Buying for the future

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N

need2drag

Member
Ok, so I guess you could call me a newbie at all of this. I have had several basic trains sets in the past, and although they have been fun, like anyone else, I want more. I want to build a nice layout down the road when we actually buy a house, and I somewhat have an idea of what I want it to be. Of course, with time comes change, so by the time I actually start building the layout, some ideas I have might change. So as of right now, I haven't really decided on an era, or scenery. Right now my plan is to start buying the basic essentials for a layout. I do currently have some N scale stuff like a couple of basic locos, rolling stock, and EZ track. I have 2 DC power packs, but I doubt I will use those on the future layout.

Here is my basic plan as of right now. I plan on doing everything in N scale. I am going to run a shelf style layout that will run between several rooms. The shelves will be approximately 15 inches wide at it's widest points, and will run mostly 6-8 inches wide through most of the layout. I will designate one room for staging and basically the work room. I want to run 2 mainlines, and will more than likely have at least 2 yards incorporated into the layout for some switching. Granted they will be fairly small yards, only 4-5 tracks wide, but they will be fun for my son and I.

I know that when I do build my layout, I am going to run DCC, but being that i have never messed with DCC, I am gonna have to start doing some research on it, so that when it comes time, I will be familiar with it and be able to install and wire anything that is needed. I also know, that I am gonna use all flex track, and will have to get several turnouts of course. My plan is to save and buy track and turnouts until I feel that I have enough. Of course my personal opinion on this is that you can never have enough track and turnouts. My first question would be, what kind of track would be the best to buy? I.E. brand and code? I am not concerned with price, as I feel I need to get the best that I can, unless it is ridiculously priced. This also applies with the turnouts.

Right now I am in the beginning stages of planning the layout, but I also have 2-3 yrs before I can actually start building anything. So I figure this is a good time to at least start buying track so I have it when I am ready to start. I plan on doing lots of research in this time so I can get familiar with all aspects of DCC, as well as what era and location I am wanting to design my layout after. I would appreciate any help, as well as concerns and comments of my ideas as of right now. Like I said, I am in the beginning stages of planning, so I still have a long ways to go before I even need to start building anything, other than my stock pile of parts.
 
Please excuse me, but I didn't read all of your post...I am assuming I got the gist of your question...the one scale that seems to be booming is n-scale. In that respect, I would guess that it will see a lot of development capital thrown at it because the market is growing. Development necessarily means change. Unless you plan to use any "stockpiled" or pre-purchased stuff in the next five to seven years, I would wait and get what is available new when the time comes. Even in HO things change and move along. Five years is a long time in the hobby these days.

Good quality rolling stock, like boxcars, that can be had at solid discounts? Sure, by all means, sock 'em away. Structure kits that may become rare or impossible to buy? Yes, get 'em now. Engines? Possibly, the higher quality ones and brass might be bargains now compared to the future. But DCC systems and the low-market stuff that moves either towed or towing I would just wait and see what comes down the pike.

My two cents.

-Crandell
 
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Thanks that does help out some. I definitely am keeping an eye on locos and rolling stock, but my main concern is going to be track and a DCC system at first. Being that I already have a couple locos, and some rolling stock, that will get me started in that sense. Being that I am gonna need a lot of track I figure I should start buying that now, and as I can save some money, keep putting some towards track. My main questions is the track itself. What is a good brand/code to get? I seen on toytrainheaven.com that they had a 10pk of N scale Atlas code 55 flextrack for like $5. Would this be good track to get or is there something that would be better to go with?
 


Since you are going to be in N scale, I recommend you switch Unitrack from EZ track. This is what I have done so that I can enjoy setting up track plans right now and having fun until I get the permanent layout going. I also plan to use unitrack and its switches in that layout along with some Atlas Code 83 flex. I am not so worried about prototype scale track as I am more interested in reliability and smooth running. Unitrack is rock solid for that. Maybe if I were to start the layout right now, I would go with Atlas and Peco stuff right off the bat, I mean it is cheaper than Unitrack, but I am investing quite a bit of money in Unitrack to have fun now, so I plan to use it.

And Unitrack can look pretty good when weathered and ballasted.
 
That might be true. All I seen was the price and bundle of 10. It didn't say anything about per bundle or per section or anything.
 
Adding to Crandell's excellent advice, buying anything that's a commodity, like track, is a good idea, since inflation is really going to raise the price of those. Limited run rolling stock and building kits are reasonable purchases because they may not be available when you you are ready to build. N scale vehicles that you really want are also a good thing to sock away now. I think locomotives are not such a good idea. The first issue is the warranty, which will be long gone by the time you're ready to run them. The second issue is general quality. With every passing year, N scale locomotives have become better detailed and better running. It may cost you a few bucks more but I'd wait and get locomotives closer to when you have some track ready to run.

Purchasing any DCC equipment now would be a real mistake. Electronic equioment in general, and DCC equipment in particular, has bucked the trend toward higher prices and I expect that to continue. A couple of years from now, I'll bet you'll be able to pick up radio controlled throttles, controllers, boosters, and sound decoders for 10% to 20% less than what you'd pay today. I'd stay on the sidelines with DCC and watch what develops.
 
UP2CSX said:
Adding to Crandell's excellent advice, buying anything that's a commodity, like track, is a good idea, since inflation is really going to raise the price of those. Limited run rolling stock and building kits are reasonable purchases because they may not be available when you you are ready to build. N scale vehicles that you really want are also a good thing to sock away now. I think locomotives are not such a good idea. The first issue is the warranty, which will be long gone by the time you're ready to run them. The second issue is general quality. With every passing year, N scale locomotives have become better detailed and better running. It may cost you a few bucks more but I'd wait and get locomotives closer to when you have some track ready to run.

Purchasing any DCC equipment now would be a real mistake. Electronic equioment in general, and DCC equipment in particular, has bucked the trend toward higher prices and I expect that to continue. A couple of years from now, I'll bet you'll be able to pick up radio controlled throttles, controllers, boosters, and sound decoders for 10% to 20% less than what you'd pay today. I'd stay on the sidelines with DCC and watch what develops.
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Very good advice. Yeah my main concerns in purchasing right now is track. Of course like I said, I will keep an eye on other things just in case a good deal comes along. And like you said, I really don't plan on buying any locos or DCC equipment until I know I will be able to use them in a decent amount of time after purchase.
 
I know what you mean by wondering if track will be a problem for some as yet undefined and unimaginable reason. Without tracks we don't have a railroad. However, there will always be a market for track of all kinds because we, the hobbiest, use so much of it. Atlas must buy a freight car or two of the stuff every year. Micro Engineering sells about all they can make, and Walthers/Shinohara have a smoking market. Ten years from now, there will be improvements because the demand is there. Looks will be better, someone may invent a new spiffy type of flexible track, and Kato/Bachmann will possibly improve the offerings in their systems of trackage. In the latter case, Bachmann's EZ-Track has developed nicely with new broader curves.

If you are going to be using section snap track of the EZ-Track or Unitrak type, you could get some now. Tangents, for example, are costly units in their own rights, so get some if you can find a really good price. Turnouts? I don't like the EZ-Track turnouts...they cost a ton and are not great quality.

But my earlier point is that they may get markedly better. In have no knowledge of the Unitrak and don't know how evolutionary Kato has been over the past 10 years...not much I would say. They are unlikely to change any time soon.
 


I agree with the previous comments.

There are many things that you can purchase now for later use and there will always be a demand for most of those things should you change your mind. How often do you read about a modeler who has a stockpile of kits that have been out of prodution for 20 or 30 years? I know I have several kits that are no longer available from dealers.

Track is an excellent stockpile item, IF you can figure out WHICH track to buy! Since you want to use mostly flex track, whatever flex track you decide on will guide your choice of turnouts. You can make different brands work together if you're willing to work at it. (Kato/Bachmann mix - doable, but a PITA!)

Of greater concern is what CODE of track to stockpile. Less than 10 years ago, code 55 was considered "purist" track (my phrasing). Not many layouts were built with it and availability was sparse. And specialty track was build-your-own.

Now code 55 is commonplace. Almost every major manufacturer has a line, although compatability is still questionable. While code 55 is popular, keep in mind that there may be operational problems with older equipment. Older locos and rolling stock may have large wheel flanges that won't work on some code 55. Rolling stock isn't so much of a problem because replacement wheelsets are readily available but that does add to the cost of your rolling stock. Locos are more problematic. Replacement axles aren't readily available. You can grind down the flanges, but it's not as good as factory-suppled small flanges. As a general rule of thumb, if it has Rapido couplers, it most likely has large flanges. (I know! That's not 100% true. But it's a good rule of thumb guideline! If you see Rapido, you know to check the flanges.)

Look at what's available. Buy some. Play with it on your dining room table and see what appeals to you. You will probably want to stay with a major supplier like Atlas or Peco. They have lines in different code sizes and have a good selection. ME/Shinohara are high quality but have limited selection and often limited availability. With a little work, they can all be used together. Kato Unitrack is excellent and as bulletproof as Atlas but is more expensive, has limited selections and needs transitions to other brands of track.

I doubt that you will be hurt by any early purchases. Even if you change your mind, there is always a market for the things you no longer want or need. (Late last year, I put up a shelf near the ceiling of my train room for a big loop of G scale. I needed more track to complete it and bought bunches of it from sets. Too much, as it turned out. I recently auctioned off the extra and pretty much got back all the money I had originally spent on track!)

Currently, I have a huge stockpile of Atlas code 80 flex track in preparation for a new, larger layout. I've been collecting it for years at astoundingly cheap prices. As much as I like the new code 55, too much of my equipment is older, vintage stuff, especially the locomotives. I won't mind retro-fitting the locos for DCC, but I don't want to have to deal with the large flanges. Code 80 is a good compromise for me.

Hope these comments help you. As I said, buy some and play with it. You won't spend a lot of money and you'll know what direction to head in for the future. AND, you get to PLAY right now!!! LOL

Darrell, quiet...for now
 
Track is an excellent stockpile item, IF you can figure out WHICH track to buy! Since you want to use mostly flex track, whatever flex track you decide on will guide your choice of turnouts. You can make different brands work together if you're willing to work at it. (Kato/Bachmann mix - doable, but a PITA!)
Click to expand...
The plan is to use all flex track, and then decide on what brand, and style of turnouts to use.

Thanks again for all the comments. This has given me a lot of helpful advice. I know that I can be safe buying some stuff now, and collect things over time while in that time I can be deciding more of what I want the purpose of my layout to be.
 
Whether or not...

I'm surprised no one asked if you were handlaying. Here's my two cents: Been there, done that, don't regret it, won't do it again. Handlaying a turnout will cost about half of the cost to purchase, and it's not worth the trouble. Handlaying straight or curved track costs about the same per length.

My experience is in HO, your mileage will be worse in N (harder to get the turnouts working right).
 
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