Slashdot Mirror
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.
If you're not willing to blow up your own train, you are NEVER going to be cool like Gomez.
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.
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.
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.
You've come to the right website for advice!
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.