New N Scaler/New Member


M

majordad

New Member
I would like to introduce myself to the group. I live in a small town in south central Indiana. One of the greatest basketball players of all times is from this little town. He played for the Celtics. I am brand new to N Scale and have built my bench work in the shape of a backwards L. I worked for a pipeline(electronic tech) for 27 years and retired back in 08. I also retired from the Indiana Army National Guard (check user name) in 1995. I like to fish, play golf, and I am enjoying my first experience with N Scale. I am married (47 years this August) and have 3 children and 1 granddaughter. I teach an Adult SS Class and my wife and I are active in our church.

I own some American Flyer stuff but, it takes up so much room. I bought the N Scale stuff about 10 years ago. It has been in boxes ever since. Some of it is brand new in the box. I wasn't sure that N Scale and my 67 years old eyes would get along but, so far, so good. I have done several Rapido to MTL coupler conversions. One on a diesel and I am converting 3 passenger cars at this time. While I own some American Flyer stuff, I have really never had a finished layout. I started several times over the years but I was still working and it seemed that there were too many distractions and all too soon, weeks and months would pass without any activity on the layout. I hope now that I am retired I will be able to work on the layout on an ongoing basis. I must admit, I am slow but, I am enjoying the challenge. I don't make any claims of knowing what I am doing...because I don't. But, looking at some of the modeling others have done, encourages me to give it a go. I like to scratch build (done a little with the flyers) and am mostly interested in a nice train yard and another area with industrial switching, etc. I have a difficult time transferring what I see in my "mind's eye" to the layout. It seems the layout wants to grow too fast.
 
Welcome to the best forum on the internet. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. There are decades of experience Herr from our members.
 
Bob, I am wanting to model an engine terminal/yard. I have been surfing the net looking for information that will give me the components of an engine terminal.
Reference has been made to powersteamguy and that he might have the necessary information or knows where to find it. Are you the powersteamguy they are talking about?
 
One thing you might do is to get on Google Earth and look around the part of the country you are interested in and find and yard/engine facilities in that area.
 
Majordad, welcome to the forum and we look forward to watching your layout materialize.

Some people use pencil and paper to draw out some prelim plans and others go to the computer assisted programs. Whatever method you are comfortable with.
 
majordad said:
I have a difficult time transferring what I see in my "mind's eye" to the layout. It seems the layout wants to grow too fast.
Click to expand...
There is a great comic in one of the HO Atlas track planning books concerning that. The person is standing there with an idea bubble over his head with some fantastic track work in it, mean while he is looking at the fairly lame track laid out on his board. He says, "Not, quite what I had in mind."

This is a reminder of another less than 1/2 finished project I have. I did a clinic for the Youth In Model Railroading group for developing a believable layout. I made worksheets and checklists and doodle pages for them to use. After the clinic I was told I should put it in a book and have been "working" on that for over 10 years now. Sigh. too many projects too little time. For that matter I don't even know where the draft is. double sigh.
 
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Majordad:

Before I retired to Florida in 1994 and Texas in 2009, I lived in Boston since 1960. I had season tickets to Celtic games for over 30 years. I watched Larry Bird play in most of the Celtic home games with his debut as a Celtic in 1984.
 
Welcome aboard major pop....

My first train was Lionel. Later on I went with HO (half of nothing I call it, guess what I call 'O'?
I even had some American Flyer in y teens.

Due to space and dreams of something more than a simple oval, I went N (nice/normal). I am pushing 70 and one has to learn tips/tricks to work with anything smaller that Std 4' 8.5" or 1:1. (even did that for a short time as a switchman, NYC) before I went Navy. I am very happy with Nscale, have been for a few decades. A couple years ago I decided to try DCC just for a few locos..........OOPS I have converted of 100 locos, mostly diesel but also steam to DCC (a few with sound).

I have N scale going back into the 80s. The overall quality today is far far far betterthese days , especially Kato. I have 2 recent Bachmann locos with SOUND that will knock your socks off. The DD40 (double diesel, I call it the Big Boy of diesels) and a Piere Marquette steamer. THe sounds are fantastic and I can hear them w/o my aids. The DD40 or double diesel; when you apply power to the track, DC or DCC it goes thru a 1 diesel then 2 diesel start sequence.

I must WARN you, if you even try DCC its very ADDICTIVE!

Again WELCOME ABOARD!
 
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