New boy from Iowa


Aster1

Aster1

New Member
Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum and would like to introduce myself. I'm in Des Moines, IA and have the itch to get back into Model Railroading. I've been over occupied with my business for the last 7 years and need the relaxation that comes from building and working a good layout. It looks like much has changed since I last was reading Model Railroader mag. Most of the mail order suppliers that were the "big guns" are gone and the prices are sky high now. :eek: I thought my Harley stuff was expensive! :D

I'm looking to start fresh and design and build a new N gauge layout and need some pointers to get started. The winter is shaping up to be a real drag here in DM so I'm looking to keep warm and dig right in.

Hope to find my way around the forum and get some tips from you all that are up to speed with things since "the dark ages" I am coming out of.

In the nice weather I tend to ride or tour with the Harley, so "Time's a Wast'n" for me to get started here. I have the next four great months to enjoy with my old beloved pastime and then putter more when it's crappy riding weather.

Thanks in advance!

Sincerely,

Aster Boyton
Des Moines, Iowa
 
Welcome aboard, Aster. Nothing like reading MR to give you the itch. :) The first thing you should do is got the www.nmra.com and read through the beginner's guide. It will answer a lot of basic questions and help you decide which scale is right for you. Once you read through the guide, come back and ask any questions that come to you. Building a layout isn't hard but ti does require thought and planning. You canbuild ne pretty fast and repent at your leisure. We've all done, so I hope we can spare you the expense and frustration of tearing up a bad layout and building a better one.
 
Thanks for the welcome Jim,

I have many pieces of locomotives and rolling stock in N Gauge and will be modeling in that format again. I have a post with some questions on any good software for layout design and also on the track/turnout brand to use e.g. Atlas or Peco.

This layout, now that it isn't so new, I will want to consider DCC instead of block wiring. May still do block as I don't mind the extra work, I enjoy building prob. a bit more than actually running the trains. It is relaxing to be modeling I guess.

Thanks again for your welcome and reply!

Aster
 
Hi Aster & welcome to a great forum,

We'll all offer as much help as we can and there are many Old Timers on here with lots of expoerience such as myself. I also a Pro Photographer and have taken a number of shots of my HO layout as the the construction evolves which are posted under my user name. These include table construction, road bed work and track laying. As my below info says, most all my track is hand laid on wood ties and I build my own switches to fit the situation at hand. So I pretty familiar with the various things that can come up.

I'm still using the old block system as I really can't see the need or reason to change to DCC as I'm only going to be running train at a time so where's the need or use? The only
time I can determine where DCC is really needed is when you might want to have multiple operators running trains at the same time and your layout is big enough. I look at it this way a real engineer is only operating one locomotive at a time and DCC can get to be expensive if you have to replace many decoders. Also some clubs won't even touch the stuff as there can be a lot of problems I've heard.

Rex Hea has a hugh layout and went to DCC and has a few individuals over to operate at once and I'll have to admit that does sound like fun but it expensive.

There are other N scallers on here so you may want to talk with them too and get their inpout.


I might mention that an interesting way to create a layout that has some grades to it if your going to build your from OSB Chip board is to use the cookie cutter method so that everything is laid out on a flat surface but then sections are cut so as to allow them to be raised up on risers so not everything is on one level but there again it's up to you what you want to do?

HTH, David
 
Thank you David,

If I had the room, and didn't have what amounts to a small fortune now in loco's and rolling stock, I'd really like HO. Maybe someday I'll have both after I get into my "dream garage". Motorcycles & Model Railroads would fill it.

I did my last layout in a cookie cutter and may do that again, or try a new method to me.

I don't believe I'll be running more than one train at a time or maybe a single train on the main line and someone working the switch yard. Going to stay with block method I believe I've decided on.

Thanks again and will look forward to viewing your work and any input you have to offer. I'm a quick learn and know several things I didn't like about my old layout and will attempt to avoid.

Sincerely,

Aster
 
Good to see a fellow Iowan on the board! I have been working off and on some smaller N scale layouts for the last couple of years. The last six months I have been trying to buckle down and finally come up with a trackplan and a railroad that can grow.

I am leaning towards a shelf type but my debate has been keeping it in N scale or moving on to HO. I found that while you can cram alot more train into a layout in N scale working on some of the scenery and train details can be hard with the smaller stuff. There is also a lot more HO stuff out there as well.

I am right now leaning more toward the N side and but HO is still a possibility. Depending on what you want for a layout the scale can really make a difference.
 
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