These engines don't fall from the sky.


W

Wookster

New Member
IMAG0431.jpgIMAG0430.jpgIMAG0436.jpgIMAG0437.jpgHi,
I'm a 32 year old father of a train loving toddler. SHE talked grandpa and I into reviving a switching table we had built a couple years ago. I've been flying model aircraft for the past several years. I am finding that the railroad hobby is surprisingly affordable and the durability seems to be far superior to something that can turn into a pile of splinters when the battery gets low. I am getting the bug now. I've been working on this table for a couple hours every night and have decided to essentially start over and try again. The forum has a lot of good info and I will be using it to my advantage. Here are a couple pics of my work in progress.
 
Welcome back to the hobby! I left the hobby a few years back, due to lack of "wife approval", but lately decided to get back into it aswell! Great choice. Which line do you plan on modelling?
 
Thanks I had move to airplanes and after a couple four digit oopsies I started to back away from it. MY daughter is the main driver of my re-entry. She demanded I set this up. The first day it was in the basement I could only run back and forth for about 5 feet. That still warranted her shouting "Momma WOOK!!! We playing choo-choo's. As far as a line I haven't really decided. Thinking of doing late 60's Santa Fe. I really have no modeling experience. So I plan to glue down all the track but the sidings and leave them able to be repositioned as I aquire buildings to finish the modeling. The goal of the table it to create the most absolutely complicated layout possible. from a short service track on the right side that only allows the engine and one car to pass and service the sidings. To only a single point to go around cars up at the start on the main line. You have to sort up top making sure you have the correct cars on the correct side of the engine. then you have to travel down and deal with limited working space on the right side, then you travel across to the left side where if you didn't get everybody where they should be, you have to go all the way back to the main to fix it. The old layout took about 45 minutes to an hour to complete a session. this one has more sidings and more complicated moves. So I expect at least an hour. The switches are set up so you never have to reach over cars to throw. I may imbed a pushrod system in the foam too. It can also be worked from a seated position by two people. it has DCC with two controls. Two operators can dramatically shorten operation time, but it also requires a lot of communication and that leads to mistakes. The way this thing is set up, mistakes cost A LOT of time.

Not sure if I'm doing this right, or if it's what people want to see in a layout, but it's fun for me. Once I build the end pieces I can turn the trains around and have essentially two main lines with a continuously running train that the switcher has to avoid. it's going to be interesting.

One last sneaky bit. The four left side switches are set in an arc intentionally. I plan to run pushrods to four controls placed by the edge of the table. They will be color coded. They are there for my little girl to throw when I tell her to. That way she can play choo-choos too.
 
Fantastic Thread!

My little girls love the Christmas trains but now that they are adults and I finally have 1 permanent layout and another in progress. I wish I had done what you are doing when they were little. I hope to see a little bit of what I missed in your future posts.

Thank you for sharing your story with us!
 
"These engines don't fall from the sky." Trains won't fall from the sky, like his RC planes can sometimes fall/crash from the sky.
 
Don't feel bad Ken, we have all had our "Homer Simpson moments" I know I have had more then my share!
 
There is nothing like the feeling of meticulously modeling an aircraft. Building it up and installing all the systems. Going to the field, taking off, and watching 6 months and $1500 have a catastrophic failure and plant itself in the ground.

They ALWAYS hit engine first. The most expensive component.
 
I have a Traxxas RC car that runs on Nitro. It can get up to about 45mph and when that thing hits something, broken parts fly.
 
You guys are doing a great job of reassuring me that trains were the right choice for my hobby!
 
Bruette said:
Fantastic Thread!

My little girls love the Christmas trains but now that they are adults and I finally have 1 permanent layout and another in progress. I wish I had done what you are doing when they were little. I hope to see a little bit of what I missed in your future posts.

Thank you for sharing your story with us!
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Thanks, she's quite the little engineer. She is not happy I tore down the layout. I have been told every afternoon when I get home that I "Bwoke" the choo-choos and I need to go downstairs and fix them. Just a little more sanding and I will be laying track. Then I can take a little breather.


She's a mean little rail driver, View attachment 42000
 

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From the looks of her picture, you may be moving your model railroad from the basement and into the back yard soon and getting some bigger track, engines and freight cars. :rolleyes:
 
BobB said:
From the looks of her picture, you may be moving your model railroad from the basement and into the back yard soon and getting some bigger track, engines and freight cars. :rolleyes:
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Nahh, grandpa has her covered for her g scale fix. He has a narrow gauge g scale railroad taking up a third of his backyard.
 
Wookster said:
Nahh, grandpa has her covered for her g scale fix. He has a narrow gauge g scale railroad taking up a third of his backyard.
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Sounds great. You definitely do have it covered. And I know what you mean about trashing an RC plane. I have a couple of sailplane 'mishaps' sitting in boxes. Nothing in the 4-figure price range, just a lot of hours invested in the building of them. Model railroading keeps me "grounded".
 
When I saw the title I thought "Ello, another moan about the price of locos", but I'm glad to see it's a much more interesting thread than that, will be following this with great interest. And WOW!, is some future male MRR'er gonna be blessed.
 
D&J RailRoad said:
Ahhhhhh, got it. (slap own forehead)
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I was thinking the same thing until Louis cleared things up. And I even read all the way through this one :p

Good post. I have seen my share of model airplane catastrophes. My dad was into RC planes and got to the point where he was able to fly them pretty good. But he always let the trainer land his plane for him. After seeing a couple professionals destroy thousands of dollars worth of planes my dad gave it up without ever landing his own plane.

I am back in the hobby for my kid as well Wookster. So I will be watching with interest.
 
I am flattered by the interest. I took a half day off from work today and had at the layout a bit. As of last night I had finished sanding down all the spackle so the foam was a solid sheet even with the imbedded uncouplers. So I pinned down the track. I used T-pins to get everything into position. I also went to the local hobby store and measured some buildings for the future. I had a couple issues. I wanted the only go around point to be on the high level, but I ran into some issues with track lengths in the sidings. Long story short....I have two run around points and when I have the finances to complete the loop it will be possible to work the sidings as the main line train runs. I am going to post the days work. Sunday I am recruiting my father to help me glue down the track. All but the end sidings. If you see any issues I would love to hear what you think. I am new to the switching layout concept. So if you se an issue please let me know. SO every dead end siding will be tacked down but not glued until I have buildings. I am open to all ideas, pleas let me know what you think.


Time for the pics....

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G'day...Great thread....I have a good friend who also flies remote control planes , currently he has two Bixlers , a Pitt Special , a flying wing and a plane he built himself some years back..He's a good flyer ...and does club flying most Saturday mornings...He is also a brilliantly talented rail modeller and is building a non prototypical CN Coal layout..
He completely scratch built his Coal Plant ..washing /loading facility...just amazing....He has this great ability to enjoy equally both these great hobbies...Your layout looks like it's going to be a cracker as time goes on , and to be able to enjoy it with your precious little girl is fantastic...It's terrific to see not only boys interested in trains..THAT"S SO COOL....Best wishes....Cheers Rod...
 
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