Thinking about getting serious W/ model RR


Western Star said:
It looks like everyone else has been adressing how to build and how to control it but not this more important question that you asked.

My problem is that I never decided what to model and tried to model everything that I liked. Not a good plan. Deciding what to model is an excercise in trade-offs. One has to look at all the options and then just let some of the less important ones go because obviously you can't model everything.

So for starters - Do you have a preference on locomotives, steam, diesel, electric? That will help narrow down time and location. Steam obviously means older time wise, unless you want to model a tourist line (most boring) or are satisfied with only 1 or 2 used on excursion trains (also not much fun).
Electric locos were generall used in Chicago area, the northeast, and northwest of the US (obviously there are small exceptions).

Is the interest more in running and operating trains or scenery and watching the trains run through it?

Is there a specific railroad or paint scheme that catches ones fancy?

Is there a certain type of scenery that you want to capture - mountains, hills, plains, swamp, citys, small town, a certain industry that could be the foundation for making a model railroad plan?

Do you want passenger trains that are not Amtrak? That would dictate a time period before 1971. Do you like the old Pullman green w/black roof heavyweights. That would move one further back in time.

I knew a person who built a whole layout around a model of a 1953 Corvette. He wanted it to be new, to be with the top down, in a wide open space, racing the trains, wanted the trains to contrast with the car. He started putting those things together and the plan emerged.

I would recommend making a list with a note on each that indicates how that thing would limit "what to model". With a big list a natural synthesis might occur.

My problem is that everytime I see a cool picture I want to model it. Or when I read another train book I find somehthing in it that I want to model.
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I have no big plans on what to model, I would prefer my area but I haven't seen any Guilford Rail or PanAM loco's in N scale! I think I'm gonna basically do a freelance around the transition era so I can run both diesel and steam (I prefer steam passenger to diesel). I don't really want mountains but would like multi level.

I figure I'll be running 2 trains at once at the most, and I've narrowed my DCC options to a beginner setup from either Digitrax or NCE (leaning towards NCE). I still haven't finalized a track plan, I found one I like using Atlas track, I just have to figure out how to convert to Kato I guess. One goal is to have the ability to run a long freight around the layout along with a steam passenger train (I do like the pullmans), maybe even have the steam engine do some freight work on occasion, but also have a bit of switching available, the plan I found has this, just need to figure out the Kato track I need, I'm not at all concerned with excessive realism as far as operations or era yet.

Thanks everyone for your input!!
 
rustoleum said:
Atlas makes Pan Am and Gilford rail locos in N scale.
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Do you know who sells them, Atlas' website layout is horrible for finding anything, I looked at a couple online vendors (modem train stuff for one) I've found HO and Z but no N.

[edit] Well after hunting around walthers and such I ended up buying 2 Atlas DCC ready Guilford Rail GE U23B's (#'s 281 & 288), both brand new for $79 each, my first actual purchase for the new layout, now I just need a base, some track, and a DCC setup :)

Guilford280.png
 
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Davejb said:
[edit] Well after hunting around walthers and such I ended up buying 2 Atlas DCC ready Guilford Rail GE U23B's (#'s 281 & 288), both brand new for $79 each, my first actual purchase for the new layout, now I just need a base, some track, and a DCC setup :)
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That's all? Heck, you're about 1% done then. :) Nice looking engines and Atlas makes some reliable, good running engines in N scale.
 
UP2CSX said:
That's all? Heck, you're about 1% done then. :) Nice looking engines and Atlas makes some reliable, good running engines in N scale.
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LOL, yeah. Baby steps, buying as the budget allows. Next will be a couple of Kato track bundles, then the DCC I think. Cheapest parts gonna be the hollow core door I think!
 
So in doing some research on a decoder with sound for this model it seems the only one available is from MRC, and from what I've read about those they're not recommended, anyone use them?
 
LocSound Micro #72847 has the U23 sounds and may fit in your engines. I'd buy anything but MRC. Give Tony's Train Exchange a call at 800-978-3472 and talk it over with them. They'll give you the straight dope on what's available and what works.
 
Davejb said:
So in doing some research on a decoder with sound for this model it seems the only one available is from MRC, and from what I've read about those they're not recommended, anyone use them?
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I see you learned your first MRR curse words. "MRC Decoder" :D
 
UP2CSX said:
LocSound Micro #72847 has the U23 sounds and may fit in your engines. I'd buy anything but MRC. Give Tony's Train Exchange a call at 800-978-3472 and talk it over with them. They'll give you the straight dope on what's available and what works.
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Thanks Jim, I posted on their forum as I won't have time to call for a few days.
 
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