Hi beginner

[Marlin39]

Any ideas of how I can make my dream come alive

This ain't a poor mans hobby. Start small, learn from your mistakes, and then change things up.

Less is more.....fewer turnouts and less cramped track equals fewer operational problems.

 

[Frenchie]

Yes, a step at a time, it took me 13 years to virtually complete my layout.
It's such a reward to see your creation slowly taking shape before your eyes.
The drawback is that I wasn't sure to live long enough to see it completed. But sincerely, so what...
It's a hobby that helps to stay in shape, brain included.

 

[Smudge617]

Well, if married, you could get divorced, keep in mind you'll want the house, and probably the dog or cat, also, any jewellery. Also, possibly rob a bank or win the lottery are a few options that come to mind.

But seriously, you've decided on the era and location you want to model, which is always a great start. You say you're moving into a two-storey house. Have you decided which part will be your Train Room, or is it planned to run through the whole house ?

What track are you thinking of using, Atlas, Bachmann, Kato ? Or are you thinking of a more traditional system (to us in the UK anyway) like Peco (which I can recommend if you decide to go that route). All the above have their pros and cons.
Just a note: it doesn't matter if it says HO or OO gauge/scale, the track is 16.5mm wide. Both OO scale locomotives and HO run on the same width track.

Plan your layout, something like Scarm or AnyRail, where you can design your track layout, (there is a free version of both, but you're only allowed so many sections of track, then you'll need a license). Check it out anyway, both will give you a list of track parts, (doesn't matter which track you decide on, it has a library of nearly all types of track,) so you'll only need to purchase/find what you need.

Are you intending to run DC or DCC ? DCC is more expensive as you'll need a DCC Base controller, and DCC decoders have to be fitted to your locos.
With DC, it's a lot simpler, but you can only run one or two locomotives at a time, DCC will enable you to run multiple units ie. a consist where it's not really possible on DC.

Hope this helps.

 

[freescopesdad]

Good luck Wrex but I'll believe it when I see a little more detail. So far all we know is that you are going to build an HO layout all throughout a two story house, yet to be built, through the walls and floors, like my circulatory system, but you haven't any idea what the track plan will look like... and you want our input? Does that about sum things up?

 

[RhB Michael]

Yep, I've heard this story more than once. There's another member that checks in every now and then and tells us his big plans. He's been doing it now for five years and hasn't yet picked up a hammer or a saw let alone laid one piece of track in those five years.