Brand spanking new potential hobbiest...

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S

SgtVeXX

New Member
A little background (can be skipped if you don't care...just babbling):

When I was a kid my future stepfather had put a train under the tree the first year he married my mother. I thought it was awesome!!! Unfortuately, that was all an act to get my mom to marry him and treated us kids like crap right after he got what he wanted. But that's another story for ano....well never. BUT that ONE year left an impression on me my whole life and I always planned on doing a train under the tree with my own family.

Fast forward several years and now I'm 30 years old, married, and have a four year old daughter. We've been running an O guage lionel under the tree for the past 3 Christmas' and have been adding those little buildings and stuff little by little every year making a whole nice little village on a platform under the tree. The whole month we have our tree up my daughter and I are constantly playing with the train together, loading things in the cars, making it whistle, running around trying to find the right speed where the fake steam makes perfect smoke rings, etc.

Anyway my wife and I were at the local botanical gardens (Albuquerque NM)and they have a large train set running through a part of the gardens (easily twice the size maybe more then our O gauge set) but that got us thinking about trains in the middle of July instead of just during christmas.

BEGIN READING HERE IF YOU SKIPPED THE BACKSTORY:

We have a spare room we were thinking about running our O gauge train set in and building a small village to play with. After doing a little research it looks like we should just keep our O gauge packed away for seasonal use and maybe do HO for a 4 x 8 layout. BUT we like all the stuff the O gauge can do and was wondering if HO has the same functionality.

Does HO have dumping/interactive cars (where you stop on a section of track and push a button to dump the load)? Can they do push button whistle/bell, train sounds, lights, smoke?

Should I use 1/2" ply, 1/4"? Put corkboard on top? Buy a nice engine now or get a budget on for starters and upgrade later? Do I need DCC for just one train if I want options? what is DCC?

AAAAHHHHH!!! I need an idiots guide to model train building but the local book stores have nothing. I tried talking to the salesman at Trains West in town here and he was not helpful and seemed to want to be done with me as fast as possible and get back to BSing with the other salesman. I'm going to try another store called Wig Wag tomorrow when they open. Anybody have any ideas what books I should keep an eye out for layman beginner?

I am brand new and am still in full sponge mode trying to soak in as much as possible to get started, I just wish I knew sombody that was into this that could mentor me but I don't so a forum is the next best thing right.

BTW don't feel obligated to answer all my questions stated above I'm just trying to learn as much as possible and probably don't even know enought to know which questions I should be asking.

But man is our family excited to start doing this together. My hope is this will be a family project that we all work on together (even the well behaved four year old) for quality family time.
 
Oh and we really like the Denver & Rio Grande Western line if anyone has engine suggestions.. ;)

Dang I'm a pest already...sorry
 
hey there and welcome.

it can definitely be overwhelming at first. in case you haven't yet i suggest a good read - http://www.nmra.org/beginner/. should eliminate many questions. also look around what other members here do and implement the things you like.

there are engines with sound in HO. as for which engine to get, this can be answered only by you- they can get quite expencive. i would go with budget engine for now untill you figure out what to do. might save you from "ohhh, should have bought a different one" later

DCC - http://www.dccwiki.com/Main_Page

EDIT:
if you have a spare room perhaps instead of 4x8 you can do around the walls layout instead
 
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tankist said:
EDIT:
if you have a spare room perhaps instead of 4x8 you can do around the walls layout instead
Click to expand...


Thank you for the quick response and beginner articles...reading now. Also I hadn't even thought about doing it along the walls...hmmmm....
 
Is there a particular era you like?
Do you like steam or diesel locomotives?
HO is the most popular scale in the hobby, so theres lots available.
I would recommend you go with DCC, it really is the big thing in the industry right now. A simple and easy to learn beginner DCC system is the Bachmann EZ Command system. Im 14 and picked it up pretty quickly. A cheap and decent quality DCC equiped locomotive, for the price, are the Bachmann DDC Equipped locomotives. For better quality look for their Spectrum line. A sound eqiupped locomotive can almost double the price of a standard locomotive. However, most of the time they will still most likely be considerably cheaper than an O scale locomotive, especially if you go with diesel and stay away from Brass, and will usually have more detail than the regular Lionel line.

Most people suggest a 4x8 layout for a beginner, but if you feel comfortable with an around the room layout then certainly go for it. :)
 
Welcome to a new addiction!!
What you saw in the garden railway was most likely G scale. (works best for outdoors)

Yes there are interactive HO rolling stock (Most were made by Tyco) They had log loaders/unloaders, box cars, semi truck loaders/unloaders, boat/barge set ups.

Just starting into it you don't need DCC unless you plan on running multiple engines on same track. DCC is a power pack that can operate many engines with one power pack. A decoder is placed in each engine that enables you to select one engine at a time. You can control all functions of each engine too: lights, sound, brakes, forward/reverse etc.

If you only want to run 1 or 2 engines you can stay with DC (standard)

Benchwork building is wide open. You can save allot buy using 1x2 0r 1x3 for the frame and 1/8-1/4 inch plywood top. Once all together its very sturdy. But if making a movable benchwork I'd build stronger. (a small shelf layout well supported wouldn't need as much.) EZ-track or cork/foam choice is yours. Cork and foam deadin the noise that tends to magnify in the benchwork.

Good Luck, Have fun and ASK QUESTIONS!! Many here are glad to help.
 
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Littlefoot14 said:
...
I would recommend you go with DCC, it really is the big thing in the industry right now. A simple and easy to learn beginner DCC system is the Bachmann EZ Command system. Im 14 and picked it up pretty quickly.
...
Click to expand...
if all he is planning is a 4x8, how DCC can be a good recommendation from the start? dcc is not big nor small - its a tool. and as all the tools it has its unique use - independent control of multiple trains. if multiple trains are not needed (and on 4x8 chances are the are not. or at least not yet) there more economical and simple tool - DC.
as for the system you mentioned, you need to add that being a budget, basic system it lacks several essential functionalities. and as such is only a temporary solution until the inevitable upgrade (making it a poor investment).
 
Not to gang up on you Littlefoot but also... it's a Bachmann product. :rolleyes: I've got to recommend DC too, it's easier for a beginner to figure out, and even if you do upgrade later, a DC pack is a good thing to have around to check motors, power accessories, etc.

Best advice I can give is not to get ahead of yourself. Get an engine, a few cars, and probably some sectional or snap track to start with, until you get the hang of it. Given the chance, I tried to go all out with a room-sized layout with no planning and very little experience. Long story short, I'm starting over.

Also, if you'll have younger kids playing with the trains you may want to stick with a larger scale. Smaller (HO, N) scales can be frustrating when you've got the motor skills of a 4 year old. I got into N when I was maybe six and broke a lot of stuff before I figured it out.

For the layout, muck around a bit with sectional/snap until you find an arrangement you like. Some people prefer long trains running long distances on the main line, some prefer switching in close quarters, some prefer a mixture of the two. For mixed ages I'd recommend a loop, figure-8 or oval with a few switches and spurs here and there. At a young age, watching the train go around in a circle is amazing. For older kids/you, the switching gives it all a reason to exist. :)
 
Tankist- I suggested the EZ Command system because its a nice introduction system to DCC. While it lacks the features that the upper scale systems have, it is a simple system that would be fine for a 4x8 if he was doing multiple locomotives running, i should have said that. If he does an around the room layout, he will most likely have several trains running at the same time and therefore will use a higher scale DCC system. DCC can be confusng, especially to someone who is just starting, which is another reason why i suggested the EZ Command because of its simplicity. I said DCC was the big thing with model railroads right now because, while DC is original, DCC changed the way we control our railroads.

RW&C- I realize its a bachmann product, certainly not top of line by even a begginner like me :rolleyes:. DC is a good suggestion for its simplicity, i used the standard power pack from my original trainset. I use a MRC Tech II right now because i am missing some feeder wires for the DCC set. That being said, I still like the DCC over DC because of its capabilities, but the Tech II is nice in my opinion.
 
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WOW Thanks for all the replies!!

Answering some questions:
-I'm looking at the steam era of the Denver & Rio Grande Western
-only looking at getting 2-3 cars right now to go behind the engine/tender
-although around the room sounds neat I'm going to stick with 4x8 since this is a first time for me.
-If HO can do all the interactive trimmings that O can (which is the impression I'm getting) then I will be going that scale. Yes my daughter is only 4 but challenging her fine motor skills is good for her developement and I don't mind if things get broken as she learns.
-Budget to get this started is about $400 with the realization I'l be spending money the rest of my life ;)
-I do some carpentry and have made funiture so I'm comfortable making a table.

Question #1: do I need DCC in order to control lights/bell/whistle on a SINGLE train or can DC do this? Interaction for the 4yr old is key so this is essential for me.

Question #2: is $400 a realistic starting figure for a train, couple cars (is this called rolling stock?), power unit, and some track?

Question #3: How cheap is an inexpensive starter steam engine? $70? $150? $250?

Again thank you all for your help!!!
 


as much as i like HO, if the primary customer of the layout is 4YO, then perhaps a larger scale. or a simplier starter set is in order. snap track assembled on carpet. i got my first set when i was 5 and it was way to early. which resulted in a lot of broken stuff by the time i got to age. your budget is doable but sound locomotives at 200$ a piece (yes there are sound DC engines) for cheaper ones are not really toys . this stuff will get destroyed and abused anyways. imagination of little ones will keep them interested even if stuff is not very detailed or operating (if they into that in anycase...).
may i suggest craiglist?

Littlefoot14 said:
Tankist- I suggested the EZ Command system because its a nice introduction system to DCC. While it lacks the features that the upper scale systems have, it is a simple system that would be fine for a 4x8 if he was doing multiple locomotives running...
Click to expand...
i think you misunderstood me, i didn't say it lacks features. what i said is that it lacks critical functionality a DCC system should have. i guess one can live without CV readback but how exactly do you program your locos with system that lacks capability to program CV's?
 
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tankist said:
as much as i like HO, if the primary customer of the layout is 4YO, then perhaps a larger scale. or a simplier starter set is in order. snap track assembled on carpet. i got my first set when i was 5 and it was way to early. which resulted in a lot of broken stuff by the time i got to age. your budget is doable but sound locomotives at 200$ a piece (yes there are sound DC engines) for cheaper ones are not really toys . this stuff will get destroyed and abused anyways. imagination of little ones will keep them interested even if stuff is not very detailed or operating (if they into that in anycase...).
Click to expand...

Sorry i don't think I made the level of involvement for the 4yr old clear enough. Basically she will help with "manning the controls" and 'maybe' the occasional putting a car on the track along with helping build the scenery. We already have the O scale lionel that we set up on the carpet and play like you're suggesting, I wanted to move beyond that stage. She is very good with that and very gentle. She is NOT going to have unsupervised play access with this train table...she has her wooden set for that. I believe OH scale is the way to go so I can fit the most amount of stuff in the least amount of space while remaining big enough to be interesting to look at.
 
I have a old interactive logging kit. If you are interested let me know and I can get you some pictures. Cheap Cheap too...
 
SgtVeXX said:
Sorry i don't think I made the level of involvement for the 4yr old clear enough. Basically she will help with "manning the controls" and 'maybe' the occasional putting a car on the track along with helping build the scenery. We already have the O scale lionel that we set up on the carpet and play like you're suggesting, I wanted to move beyond that stage. She is very good with that and very gentle. She is NOT going to have unsupervised play access with this train table...she has her wooden set for that. I believe OH scale is the way to go so I can fit the most amount of stuff in the least amount of space while remaining big enough to be interesting to look at.
Click to expand...

If HO is your scale of choice, this might fit the bill as a starter set:

http://www.caboosehobbies.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=142071

DC, but easy entry, and there are additional cars and track that can be bought. It's a slippery slope, but sure fun!
 
Well I ended up buying an inexpensive bachman unlettered engine that smokes and has a headlight, A 1 1/2 amp power supply, 4x8 hobby board, a rio grande boxcar, a rio grande decal kit, track saw, file, and a bunch of track to make my peanut shaped layout I found on the internet. Got all OTD for about $175.

Overall I'm happy with my purchase but will be wanting an engine with sounds soon. If I can find a steam one for less then the $400 I've been finding them....why is steam so much more expensive then deseil? Errrr....

Anyway we got it all together last night and ran it a bit. Going to start landscaping tonight.
 
Sgt, congrades.
next time however post a picture. we all curious to see what is it that you got. well, me at least
 
A few random thoughts...

I started my daughter with Thomas trains at 4. Mom had her own Lionel collection we'd set up every Christmas. Eventually (age 7) I bought my daughter some Lionel cars and a loco of her own.

Her "interaction" was putting Polypocket dolls and her pet hamster :eek: in gondolas for "rides". At age-7 that's plenty of fun.

By the time she was about 12 she got a pair of HO Genisis Athearn F units. By that age she could handle the smaller couplers and wheels without getting frustrated or breaking things.

It also helps taking kids on frequent train rides. She loves Amtrak. We're taking another trip this summer (her idea). Eating in a speeding diner car will be good fun for both y'all.

Same example. I started her on hitting whiffle balls at age 4. Hitting in the batting cage by age 6, By 13 she has worked her way up to the 80-mph cage and can pull the ball down the left field line (right handed hitter). So I prefer doing things in stages.
 
I totally agree with stages, but moving them up to the next stage when they show proficiency with the current one. My daughter plays great with the lionel...she doesn't even touch it. She uses the controls and stops at the station yelling "All aboard" and waits for the imaginary people to get on and then drives on. The only time we touch the cars is when she wanted a little Santa Clause to ride on the back of the caboose and even then she asked me to do it instead of trying herself.

Anyway thank you all for the age suggestions but every child is different and nobody can know my exact situation better then me and my wife and we have full confidence she with be as great with the HO set as she is with the Lionel set. We set the rules and what she can and can't do right out the gate and she follows them. She is a VERY well behaved child and hopefully that keeps up as she grows. "Knock on wood"

Okay anough on that and back to the TRAINS!!! We sketched everything out for the mountain, roads stream, etc., last night. I'll try to take some pics and upload tonight...maybe start a new thread in an appropriate forum for Our first non-Christmas layout...probably even find last Christmas' pictures and show those off too.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!
 


SgtVeXX said:
...

Anyway thank you all for the age suggestions but every child is different and nobody can know my exact situation better then me and my wife and we have full confidence she with be as great with the HO set as she is with the Lionel set. We set the rules and what she can and can't do right out the gate and she follows them. She is a VERY well behaved child and hopefully that keeps up as she grows. "Knock on wood"

...

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!
Click to expand...

Watch out that you don't create a monster!;)

I started my daughter out with a cushion that she sat on on top of the layout when she was 18months old. She knew then that "Dad's trains" were special and weren't to be touched.
By the time she was six, she had built several Athearn BB kits and even knew how to insert KD couplers, correctly, into the kits.
When she was 11, you didn't try to beat her at the switching contest! She'd beat ya every time. By 13, she was winning contests with her craftsmen built kits! How she did it I don't know.:eek:
She's 30 now, with a child of her own, and she still spends the majority of her time at the layout. She's already picked herself out some structures to build for "Dad's Trains", but she's also started putting my grandson on the layout on a cushion, so he can start as she did.

Watch out Sarge!:D
 
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