so. how do I even get started?

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Hey latentrainfan, you might consider visiting the nearest train club and ask questions. I think you'll love getting into the hobby and visiting a club or 2 will give you an idea what to expect.
Good Luck
 
you know, I was thinking that very thing! It'll get me off the farm, which I need to do now and again, as well.

Wonder if Stratford has one.

or Kitchener/Waterloo.
 
jumping in late here but The barn sounds likeit has plenty of space for a layout in N, HO or even G scale. As mentioned the biggest issue is going to be dust and the temp changes. At my home layout in my finished bacement I notice that the track bends and binds slightly between winter and summer months when the temp changes. Also being near the furnace It tends to put more dust in the aera. I have to vaccume the layout about 2 times a year,not fun. LOL but I get buy with it. My belief is that The key to a good layout is all in the trackwork and track plan. Cars engines and buildings are the easy parts without good track work you will have endless pains.

Welcome to the site!!!!
 


Another thing to consider is finding the NMRA division group closest to your town, join up, and go on layout tours. You'll meet fellow modelers, maybe even get invited to participate in operating sessions.
 
Wonder if Stratford has one.
Click to expand...
Model Train Exhibit
Hear the whistle blowing....experience the charm of Waterloo County's rural past depicted in an HO scale model railway panorama. Also see a large display of railroad memorabilia and 'O' scale trains.

Cost: Admission by donation
Open: Year Round , Daily
Hours: 10 pm - 6 pm - Mon - Sat, 12 noon - 5:30 pm - Sun, winter hours may vary, closed Good Friday, December, 26 and January 1
Where: The Mill, St. Jacobs
4th Floor of The Mill, 1441 King Street, North, St. Jacobs, N0B 2N0
519-664-2293, ext 212


How about that for a start, should be someone there to tell you the best places to buy from, and explain while they run the trains :D

Cheers
Willis

Club at Waterloo On http://www.wrmrc.ca/
 
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CBCNSfan said:
LOL it's a hobby (enjoyable pass time) you're not supposed to rush, just leisure time :D

Cheers Willis
Click to expand...

Correct, Willis!
If we wanted to rush, there would be an electronic handheld version.

Oh, wait! What are those DCC throttle thingys?:rolleyes:
And I have two that I don't understand!
Mikey
 
You said you had an HO "set" in a box. These sets turn many people off to model railroading. They are usuall not the best quality. I suggest you start with a quality engine with a few cars & good track. Kato, Atlas, Athern Genesis, Spectrum make reliable engines. Jerry
 


just got back from St. Jacobs, where I drooled over the model train. Its totally charming. tiny, so, N (?) scale? smaller than HO. Yeah, it said on a sign as you entered the exhibit, but I was emgrossed by the whole thing, so I kinda didn't pay enough attention.

some nice artifacts were on display, spikes, old wheels, different bits of machinery and mechanics.

but oooooh, the layout! not huge, but 4 trains, two levels, and the scenery depicts the general area pretty well.

there is a waterfall. a trestle, some tunnels.

passenger train, steam train, couple others have no idea. There was no one in attendance, it seems to sort of run itself.

its behind a glass panel, you push a button and the trains run for 4 minute intervals. all of them at once.

There were some really nice little treasures in amongst the scenery, including a great blue heron on a small island in the river, a fisherman fly fishing. even a unicorn, which I thought was a cute touch.

lots of tiny detail.

That scale is a bit small for me if I have to work on it.

oh, and its on the 4th floor of the mill. theres a guest book to sign, and leave a comment. MOST of the comments were:

too many stairs.


I liked being on the 4th floor, you could look out on the street, and see all the town. Its decorated for Christmas (yeah, already) and Santa was out Ho Ho Ho-ing.

so it was train-related. :D :D

I'm hoping to get there again during the day, hopefully, there will be someone in attendance that I can talk to.

there was a lot of scratch-built stuff. (haha! I'm starting to use the terminology, snork. ) lovely copy of the mill the exhibit is housed in, with a little sign out front saying :
You are on the 4th floor of this building. :)
 
Yep I'd say you're hooked :D it sounds like there's some nice train shows in your area. Strange I never thought about it when we were in the area. That's in the early 90's, my brother in law had a trailer at a site in the Elora Gorge. Beautiful area.
One more thing before you buy track, get "nickle silver" track, no brass, and the two types shouldn't be mixed on the layout.

BTW a nice report on the display.

Cheers
Willis
 
Latenttrainfan- do you mind if we call you LTF?
Just a word of warning: when this thread reachs a 1000 posts, they will close it and start a new one like the ANPL Coffee shop.

Personally, I am enjoying all the questions and comments your thread have caused. I'm learning more about several people and their layouts as they offer advice and comments.

More people read this forum than we will ever guess. Some have joined and added their questions and comments. I think all regular readers of this forum learn something occassionally and it keeps them coming back. We see many different methods of accomplishing things as we model. Some things work better than others for different skill and expectation levels.
Please keep us going with this thread!
Mikey
 
LTF works for me. :)

I'm really enjoying this forum. lots of happy friendly people, lots of information shared.

I think I got lucky in finding this place, on the first try. I checked out a couple others AFTER, and decided this one suited me the most.

I know I'll have a million questions once I get started. I'll learn about the techincal side of things, how the trains actually run, wiring, maintenance....

so much to learn, so little time. :D
 
so much to learn, so little time.
Click to expand...
Well yes, the problem though no matter how long you are at it there is always something left to learn. Take your time, do it right, it saves a lot of remorse and letdowns. Click on the link in my signature, this is the second layout I built and I had it more complete that what's shown on my pages. It will never be finished :( because I just couldn't compensate for the errors any more. It's now in the process of being dismantled and parts salvaged at this time. The next one I hope will be a more satisfactory to build and operate railroad.
So start small, take your time and your layout will be a pleasure to build and operate. (voice of experience :D)

Cheers
Willis
 
just like the horses. I've spent 35+ years working, riding, training, competing, and I think I've scratched the surface of what there is to learn. Its fascinating and never ceases to amaze me what more there is to learn.

so, the trains will be like that, but in a different way, I think. either way, its ongoing, so it can't get dull.
 
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