Another Newbie

[Boonter]

I'm also new to this forum, and to toy trains ! As a newcomer, with no experience in this field, what books , magazines ( Beside 'Toy Train '! ) etc. should I look into. I need VERY basic info and training......

Input appreciated !!!

[Anonymous]

Boonter [#welcome][#welcome]
Classic Toy Train mag has plenty of info for getting started with trains
at any level. Look for the Kalmbach ads for the books they have for sale.
See you on the forum!!
Keith

[ChiefEagles]

Welcome. There is a lot of very good information on this board. There are great pictures on here too. Enjoy, post and post pictures too.
Chief [love those train pictures] Eagles

[nitroboy]

Welcome to the forum! One of the first books I bought was "How To Build Your First Lionel Layout" put out by Greenburg books. It covers the basics of getting your trains running. Depending on what your interests are, rest assured, you can always get good help here on the forum. Just post away and have fun!!!!!

Dave

[brianel027]

A lot of us will recommend this website for basic info: www.thortrains.net

Also check Lionel's web site: www.lionel.com
Go to Central Station and there's some links with basic info.

I don't know if you have some trains already, but here's a thread I posted here over the holiday's that might be of interest:

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9988
(cut and paste into your address box)

You can use the search box here to look for topics on beginners, newbies, track, train sets, etc. I'm sure there lot's of info here buried under different threads.

Good luck, welcome and happy future trains.

[eZAK]

[#welcome] Boonter!

Well you have already taken the first step by posting here.

Find a good local hobby shop with people you can talk to and trust.

Check out CTT home page for links.

Join a local or national club.

Save your money. [;)][^]

Pat Zak

[FJ and G]

Hi Boonter & welcome,

In addition to asking question on this forum for fairly immediate feedback, you can visit your local library and find many books on model trains. Some of these books will be about trains in other scales but the techniques are all similar except for some of the electrical. A library near my house has about a dozen books on toy trains, several dealing with electronics.

I do not recommend going to the hobby shop to look for books, unless the dealer unwraps the plastic cover. That's just my feeling and I boycott all boooks that are hidden. I went to the bookstore the other day and practically the only books in the store that were shrink wrapped were the train books.

Also, if you let us know where you live, we can recommend some train clubs. Also, you can hang around hobby shops and talk with customers and the dealer.

The two toy train mags are CTT and OGR. I subscribe to both but my real favorite is Model Railroader because I'm more into the scratchbuilding and do-it-yourself aspects.

dave v

[spankybird]

HI Boonter,

Welcome to the forum



I noticed that you are of the older generation, which means all that you remember of toy – model trains is Lionel. Well what a surprise you have in store for you. There are 6 major O gauge manufactures out there now which is great for us, the consumer. Be sure to check them all out. Not only is there Lionel, but also MTH (Mikes Train House) at www.mth-railking.com and K-line at www.k-linetrains.com and Williams, Weaver, 3rd Rail, just to name a few. You can check the link to manufactures at www.trains.com

If you see a web icon at the bottom of someone’s posting, like mine, then that person has a web page. Just click on it and take a look.

Have fun and don’t be afraid to ask questions.



tom

[Anonymous]

hi boonter,
dave v. is correct, your local libraries will have lots of stuff i bet. my local libraries do! and the more i check out, the more they seem to buy in that topic/category.
have fun and good luck.

[Buckeye Riveter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by woodsytc

hi boonter,
dave v. is correct, your local libraries will have lots of stuff i bet. my local libraries do! and the more i check out, the more they seem to buy in that topic/category.
have fun and good luck.

I completely agree with both Dave and Woody, but would like to add one more idea. I live near a very large public library that not only stocks back issues of magazines and model railroad books, but they have video to show you how to build your layout. I really benefited from actually seeing someone build scenery. I thought you really had to have a great deal of artistic talent to accomplish much, but found out that I needed more talent to paint the outside of my house than to build good looking scenery.

And oh by the way:

[#welcome][#welcome][#welcome][#welcome][#welcome]