Hello from NEW YORK! Need a little help!!!!


J

JIMBETHYNAME

Building a RR empire
Hello everyone.Ihope this is in the right place.
My name is Jim, and I am 37(38 on 8/24). I found this place last week after seeing a PBS show on steamtrains.
I started riding freestyle bmx bikes at 35 again, and now I have beat this old body up so I need to find a less painful hobby, lol
I live in Rockland cty. NY, on the shore of the Hudson river. Ever since I was a little kid I have loved locomotive's(grew up next to conrail lines, now CSX. Also have NJT close bye, and Metro-North across the river)

I am going to invest in a HO set(Alaskan RR), AND I was curious if buying a "set", is actually worth it,or if I would be better off just buying everything seperate? Also, its been awhile since the old LIONEL "O" scale dys, what would I need to be up and running?
Excellant site you have here, the talent is endless
Thank you for your help in advance.
JIM
 
Weclome aboard Jim!
I think train sets are a good way to get into the hobby.
Train sets come with "snap track" and you can start running on the living room carpet if you want.
 
I second that! I bought a NYC set (Lionel Fas Trac system) for my 3 nephews adn we have been expanding on it every Xmas! :)
 
Hi Jim,

It depends on your plans really. The sets are all a decent value for what you get. I am assuming the Alaska set is a Bachmann set. Old 97 is right the track will be able to be set up almost anywhere.

If you are planning on setting up something permanent and more realistic then I might recommend going with individual items and using a more realistic track/roadbed system.

Its all up to you that's the beauty of the hobby! What ever you think looks good is all that matters.

And the guys here are certainly nicer then some other places!!!
 
They're right. For just getting started, a set is the way to go. My layout started as two Bachman sets on a folding table, and now is a 13 x 5 layout not including the yard. Personally, I would go with an Athern or IHC starter set as their products are higher quality. All but one of my cheaper Bachman engines quit after a few months, so if you paln to expand, get something a littler higher quality.
 
Jim,
Welcome to the forum, glad you found us!

From what you've said about enjoying the locomotives amd trains in general, as well as from my being in the hobby for a long time, I'd say you'd be better off purchasing equipment seperately so that you get the various pieces your most interested in and I would believe probably of a bit better quality, especially the engines.

It may cost you a bit more doing it that way but you'll wind up with equipment taylored to your likes and needs rather than having to settle on what come in a set.

As far as the track, here again you can taylor what you get to your desires and switch the same way. I feel Code 83 track for mainline diesel operation approximates scale more closely than code 100 and it's the realism that your probably interested in to begin with.

Also most sets don't offer too great a power pack so there again you'll only wind-up buying another one anyway.

There are lots of choices and the members here on the forum will be more than willing to offer suggestions to guide you.

If your interested I have many different RR supplies available at discount prices from a considerable number of suppliers you might want to take a look at. Many well known brands too!


Gald to offer my assistance and help.
 
Welcome to the forum, Jim.

As far as buying a set as opposed to piece by piece, I guess it depends on what you want out of the hobby. If you want to run trains as soon as possible and/or you have little ones that might want to see trains running, then I would suggest a set.

When I started in this hobby about 3 years ago, I thought about getting a set first, but the more I thought about it and looked into it, I decided to buy piece by piece. I was not too concerned about how long it would be before I had a train running. I was more concerned about what would be best for the long run.
I also approached this as more of a journey and not a destination. I get more enjoyment from the process than the finished product. I guess that means I'll never be finished. :)

You can always start with a set and then upgrade as you have time and money. Whatever you decide, the guys on this forum are a great resource.
 
Welcome to the forum!

I would have said piece by piece, but the "pro-set" guys make good points. In my case piece by piece was definitely the way to go when I got back into this hobby last year, but I also had a layout design in mind as well as requirements for the equipment - a set would have been a waste.

Mark
 
Jim- A couple money saving questions for you to decide before buying a set or component.
What era and geographic area will you want to model? A modern Amtrack passenger train would be out of place in 1930's Chicago. A stream engine or early diesel would be appropriate on a Delaware & Hudson track in 1955.... if you want to follow prototypical practices.

You can make a "free-lance" railroad similar to any protype you wish, since it is your railroad. And you can even run a UP Challenger on a 2001 CSX line with alien spaceships as flatcar loads. :eek:
It is your railroad to enjoy and have fun with !!!
Mikey
 
Welcome to the hobby. If married, start a stash fund!!!!! LOL or maybe the misses will welcome the hobby.

You have a decent sized store in rockland county called Hudson Shores Hobby in Blauvelt. If not there, Model Railway Post Office in West Milford,NJ is one of the best shops i've been in the northern NJ area. Bob and Ray are great people and very knowledgeable. If you want NYC has a few. I was going to check out The Red Caboose on 45st, but decided to drive to The Model Railroad Shop in Piscataway,NJ. Another great shop with lots of stock in HO and N.

If I were to start all over with nothing, i'de probably start with a nice set. Maybe the bachman amtrak set with the F40ph. I do like the Alaska RR's locomotives and rolling stock though.
 
NYSW F45 said:
Welcome to the hobby. If married, start a stash fund!!!!! LOL or maybe the misses will welcome the hobby.

You have a decent sized store in rockland county called Hudson Shores Hobby in Blauvelt. If not there, Model Railway Post Office in West Milford,NJ is one of the best shops i've been in the northern NJ area. Bob and Ray are great people and very knowledgeable. If you want NYC has a few. I was going to check out The Red Caboose on 45st, but decided to drive to The Model Railroad Shop in Piscataway,NJ. Another great shop with lots of stock in HO and N.

If I were to start all over with nothing, i'de probably start with a nice set. Maybe the bachman amtrak set with the F40ph. I do like the Alaska RR's locomotives and rolling stock though.
Click to expand...
Thank you for all the welcomes and suggestions.
I am leaning towards this sethttp://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Bachmann_HO_McKinley_Explorer_Set_ARR_p/bac-00624.htm, only because I dig the loco.,(and I kinda wanna watch the train go round) lol.
I will probably switch out the pass. cars for rolling stock.
My railroad is gonna be more of a "working" railroad. Probably have a yard, sawmill, a logging operation on top of a mountain. Its definatly gonna be modern day, and wouldnt doubt if there was alot of M.O.V. stuff going on.
It will be based on the Alasksn RR, but not really.(if that makes any sence).

NYSW- How is HIway Hobbie on rt. 17? I didnt even know about the Blauvelt shop. I will have to swing by there this weekend.
Keep up the awesome work fella's
JIM
 
I had gone to Hi-way hobbies a few times back when I was young with my dad. It was mostly back then a plastic models shop, with some train stuff. I remember seeing the g scale trains in the cabinets and wishing i could have one. I went up there for the first time in probably 10 years and was surprised at how much more train stuff they have now. THey are listed as an athearn dealer now too. It's ok now, maybe its gotten bigger with more trains. I know they have alot of bachman stuff.
 
hi jim
hudson shores is on western highway across from blauvelt firehouse
the owners name is bob, nice guy too, get you any thing you want.
MRPO is off the beaten path but a nice trip to jersey if you dont mind the ride
I have been to HI -WAY hobby and the selection is less than one would care for

but they are mail order as STANDARD HOBBY SUPPLY, good if you know what you want
If you have any questions just ask, btw nice to see somone else from rockland here too

bob
 
MRPO may beaten path, but its not hard to get too. I really wish they'de expand with all that open space they have. Not that its small now, but they can really make it huge.

hudson shores is a good store. Not a huge inventory of stuff in HO, but its ok. I love going up there and then listening to the couple argu and bicker. its hilarious.
 
oh yes bob and his wife they are a trip,(hudson shores) but he really knows his stuff like you said funny too
has MRPO ever compleated the layout in the front room? havent been there in years
 
Actually that's a great set to start on. Let your wife see you buy it too. :D
There's a reason for this. When you get hooked and start looking at higher end engines with DCC and sound, the engines alone will cost 200 bucks. But the wife will remember the whole set costing 70 and think you spent 20 bucks on the engine. :rolleyes: Also, always burn the receipts LOL.
 
Nothing wrong with starting with a train set. My wife got me a Bachmann set witha UP 4-8-4 Pacific about a year and half ago. Now, about $3,000 later, I have a layout. She created a monster. :) I still have some of the Bachmann EZ track incorporated in the layout and the 4-84 still pulls excursions trains so it wasn't a complete loss. If I had never gotten the train set, I probably would never had gotten started so it's all good.
 
ferroequine said:
oh yes bob and his wife they are a trip,(hudson shores) but he really knows his stuff like you said funny too
has MRPO ever compleated the layout in the front room? havent been there in years
Click to expand...

They have a nice little layout setup to the left when you walk in. Nothing big or out of this world. I like it. But they have sooooo much room for expansion back in that area. Plus all that room behind the scenes. I have always wondered what goes on behind those walls. I should take a trip up there today.
 
Maybe Bachmann has gotten better in the past few years. I have not gotten any of their low grade stuff in years. I may not be out of high school, but about 20 year old A.H.M style stuff is what I like. Anyway, a few layout building points

1. I would hate myself if I didn't suggest that you get a logging steamer. A shay or Heisler. You may like modern, but consider it. They are fun to play with, and a lot of old logging railways still have one of their old steamers laying around (usually as an entrance decoration though).

2. If you seriously want to build a layout, check into DCC (Digital command control). It is essentially computer control for the trains. You have a digital controler that is not much different than a regular power pack, but it allows you to control multiple trains at once without power blocks. Wireing is greatly simplified. Bachmann has a good low grade set out.

3. Use styrofoam (avaiable in 4x8 sheets at any good building supply store) to build the mountian sides and river banks. Also works well for bluffs. You can cut it with a steak knife, it sticks together with regular Elmers glue, doesn't break, and is just generally easy to work with. It works much better than plaster or some other products out there.

4. Use cork roadbeds. They keep the layout quite and also provide the track bank.

5. Contray to a previous post, I would use Atlas code 100 track. It is flexible and most engines and rolling stock work on it. Less stuff works on code 83, or not as well. At least that is my expirence. Either way, use the flexi track. You get any radius curves you want, and you can get it in three foot sections.

hope this helps
 
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