Another Noobie

[PATrainman]

Hello, first off, I have been clicking around the forums for a couple of days now, just checking things out, and everything I have seen so far has astounded me!

A little background...I am probably in the norm when I say that I have gotten started in the modeling with a Christmas platform, and gradually upgrading every year, but a friend of mine (who will probably be registering as well)has gotten me so excited about this hobby, that I have decided that I am gonna build a layout in the basement after the holidays.

Here is where I started back in '02-'03 in our (me and my wife, with a little one on the way)...
over the years, I have added a few peices of track, some more cars, and this year, I built a platform from 2x4 and plywood (to upgrade from the 4x8 plywood covered with grass matt paper)

Here it is in the early phases (snow, but only some track)...

and here it is pretty much finished for this year...

I know that the buildings are not in scale with the train, and the fact that almost all of my cars are from different railroads (sante fe, PRR, UP, etc...
but any and all advice is welcomed


Justin

 

[SpaceMouse]

Welcome and Howdy,

A Christmas layout is about cheer and decoration and anything goes. You might even have a Grinch riding around. What you have is fine for what you are doing. If you wanted a permanenet alyout, we could talk about that, but for Christmas...

 

[jbaakko]

Mixing cars is perfectly fine! Mighty fine layout you have there, might I add! Perfect for the Christmas setup!

 

[Mingo Assist]

Welcome aboard PA
I think the only time at work ive ever only seen a perfect lashup is the unit coal trains we run, some times the triple crown maybe but other than that a mix up is very normal...
Hope this new hobby stays with you for a long time along with its excitement and surprises.

 

[Trussrod]

Yes welcome to the forum,
Lots of info and helpful folks here!

David

 

[UP2CSX]

Christmas layouts get a pass, even from Chip. As long as everything stays on the tracks and you and the wife like it, it's fine for Christmas. As Chip said, if you want to get into the hobby on a year-round basis, we can talk some more but what you have is fine for now.

 

[PATrainman]

I am looking to get into the hobby after the holidays, with some kinda layout in the basement...but I got a bunch of other stuff to do down there first...


Justin

 

[CBCNSfan]

That's a nice shot Chip, well done! I like it

Welcome to the forums Justin, Christmas layouts are good, I guess that's where most of us started. Different road names, no problem, the local CB&CNS of today doesn't even have a loco with it's own road name.

It's a hobby enjoy it

Cheers Willis

 

[Larry]

I must be the weird one on this forum. I never had a train set when I was a kid & never had one under the tree. The only reason I started back in '61 was I was working for a hobby store & I got everything wholesale in trains.
I use to live right next to the RR tracks in a trailer park when I was about 6yrs. old & had a lot of really flat coins. I love to hear about U guys & gals w/your toy trains when U were young & some of you I know are still young. That's what's so nice about the hobby. We all have to start out someplace & have that certain friend to help us along the way. I always try to get young people out of the house, off the video games & to the hobby shops & train shows. Every year I try to buy the closeout toy trains to give to the young tykes all year when they come to visit the GAP.

(long winded old fart)
Larry