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I've always been interested in all kinds of models since I was young. lately been looking into model railroading. I havent looked at the site yet but Im sure theres tons of info around for a newbie like myself. I recently got a box of stuff from someone in the area that I guess had some leftover stuff, mostly track, 3 locomotive, altho not sure if they work or not, but hey there were free. Figured the first thing I need to do is figure out what kind of layout I want to do so I can then figure out how big of a table Im gonna need.
just a little about myself, Im Luis, 27 yrs old, just moved to colorado from NY, also into aviation, have a model plane (which hasnt been in the air yet), spend HOURS online flying flight sim games. Dont think Im ever gonna grow up
I'm 69 years old & i'm never going to grow up either. I've been in Model RR'ing since 1961 & starting on my 7th layout. So, get started & when U need help you'll get it here, no matter what the problem is or question that U ask.
Hi there, Luis. Any idea what scale is the stuff that was given to you? Unless it's absolute junk, it can usually be made to run with some work and patience. It's kind of like flying, at least for me. I started with wire control Piper Cubs before I decided if I wanted to go to RC. After a number of crashes, I decided that trains were more up my alley. Still like airplanes though, both model and 1:1 scale.
its HO scale, I can take some pics if you're interested in seeing them, I have 4 engines, a black one that says new york central on it (not a steam) #7240, a steam engine #638 that says chatanooga on the coal car, a santa fe engine, blue and yellow #3500 and a bright chrome and red union pacific silver streak #4301 but I think its gutted, if its possible to gut lol. also got a life like and tyco transformer which I have no clue how they attach to the rail.
Hi Luis,
If you can post some pictures, that would help us understand what you have. Hooking up the transformers is easy. You can buy a terminal track, which hooks into the other tracks and allows you to attach the wires, use rail joiners that already have the hookup leads soldered to them, or just solder wire right from the transformer to the side of the track.
the engines (the silverstreak is hollow with exception to the wheels)
everything else, mostly just track
have a question about track... is there different kind of track or is most track about the same? as in same material, or any track that should be avoided
Luis, from the shots, that looks to be brass track. Most people will warn you to stay away from brass track as its not as good of a conductor as the nickel silver track more commonly used today.
Brass is a better conductor of electricity - when it's clean. The problem is that brass oxidizes more quickly than nickel silver so you just have to clean it more often.
The Silver Steak engine is good for a parts box but not much else. The Santa Fe engine looks like a Bachmann GP-38 and they usually run OK. The steam engine is also a Bachmann product, an 0-8-0 switcher. It's not the best engine in the world but it will do. I don't know what the one at the bottom is but it appears to be an Athearn SDP-45 but the picture is too dark for me to see if the radiators have the usual SD-45 flare. At any rate, it's a good engine and older Athearn's will run forever with a little care and maintenance.
The cabooses are generic train set units and do have specific prototypes. They will serve fine as a caboose until you decide what railroad you want to model. The power packs are also generic train set modes. They aren't very good but they will get a train started and run it around the track. You can get very good quality MDC transformers on e-bay for less than $20 as people are selling them off when they switch to DCC.
Looks like you have enough for at least a small trial layout with the addition of a few freight cars. Not a bad deal for free.
OK, that's an Athearn SDP-40. It was used in passenger service in the last days before Amtrak and then in general freight service before they were scrapped. New York Central never owned any but that can be corrected later with paint and decals if you get that point. The handrails all look to be intact except for the rear. You can order another set from Athearn for less than $10 or just bend your won out of brass wire. This a good engine. It will probably need some inspection and lbrication but they are good running old engines. Great deal for free!
LUIS be very careful about Brass, its like UP2CSX said
You will end up like me, I started this hobby with some simple IRON rails, which I got for free from a friend, but slowly I started to realise that they corrode too fast, and slowly I changed all I had. Now I have 5 times as much rails as I had when I started, and all in Nickel Silver. Only one part of my entire layout is Aluminium, its a 30° crossing, which I'm not sure yet if I will be changing into a Slip Switch, or a normal 30° nickel silver crossing.
I use brass track and it works fine. I don't have a large layout, so it's not that hard to keep clean. I only clean it after I've done scenery work or ballasting. If you're going to use dc control, it shouldn't be a problem. I believe that dcc is a little more finicky. I also havn't soldered any joints and havn't had any problems with that either. I would update the power pack though. That old Tyco power will either be full speed , or no speed.
seems the Athearn SDP-40 will be used for just scenery, I opened it up and, from looking at pictures on ebay, seems to be missing the motor, or whatever is supposed to be in the middle, so that one as well was gutted.
You can buy old Athearn motors cheap on e-bay, assuming it was ever powered. Take a picture with the shell off and we can tell if it was powered or built as a dummy, whichmeans it never had a motor.
I didnt know they made dummy engines, so now Im guessing thats what it is. the wheels are black, seemed like plastic so was wondering how it got power.
either way, I've been spending hours looking around at track layouts, figuring out what I want. soo many options I have no clue what I really want, timeframe, types of engines, etc..
I don't have a large layout, so it's not that hard to keep clean. I only clean it after I've done scenery work or ballasting. If you're going to use dc control, it shouldn't be a problem. I believe that dcc is a little more finicky. I also havn't soldered any joints and havn't had any problems with that either. I would update the power pack though. That old Tyco power will either be full speed , or no speed.