Novice Questions on Upgrading and Layout

[73mph]

Well, I've been reading over several threads and searching the forums/internet for answers, but I'm not sure, if I'm looking at the right things.

Background - Wife bought two train sets last year. Both sets were Lionel. A "North Pole Central Christmas Train" and a "Santa Fe El Capitan".

I don't have a permanent layout. I've been taken things slow, in trying to do things right the first time, or at least try to. (credit to Space Mouse's write up )

Nevertheless, I'd like to put both trains around the tree this year. However, I'd like to do some upgrading to both sets.

North Pole Central Christmas: like to upgrade the sound. Currently, the tender only does a whistle. I saw in the Lionel catalog a "Steam Sound Commander 2" from ElectricRR.

- I'm assuming this would work to upgrade the sound?
- If so, are there other manufactures to look at and compare?
- Are there any special considerations in buying something like this?

Santa Fe El Capitan: like to upgrade the lighting to something that's constant (bright all the time). Appreciate UP2CSX for recommending the Ram Track kit http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/rmt/rmt131.htm. Are there any others to consider or other options?

Going back to the audio. I'm assuming there's nothing to upgrade here with Trainsounds already equip'd? Maybe a better speaker?

Lastly, I'd like to upgrade from a typical set transformer. Not crazy about doing the different shifts to get the train to go in reverse, neutral, and forward. Like to have something with a bit more control. Of course, I've seen all the DCC and DCS talk, but not sure, where to begin with that.

My ideal plans... is to get both trains in a real nice layout, around the christmas tree, along with all the carnival villages (have about a 12 x 12 area to work with).

"perfect world plans"... if possible setup a layout that's automated, so the trains can cross paths without a collision. Or, something other than the two ovals (inner and outer) around the tree.

Last year, never owning a train set before, I basically took some plywood, put some green turf on it, placed the tree in the middle, added some fake snow, and did a basic oval around the tree.

Anything new I could try this year? Since I'm doing a larger layout, doubt I'll have enough plywood to keep everything on top of. Really don't want things running on top of just white cotton fake snow stuff with only carpet underneath.

Long term, I'd like to move my Santa Fe to a more permanent layout, and hopefully add a Union Pacific (SD70ACe), I saw.

Well... thanks for looking through my long post and my numerous questions. Really appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

[UP2CSX]

The Sound Commander is a really nice unit and cheap at the price. It will work even if you go with DCC but also works with conventional DC. I don't think there's anything else on the market that matches it for price and features. The hookup is reasonably easy, just three wires if I remember right.

There are other lighting kits but the Ram kit is the only one that runs off batteries that are recharged from track power. No flickering over track joints and really easy to install since you already have the lighted cars. Maybe some other guys will have other options but the Ram is the best one I've seen.

Check the Christmas Gift Wish thread for a better choice in transformers. The one I linked to in that thread can control two trains independently and gives much smoother power transitions than the train set transformers.

As far as the Christmas tree layout, it's now December 5. However long you think it will take you to build a better layout, double it and multiply by another half again. You will be spending Christmas eve trying to figure out why your new track plan isn't working when you and the family would rather just have trains running. Go with the two independent loops for this year and we'll talk about other options after Christmas. Do the same thing as last year, just get some green grass mat and add the village. You can use some sheet styrene to make roads. Get those cheapie for sale signs at Walmart, paint them gray, and then cut them up for roads. Rather than cotton for snow, check Out Woodland Scenics Soft Flake Snow. Looks good, easy to use, and easy to clean up after Christmas and reuse next year. I have a link to it in another thread here so just do a search to find it or use Google. Hobbylinc.com has the best price for it I've seen.

If you just add the sound and spruce up the village with some roads and better looking snow, the family will be thrilled and you'll have saved yourself a lot of misery. 19 days before Christmas is not the time to be planning anything more complicated in terms of a layout.

 

[73mph]

Very true. I'll keep it simple. I placed my order for the sound commander.

I also was about to order off HobbyLinc, but wanted to check something first.

I plan to order the light kit, but are the car kits the only ones that are worth upgrading? For example, you have the headlight up front or some cars come with spot lights.

Thanks again.

 

[UP2CSX]

73, I'm a little unclear on your question. You can upgrade the headlight to constant intensity as well with kits from other sources at Hobbylinc. By spot light, do you mean one of those Lionel flat cars with the big spot light on it? If so, it's interesting as a toy but there's no real prototype like it. I imagine you could also upgrade it to constant lightingas well but I don't think it would be worth the effort.

 

[73mph]

I'm not crazy about the spot light car, I hardly use it anyways. My curoisty was the headlights. I did see the kits. I was just curious, if they were worth the upgrade.

 

[UP2CSX]

I like constant headlights because it look more like a real train. It's also fun at night because, no matter how slow the train is going, the headlight still lights up the track ahead. I would do the upgrade for the headlight as long as it didn't involve a lot of time and cost.