I could use some help with my model railroad

Mason -  It's great to have you as part of this wonderful hobby!  You have come to the right place for advice because so many members on this forum are truly wonderful folks willing to share their abundant  knowledge of model trains ... and real life trains for that matter.  

My advice for you, is to create a track plan.  Once this is done,  start out by purchasing whatever track you can comfortably afford. I say this in view of your being "broke as a joke", as you put it.    Tubular track is the least expensive and might be your best way into the hobby at this point. When it comes to purchasing switches, used Lionel switches are pretty inexpensive, especially when buying at train shows.  ( being 15 you may have to depend on others to get you to the show )  Although tubular tack does not present the most realistic look, once on the layout it can be "enhanced" to look pretty darn good .... i.e: ballasting, painting the rails, adding more cross ties.  There are many members on this forum who use tubular track and their track work looks fabulous!!     Take some time to browse ( I'm sure you are doing so already ) and check out various members photos who use tubular track.

If your space allows, I would recommend that you have at least 0-42 curves or wider.  These wider curves will allow you to run longer/larger locomotives, and rolling stock,  when your budget allows their purchase. 

Remember too, that this hobby can be a life long journey.  As your train budget increases you can replace your tubular ( if you wish ) with Gargraves, Ross, MTH Realtrax, Lionel Fasttrack, etc.  It's your railroad and YOU call the shots. 

Attending train shows is a great way to find some wonderful items a some truly low prices ( and sometimes not .  

As for passenger cars.  All the manufactures you mentioned make very nice cars.  Williams only has silhouettes in the windows with no interior.  MTH cars, except for their earliest cars have full interiors.   Lionel post war cars ( 1946- 1969 ) have silhouettes and the later ones have interiors.  These cars, new, have quite a price tag, however, you can find great deals on them at train shows.  If going with new, Williams packs the best bang for the buck .... if you like silhouettes ( I personally have both kinds and like silhouettes just fine ).  

Lastly, I checked your profile and see you have a birthday coming up.  Why not ask relatives and friends to give you train birthday gifts ... you can even give them your wish list.  Just a thought!

I hope I've been helpful to you.  I'm sure you will hear some great ideas from other members of this forum as well.  Good luck!!

Thank you soooooo much, I think I'm going to start sketching some track plans For my layout. Did any manufacturers make any Alco c636s or M636s? Thanks again!!!!!!

Mason:

I echo what Patrick said. I would only add that since you have limited funds and just starting out put the passenger cars aside for a while and start with freight cars. The best places to get inexpensive cars are your local swap meets. With freight cars your RR has a whole lot of reasons to exist. As opposed to passenger cars whose sole function is to pick up and drop off passengers, having freight allows you to set up all the spurs (sidings) you can afford and place structures for both providers of raw material (coal mine, oil depot, asphalt dealers, cement plants, grain elevators etc) and consumers (power plants, concrete dealers, oil dealers, mills etc).

So besides watching your trains go around and around (nothing wrong with this - I have been know to sit with a cup of coffee and just watch my trains go around) you can also pick up loaded cars from a provider and drop off the cars to each consumer, pick up empties and bring them back to the providers. You can also set up track and play switching games (google John Allen's Timesaver game).

Have fun

Joe

Mason- start looking on ebay- lots of tubular track/ switches, and rolling stock/ locos for sale all the time. Tubular is inexpensive and will work just fine until you can afford better stuff. Most of my birthday's/ Christmas's growing up included train related gifts (or cash that I promptly spent at my local hobby shop).

Welcome to the hobby....you've come to the right place for advice.

Bob

Mason,

I suggest you focus on quality rather than quantity.    Aim for 1 or 2 "good" engines.    By good, I mean one that runs well, looks good and is a scale model in a paint scheme that the real RRs used on that engine.    The Atlas O SW9 is such a model that is readily available and works well on a smaller layout.

Do the same for freight cars.    Aim for the more detailed scale models.   

On a tight budget, you may want to stay away from passenger cars for now.    The nice ones are geneerally more expensive and take more space, as do the locos that ran passenger.

If you are building a model RR and accumulating a collection this should make sense.    If you want to be a collector, then you focus on the things you want to collect.    it still is good to have a narrower focus rather than a shotgun approach (buy everything you see when have the money).

Then develop a track plan that does something.    Avoid just making a loop.    Set up an interchange track and then some industries.    Use your locos to move cars back and forth between the industries and the interchange.    Your track plan contain a loop, but I suggest not making that your primary focus.    Do some research in model RR magazines about ways to generate switching and adopt one or develop your own.

Again for a model RR, you may want to focus on an RR you like (Your favorite) or one near your home or one that used to be near your home.    Aim your purchases to model this RR.    You would want locos and cabooses only for this RR.    Freight cars move all over, but there might more eastern road cars seen on eastern roads than Western cars.       Do some research on your favorite railroad on line or at the library.    Learn more about it to make your Model RR more realistic.        Also focusing on RR in one era, limits what you want to buy.    therefore you don't need to spend as much to get where  you want to go.    If it does fit your RR and the era you are modeling, you can enjoy looking at it, but can tell yourself not to buy it because it does not fit.

prrjim posted:

Mason,

I suggest you focus on quality rather than quantity.    Aim for 1 or 2 "good" engines.    By good, I mean one that runs well, looks good and is a scale model in a paint scheme that the real RRs used on that engine.    The Atlas O SW9 is such a model that is readily available and works well on a smaller layout.

Do the same for freight cars.    Aim for the more detailed scale models.   

On a tight budget, you may want to stay away from passenger cars for now.    The nice ones are geneerally more expensive and take more space, as do the locos that ran passenger.

If you are building a model RR and accumulating a collection this should make sense.    If you want to be a collector, then you focus on the things you want to collect.    it still is good to have a narrower focus rather than a shotgun approach (buy everything you see when have the money).

Then develop a track plan that does something.    Avoid just making a loop.    Set up an interchange track and then some industries.    Use your locos to move cars back and forth between the industries and the interchange.    Your track plan contain a loop, but I suggest not making that your primary focus.    Do some research in model RR magazines about ways to generate switching and adopt one or develop your own.

Again for a model RR, you may want to focus on an RR you like (Your favorite) or one near your home or one that used to be near your home.    Aim your purchases to model this RR.    You would want locos and cabooses only for this RR.    Freight cars move all over, but there might more eastern road cars seen on eastern roads than Western cars.       Do some research on your favorite railroad on line or at the library.    Learn more about it to make your Model RR more realistic.        Also focusing on RR in one era, limits what you want to buy.    therefore you don't need to spend as much to get where  you want to go.    If it does fit your RR and the era you are modeling, you can enjoy looking at it, but can tell yourself not to buy it because it does not fit.

I thank you all for giving me the advice but I don't know any manufacturers that produce Delaware Lackawanna Shortline Locomotives, I know I can get locomotives repainted but I want to know if any obscure company makes Locos from the DL in O scale, I have an HO scale phase one Alco c420 in the paint scheme made by Atlas, do they make DL locos in O scale?

Mason,

It sounds like you want your layout to center on the Delaware Lackawanna. That is a unique railroad which I have not seen modeled and will offer the opportunity to make a great layout with a few possibilities. I do not recall any O scale manufacturers offering that paint scheme, so you will have to repaint locomotives yourself or find someone to do it for you.

I did some quick research on the DL locomotive roster and saw that the DL had one C-626 and two M-626's. I do not recall any of the O scale train manufacturers making those models. Lionel produced a C-420, but not in DL livery. Since this is one of the locomotives you inquired about, in your situation, I suggest moving to the top of your to-do list finding and repainting a C-420. While you are in the process of doing that, you will have time to reflect on and plan your layout. Once your dream locomotive project is complete, then move on to building a layout, buying track and buying rolling stock. Here's the reasoning: You will enjoy being inspired by your locomotive and using it to test your layout more than building a layout first and wishing you had the dream locomotive to run.

DL had six C-420's, but the majority of the locomotive roster was filled out with the RS-3, RS-11, C-424 and C-425. I bring this up because if you do plan a DL themed layout, you will want to eventually add them for variety. All of those locomotives have been produced, but you will have to find them on the second hand market and repaint them. (You will need a minimum of O-36 if you go after the AtlasO C-424/425.) For switching, the DL used an SW-1, SC, and S-6.

Before we can begin assisting you with your layout, we are going to need some information. Let's start by defining where the layout will be built and the dimensions of the area. The track plan and layout will be defined by the area, so try to be as specific and accurate with this information as possible.

ChessieFan72 posted:

Mason,

It sounds like you want your layout to center on the Delaware Lackawanna. That is a unique railroad which I have not seen modeled and will offer the opportunity to make a great layout with a few possibilities. I do not recall any O scale manufacturers offering that paint scheme, so you will have to repaint locomotives yourself or find someone to do it for you.

I did some quick research on the DL locomotive roster and saw that the DL had one C-626 and two M-626's. I do not recall any of the O scale train manufacturers making those models. Lionel produced a C-420, but not in DL livery. Since this is one of the locomotives you inquired about, in your situation, I suggest moving to the top of your to-do list finding and repainting a C-420. While you are in the process of doing that, you will have time to reflect on and plan your layout. Once your dream locomotive project is complete, then move on to building a layout, buying track and buying rolling stock. Here's the reasoning: You will enjoy being inspired by your locomotive and using it to test your layout more than building a layout first and wishing you had the dream locomotive to run.

DL had six C-420's, but the majority of the locomotive roster was filled out with the RS-3, RS-11, C-424 and C-425. I bring this up because if you do plan a DL themed layout, you will want to eventually add them for variety. All of those locomotives have been produced, but you will have to find them on the second hand market and repaint them. (You will need a minimum of O-36 if you go after the AtlasO C-424/425.) For switching, the DL used an SW-1, SC, and S-6.

 

Before we can begin assisting you with your layout, we are going to need some information. Let's start by defining where the layout will be built and the dimensions of the area. The track plan and layout will be defined by the area, so try to be as specific and accurate with this information as possible.

Stewart, 

my layout is being setup in my attic, the house was built in 1910 so the halls are narrow and the staircases are awkwardly shaped, I can transport a sheet of 4x4 foot long sheet of plywood up the stairs with ease. Right now I'm using collapsible wooden tables right now that each have a length of 5 feet (60 inches)  and a width of 38 inches. My locomotive roster is 

Lionel

1: British 4-6-0 (Hogwarts Livery)

2: 2-8-4 Polar Express Berkshire

3: 2-6-2 Lionel Lines "Pennsy" 675

4: 2-4-2 Lionel Lines 1130

M.T.H.

5: Custom FM Trainmaster (Reading 1831)

6: 4-6-2 Blue Comet

Marx

7: 0-4-0 Mar Lines #400

Mason - above, you saI'd you are practically blind. Could you tell us more? It might help us to understand if you have any limitations. I mean this respectfully. Many of us are 50+ and don't have the eyesight we used to have. Some of the items are frustrating to aging eyes let alone someone with blindness.

I strongly recommend you purchase Lynn Westcott book on layout building. I found it to be a valuable tool. It made it very easy & simple to build a beautiful & very stable layout which BTW was published in full in the O gauge RR magazine Run 236 p.57 (June/July 2009) I am also one of the very few modelers who makes their own trees (I like trees that look real) Anytime you want to talk trains, just give me a shout at 518- 235-3774 between noon & midnight (we sleep late) Happy training, Fil & Barbara Fillion Troy N.Y. Home of the most famous model railroad in the world  at Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute

raising4daughters posted:

Mason - above, you saI'd you are practically blind. Could you tell us more? It might help us to understand if you have any limitations. I mean this respectfully. Many of us are 50+ and don't have the eyesight we used to have. Some of the items are frustrating to aging eyes let alone someone with blindness.

I meant "practically blind" figuratively, I have 20/20 vision but not when it comes to building a model train layout, sorry if I confused you

Mason:

Since you have a birthday coming up, here's a gift you can use with your layout.  I recently changed my initial plan for a L-shaped train layout, abandoned Lionel Fastrack for it, and installed tubular track with O42 minimum curves and switches instead. So I have "leftover" Lionel Fastrack that I'll likely never use. I considered selling it all on eBay, but ...

If it's OK with your parents, I'll send you a supply of gently used Lionel Fastrack sections as a birthday present. I have lots of O36, some 10-inch straight sections, and miscellaneous other pieces - all gently used, but fully functional. I may not have everything you may need, but I'll send you what items I have to fulfill your "want list" and birthday wish.  The advice of other hobbyists is well taken and shows the wonderful sharing spirit of others.

Your interest in the Delaware Lackawanna is similar to my interest in the Rock Island - the railroad that served my hometown (Peoria, IL) when I was a boy with a large layout in the basement.  I rode the Rock Island PEORIA ROCKET in the 1950s, including the famous "Aerotrain." Fortunately for me, when I re-entered the hobby as an adult (at age 50), there were many models of RI trains and rolling stock available. I collected trains of all O-gauge manufacturers with the Rock Island name -- Lionel, MTH, Williams, Weaver, Marx, Atlas O, and others.  Lots of fun!

Custom-painting locos with DL decor may be pricey, but you'll create a unique model railroad inspired by your own dream.

Mike Mottler
Member, LCCA

Fil Fillion posted:

I strongly recommend you purchase Lynn Westcott book on layout building. I found it to be a valuable tool. It made it very easy & simple to build a beautiful & very stable layout which BTW was published in full in the O gauge RR magazine Run 236 p.57 (June/July 2009) I am also one of the very few modelers who makes their own trees (I like trees that look real) Anytime you want to talk trains, just give me a shout at 518- 235-3774 between noon & midnight (we sleep late) Happy training, Fil & Barbara Fillion Troy N.Y. Home of the most famous model railroad in the world  at Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute

I thank you kindly! I'll definitely give you a shout when I'm stuck or if I need to be guided in the right direction

Mike H Mottler posted:

Mason:

 

Since you have a birthday coming up, here's a gift you can use with your layout.  I recently changed my initial plan for a L-shaped train layout, abandoned Lionel Fastrack for it, and installed tubular track with O42 minimum curves and switches instead. So I have "leftover" Lionel Fastrack that I'll likely never use. I considered selling it all on eBay, but ...

If it's OK with your parents, I'll send you a supply of gently used Lionel Fastrack sections as a birthday present. I have lots of O36, some 10-inch straight sections, and miscellaneous other pieces - all gently used, but fully functional. I may not have everything you may need, but I'll send you what items I have to fulfill your "want list" and birthday wish.  The advice of other hobbyists is well taken and shows the wonderful sharing spirit of others.

Your interest in the Delaware Lackawanna is similar to my interest in the Rock Island - the railroad that served my hometown (Peoria, IL) when I was a boy with a large layout in the basement.  I rode the Rock Island PEORIA ROCKET in the 1950s, including the famous "Aerotrain." Fortunately for me, when I re-entered the hobby as an adult (at age 50), there were many models of RI trains and rolling stock available. I collected trains of all O-gauge manufacturers with the Rock Island name -- Lionel, MTH, Williams, Weaver, Marx, Atlas O, and others.  Lots of fun!

Custom-painting locos with DL decor may be pricey, but you'll create a unique model railroad inspired by your own dream.

Mike Mottler
Member, LCCA

Mike,

I thank you for the offer, if you can give me some time I'll think about the offer, if you have any switches I will definitely take you up on that offer. Speaking of Rock Island, I have an old Lionel Rock Island Alco shell but no chassis, I inherited it from a family friend that passed 11 years ago. It has been warped from heat and once I can I'll get a Williams reproduction and swap the powered unit's shell for my old postwar shell. Nice taking to you! I'll talk to my parents about it when I can, I can't thank you enough!!!!! 

Sincerely, Mason Rascona

Mason Rascona posted:

raising4daughters posted:

Mason - above, you saI'd you are practically blind. Could you tell us more? It might help us to understand if you have any limitations. I mean this respectfully. Many of us are 50+ and don't have the eyesight we used to have. Some of the items are frustrating to aging eyes let alone someone with blindness.

I meant "practically blind" figuratively, I have 20/20 vision but not when it comes to building a model train layout, sorry if I confused you

Good to hear.  Tough call between tubular track and fastrack.

I understand the perspective of limited budget. I just put one through college and have two more in college.

Tubular track is the cheapest alternative. You can dress it up later with additional rubber or wooden ties and ballast. Fastrack saves the labor but costs a lot more per foot. Then there's the switch cost. If you go with O27 tubular track for starters, you can get switches for $5 each if you shop. You can even get 42" diameter switches used for $20-$30 a piece, far less than you'll pay for fastrack switches. Tubular isn't plug-and-play but you'll learn a lot more by using your own labor. For example, you can rewire an inexpensive O27 switch so it accepts fixed voltage rather than using track voltage.

Fastrack is the easier, more expedient solution. Pre-ballasted, readily accepts power drops, etc., but is pricey by comparison. Nothing wrong with starting off with good ol' O27 tubular track, especially if you can stick to 42" curves or old Marx 34" curves. Then, just about any semi-scale engine, including the new LionChief Plus, will run on your pike.

Mason Rascona posted:

Mike H Mottler posted:

Mason:

 

Since you have a birthday coming up, here's a gift you can use with your layout.  I recently changed my initial plan for a L-shaped train layout, abandoned Lionel Fastrack for it, and installed tubular track with O42 minimum curves and switches instead. So I have "leftover" Lionel Fastrack that I'll likely never use. I considered selling it all on eBay, but ...

If it's OK with your parents, I'll send you a supply of gently used Lionel Fastrack sections as a birthday present. I have lots of O36, some 10-inch straight sections, and miscellaneous other pieces - all gently used, but fully functional. I may not have everything you may need, but I'll send you what items I have to fulfill your "want list" and birthday wish.  The advice of other hobbyists is well taken and shows the wonderful sharing spirit of others.

Your interest in the Delaware Lackawanna is similar to my interest in the Rock Island - the railroad that served my hometown (Peoria, IL) when I was a boy with a large layout in the basement.  I rode the Rock Island PEORIA ROCKET in the 1950s, including the famous "Aerotrain." Fortunately for me, when I re-entered the hobby as an adult (at age 50), there were many models of RI trains and rolling stock available. I collected trains of all O-gauge manufacturers with the Rock Island name -- Lionel, MTH, Williams, Weaver, Marx, Atlas O, and others.  Lots of fun!

Custom-painting locos with DL decor may be pricey, but you'll create a unique model railroad inspired by your own dream.

Mike Mottler
Member, LCCA

Mike,

I thank you for the offer, if you can give me some time I'll think about the offer, if you have any switches I will definitely take you up on that offer. Speaking of Rock Island, I have an old Lionel Rock Island Alco shell but no chassis, I inherited it from a family friend that passed 11 years ago. It has been warped from heat and once I can I'll get a Williams reproduction and swap the powered unit's shell for my old postwar shell. Nice taking to you! I'll talk to my parents about it when I can, I can't thank you enough!!!!! 

Sincerely, Mason Rascona

Mason if you want boxcars i would go with the used train rout.There are some good rolling stock out there.If you have a train store near by.Go and check if they sale used trains.I have gotten boxcars for $8 to 15 dollars.If there happens to be a train show.Go check it out some of the sellers are willing to make a deal.I even had one guy tell me.That he would work with me on the price.Because he did not want to take it home.The others are right about track.There is lots and lots of tubular track.And welcome to a great group of people.

Mason R.

Follow-up to our earlier e-mail exchange about Lionel Fastrack ...

Yes, I have one Lionel Fastrack O36 LH Manual Switch; it's in like-new condition with an original box. if you want it, I'll reserve it for you pending an OK from your parents. 

I know ... remote control switches are usually preferred, but a manual switch could be placed at a less-used stub siding or in a yard array.

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

Mike H Mottler posted:

Mason R.

Follow-up to our earlier e-mail exchange about Lionel Fastrack ...

Yes, I have one Lionel Fastrack O36 LH Manual Switch; it's in like-new condition with an original box. if you want it, I'll reserve it for you pending an OK from your parents. 

I know ... remote control switches are usually preferred, but a manual switch could be placed at a less-used stub siding or in a yard array.

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

Mike, 

My parents said that you could definitely send the track down. The way the switch works doesn't matter to me, as long as I can put some cars into a siding it's NASA to me (Figuratively). All the trains I run can do O-27 but love o-36+ my regular freight train is 4 weaver 2-Bay offset coal hoppers, 1 dummy Lionel automatic milk car, 1 PRR baby Ruth boxcar, an MPC era Lionel circus boxcar (my mom bought that one at a train show) a postwar Lionel gondola, and 1 k-line Tamaqua Railroad Historical society caboose. email me about the shipping information at MasonRascona@gmail.com or just ask me here on the forum

sincerely- Mason Rascona

If you are interested in some books on layouts let me know...I have several and I won't be building again. Some are on physical layout and some on electrical issues. Drop me an email with your address.