New to hobby

[Thekingy]

I have some N,HO, and O scale trains from when I was a kid, I'm looking to start a small N scale layout with my son. Can I get some info on a nice start N scale locomotive and cars. What do I look for in a nice quality set? Weight of the cars/locomotive? Also what would be the best track for N scale and or the easiest to work with. Next what options do I have for transformers, I have an older Tech II transformer that has barely been used. Like I said I'm pretty much new to the hobby so other then the train and transformer what else would I need? I'm planning on a making the layout on roughly a 3' x 4' board what's the best material to use? I was thinking of 1/2" plywood. Thanks

 

[jdetray]

Welcome to the forum!

You'll get lots of opinions about the "best" track, rolling stock (cars), and engines. Everyone has his or her favorites. And "best" may not necessarily be the same as "easiest to work with."

In the "easiest to work with" category, many people will recommend Kato Unitrack. Unitrack is a type of sectional track, with straight, curved, and turnout pieces of various sizes the snap together easily and require little in the way of specialized tools or skills to assemble. You can buy Unitrack starter sets that include enough track to make a simple oval or an oval with a passing siding. You can later buy expansion sets to add more track features or even buy individual Unitrack pieces to expand your layout with your own ideas.

While Unitrack probably wins the "easiest to work with" category and is basically foolproof, some modelers feel it is not sufficiently realistic. So in that sense, Unitrack may not be the "best," although some wonderful model railroads have been made with Unitrack. But you begin to see how differences of opinion can enter the discussion. Unitrack is among the more expensive track systems as well.

Other manufacturers also make sectional track, and they all have their pros and cons. Beyond that, there is so-called flex track, where you purchase long pieces of track which you then cut and bend to form the track plan of your choice. Flex track is generally more realistic than sectional track. But where it might take you an afternoon to lay the track for a simple Unitrack layout, it might take a week to do the same thing with flex track, even assuming you had the necessary tools and knowledge. Whether a more realistic final result is more important than a quick and easy project is an individual decision.

All of this is a gross over-simplification of a hobby where you can spend a lifetime and still not know all there is to know.

I'm certainly not trying to sell you on Kato Unitrack. I don't use it myself. If getting trains running quickly and easily is one of your top requirements, it's probably a good choice. If maximum realism is a key requirement, there may be better choices. Kato also sells train sets and individual cars and engines, and they are considered to be of very good quality. However, with rare exceptions, any N-scale manufacturer's cars and engines will work with any manufacturer's N-scale track.

Here is the Kato web site: http://www.katousa.com/

I'm sure others will add their recommendations!

- Jeff

 

[Thekingy]

Thank you for your feedback I have been reading posts on here and I have been trying to figure out what type of layout I would like to do. A few other questions I have, which is a good DCC for starting out? At this point I'll be running only 1 train, if I get a single stage DCC would I be Able to run 2 engines back to back with it? Also I am planning on using a piece of 1/2" plywood for the layout, I have seen some people put down styrofoam over top of the plywood. What are the advantages of this other then cutting down on the noise or vibrations? Thanks

 

[Royalhaw]

How do I start

As everyone else has had, you have many questions as you are starting out in the model train hobby. As was mentioned you will get many opinions as to what way to start. I like the answer that "best" may not be the way to go. The word is "prototypical". Many modelers want the layout to look as close to rear as possible and then your equipment and setup will be very complex. To be the easiest layout you may loose a lot of realism. But, it is your choice. I find that a halfway in between road is the "most comfortable". I use Kato turnouts because they have remote motors hidden underneath the trunout and they operate easily. But they have a fake balast under the track and it does not look as real as could be. There is a post in this forum though that shows how to balast Kato track to make it look more real. Then I use flex track for the rest of the layout because it adjusts to different curve radii. The base layout board is good at 1/2" but next you should use some bracing underneath to rase the board so that wiring can be down under the layout. It would be good, as you start out, to go to the Woodland Scenics (WS) web site. It is great and it has many videos. It is "woodlandscenics.com". One new construction techinque in WS is the WS Sub-terrain System. I would look into this construction technique because I have found it more forgiving than the streight foam board system and a lot easier. You can get books a plenty and all have their advantages but again I like any WS info. As to power. DCC is the new way to go because it is the remote controlled way. Here again you can get many brands. Since you want a small layout you can use many brands. I chose the EZ Command Dynamis system because it was "unattached" to a plugin. Also it has many functions and a nice screen with a lot of info and you can use many trains at the same time. The NCE Pro Cab starter system is good also. Again many people will recommend either one. Digitrax Zephyr system is also a good starter system. We could spend days, no months, discussing which way to go, bur again you need to research the things you like. My layout is 3x6 and I have a lot of fun with it. I have a passenger depot, freight depot, lake, campground, baseball park, hills, waterfall, and river. It has changed design over 10 times since I did the intial plans. I found that reserch the item I would like to buy in books and on this forum then check out eBay for availability there. A very good on-line source is Model Train Stuff at "modeltrainstuff.com". I obtain many of my items there since there are no very good model train shops in my area (50 mile radius). If you have a good shop around that is great because you can actually touch and feel the items you are looking for but some shops have poor clerks so just ask and listen they research. This forum is great to ask questions and get answers, sometimes too many answers. My basic suggestions is to just go and have fun creating and enjoy. Hope this has helped.

 

[psychobeagle12]

Styrofoam also lets you carve scenery into it very easily. This is the purpose you most often see it used for on here IMO. It is also easy to create multi-level effects with styrofoam. I didn't use it on my small layout but looking back I wish that I had. I wanted to have a section where the roadway crossed under the tracks but could not add it because I started laying roadbed right on the plywood base. I will def. use the foam in the future!!!

 

[Thekingy]

Thank you for your feedback, as u all have said I will get many different answers and opinions. I will be checking out the websites noted above and I will keep reading and researching, as their are many options out there. Being that the trains I have from many years ago are not DCC ready, will they be harmed if I use them with a DCC? Also I will most likely be building a train table rather then it being a table top layout.

 

[Royalhaw]

DCC and DC

I have the same issue you have. I have a few old engins that are DC and really not good enough to add a decoder to the engine to make them DCC. I also have two DCC engines. I really like the DCC engines because they are newer and run better. What do I do about two powers? Well, I set up the system with two transformers. One is the Dynamis DCC system and the other is an old DC system. I set both up on a panel on the front of the layout and placed a single pole single throw toggle between the two. If I want to run DC then I flip the switch to the DC side. If I want to run DCC then I reverse the toggle and the DCC system takes over. The trains really are not compatable with either system. DCC needs DCC and DC needs DC. I did set up some sidings that are powered only DCC or DC thus I can run the DC engins onto the DC sideing and the DCCs onto the DCC sideing. The sidings are insulated from the main line so the power sources do not mix. Works fine. Eventually I will have all DCC but the cost of the new engine and then the decorder is a problem with my authorized budget so the full change over will take awhile. If you want more info I can provide the wiring diagram. Good Luck....Harlan

 

[railfan]

Question: Do I have to use thermite welding to connect flex track...or.................................................................ok sorry...I was just kidding .

I too am just studying up on all the different brands of N scale trains, accessories, etc., etc., and layout building techniques. This thread has already given me some good ideas...(like laying the base track on top of foam so underpasses can later be added).

Thanks and keep the great info coming!

 

[TrinityJayOne]

My $0.02 to add here is to avoid running directly on the wooden base. I never understood why dad put cork under the tracks when I was a kid, but now I do. I recently got back into MRRing myself and have a temporary loop layout set on about 3'x6' of 12mm ply. Without any insulation there's a fair amount of road noise, a bit too much for my liking. The click-clack of wheels going over joins in sectional areas is nice though!