Welcome to Trainboard Brad! Did you ever try do build a layout by your self? It's so much fun and as times past by, your skills getting better and better. Try it! Regards Jürg
Welcome, Brad! There are a few Californians here in Z, not the least of which is our fearless leader, Pray59. If you need help tackling someting, I'm sure he'd be glad to assist in any way he can.
Jürg, I built an HO layout way back in 78. I have a G scale layout in the garden that is never done. My 3 year old son and I recently got into Z Scale this winter. He loves it. He is very good at taking trains on and off the track as well as running our train and switches. I do want to build a layout in the future but right now my time is scarce. So, I would love to be able to open the closet, get the Z Scale set out, and spend time with my son running it. Nothing fancy for now. I may keep my eye open on eBay. I think I saw one there once.
Brad, my sons are 15 and 5 year old. The older likes to play with computers, playstation and this kind of stuff but the other one plays with my z scale trains. I bought him some new Microtrains Track because they are very easy to assemble. He plays with my "old" Z stuff and his Lego Houses. He builds Tunnels with Lego and paperrolls. Actually he don't need a rerailer to put the trains and cars on the track! What I want to say is that finished layout are often very fragile and the small parts breake very easely. Maybe is better when your son can touch and play what he want. Have fun! Regards Jürg
This place makes small layouts, but they arnt cheap. http://www.iblproducts.com But builing layouts has gotten alot easier than it was back in '78, especial with the use of foam and woodland scenics foam raisers/inclines. You can build a pretty simple layout without that much time invested.
Hi Brad, Welcome to Trainboard! I'm in Fremont, and am willing to help you if you decide to build a layout yourself. I would recommend waiting until Summer when the Microtrains Turnouts come available, and use their new track system as it is easy, and looks great. If you want to go with Marklin track, you can start anytime. As far as a 2x4 board, that takes an hour to setup, if you buy the precut boards from Orchard Hardware or Home Depot. Then get the Woodlands Scenics scenery book, and they show you how to do the whole scenery thing easily. I understand about time, as I work 6 days a week , and am busy doing projects in my spare time, but if you spend 1/2 hour a couple times a week on the project, you can have a pretty nice base layout in a month that you can run trains on. Then depending on your skill level, build a kit here and there, or get ones alread built off ebay to finish your layout, you will have much more fun with it. -Robert
Robert - you not only convinced me but also inspired me. I have decided to build my layout rather than just go buy one. I am thinking about building it on some of the light but strong foam I have used for building model planes. Anyone have experience in that area?
One of the guys in our club used 2" extruded building foam... the owens pink kind, and after laying track, he dug down in some places, the added another layer that he carved in other places to make hid scene. This is how it looks so far, and it is his first attempt at building modules or layouts for that matter: All my modules are on a flat board, but I used that foam to build up mountains: I wish I had done my terrain like Jeff did in the top photo. Another way to do the terrain is like Loren Snyder did, buy doing a cookie cutter method on the plywood for his track, then using Bragdon's liquid foam over window screen material to make really deep mountain scenery over his trackwork: We are all just starting, and only have base scenery down, but all 3 methods are represented in our modules. -Robert
