Model Railroad

[F30lolz]

So I have a spare bedroom and was thinking about getting back into the model railroad game. Had a huge HO scale layout in my basement back in NY and had to get rid of it when we moved to Florida years ago. Lost interest in the hobby and never started it in Miami but now it has rekindled. Bought a K-Line (similar to Lionel) that’s currently under the tree and was thinking about trying something new in the N-scale format to conserve space.

Would like opinions from any model railroad enthusiasts here regarding N-scale and would like to see pics for ideas/goals. Was thinking about getting into DCC to run multiple locomotives on the same track but need to do more research on that. Putting the Lionel in the room isn’t out of question, however, the layout wouldn’t be much as I don’t want it to rob the whole room of space. I do have a shed that I can maybe build a decent size Lionel layout during the spring so I can have the best of both worlds.

I would like to build my own railroad as the layout I had in NY was purchased and it was more of a country scene. Was thinking about the Pacific NW theme. Again, thoughts/opinions/ideas negative/positive are encouraged.

[cmyx6go]

Oh boy! My parents entire basement is an American Flyer layout. I will take pictures and post tomorrow. Dad worked on it for years. He made a bridge and other structures using the wood from old cigar boxes. He would sit for hours at a time tinkering and designing.

[2000cs]

I have a friend who bought a condo just to set up an O scale layout. Pretty nice, but out of my budget.

When I was very young my dad was stationed in Stuttgart, and he bought a lot of Fleischmann HO stuff - track, engines, cars, building kits and the electronics of the day. He set it up when we returned to the states, and being a doc he was able to fab bridges etc out of cast plaster which I’m sure he liberated from the hospital. My sister and I both recall, when he wasn’t watching, running tow engines into each other (ala The Addams Family TV show).

We moved again and it sat in boxes until I was a teenager. I bought enough plywood to make a 16’x12’ layout, built a support frame and set up pulleys and ropes so the whole thing could be suspended from the garage ceiling; lowered for use and raised when cars needed the space. Then I moved to college, so put it all away again.

I’ve had it in boxes since about 1980. Getting ready to move again, to a house where there is no space. But I’m planning to take it, and make a small layout anyway, then restore each piece (except the buildings which are easily replaced). It is not collectible, but there is some value in it and some fun in fixing it and seeing each piece work. Then sell it one engine at a time. Retirement project.

[CTinline-six]

I have one of the really old Lionel O27 gauge train sets, super heavy mostly metal. I brought it with me and planned on setting it up, but for now it sits in a box in the basement. All the tracks and everything have to be cleaned and gone through. I have a few of the HO scale trains also. The goal is to make a layout in the basement. I was really into them pre-high school.

HO is probably my favorite scale. I like the N gauge and their layouts don't need as much space but they seem a bit more difficult to work with being so tiny.

[Dpc2u]

I still have the original Lionel HO set I got for Christmas in 1969. I started collecting N guage later in life and amassed quite a bit. I packed that all away when I moved in 1999 and still have it all boxed up. I often think about setting it all back up, just have never gotten around to it.

[vreihen16]

I was an HO person. My brother had an awesome little apartment-sized N-scale layout. It was a corrugated cardboard layout kit, with cardboard roadbeds, frame, and ribs to make tunnels and mountains with coverings of your choice. He had it on his dining room table, and could easily pick it up and lean it against the wall when the table was needed.....

[spazzyfry123]

I don't know the ins and outs of the hobby, but I do remember having fun with it as a family when I was young. Dad finished out the attic space for an office but was considerably more room than he needed. He built up a large platform probably 50% larger than a ping pong table and it began. For years I would help dad with the mechanical end of things while mom would glue fake moss to the mountain we made. She would paint the little faces, the cars, the street signs... I had honestly forgot how much time we spent on that together until this thread. I'll have to ping them...

[P1]

We were a Marklin family! Everything was HO scale...

[shimmy23]

Pics or this thread is worthless.

[F30lolz]

Originally Posted by shimmy23

Pics or this thread is worthless.

Here is a quick pic of my switcher. I’ll have to try and find pics of my old layout.

[2000cs]

Well in packing today I found the Marklin set and also found that the Fleischmann is gone. Probably got donated in another move (an ex-wife will do that, especially if she has imminent plans to become an ex).

The Marklin HO stuff pisses me off any time I see it (another story related to the ex), so I will gladly give it to anyone wanting to fiddle with it. Just let me know how to get it to you (or come to central KY and pick it up).

[F30lolz]

Originally Posted by 2000cs

Well in packing today I found the Marklin set and also found that the Fleischmann is gone. Probably got donated in another move (an ex-wife will do that, especially if she has imminent plans to become an ex).

The Marklin HO stuff pisses me off any time I see it (another story related to the ex), so I will gladly give it to anyone wanting to fiddle with it. Just let me know how to get it to you (or come to central KY and pick it up).

Tempting. I’m about an hour north of Louisville.

[2000cs]

Originally Posted by F30lolz

Tempting. I’m about an hour north of Louisville.

I’m an hour or so east of L’ville, so a meet up there would work some evening or Friday/Sat/Sun

[F30lolz]

Originally Posted by 2000cs

I’m an hour or so east of L’ville, so a meet up there would work some evening or Friday/Sat/Sun

I appreciate that offer. If no other family member on your end wants it I may take you up on it. Met a guy in my area recently and we briefly talked about trains and he wants to hand over his whole Lionel collection to me. However, I’d rather him give it to his grandkids but if they don’t want it, why not take it off his hands?

[cmyx6go]

Here you go, boys and girls.
I didn't do too well capturing the layout in its entirety, my photography skills suck but hopefully the close ups with give you an idea of the years he spent putting this together. The bridge and some of the structures were made by him cutting up old wooden cigar boxes. Some of the other structures were kits.

[Dpc2u]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

Here you go, boys and girls.
I didn't do too well capturing the layout in its entirety, my photography skills suck but hopefully the close ups with give you an idea of the years he spent putting this together. The bridge and some of the structures were made by him cutting up old wooden cigar boxes. Some of the other structures were kits.



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Awesome craftsmanship and attention to detail!

[MKSixer]

This brings back memories! I still have my AF/X tracks, Hot Wheels tracks and cars and my HO train sets. I think I still have my rockets somewhere at my parents home, as well.

Thanks for bringing this up, OP. Great stuff!!

cmyx6go, I have no words. What a talent!!! The craftsmanship and attention to detail are unreal!!

Cheers-mk

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

This brings back memories! I still have my AF/X tracks, Hot Wheels tracks and cars and my HO train sets. I think I still have my rockets somewhere at my parents home, as well.

Thanks for bringing this up, OP. Great stuff!!

cmyx6go, I have no words. What a talent!!! The craftsmanship and attention to detail are unreal!!

Cheers-mk

Dad grew up poor. When he was little he wanted an American Flyer locomotive for Christmas one year. He was devastated when he didn't get it, he was too young to understand his mother just couldn't afford it. As he grew older, he would buy a piece here and there. He put together one hell of a collection over the years.

He was so proud of the layout. He would be sitting outside and see random kids walking past and ask if they liked trains and if they wanted to see his. We would freakout and tell him DAD - you can't just invite kids down your basement!

And now, it was so hard going downstairs yesterday to take those pictures. I don't know what we are going to do with them. They can't stay there forever. When mom is gone (which I hope won't be for a very long time) we will sell the house. My brother was looking to see if there were any museums that would be interested. The day my dad passed, my brother went down the basement and just ran the trains for hours.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

Dad grew up poor. When he was little he wanted an American Flyer locomotive for Christmas one year. He was devastated when he didn't get it, he was too young to understand his mother just couldn't afford it. As he grew older, he would buy a piece here and there. He put together one hell of a collection over the years.

He was so proud of the layout. He would be sitting outside and see random kids walking past and ask if they liked trains and if they wanted to see his. We would freakout and tell him DAD - you can't just invite kids down your basement!

And now, it was so hard going downstairs yesterday to take those pictures. I don't know what we are going to do with them. They can't stay there forever. When mom is gone (which I hope won't be for a very long time) we will sell the house. My brother was looking to see if there were any museums that would be interested. The day my dad passed, my brother went down the basement and just ran the trails for hours.

What a beautiful memorial to his life and dedication. And leave it to you to inject a spot of humor about inviting kids to the basement. I know it is factual but the way your wrote it was sheer perfection. My daughter does the same "DAD!" when I do something particularly exasperating!!

How are you holding up?

[infinitekidM2C]

first thought: Gomez Adams
second: too much money and time on op's hands

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

What a beautiful memorial to his life and dedication. And leave it to you to inject a spot of humor about inviting kids to the basement. I know it is factual but the way your wrote it was sheer perfection. My daughter does the same "DAD!" when I do something particularly exasperating!!

How are you holding up?

I need this year to end, but I'm starting to worry nothing is going to change when the calendar changes. I will continue to be optimistic....

You?

[Dang3r]

Aww, here comes my 2cts:
Dad want to have in the later 70ths a model railroad, because this was just "in" that time to start with as a hobby. So we went through the shops few weeks before christmas and for me as a child it was the pure torture to got towed throughout the big toy shops without buying anything. For my taste that times I would like to start with Märklin H0, comparing the details, robustness and scales and possible mods... but dad had other plans and bought at least a starter set N from Minitrix, 2 expansion kits, a preproduced panorama floor mat with a given layout and few buildings to contruct by sets. Thats it. Completely mounted onto a wooden panel it was able to got stored vertically when all loose parts are removed to save space into our old appartement.
The disadvantage was, if you plan to expand your amount on trains or rails, you were stopped by the given layout of the panorama mat a) and the impossibility to expand because of the fixed layout b).
As seen at cmy's dad a further platform could hold an expansion but dad lost sometimes the interest to play with it and it was my first heritage in early years to continue. As a poor boy I wasnt able to start collect more rails or trains so I was tied to use the present things, which where really not poor, but a bit boring after a longer period.
To cut this with a timejump: Today all trains are resting well stored into their original cases for better times when I retire in a few years. Never planned to sell them but not sure if start to build again.
Thank you and ban for bringing up those precious memories back.