1st Post Here

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone I am a novice when it comes to model trains but mostly track plans and things like that.  I am 20 years old and I have a mid 60's Lionel NYC set that used to be my uncles but it has been mine for years now.  I also have a newer Lionel Construction train set but it's all plastic and nothing like the old one.  I have done the usual and had the train under the Christmas tree but with having cats they love laying under there and knocking things over so I havent touched it in the attic for probably a decade.  I have always loved model trains so I took it out and I'm in the process of cleaning it up.  I will probably resurerect the set and put it under the tree this year.  I have room for maybe a 4x8 layout in my basement  but have not the lightest idea where to start.  I am just looking for some pictures or viedoes for some ideas so I can get a starting point.  I have a general idea but I would like to see what other people are doing for small spaces.  I may be thinking of going down to HO scale so I can benefit more from the limited space available.

[Birds]

Tim,

Welcome to the forum.

You might want to look into purchasing a software package called "RR-Track" (it runs under Windows).  You can create and alter track plans to fit your space, until you find a plan you like.  You can also view them in 3-D.

Most importantly, this program has track libraries that cover all gauges (G, O, S, HO, N, Standard, TT, Z).  So this program will not be a waste of money as a first purchase if you were to decide that another gauge worked better for you.

Your local library or hobby shop should have some layout books.  Also, the "Classic Toy Trains" website (http://www.trains.com/ctt/) has some good information under the "Train Layouts" tab

Having said that, there are lost of folks that run small O gauge layouts like the size you are talking about.  You might enjoy this recent thread on the topic: http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/925700/ShowPost.aspx

If you have questions about wiring, etc. people will gladly answer questions, and there are a couple books to recommend when you get to that point.

You can still get new O gauge trains that are metal and heavy like your 1960s NYC set.  Lionel, Mikes Train House, and Williams Trains all make them.

William's trains are repoductions of Lionel items from the 1950s.  I am pointing them out specifically because you mentioned you liked the 1960s NYC set that you have.  Williams trains will have that feel, and are well priced.  They don't have any of the new sound boards and remote control boards (these can be added after market if you wish) that Lionel and MTH have.

There is a company called "Ready Made Toys" (RMT) that sells some very reasonably priced O-27 sized items (under $100 for items).  Ready Made Toys come in a lot of different road names and seem to be pretty good about adding new items each year.

Enjoy,
Chris

[Anonymous]

Chris,

Thanks for all of that wonderful information.  That software sounds like the thing I need.  Yes I do like my old heavy trains.  Here are a few pictures of the set, I am not sure what year it is I know it's from the 60's.  The set number is 1646.

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/badctcobra/?action=view&current=Picture001-2.jpg

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/badctcobra/?action=view&current=Picture002-2.jpg

 

[Dr. John]

Hi Tim and welcome to the forum!

A 4x8 space offers plenty of room for an O gauge layout. In fact, the standard curves for O are smaller than HO! Certainly, there is a lot to be said for HO, I modeled in it for over 30 years, but there's something special about the size and heft of O gauge trains. You have a great set there to start your "empire." There are some excellent books available for building a 4x8 layout in O that takes you through every step, from building the benchwork, laying track, adding scenery to hooking up operating accessories.

Here's a few books I recommend:
"How to Build Your First Lionel Layout" by Stanley Trzoniec
"Wiring Your Toy Train Layout" by Peter Riddle
"Your First O Gauge Layout: Featuring MTH Trains and Accessories" by Mike Ashey
"Model Railroading with MTH Electric Trains" by Rob Adelman
"Layout Plans for Toy Trains" by Kent Johnson
"Easy Lionel Layouts You Can Build" by Peter Riddle

All of these are excellent resources and are inexpensive. You can find them at your local hobby shop or order them on-line. Some are available through Kalmbach Publishing (publisher of Classic Toy Trains magazine, the host of this forum). Other are available through Amazon. I own and have read each of these - must reads for a novice in the hobby. A subscription to Classic Toy Trains would be wise also!

Most important - HAVE FUN!!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks John for telling me about the books.  I will definitly have to use them when I get ready.  I can actually start pretty easy because I work at Home Depot so I can get all the scrap plywood and 2x4's I need.

[CSXect]

You can go to atlas O and download their track planning software for free all though it is not as versitaile as RR but it is free and has an O libray and an HO libary

You can fit a lot of action onto a 4x8 plywood belive it or not.

If you want to expand your motive power with out spending a lot look at RMT(Ready Made Toys) and williams trains they sell basic conventional trains for fair prices.

http://www.readymadetoys.com

http://www.williamstrains.com

 

 

[Joe Hohmann]

Thanks John for telling me about the books.  I will definitly have to use them when I get ready.  I can actually start pretty easy because I work at Home Depot so I can get all the scrap plywood and 2x4's I need.

Think twice about the need for "overkill" when building a small layout. My 5x8 is made of 2 layers of Luan 4x8 sheets overlapped, braced by 1x3's, and supported by 4 Home Depot saw-horses. Joe

[johnandjulie13]

Welcome aboard! 

I am a relative newbie myself.  I am currently working on a 6' x 9' layout.  You really can get a decent layout in the relatively small space.  Good luck!

I wish I had your Home Depot employee discount!

John O

[Kooljock1]

Welcome to "The Worlds Greatest Hobby"! I'd add to all the other good comments that while your Construction set is pretty junky, be aware that Lionel no longer makes sets like that. The lowest priced sets Lionel currently makes are at least as good as the one you've pictured, run smoother, and have at least as many features.

If you're married to a 4X8 layout, then I'd recommend going with traditional tubular track like Lionel "O" or "O-27". If you can go as wide as 5X8, or better 5X9, then you can use the Lionel FasTrack system nicely.

Whatever you choose, HAVE FUN!

Jon

[CSXect]

Welcome to "The Worlds Greatest Hobby"! I'd add to all the other good comments that while your Construction set is pretty junky,

I have that same set and was dissapointed that it can only run in one direction talk about building on the cheap. But it was meant for childs play any way. The K-line  construction set has more goodies and a better loco. I collect starter sets by the way. I have 4 lionel and 1 k-line starter set plus some misc. sets and individual peices as well as my flyer collection.

[Anonymous]

Yea I really dont like the plastic construction set at all.  I may sell it.  The 40 year old NYC has never had 1 problem in it's entire life talk about being durable and awesome craftsmanship.  I would like to go bigger than a 4x8 setup but space is limited, anything larger will be extremely tight.  I have a huge box of the old 40 year track and a box of newer track I purchased about 10 years ago.  What is fas-track?

[CSXect]

What is fas-track?

 

Fastrack has ythe road bed built in and snaps together kinda like bachmans ez track in ho.

[Anonymous]

Nice how ingenious.  Is it expensive?

[CSXect]

Don't know the price but it comes with the current sets, I am partial to gargraves track which has wood or plastic ties looks great a good medium between toy and scale apperance and they also make S and G track as well I chose Gargraves so that when I build my layout the S track and the O track will look similar.

[Dr. John]

Tim,
Fastrack is more expensive than tubular. It has its advantages and its disadvantages. The built in roadbed is a great feature, especially for running on carpet. The switches look more realistic and operate beautifully. There are even transition pieces that allow older tubular track to connect to Fastrack. It does require a bit more room with a minimum O-36 diameter curves, but that still works okay in a 4x8 space and the broader curves allow smoother running for traditional and semi-scale locomotives. The roadbed can be a bit of a problem for older Lionel accessories such as the horse corral, milk platform and barrell loader, but the roadbed can be trimmed.

Tubular track is still plentiful, manufactured by Lionel and Williams. K-Line and Marx tubular track is plentiful on Ebay and swap meets as well as in many hobby shops.

There are other options too. Gargraves, as has been mentioned, is quite realistic with close tie spacing and a darkened center "phantom" rail. MTH makes Realtrax, similar to Lionel's Fastrack, though a bit less user friendly. It is available wih O-31 curves and switches. Atlas has an excellent line of O 3 rail track that is very realistic but pricey.

Probably more info than you wanted. Bottom line, you have a variety of choices in O 3 rail track depending on your preference and how much you want to spend.

[thor]

Welcome Tim to the worlds greatest hobby!

HO really doesnt have any space saving advantages over O gauge.  Well, not O-27 which is what you have.  O-27 is Lionels 'toy' sized trains, they are smaller than they 'should' be and made to run on very tight curves which is where that name 0-27 comes from, the diameter of the tightest curves.

I had HO for ages then stopped doing trains for a couple of decades or so came then when I got restarted it was thanks to my now grownup kids buying me a Lionel set last Christmas. I'd never had Lionel before because I grew up in England where its very rare and very expensive.

THE place to go for ideas for small layouts is here:- http://www.thortrains.net/  which by the way has nothing to do with me!  My 'nick' is Thor but my name's Mike Dench - I'd have never used that handle had I known about this other guy!

Anyway O gauge has it all over HO in my opinion, its rugged and big enough to look impressive without actually being so big you need a garden to run it in.  By the way I got some old stuff like yours and what I am doing with it is repainting it and dolling it up a bit, it doesn't matter as none of it is really valuable or rare.

I don't have much space (or cash) to go nuts and buy all those beauties that Lionel is bringing out now, just go to your nearest train/hobby shop and you'll see plenty to drool over, they've really come a long long way in the last decade or two. The sounds are amazing too.

So what I do is spend my hobbytime and money mainly tinkering with my old stuff and making things from scratch which is plenty enjoyable for my tastes. Last but not least I'm bringing up another child now, a 4yr old girl, who absolutely LOVES my 'big' trains and plays with me which honestly makes the whole thing much more fun. All I have is two loops of track and two switches which we run on the floor but that little girls imagination and ideas turns that simple layout into hours of fun.

Lionels accessories, we got the tipping car, are what really add something special to the play value that you just dont get with HO.

Anyway you've found what I believe is the best forum for help and ideas and I hope you enjoy your trains and stick around. - Mike

(ps:- I gotta get rid of that handle! I guess I'll have to re-register from new)