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I think I may have bitten off more than I could choose when I got into model railroading. But I guess that I'll finish what I've started now. I have decided to change what I am modeling. I am modeling a diesal line or something. I don't know what yet. All I know is that I don't think I'll be able to do a coal mine operation. Maybe I'll be able to do something like that when I get more experienced and have more money. Until then, I'll have to stick to what I have. I think that I will do diesal, but I am not sure what to do for a line. I could get the undecorated locomotives or something, Paint them with my own design, and have them pull other lines' rolling stock. Or I could do a large military base thing. That might work. I have seen it done before. Link a military base to a small town not far from it. That would be easy since I know where to get some good quality, cost-effecient locomotives and cars. The only drawback is that I will need to know what to get for my village and if I should try kitbashing for my village and/or military base setup. If anyone here thinks I can do a coal operation on a oval of track, speak now or forever hold your peace.
Remember, model railroading is not something you do in a day. Like Rome it takes awhile. Start small, put together a couple car kits (Athearn) or small structures. Read as much as you can about the area, era, industries you are interested in.
As far as a coal mine, I'm working on an operating flood loader on about 10ft of straight track. It is all I have room for now. I have a loco and 6 cars and just go back and forth testing and adjusting.
How about if you get that book I linked to in a previous post and read it? You're confusing yourself because you are thinking of ten different things at once. Reading that book will help focus what you want to do, what kind of industries you want, and what era you want to model. You can only model one or two themes on a layout. An oval of track just allows the train to go round and round. You need to read that book and get clear in your mind at least what you need in the way of track to make any sort of realistic layout.
Well actually, I am going to do a diesal line between a village and a military base. I will give the base and town names later. Until then, I want to work on getting my mitts on structures, scenery, and locomotives and rolling stock. Then I will move into laying it all out. But until I have everything I need, I will be content just to run my 36" of circular track.
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