Hello everyone, I am just getting started with N-scale railroading. My family has been around it for years. Now I've caught the bug. My ever loving wife has given me a space to create my masterpiece and I have no idea where to begin. I've been sitting at the drafting table for 2 days now drawing diagram after diagram of layouts. I found this site and hope that someone out there can help me get started. BACKGROUND I have a room 11x11 that is at my disposal. I was thinking of starting with a 4x8 sheet of plywood as my layout area. I want to put in a lake area and a mountain range. I would like to have at least 3 main lines, and I love the look of a nice rail yard. After looking at a few of the posts, I fear the electronics may be outside of my area of expertise. EQUIPT. I am starting from scratch. I have 2 engines that my father gave me as a child, and a handful of cars. Other than that, I have nothing. I planned on ordering most of my items from e-bay, unless someone as a better source. anyway, I hope someone out there can give me a little guidance. Thanks for reading this and for any help you can provide me.
Hello Kmart217! Welcome to TrainBoard! It looks like you have a few ideas about what you want, but I like to recommend that for your first step, you go farther and list not just a few, but every possible thing you can think of. Instead of laying out track and sketching up designs, take a week or two and simply create 2 lists, one for Wants, the other for Needs. It might sound pointless at first, but I assure you a good 90% of people who heed this advice end up with a layout 1,000 times better than those who dont. So what are these lists? Quite simply, the Need list should include anything and everything you NEED your layout to incorporate. This could be absolute needs, such as the code 80 track, or preferential needs, like an extreme desire to include a roundhouse/turntable. It could be switching scenarios, specific scenic accents, era, region, buildings, equipment to operate, anything you can think of. The Want list is similar to the Need list, except that the items on the Want list are more fluid. It should include anything you'd enjoy on the layout, but would not be heart broken if there is no possible way to incorporate the item. Again, consider all aspects you can think off. Once you have two sizable lists complete, then you can look at your allotted layout space with a better perspective. Instead of designing elements in an unguided manor, the Wants/Needs lists will act as a set of guidelines for the design. You can simply start at the top of the Needs list and check the items off as they go into the design. You'll quickly see how things merge together to form a more unified and realistic result simply by trying to connect the items on these two lists. Take a day or two, or 7 and consider every possible aspect of your layout. If you absolutely love it, put it on the Needs, if it would be cool but not necessary, put it on the Wants. If you then come back and post those two lists, the many experienced track planners on TrainBoard will be more than happy to offer design help. As far as electronics go, you mentioned 3 main lines and a good size yard. For those requirements, it sounds like DCC will be the path to pursue. There are numerous advantages/disadvantages to choosing either DC or DCC, but in the end, DCC ranks very high on long term advantages. (By the way, DC is analog train control, whatever is on the tracks, receives the power and moves. DCC is digital command control. Each locomotive has its own computer called a decoder, and the command station tells which decoder to apply power and allows all other locomotives on the same track to remain idle.) Good luck with your planning. Don't hesitate to ask other questions, and most importantly, keep us posted on the progress!
Kmart217, welcome to the Trainboard first off. Second I would presume that your talking N Scale since you are planning 3 mains and a yard on a 4'x8' board. My first recommendation would be to read some of the Layout Planning Forum to get an idea of some plans already out there to ascertain what amount of track and so on that you might be looking at. Then decide on what type of track you might like to use: ie Kato Unitrack, Atlas Code55 or Atlas code 80 if you want to run steamers or old stock that you have been given. And feel free to ask away as the questions arise. However if your planning on running HO then you might need to rethink your initial plan, because HO is too large for all that you have mentioned on a 4'x8' board. I hope that I've given you a little more food for thought, and there will be some other knowledgeable folks along in a bit to add to this I'm sure. But most of all enjoy the build and running trains, and of course your stay here at the Trainboard:tb-smile:
Mark, Your a lifesaver... never even considered the lists... but what a great idea... oh yeah. thanks for explaining the difference between dc and dcc... I had no idea they were different. I have two engines that I received back in the 80's... can those engines be retrofitted with the decoder... and believe me. once I can figure out how to download and attach photos, I'll post all of the progress thanks again
subway, yes, I am planning N-scale, my mistake for not adding that... in you opinion, is a 4x8 layout enough... as I said, I've been given an entire 11x11 room...but I'm such a beginner that I figured that 4x8 would be a decent jumpoff point.
Yes they can, but you will need to hard wire them in. The task of hard wiring decoders is generally the most difficult part of DCC. The biggest challenge for that task is that you need to isolate the motor from the frame. Most likely you'll also have to modify the frame to allow a spot for the decoder to sit as well. There are places that can do this as a service for you though. Generally, all new locomotives can either be purchased decoder equipped, or with a way to plug in a decoder, or replace a circuit board with a decoder. This makes decoder installation possible in seconds. Hmm, should I tell you about SOUND decoders? Yes and no. To save you from overwhelming yourself, 4x8 is plenty of room to start out with. However, at the same time, you can achieve a much better result with an around the wall type layout. The latter offers many more possibilities, such as larger radius curves. (I'll let BarstowRick chime in with the benefits of those. ) Also, you mention your interested in 3 main lines. I think that pushes the limits of a 4x8 space a little too thin. Either you'll have very little room left over for scenery, industries, and buildings, or you'll have to sacrifice radius size. That being said, a 4x8 is an excellent size for N scale, so long as you have complete 360 degree access. My layout, Thunder Ridge, is built to a 4x8 size. I believe I have achieved excellent results at keeping the track plan interesting, yet allowing plenty of room for scenery.
sound decoders too.... SWEET.... I just checked out Thunder Ridge.... that looks incredible... fantastic work... oh yeah... and thanks... I'll just start with foam instead of the mesh...ha ha ha... poor floor....You have been and incredible help and have now sent me back to the drawing board with at least a little more insight as to where to start..I'm sure I'll be picking your brain for ideas in no time... THANKS
I started my first layou t on a 4' x 7' (fit in the room). It was based on the Atlas Gulf summit lines (without the figure eight double track and connecting tracks). Not sure how to make this image show up, so here is the link: http://www.atlasrr.com/Code80/images/11018.jpg I did this as I needed to gain experience. Once it was completed, I sold the layout and built a new around the walls layout in a 12' x 14' room.
yeah... did some research and made the lists that were suggested. And after long days of waiting to see the engines rounding the curves, I think I've found the layout plan that I like. Now it's a matter of laying it out on paper and making sure that everything fits. your pictures of the foam mountain have inspired me. I don't think I'm going to attempt such a fantastic layout as your thunder ridge, but it inspired some ideas. thank you for all the help thus far. once construction starts, i'll be sure to post some pics. thanks again
Would you like to put up the current track plan that you're leaning towards for everyone here to critique? I'm sure you know that the more people to review something, the better the result will be. Heck, I went through 10 revisions on Thunder Ridge, thanks to the help I received from others.
Hello Kmart! I just wanted to welcome you and wish you luck. I don’t have anything more to add right now, but maybe later on after you get farther ahead in your plans. There are a lot knowledgeable people already responding to your call for help. I noticed your thread because of the name Kmart. I used to have a supervisor nicknamed Kmart. He didn’t like it much when we called him that.laugh:
