Just wanted to take the time to thank everyone for their suggestions, advice and especially a warm welcome. I certainly will take my time, look around, probably change my mind two or three dozen times (and my layout concept). I'll know whether or not my ebay adventure was worth it this week when a couple of things arrive, mostly track and a pair of post-war switches. I hear you about soaking up the knowledge, especially at my local rail shop. The guys are great, they don't mind if you hang around awhile and ask questions, and are always willing to explain one of railroading's mysteries (at least to me they are).
BDT, for the time being I will share the room with my son's drum set. When he either moves out or is no longer interested it will be all mine.
Again, thanks for the welcome and the offers to answer questions.
Welcome. There are some immensely knowledgeable and skilled people on this forum (sadly, I am not one of them). This forum is a great resource as a result. I second the purchase of the CTT magazine, as it helps keep you informed and interested in the hobby (you can learn a lot, too).
Hello new operator!!!!
BEWARE OF EBAY. While deals can be found they are the minority. Much of the stuff is junk and much of it goes for more than book value. A train show is a good place to start (best prices, best selection, but limited open hours), a local hobby shop can be very helpful (but some are a bit overpriced).
CTT has many mail order adverstisers with excellent values (although you can not see before you buy).
Local club(s) will give you an indication of what people run and why (both old and new, Command and Conventional).
Your local library probably has some excellent books.
Only after waiding into the above would I attempt EBAY.
Jim H
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
"My wife said the look in my eyes as I started putting the track together, checking the loco and the first whistle of the tender was priceless."
Mike, your wife's observation hits the ol' railroad spike right on the head! As others have said, take your time and check things out. The train magazine's (Classic Toy Trains, O Gauge Railroading) are good to check out, read and look at the photos... you'll get ideas from what others have done. Also check out the links that many train guys put with their signatures on the train forums - you can look at their layouts and get ideas.
My entire involvement in this hobby is a testament to the FACT it CAN be done on a budget, but you also have to alter your tastes and live within those limitations. I've certainly been able to do this and still have fun at the same time. I run the cheap stuff and fix it up and improve it. I buy beaters and repaint them. I kitbash and alter products to become new ones.
The trains you have now are American made postwar products. Today, nearly everything is made in China. Some prefer the older US made trains, while others just go for what they like, or what they can afford. I prefer 027 track for it's affordability, but it has limitations, plusses and minuses like anything else. I sacrifice other's for the cost factor of 027 track. But tubular 0-gauge track is certainly affordable too when compared to other track systems. And both 027 and 0 track have been around for years, so you can find it used at bargain prices.
The new CEO at Lionel, Jerry Calabrese, is making a real effort to make affordable starter sets. Buying a train set is a good way to go to expand your collection: you get more track, another transformer and more cars. You might have to look for sets that are a few years old since the new Lionel sets all come with the new FasTrack. Lionel also makes some "add-on" packages for the sets that are a good bargain. Williams makes basic affordable trains that mimic the feel and quality of postwar Lionel. Ready Made Toys makes some new products that are also very affordable when compared to others. The RMT "BEEP" loco for all its lack of scale detail, has gotten high marks and approval from many operators... not many new locos out there for $60. And the UMD Industrial Rail cars, now made by Atlas 0, are very nice for the price.... you may want to consider those when looking for new cars.
If you decide to stay with postwar Lionel products, there are deals to be had out there, but you have to look for them. And you might not get trains that are in pristine condition or that have orginal boxes... but so what. If you're gonna run them, it doesn't matter.
Here's some links that will help you out I'm sure:
Postwar Lionel trains: http://www.postwarlionel.com
General information: http://www.traincollectors.org
Three-rail news: http://www.ogaugewatch.com
Affordable auction site: http://www.choochooauctions.com
These sites should help answer questions and give you more information. And of course, you'll get a wealth of information and advice right here.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
Mike - Your evolution into model railroading closely parallels mine, like so many others'. First Christmas 4 years ago, a loop on the carpet. Next Christmas: a loop with sidings, screwed down on plywood on carpet, so the tracks wouldn't separate. Then bring out a few of the old '50s operating accessories. Then a dedicated bedroom; I'm now almost a year into building a 12' x 13' L-shaped layout, mainly with my postwar stuff enhanced through eBay's Lionel 1945-69 category. But then I read more about the command control systems (TMCC, with the new Legacy system soon to be delivered by Lionel), and begin to think about not needing separate electrical blocks of track for separate locomotives, and being able to control them more accurately with TMCC-Legacy, and new locomotives. Then I see videos from train-cams, and will certainly add one within a year.
As everyone says, start slowly, because your tastes and interests will evolve. It's great!
Bob Anderson
CSXect wrote:Frank I have yet to finnish the basement inorder to start the layout
Looks like you and I are candidates for MENSA.
Hi EZMike,
to the CTT forum. Be sure to check out any local train clubs and local train shows. Hang around your local hobby shop and see who else in into O gauge around you and see if you can visit thier layouts.
Good Luck and happy Railroading!
I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com
WELCOME to the forum, EZMIKE.
I started just like you 7 years ago on the floor just wanting a train to go round the Christmas tree and then got bit real bad by that TRAIN BUG now some 50 engines later have a nice size layout and all I can handle. Just enjoy this hobby and all THESE GIZ here on the forum. They have helped me alot. Welcome aboard.
laz57
1688torpedo wrote: Hello ezMike & to the forum. You'll learn plenty here. Especially from Frank53 as he is a whiz with tubular track & postwar trains & too modest to admit it.. Take Care.
And welcome to the Forum ezMike.
Frank53 wrote: You will find that what you have in mind NOW is quite different from what you are going to have in mind six or eight or twelve weeks from now. Trust me on this. Really getting a feel for what would work for you before diving in is going to make for a better experience.
You will find that what you have in mind NOW is quite different from what you are going to have in mind six or eight or twelve weeks from now. Trust me on this. Really getting a feel for what would work for you before diving in is going to make for a better experience.
Excellent advice. My layout today isn't anything like what was originally planned.
ezMike
Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum.
Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR
TCA 09-64284
Welcome to the forum, Mike! As others have advised, start out slowly and spend some time doing your homework before investing a whole lot of money in the hobby. There's no shortage of trains out there--just the opposite, in fact--so spend some time visiting the various forums; reading the magazines; and perhaps buying a few books that might appeal to you.
Most of all, keep it relaxing and fun, and don't feel like you have to accomplish everything overnight. If a hobby isn't a relaxing and fun pastime, it's not a hobby at all.
Mike sounds like me with the post war remnants.
There is a lot of advice to give, but probably the best advice I can give is go very slowly at this juncture. Read this forum and look at the photos. There are a few other forums, some better than others, but really spend a lot of time looking around the internet and seeing a lot of layouts - the more the better.
You will find that what you have in mnd NOW is quite different from what you are going to have in mind six or eight or twelve weeks from now. Trust me on this. Really getting a feel for what would work for you before diving in is going to make for a better experience.
When I first got started back, I put up two sheets of plywood and ran track and just enjoyed the trains, while learning about all I could do on-line. After I had gotten an idea of what I wanted the layout to look like, I dismantled the "plywood express" and started building. This worked out much better for me than having built a permanent layout from the start, only to be disappointed in it because I didn't have enough of a base of knowledge to know what I wanted.
Take your time, jump in, ask lots of questions and learn from what others have done before you. There isn't a lot of witchcraft in this. If you are unsure about something, dozens of folks can tell you how that worked out for them and you can save yourself a lot of future headaches.
Hello Ezmike:
Welcome to the forum. My advice is pretty simple: keep running your trains and start participating on this forum. Between the two, you will start figuring out what YOU enjoy most about model trains and can decide how best to proceed. Do not be afraid to ask questions. This forum is loaded with nice people with a vast amount of toy train knowledge. Whatever your question, you will get good answers from the people here.
Regards,
John O
Welcome back to the hobby and to the boards!
I'm new to both the hobby and the boards, you already sound like you're much further along than I am, but I want to assure you that the folks on this message board know their stuff, and the talent that is exhibited here is just second to none. If you have a question that they don't know the answer to then I'd certainly be surprised.
This Christmas my 20 year old son talked me into putting up (on the floor) my trains. After 35 years they were out of their boxes once again. My wife said the look in my eyes as I started putting the track together, checking the loco and the first whistle of the tender was priceless. They were in the living room with the tree, running under three sitting chairs in a simple layout but it could have been any one of the impressive layouts I've seen on one of the websites. She suggested that I think about a permanent layout in the spare bedroom. All I needed to do was to redo the laundry roon and move the workout equipment from the spare bedroom to the laundry room when redone. So now I'm planning trips to the usual home improvement places as quickly as I can so that I can redo the spare bedroom and start the layout. (I think I was had but who cares)
As far as expense goes, without a doubt this can be costly. I guess the post war bug has taken a bite out of my hide because those are most alluring right now. Maybe it is because I'm a 50's baby, I don't know. I'm not a collector (although someone told me that that bug might bite as well) but an operator as I'm told they're called, so I set a dollar limit for locos, tenders and rolling stock, etc. Even still I've run up quite a bill by adding two steamers with their whistling tenders, 10 rolling stock, two cabooses and a gang car to my original 2036 and 1110 sets from my childhood plus starting to switch over to "O" gauge track from "027". It is time to slow down and plan the layout while redoing the rooms. Hopefully I'll be off the floor by summer but no way done (the layout is now on the floor in the family room).
If any of you experienced rail roaders have suggestions I'm all ears. I look forward to "speaking" with you all.
ezmike
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month