Hey Everyone!


C

collins120607

New Member
Hey everyone,

I'm Andy from Milwaukee and am starting my first layout. My wife and I are in the process of looking for a new home, so I'm hesitant to start a new layout only to have to take it down and rebuild it in our new home. But, I have started planning some track layouts based on a basic 8x4 board.

I'm planning on a current day theme in small-town Wisconsin, so CN will be the major carrier on my layout. I have some rolling stock and a couple of locomotives from when I was younger, but I have not worked on any model railroading in about 10 years.

So to kill time before the move, I'm working on some Walthers Cornerstone building kits. I currently am finishing up the Water Street Freight Terminal and Terry's Flower Shop.

These are my first two kits I've ever built, as my dad usually made me purchase ready to run buildings when I was younger. Needless to say, I'm running into the usual frustrations of first time kit building. I'm not much of a painter right now, but I'm doing pretty well (in my estimation) on building the kits.

So overtime I hope to share my progress and experiences on this site and am honestly looking for just about any advice I can get haha.

Looking through the forums, there are some great layouts out there and the people here do some great work. I look forward to interacting with everyone and thanks to the admins for running this site.

Happy Railroading!

Andy
 
Welcome to the forums Andy, glad to have you onboard.

The bright side is you have plenty of time for research and planning.

Thanks for sharing your hobby with us, don't be a stranger!
 
Hi Andy - Welcome to the forums here, I'm sure you'll find it a very enjoyable experience.
We all started somewhere in the modeling process so don't feel like the lone stranger. We all learn as we go along.

Most all of us are more than willing to give you advise in the various areas we are knowledgeable in so feel free to ask whatever questions you may have. Like I mentioned to another fellow, your questions, whatever they may be might well also help someone else as they will cause us old timers to give thought to various things involved in your situation.

One thing to double check ahead of time if build kits, plastic or wood is do the pieces fit flush together as they are supposed to or is there flash or burs that need to be sanded/filed off first so they will fit properly.

Also as you do a bit more building of kits you may want to try your hand at scratch building one or another type of structure and that can be a very good learning project too.

Talk with you more,

David S.
 
I like the Walthers Corner Stone Series most of my buildings are Walthers Corner Stone, I do have one Pikestuff and some other odd ball small time buildings, but all my major buildings are Walthers Corner Stone, I'm pretty much in the same boat you are in, just build them and store them. Walthers Corner Stone though are good kits, they go together without a ton of trouble, and there's a lot of them out there. I like them. I've built 4 of there buildings already. Have one more to build a small industry office which will serve as an office to one of my railroads yards.
 
Welcome to the forum Andy! I too am new to the forum and also have begun building my first layout. This forum and its members should be a great resource for us. I wish you good luck and all the best.

Carl
 
Thanks for the tips and support everyone. I've been on this site for only a handful of days so far and I've already learned a lot. I'm excited to finally get my layout going.
 
G'day Andy....Fantastic to have another new member and new modeller ...If you're doing Walthers Cornerstone buildings , sounds like HO is your plan...Great choice on Cornerstone...can't go wrong there..Great detail...very good range and quality fit as good as any..I'll give you a tip ..if you can buy Merchants Row kits if a town is in your plans ..there is Merchants Row , one , two and three...at least..and for an American Main Street scene they are a great start,,,All three of mine were about $35 each..That's Australian dollars of course ...I imagine these kits would be even better priced in the US.. The other suggestion...THINK ABOUT Going The DCC OPTION with any new locomotives...All you'll need is DCC Ready at least...It'll save you lots of time later on...Cheers Rod
 
What is DCC? I know it's the controlling option for the trains. I have some newer locomotives that are DCC and some older ones that are not DCC.
 
DCC is basically a control system that allows you to run more than one train at a time completely independent of each other. While DC will allow you to run two trains at a time, you cannot operate them individually. In other words what ever direction speed etc you set for one, will also apply to the other. DCC allows you to "program" both trains so you can run them in different directions and different speeds.

That is a very basic difference, others here can give you a more "technical" difference. I think the majority of people (now a days) run DCC for its options and flexibility.

By the way, welcome to the Forums! :)
 
That's cool I'll probably start buying all my new locomotives as DCC and use the non DCC ones has helpers stuff like that.
 
Well, before you run out and spend ooddles of dollars on DCC equipped trains, you can by DCC Ready engines as well. They give you the option of what decoder you put in (the thing that controls the train). Decoders are fairly cheap and there are various different types/makes. On the other hand, buying engines that are already equipped sure does make it easier :)

You can also convert your non DCC trains to DCC by putting in a DCC Decoder etc, but I'll leave that to the experts.
 
Just a tip here.
You should not run non-DCC locos on a DCC track.
Not good for the motor.
You can usually install a decoder in a non-DCC loco fairly easy, sometimes. :D

Before buying locos you may want to ask about what manufacture first.
There are some you may want to stay away from.

You may also ask a few questions about DCC and DCC systems manufactures.
Some are a little easier to setup and use.

And, welcome to the forum, happy to have you as a member.
Ask lots of questions, people here like to help as much as they can. All good information.

Another tip:
You may not want to get too deep into designing a layout yet.
If you are sure you want a 4x8 that is fine.
However you may fine a new home that will afford you more space.
Just a little something to think about.

As a rather new guy to the hobby myself, ask, ask, then ask some more.
There are quite a few thinks to think of before you actually start building.

As said before, ask, ask then ask some more.
 
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This is for Collins/Andy, Mike J, & Carl,
While I'm sure building the various kits are very enjoyable you might want to also consider the fact that in designing your new layout you may find that these buildings may be hard to fit in so they look like they belong in the location they get placed. Of course you can always ad on an addition to one end or the other or even possibly a middle peninsula. Buildings can be hard to place unless you design and build the layout around them especially if the layout is smaller in size although I'm not saying you have to have a large layout so you can fit things better but the added Real Estate doesn't hurt but doesn't always allow for things to be fit in due to hillsides etc., so things look natural and like they belong.

Don't get me wrong though, we as modelers always have what known as modelers license to do whatever it takes to try and fit things in due to the lack of available Real Estate but I just wanted to bring up the point so you won't get yourself into a awkward situation. It's often better to find buildings that fit into your track plan unless you design your plan around the buildings and have the space to route your tracks accordingly.

Now this brings up another point. most track plans show straight switches/turnouts as they are most generally used, 'but' don't forget that a curved turnout or two will often allow you to fit things a lot easier by opening up the length of track or utilizing a curve to allow a branchline or passing siding to be put in where it wouldn't be very easy at all if possible to use a straight turnout.

Just food for thought as that why the real railroads are able to often fit things in because they are able to construct their trackage to fit the situation at hand in most cases so the use of curved switches can really be of benefit at times, indeed necessary too.
 
G'day Andy and Mike......RE DCC .....There is DCC on Board...either with basic functions or with sound as well. that allow you DCC functionality right out of the box.Then there's DCC Ready... DCC ready is basically a DC enabled loco but with a blanked out DCC module that only requires you to pull out the blanking plate..ie Athearn Plug and Play versions..as an example...and replace it with a decoder...Most Athearn DCC ready locos are 8 pin connection decoders...some others are 6 pin.. Also is Dual Mode...which allows operation on both DC and DCC systems...One big advantage about DCC ready locos is that you can choose a particular decoder..not the one either hardwired or that comes with the DCC on Board locos..and they're quite a bit cheaper too and they'll run via a basic DC controller..while still 'blanked'...Then there's a wide range of DCC systems that allows tons of choices ...ammost too many choices if the truth be done...Have a good look around first...and the Forum is a great start....Cheers Rod..
 
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