signing in from Durham, NC

Hi all, been an armchair modeler for way too long, trying to get back into the hobby after years and years of waiting for the right place.

Just moved into a new house with an unfinished man-cave in the basement, and already I'm planning my first layout (check out the design in this thread).

I have to keep things small, so I've been researching small shelf switchers... I took my young son to the local train show last month, and he's ready for modeling too, so here we go!

 

Welcome aboard and glad you have the space available for some hobby fun

 

Yes, indeed! My wife works just beyond that overpass - sees decapitated trucks limp into the parking lot quite often!

(For others that don't know the bridge: check out - http://11foot8.com )

 

Welcome aboard! That low bridge is something!
:happy:

 

Hey R.H., Welcome aboard the TrainBoard. Happy to hear you have a "train cave", and that your son may become your partner, hope it works.

 

Welcome. It's funny that instead of asking about what scale, what size room, even what railroad will be modeled, everybody wants to know about the bridge.
So, what scale are you modeling in? What railroad will you be modeling? What size is your new train room?
And most important:... Will you be constructing a replica of the bridge on your layout?

 

My 'train room' is a small unfinished basement area that also has to double as my workshop. Since space is limited, my goal is a table-top size N scale switching layout, 1930s Lehigh Valley Railroad. I have ancestors who were LVRR men (and women).

Maybe in the future I will do a Durham layout - but I'm thinking steam-era, not can-opener bridge era... I've seen some excellent old photographs of the old train yards and stations downtown near the factories and warehouses of the city's tobacco heyday...

 

here are some of those old Durham photos:

http://trinity1.aas.duke.edu/images/digitaldurham/full/dduph010440010.jpg

http://trinity1.aas.duke.edu/images/digitaldurham/full/dduph010470010.jpg