Just Getting Started

[Anonymous]

Hi, I am interested in getting started in garden railroading and was wondering if I should buy a starter set you see in all the magazines or buy everything indvidually. My budget is pretty tight due to other hobbies(F production race car) and yes I am still young enough(only 27) to get on the ground to work the trains if necessary. Any sugestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Joe
[:D]

[Tom The Brat]

Well.... I collected piece by piece as funds allowed and I found things I liked. There's a reason my railroad is the "Asylum Valley Nickel & Dime." [;)]

[bman36]

Hi Joe,
Welcome to the forum! A starter set is very cost effective. I was just looking at the USA Trains NW2 starter set. You get a fair bit for the price. This will also help to get you up and running quicker. Enjoy the forum. Great bunch here. Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Rodbug 27
[#welcome] to the forum, you can get a lot here , start out small and the bug bites you and before you know it ,you add, and add and add, and you have a nice GARDEN RAIL ROAD,as for racing my son drives a late model, and we are building a new one right now, so i have my trains and he has his car. Ben

[tangerine-jack]

[#welcome]aboard! A starter set is great, you get everything you need to get addicted in one easy box. The only thing to really look out for is the track. A Bachmann set usualy comes with some crappy stamped steel track that is only good for lining the bottom of a trash can. LGB and others come with the good stuff. Be aware of that when price shopping, usually you get what you pay for. Good luck and have fun!!!!!


[oX)]

[Anonymous]

Hi roadbug27
[#welcome]
Relax choose a theme ie main line short line steam or diesle, traction maybe
Then go and choose the starter set that best suits your proposed theme..
If it turnes out to be a Bachmann set get some decent track equivelent to what's in the set but if you can get decent sized curves, start set curves are a bit on the sharp side and will hamper locomotive choices later..
Dont throw out Bachmann track if you get one of thier sets any straight track can allways be used as a wagon load or storadge track on a shelf indoors.
regards John

[Anonymous]

Tahnks for all the help, its hard to get a good answer from the hobbty shop.

Tahnks Joe[:D]

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Yes, starter sets let you jump in with both feet! I found that by taking the then current squeeze to see some layouts it got her interested; now that she's the wifely secretary of war, she's into it as much as I am. Got to get the woman involved cause you're gonna need her help sooner or later anyhow! She's gonna be the horticulturalist on my layout!
Amazing what Christmas and B'day gifts you'll get when she's involved in your layout, and surprising what she'll give her assent to as long as she gets to play with your (or even better, her own) trains.

[powlee]

[#welcome] Roadbug from across the pond.
Enjoy your new hobby and do bring the wife onboard early. Saves any arguments later.
And Guys, reference the `crappy` Bachmann track.
Being a tight `Brit`. I bought a Bachmann train from a friend and it came with an enormous amount of track which had gone rusty. Rather than throw it away, I carefully stripped the track from the sleepers/ties and replaced them with LGB rail.
Now somebody out there will say they won`t last but the `proof is still out there in the garden`.[alien]
Must go and count my pennies.
Ian P

[Anonymous]

Welcome! I still remember when the HO bug bit me, The N and the G. Hang on and enjoy the ride. This really is the worlds greatest hobby. So many people to help you all around the world. Its wonderful. - Greg

[Anonymous]

[#welcome] Enjoy and nobody here cares if you take it slow. I myself have been building rolling stock and as of yet have no motive power or layout to speak of .

Hang around learn and contribute!

[Anonymous]

The bug never actually bit me, but if it did it was a slow and gradual thing.

I started with an LGB starter set but knew it wouldn't be enough (track) so i bought up all the 2 nd hand track available (and I still regret it) and had a fair set up in my garage that lasted a few weeks, then 40 metres around my pool. Yhat lasted a few months then I packed the whole lot up and moved 1000 km up here to Queensland then it was in storage for quite a few months and it has gone slowly from there, just a bit here and there but it is expanding and getting more sophisticated, more attrractive and varied all the time.

Not actually a bight more a gradual gnawing.


Ian