like* to integrate some interesting sensors and control systems, and I see some interesting open source software for this. So: What advice would you give to a late-start railroader? For reference: this set-up may end up living in an unfinished suburban basement.
One of the areas many people don't concern themselves with, and regret later, is track/layout stability. The smaller the gauge the more critical this is, in N cause a small expansion or contraction of a area of track will result in many derailments.
Check out Model Railroader magazine. Kalmbach also has some excellent books for noobs, which you can probably find used on Amazon.
Also, check out your local meetups via meetup.com . Good luck
Excellent resource to start your searches: http://mrr.trains.com/
If you're not willing to blow up your own train, you are NEVER going to be cool like Gomez.
Don't.
Tip #2
Get laid.
It's H0, not HO /run
Why is this crap on slashdot?
.
For example, if you like hiking in the mountains, then set up the trains in a mountainous terrain, with tunnels through the mountains and bridges across the valleys.
Familiarize yourself with "scale" vs "gauge". HO scale (1:87) refers to the proportion of the model to the real-life train. HO gauge refers to the distance between the tracks. So you could enjoy HO scale models of narrow-gauge real-life trains that actually run on N gauge tracks, and you could on the other end run O scale (1:48) models of narrow gauge equipment on HO scale track. Second, learn about Digital Command Control (DCC). It's a worldwide standard for electronic control in model railroading and you can do far more than just run a train - you can control and automate lights, track switches, train paths around your layout, sound effects, moving scenery elements, etc. etc. If you're in Europe, Marklin 3-rail HO powered by AC current is popular and their control system is called MFX, but most of the rest of the world powers HO trains with DC current and uses DCC for command control. HO modeling can be surprisingly affordable compared to other scales as it's by far the most popular. Agree with the other commenter that track stability is paramount as if your trains don't run reliably, you will quickly lose interest. Lastly, don't be afraid to just lay some track down and later on rip it up and start over. Track isn't *that* expensive, and you can often reuse a lot of it when you pull it up off whatever surface you've mounted it on. Get your trains up on some sort of surface (table, piece of plywood, whatever) for starter because running trains on the floor rapidly becomes no fun, and you can't appreciate the details on the engines and cars when your viewing perspective is from an imaginary 500 feet in the air.
Model railroading is fun but like heroin it becomes addictive and can consume every penny you have; next thing you know you are blowing people behind real boxcars to pay for model flatbeds.
Take my advice, save money and take up private aviation.
fp
The Digital Command Control (DCC) standard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... has made operation and control of hobby trains more realistic and allows for much better computer control and sensing of layouts.
Of course, it also adds cost to what already can be an expensive hobby, but just being able to run two trains on a single track without a collision is pretty cool.
Mission: To provide products that consume time and energy as entertainingly as permitted by the laws of thermodynamics.
As we all know, we are now in the post-scarcity downloadable atom society. Simply buy (or get your neighbor to 3D print) a 3D printer, download what you want. If you don't like it, no harm, no foul, simply download something else.
And of course, if your shirt is missing a 10 cent button, you can now spend weeks and hundreds of dollars 3D printing buttons too.
If you don't see this, you are a Luddite.
My main comment is to to do anything too big or to complicated - if you start something too big, you will probably never finish it and maintenance will occupy a disheartening number of hours.
If you like scenery, look for a copy of Model Railroading with John Allen so see what one modeler built in a suburban basement half a century ago. If your a lone wolf this is probably about as big you can sensibly make a line on your own. There is also a set of DVD's of pictures of the line," John Allen's Gorre and Daphetid Railroad", unobtainable now, but there is a torrent of them on Kat at the moment.
N.B. this user is far too lazy to write a witty and intelligent sig.
ok, not HO scale, but still...
https://youtu.be/23jL19cWY4g
Serenity now, insanity later.
They have a lot of videos on about how they have built their stuff.
When i was growing up my friends dad was a pro; He would spend months on a single house, making if from scratch with wood and match sticks etc etc. The finish product was something out a of a magazine and of course we weren't allowed withing 50ft of any of it. Anyway, that being said, you dont have to spend months anymore; There are websites dedicated to CAD designs specifically for model railroads; So now you can just 3d print out anything you want. You want a oil rig? There's a design for that; Some of it is open source, some of it cost like $5; Normally the sites have the option to outsource the printing for a relatively cheap price; But then you have to wait, and if you mess up the paint, you might have to buy another. The only problem is that you have to get really good at painting. Since all of it comes out creamy white. You also have to sand the plastic down to get it smooth.So a good drummel and lots of mineral spirits. But still a lot less work then my friends dad.
Have fun.
I am sure he will. Along with all the other benefits, model railroading is a fantastic way to meet chicks, even better than chess tournaments.
Desmond Bagley's novel 'the Enemy' features a model railroad layout that should appeal to nerds.
Obligatory:
Thank god for model trains, you know if they didn't have the model train they wouldn't get the idea for the big train!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
Pimpin ain't easy
Look at the prices for things. You'll be surprised how expensive it is as a hobby.
The best single book I know to get started in the hobby is Dave Frary's "Pennsylvania Railroad, Middle Division" which you can buy as a downloadable PDF here http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pennsy...
There are good videos on YouTube. Dave Frary also has some good quality DVDs on his website, http://www.mrscenery.com/
There are multiple groups on Facebook, and also some discussion boards such as http://www.railroad-line.com/ (tends to be pretty serious) and http://www.modelersforum.com/ (a bit less serious).
Finally, don't buy a cheap locomotive! There's nothing more frustrating than getting everything set up and then having your loco break.
dave (in the hobby for almost 50 years...)
Seeing how you have already decided on scale, HO, and what you want to get out of it, Automation over prototyping and collecting rolling stock, there is still plenty for you to do. As mentioned DCC is a great way to start, converting all the existing engines requires adding circuit boards in each and rewiring the track. DCC is standard so in most cases you can pick and chose manufacture between the trains and the controllers you want to use. Then go with block detectors that will return a signal whenever a train is on a given section of track. For complete automation, and using open source you can go to JMRI, Java Model Railroad Interface, with that software you can start small by just using it to control your trains with your phone or web browser to complete automation by running the whole layout, starting, stopping, controlling switches, even turing on lights you may install in building on the layouts. This alone will keep you busy for many many hours.
Your relative has a hobby, and they think you'd enjoy it too. Why not share it with them instead of going solo?
Let them guide you through the novice stage, it may not be as efficient as asking for help on forums but it'll probably be more enjoyable for both of you and be a good chance to generally chat- even if it's just by phone or email if they don't live locally. It'll probably be good for them to see someone else sharing their interests, it doesn't happen too often with minority hobbies.
If you are likely to inherit their setup it'd also make sense to talk, find out what they have, and make sure you get things which will be compatible and complement their existing track.
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If you're not aware of it, check out the Model Railroad Hobbyist (MRH) website.
Just keep in mind that MRH and Model Railroader (MR) magazine are both advertiser-driver... which is a nice way of saying that their business models are to always be trying to convince you to buy the newest and greatest, instead of being happy with what you already have!
You've come to the right website for advice!
Because you're more interested in the layout than the trains themselves, look for inspiration in the real railroads and their surroundings. There are books and articles about designing a layout, and those will point out details that you can consider whether you're interested in... such as types of businesses and sidings to include. You might want to have some sidings which encourage certain maneuvers.
Get books and web sites which describe scenic railroads and top railroad locations. Try web searches which include "railfan". That will help you find historically significant and geographically challenging sites. Of course, you can also create your own settings, but the real ones provide an assortment of inspiration. Consider some Amtrak or scenic railroad trips. For that matter, in archive.org and Project Gutenberg there are probably some tales of various construction projects.
For browsing reality, load Google Earth in a computer. When you find an interesting location described, you'll be able to look at what it presently looks like. Things change, and sometimes all you'll find is a strip of elevated land covered with bushes where some track used to be.
Alternatively, you can also sell all of his stuffs on craigslist and buy a PS4 or something..
You want to get into model trains. You want the guy from "Honey I Shrunk The Kids."
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
It's more fulfilling than your hobby, which is apparently "being a bit of a cunt."
Since you're more interested in layout, get one of the open source rail simulators. If you find it not all that interesting, then you'll know that model railroads are not for you.
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
I started with an 'OO' layout as a child.
Now 50 years later I have a 200ft long 5in Gauge track in my back garden.
My garage is a fully equipped workshop complete with a 440v 3ph supply.
I'm currently in the final stage of construction of a South African Railways 4-8-4+4-8-4 Garratt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_GL_4-8-2%2B2-8-4
It is built to run on 5in Gauge so the beast is more than 12ft long and weighs close to 250lbs dry. The three pieces will be transported busing s custom trailer.
You could say that I'm hooked on Model Railroading (or as we call it Model Engineering)
I am also a supporter of the team building a new GWR 2-8-0 'Night Owl' in 1:1 scale. (full size)
For initial setup and run, Kato's Unitrack is pretty decent, thought maybe a touch over priced. Otherwise for ultimate realism you could hand spike code 83 rail, and use a minimum of a #8 turnout. Thought that level of commitment to detail can start to get old. At least it did for me after a few years.
The other thing I didn't see mentioned was using modules. In N scale the standard it n-track. Don't remember what it is in HO.
Lastly, DCC has come a long way over the past decade. I think most of the mid or higher tier stuff can be pre programmed for movements and automation.
OCD might help. Virginity too.
I am sure there are quite a few modelling enthusiasts among slashdotters, but there are many forums dedicated to model railroading, with subforums focusing on automation and landscaping/structures, complete with video tutorials of cool tricks (some of them really simple).
If you have a chance to kickstart your collection, I would definitely suggest investing any saved money in DCC equipment - it makes many things simple which would be a chore otherwise.
My advice though is similar to the one I would give to someone getting into programming, electronics or any other hobby: don't overengineer, start simple, but with options to expand, be ready to discard everything you created initially and to start again from scratch. Maybe start with some flat but elaborate layout to practice control of points and trains? Or quite the opposite, start with a simple loop, maybe with a siding or a passing loop, but surround it with interesting terrain? Trying to get your first layout to have both complicated track layout and elaborate landscape features may result in a disappointment. You obviously have some fundamental questions to answer too (shunting or mainline? A standalone diorama or a module? etc.)
Can't tell if you're talking about trains or the Emprah's Finest.
But yes, weather your shit. Drybrush some dirt and rust all up in that business. The difference is amazing.
Two important trends are microlayouts (a small scene, perhaps with an off stage area to allow manual "fiddling" of trains) and modular layouts: everyone builds to the same standards and combines them. An example of modular in HO scale is http://www.free-mo.org/about. A survey of microlayouts is at http://www.carendt.com/micro-layout-design-gallery/. There still are people who build basement-filling empires, but this can get very expensive very quickly.
In your area, look for model train shows. You can get lots of ideas, see what is available, and usually pick up old stuff at low prices.
Second tip:
Look up your chapter of the NMRA. They will have meetings, contacts, and activities where you can 'talk tains'. And fine new buddies.
Third tip:
Find a local train club. They can help you get started or show you what not to do.
Fourth tip:
Model railroading has something for everyone, but one person has trouble doing it all well. From automated train control and Loco management with computers (JMRI) to painting buildings to show soot and grime, there is something you can enjoy.
On the finance side, clubs unfortunately have experiences handling estates of former members. My Club has 3 estates for sale at this time. (Lots of old farts like me!)
Good luck and have fun.
Thomas Stephens, Superintendent, Texas Northern Model Railroad Club.
BTW, the local NMRA group is having an Arduino Clinic next month, showing how Arduinos can automate things on a layout, like Signals, crossing gates, etc. THAT is very /.
Make every electrical connection as perfect as possible, and don't go over to my parent's house when my dad is running his garden train...
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet in the comments but you should look at a track modeling program called SCARM. It's free, includes most standard track sizes, and is a powerful cad based tool for laying out train layouts. It also gives you a track list so you know exactly what you need to buy in order to build your model setup. I am actually an N scale fan, trains are half the size of HO, cost about the same, and you can fit 2x the track layout in the same space! If you have a basement or a garage HO is fine but if your still doing the apartment living thing then N scale becomes a better choice. Understanding DCC is super important if you want to have more than one train running on the same track, pretty easy to setup and there is a TON of software out there to computerize your layout. Just some thoughts from an anonymous Model Railroad fan. >.>
The railroaders that stay with the hobby are usually into history in some fashion. The research is the fun part.
Anyway... a few random hints:
1) Get a copy of "Track planning for realistic operation" by Armstrong and read it cover to cover about 37 times.
2) Learn about DCC track wiring and train control.
3) Micromark.com is a good place for miniature tools (not necessarily at the best price, but good selection.)
4) Practice your skills on something *small* to start with. Like a bookshelf switching layout that you can complete all the way to fully ballasted track and full scenery. There is no teacher like experience.
If you enter this world, you'll never have any sex again, ever!
Chicks don't dig that 'hobby', it's highly addictive and it will cost you every dime you have.
I love the idea of automating the environment. I'm not sure this is what you had in mind, but maybe it is:
You could build an intersection sensor that detected Hot Wheels cars on the tracks. Then you could program an HO-scale realistic stopping distance into your train, and maybe some sound effects or even spark generators to give the appearance of a real panic stop. Together, these allow you to simulate the kinetics of a train vs. car auto accident: the car stops on the tracks, and the train cannot stop before the collision, even in a panic stop with sparks flying off the wheels. Don't forget to include the train's horn as the engineer sounds the collision warning.
You could put some little cups of chicken blood in the driver's and passenger's seats to simulate the impact on the passengers.
Finally, you could get a motorized HO-scale ambulance, fire engine, and police that can drive on the streets, and "respond" to the accident. You could even have a hidden speaker that makes radio broadcasts like an emergency dispatcher, something like "Fire Response: MVA Code Red, Main St. and Park Pl, west of, at the train tracks for train vs. auto."
Then the ambulance could drive to the hospital. A few HO-scale hours later a hearse would arrive at the hospital from the funeral parlor and return with a body inside. You could make a little servo-raised platform in the back of the hearse so it could be empty on the way to the hospital and full on the way back. Either put two coffins in the back, or have it make two trips.
Ok, I'm just kidding, really, I know this is pretty far from the fun of model trains, which are actually really cool. I just thought of this and had to put it out there.
Being on the local steam railroad, I have encountered plenty of people with quite impressive model railroads. My own isn't impressive as railroad time end up being on size 1:1. Still, being interested, I looked at what other people have made to figure out what I might do myself one day and now somebody else can benefit from it. This mean the following list is a summary based on experience of several layouts over multiple decades.
Use quality tracks and join them correctly. Poor tracks causes many derailments and takes the fun out of it.
Make all tracks accessible. Regardless of the quality of the tracks, derailments can happen everywhere. I know somebody, who put up tracks, placed a closet in front of it and then had to remove the rear of the closet to get to a derailment. He left the rear as a door for easy access to the next derailment.
Think of what to do with trains you aren't using. Constantly placing new trains on the tracks is time consuming and quickly becomes boring and leaving them on the tracks quickly fills up the sidings. Maybe add a layer of sidings underneath your model just for storing not currently used rolling stock.
If you plan for trains to go uphill, test how they perform at the chosen grade. It's no fun to add the hill and then realize half the trains can't climb the grade. Also severe slowdown or wheelslip is likely unacceptable as it wears out the engines way too quickly.
If you add a section of tracks, which can be removed, like for gaining access to a center command center or whatever, then do remember to prevent trains from driving when the track is incomplete. One working solution is to make the nearby tracks get power from a wire, which automatically switch off unless the "bridge" pushes down on a switch, hence a sensor for the track being where they should be. I have seen that working and told it was installed after the owner had to catch an engine in mid air. Something about the wife suddenly opening the door and hence push the track out of the way.
Figure out if you want overhead wires. Depending on where and which era you aim for, they could be needed or they could ruin the atmosphere. At the same time if you don't have a specific goal, then you should still consider if you want those. Also you should consider if you want them powered or not.
Make enough clearance for the trains to pass under everything. Some cars are taller than others. I know of one guy, who had problems with driving a camera car underneath overhead wires. The battery pack was simply too big to fit without occasional hits and the power from the rails was too unreliable for the camera while driving. The concept of having a screen showing the front view from a model train sounds cool though.
Think of if you need a signal system. If you want to take the role of a dispatcher, then it would be nice to have tracks with automatic signals, which turns red automatically if there is a train behind it and red signals removes the power from the tracks right next to the signal. That will allow trains to queue up until you make a controllable signal green to make the trains enter a terminal. There are also some digital solutions, but personally I prefer the unpowered track as it seems to be more reliable in my point of view. There are many pages on how to set up circuit breakers for signals. I will not write about that here.
Don't make one huge plate and glue everything together on top with plaster and whatever. Instead divide it into decent sized sections, which can be taken apart and easy moved to a new house if you need to do so in 5-10 years. Remember easy take apart of everything, including tracks and wires.
Don't name your stations after real life stations. It might be fun at first, but a few years from now, you realize how much it limits you and you will regret it. Also by keeping it fictional, you no longer feel the pressure to update if the real station is updated or get new trains.
Think about curves. Not all trains can drive in all the curves you can buy.
You'll want to supplant the rolling stock with HO scale model hyperloops. Use your existing landscape; it sounds like you are inheriting a pretty good sized setup already. Let the tracks and cars corrode and spray some graffiti on them so that they look like real current stock.
1 go to a toy shop
2 buy a train set
3 play with it
4 ????
5 profit!
Along with all the other benefits, model railroading is a fantastic way to meet chicks, even better than chess tournaments.
ShanghaiBill isn't kdding -- one of Model Railroader magazine Staff members was in the Jerry Springer episode "Bi-Curious Cheaters".
...it is NOT called HO, it is called H0. ;-)
I grew up in Lionel so I've got nostalgia for them. They have a good size, HO and O have a "human" size to them, easy to handle and tinker with. I wrote a bit about Lionel http://www.sosuke.com/the-hist... If I started again I would probably go HO, O can take up a lot of space.
Instead of making a small setup that will be unimpressive, and a few people will see, contribute to a larger train model owned by a club, that will be seen by many people. You can specialize in something you are good at, electronics and computer conrols, instead of being a jack of all trades. If you have to move elsewhere, the train can remain intact, for future others to use.
You could decide to build modules to a standard that people in your state or country use. Use google to find the most appropriate standard for your geographical location and get in contact with people who modules to that standard for guidance on how to get started and what the pitfalls are.
There are meetups where people bring modules and assemble them into temporary model railroads. These meetups often allow visitors and the model railroaders tend to be happy to talk about their hobby with interested visitors. Maybe there's a meetup near you that you could visit?
Model Railroading is a rewarding hobby. There are a few tips you will need to know if you want to truly enjoy your new hobby.
- Buy a 3 meter (~10 foot) length of rope. - Dump all your friends. They will end up dumping you, so beat them to the punch.
- Dump your girlfriend. No woman will stand for a grown man playing with trains.
- Start sucking penis. Other model railroaders will be the only human contact you will be capable of. Fellatio will help you in your journey to be "The Engineer."
- Buy one of the smooth stainless steel passenger cars. Eventually even other model railroaders will leave you and you will need to keep your anus occupied. These models provide the least discomfort.
- When you realize your life was wasted, eat a box of Costco burritos, strip naked, then use the rope you bought in step one and hang yourself over your model railway. If you are lucky, you will feel your excrement leave your body and form a new hill in your model railway.
Don't discount classic Lionel. (O Scale)
I was planning on small scales, but was gifted a bunch of old Lionel kit. It's pretty amazing seeing a sixty year old model train with real heft, booking down your hallway.
Plus it shakes off gaps in tracks and even rusty tracks.
It's only a hobby.... it's only a hobby....
There is likely a model rail club or more in your area. See if they have open house and go check out the place. A good club will be warm and welcoming with folks that are comfortable to be around. Forget the layout at the club, you are looking for a place to hang out with others that know a lot and don't mind answering questions. Fastest way to kill enjoyment of the hobby is to get around folks you'd rather paste in the beezer than talk to. Model railroaders are 25% normal people, 50% kind of quirky, and 25% jerks, given a random sample.
First step is to decide what you want to do. I like to do 1900's, 1960's, and modern railroading, so my layout is designed to be able to add and remove things that are not period. So the box car icing station from the 20'-60's becomes a fuel rack by removing structures and putting others in it's place. Also, do you want to be able to turn a train on and let it run around on a loop, or is it going to be a point to point layout?
Final advice - your relative may say maybe even before their death - but I wouldn't take over anything much before then. Just enough to comfort them they have gotten to bug to bite you is about right. If they give it all up too soon, they may be giving away what joy they can still get from the hobby. Just my two cents.
Digital control for more than a simple model is almost required. Most folks go with DigiTraxx system for controls, and various others for the decoders depending on what is desired out of the model. If you want sound, lights, and smoke (the good kind) out of a model, then almost certainly the decoder choice will be the appropriate SoundTraxx Tsunami - about $100 for the decoder, speaker, and supplies. Retro fitting decoders is fairly easy - the hardest part for me is getting the engine opened up without breaking off things.
Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.
The subscription will quickly get you up to date on the various aspects of the hobby and you'll get a better idea of what you'd like to do. The magazine publisher, Kalmbach, also has a number of very good books geared for the newcomer. Visit your local hobby shop and take a look.
If you want to build a layout, start out small, 4x8 is very popular size so you'll find many track plans to choose from. Better to start out small and build it to completion. Many plan too big, never finish, and loose interest.
Most of all, find a club that has a good size layout with regular meetings and operating sessions. Operating sessions are where the club members get together and run a simulated railroad with time tables, train orders, waybills. Essentially the goal is to move freight around like a real railroad along with the typical challenges of building the train, avoiding blocking the main line so passenger trains aren't delayed, handling the puzzle of setting out freight on a spur that's facing the wrong way, etc. It gives model railroading purpose and is so much more fun than running a train around in a continuous loop. Joining a club will also give you the opportunity to run your rolling stock without having to build your own layout.
If you are into computer programming, you can put your skills into computer controlled dispatching. Traditionally operating sessions with paper, white boards, or perhaps a panel with a schematic of the layout and LEDs to indicate switches and occupied blocks. There is move to do this on a computer. And if you are into electronics, there is the whole aspect of interfacing this with the switches and signals.
Not everybody chooses a hobby based on possibility to meet chicks trough it. I recall those few that I met trough go tournaments were rather how to say it politely... Och never mind. You can have two or more hobbies. Some nerds, that I know, even apply nerdy tricks to hunt chicks too - like analysis of herd and individual mating behaviour etc it even worked in some cases...
Hey timothy, sweet question! I grew up model railroading in HO! I inherited my dad's post-war Lionel collection which is pretty sweet. I currently live in a small apartment in the city so no layout but I have experience since I could talk. I agree with what others have said: clubs, magazines. Also, train shows are great to learn and talk to people. Clubs always show up with a layout and they're great to get ideas from and ask questions. It's an awesome hobby where you go at a slow pace but after time come out with something pretty amazing that evolves as you do. Good luck!
Who is that masked man?
Later in life (at 50, actually, and yes, I still cut code 10 years after that), I took up figure skating as a hobby. (Warning, it's a) addictive, and b) very tough, oh, and c) quite dangerous ... and expensive).
Yes, it's well and truly dominated by females.
So, anyway, I was at the National Championships, at the after competition ball. Another chap and I looked out over the sea of fit, healthy femalehood, and he commented - "To think I spent most of teenage years with my head stuck up another blokes bum playing rugby. What was I thinking?"
This made me wonder why I spent some of my younger years on model railways - and why more females did not. It's surely a heck of a way to meet guys ...
So, good advice to younger male chaps, seeking to meet girls. Take up figure skating.
And, good advice to younger female chapesses, seeking to meet guys. Take up railway modelling.
"Cats like plain crisps"
This is a hobby and the interesting and fun bit is in the planning building and generally making stuff, not watching a train go round and round, take your time and do a really good job of everything, something you can really be proud of.
Get to know some other hobbyists and ask to attend a session. This will give you great insights into whether you want to RUN a railroad or just enjoy BUILDING one.
Buy less, use the best. There is a lot of second-rate stuff out there. It will only plague you with problems - shorts, derailments etc. etc. Buy quality vs quantity.
Couplers: go with Kadee. There are others, but Kadee are the de-facto standard.
Ideal rolling stock trucks: all my research seems to point to using Kadee trucks but with Intermountain wheel-sets (Wheels and axle).
Track: want to build a really sweet layout? Use Fast Tracks hand-built switches for your layout: http://www.handlaidtrack.com/
Switch machines: I like to go manual for most. A lot of guys use Tortoise Switch Machines. Everyone raves about them but I think that they are huge and would love to know of better, smaller, cheaper ones - with all the same features.
Models: All sorts of kits exist out there but EVERYONE (OK a lot of guys) use Tichy for parts like windows. (I love their rolling stock and have built over 50 iron ore and other cars from them.) Exquisite detail and great customer service.
Essentials: get an NMRA standards gauge. Buy a temperature controlled soldering station. Buy a Dremel with a cut-off wheel (for cutting rail). Wayyyy better than snips. Also, buy a serving tray with high sides. When working on the hobby, ALWAYS keep all your tools in the serving tray. Makes finding them much, much easier. Buy a good air brush like Iwata.
DCC vs DC. I am migrating to DCC. Phone Tony's Trains in Vermont for DCC advice. They are fairly unbiased experts and can help you choose the best system for you.
Weight: get your rolling stock to the proper weight: 1 oz + 1/2 oz for every inch of car length. This will help your trains track better.
Open source: The whole DCC open source thing is a bit klugey at present (in my opinion). This could be an area where you may be able to contribute significantly. Meantime, you may want to buy off-the-shelf to get started and then poke around with Arduino and the like for controls (unless you are a total geek).
Lastly, go look at real trains. See them in yards. See them at crossings. Watch them beside you on the highway. Look at tracks and switchwork... Figure out what era and purpose your railroad will have: Switching? Mainline? Steam? Diesel? Commuter? Short Line? Industrial? Mining? Learn all the background about it that you can and use it to dive in and enjoy!!
*** Don't be dull.***
Lotsa disposable income.
I want my Daylight and I wants it now!
Make a maglev train!
One of the best places to get started is probably a modelling forum (I like RMWeb, but it's UK orientated). Generally modellers are always willing to welcome new blood, and will bend over backwards to recommend resources and point you in the direction of how to guides.
You need to step up your game and go to HAM club meetings.
Bring Geritol, it makes for a great mixer.
Never answer an anonymous letter. - Yogi Berra
Model Railroading is fun and creative. Just for fun, put one in a briefcase: http://www.dhke.com/modelrr/br... I belong to an operating group that runs the model railroad like a real using DCC.
This is the true "for nerds" approach. I've got into model railroading recently and one of the most interesting problems I've got into was "how do I make all this work automatically", this led me to rocrail. To fully create and automate a layout, I got into circuit design, programming, modelling, etc. Very interesting hobby that can go as far as you want it to go in terms of abilities.
That said, getting into the hobby and specially DCC was a real pain. There are so many competing technologies to do the same thing and so much terminology that everyone references as if it was obvious that it was complicated to get a clear idea of what are all the components needed when approaching a design.
First, I've been a model railroader and general railfan for most of my 38 years. I took a bit of a break from modeling myself during my 20s on account of wife / career / etc, but during the whole time I was working on other layouts. I dug back in with a passion about four years ago, ripped out the abortive start of a layout from a decade prior, and started construction of a new layout. I'm an N scaler myself, but most of the other layouts I work on or operate on are HO or O.
Model Railroader is good for beginners. Also be sure to check out Model Railroad Hobbyist, which is a free (er, advertiser-funded) online model railroad magazine. It's aimed a bit more at experienced modelers, but there's still lots of layout tours and the like in there that will be of interest and inspiration. Besides, the price is right to try it out.
One thing you'll start to figure out fairly quickly is what interests you and what doesn't, and that will start to steer you towards certain things. Some of us are interested in exactly replicating some prototype area and railroad down to the most minute detail, whereas some are more interested in just running trains through fantastic scenery that is purely a work of imagination. There are segments of the hobby who enjoy scenery, others that are fascinated with equipment or structure modeling, some that like to create accurate operating practices, and some that really like control systems.
My starting recommendations would be:
- Just get something running so that you can start figuring out what you like and what you don't, with the full anticipation that it'll be temporary. If you start too big of a project on your first try, you'll lose interest before you get enough of the pieces together to make it run smoothly.
- Go find a local show and see what others are doing
- Talk to your relative and learn from him, particularly if he's a relative you like. (And, well, skip this if he's equivalent to my weird uncle Gary.)
If you're interested in the controls side, there's a decent DIY electronics community within the hobby. Two Yahoo email groups I'd recommend are mrrelectronics (general MRR electronics) and Arduini (focused on Arduinos in model railroading). There's Digitrax's Loconet, CMRI, the NMRA's new LCC standard, and a couple dozen other ways to connect a layout to the computer. Then there's things like JMRI, which you've already found, which are great for linking everything together.
the only winning move is not to play
pleeze.....
You should go and ask this relative obviously...
(2nd rule: No nesting)
https://xkcd.com/878/
Check out Model Railroad Hobbyist. http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/ They've got good info on multiple aspects of the hobby. Their magazine can be read online or in PDF format. Best of all - free. They run on sponsor dollars. Also, they have a good forum to peruse and ask questions on.
Since you said you're more concerned with track construction and scenery, MRH is probably the best way to go to start getting information on how it all works.
Not sure if the model railroad you would be set to inherit is DC controlled or DCC, but MRH has a lot of articles on DCC, which may be of interest, since you can setup computer interfaces if you like to run your trains.
Also, find out if there is a model train show in your area. These are usually similar to flea markets, but just focusing on trains or hobbies. Ask those people questions. There's usually some people who are demonstrating how to build scenery and weather track and rolling stock. Also, look for some model railroading clubs - they usually have some open houses and you can go see what they've done and their members usually are happy to share any pointers and experience.
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Here's a tip. Ignore women for the rest of your life. They will ignore you, too!
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It's not a question of the merits of scale x vs scale y, but a physical limitation. As we age, for most of us, presbyopia kicks in, and, to some extent, there's often a loss of some sensitvity and fine motor control in the fingers. The "between HO and O" size of S scale ameliorates that to some extent. Honestly, that is my only regret for commiting to HO when I was a child. I would rather, now, have S. As pointed out earlier, there are narrow gauge trains to be modeled which allow tighter curves for a given scale, and you could model interurban (trolleys) which give a lot of operation in a smaller space.
Take a look here, for instance: http://www.railserve.com/Models/Layouts/S_Scale/ .
Ask Slashdot: Tips For Getting Into Model Railroading?
He's not asking about trains, he just really wants to coerce Cindy Crawford into doing... something.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
I developed an iPad app that works with the following hardware http://controlpaneldesigns.com. I'd love to work to open source a large portion of this, including some of the hardware to make it more mainstream. Any thoughts or recommendations?
Check out my moms pages .. and yes "its på Danish". It will explain pretty much everything you need about calculations, buildings, built from the ground up, using inexpensive materials. For a complete H0 car, the only produced patrs are the wheels...
http://modelbane-piger.dk/