Newbie Expectations

[Anonymous]

Hello All!

I have been a HO scale train buff who specializes in weathering and custom grafitti style airbrushing. Well I never actually laid out a track becuase I just love to paint trains as gifts for friends and family.

So I am really quite new to laying out track and all but I have been researching the idea of Gscale backyard railroading. I have bought a book and have begun to pull weeds in my 62'X15' backyard. I think I will do a reverse loop with Aristo-craft brass track. But I really don't know what kind of LOCO to start with. However I am going to the Long Beach big Train Show and look forward to seeing what is possible.

My question is should I look forward to making a big purchase on track, power supply, loco and rolling stock when I go to the train show. Or will I find good deals online year round and patiently do my research and finish pulling the weeds and prepping back yard first? Any advice would be great.

I really appreciate any input because I could get excited really fast down in Long Beach.

Thanks,
Rick Q.

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rick q.

...............................

I really appreciate any input because I could get excited really fast down in Long Beach.

Thanks,
Rick Q.

Rick,

Leave your credit card at home![;)][:)] Just kidding!

Well if you've been doing things in HO you must have some idea what you like i.e. diesel, steam, old time, modern, standard gauge, narrow gauge!?!

You can alway start with a starter set, see how you like things and expand from there. You'll find deals almost all year round. The trick is to know what is a deal and what is just heavy advertising.
Pick up a copy of GR and then visit all the websites of all the advertisers. Figure out who's got the best deal, then ask here and on other fora: "How is their service, what are their shipping charges, what about return policies, how do they handle warranties???"
Chances are one or the other of the members will be able to give you the low down from their vantage point. Most likely by email, so make sure your profile has a working email address.

When deciding on track go with the largest radius that will fit, same goes for turnouts. After the try-out starter set forget about R1 (2ft radius)! go with R3 or 4ft radius as a minimum.

BTW once you know what you like to do, you'll save a bundle! You only buy what fits your theme, unless you build an indoor layout and need all the boxes to hold up the benchwork (just like in HO).

Oh yeah, welcome to the wonderfully wacky world of Large Scale!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rick q.

Hello All!

I have been a HO scale train buff who specializes in weathering and custom grafitti style airbrushing. Well I never actually laid out a track becuase I just love to paint trains as gifts for friends and family.

So I am really quite new to laying out track and all but I have been researching the idea of Gscale backyard railroading. I have bought a book and have begun to pull weeds in my 62'X15' backyard. I think I will do a reverse loop with Aristo-craft brass track. But I really don't know what kind of LOCO to start with. However I am going to the Long Beach big Train Show and look forward to seeing what is possible.

My question is should I look forward to making a big purchase on track, power supply, loco and rolling stock when I go to the train show. Or will I find good deals online year round and patiently do my research and finish pulling the weeds and prepping back yard first? Any advice would be great.

I really appreciate any input because I could get excited really fast down in Long Beach.

Thanks,
Rick Q.

May I suggest a quick scan of e-bay and then present your findings there here for our commentary. I would search for things like "g scale", "g scale locomotives", "bachmann G scale", "LGB g scale" and the like. This way you can see some of the locomotives and rolling stock and get a feel for what people are willing to pay.

Then check out trainworld, St. Aubin's Station and some discount internet places... the Ads in GR will be your best bet.

I would shy away from hobby shops until I did the preceding things.

Capt Carrales

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Capt Carrales

May I suggest a quick scan of e-bay and then present your findings there here for our commentary. I would search for things like "g scale", "g scale locomotives", "bachmann G scale", "LGB g scale" and the like. This way you can see some of the locomotives and rolling stock and get a feel for what people are willing to pay.

Then check out trainworld, St. Aubin's Station and some discount internet places... the Ads in GR will be your best bet.

I would shy away from hobby shops until I did the preceding things.

Capt Carrales

Wellllllllll, in my opinion starting at ebay is dicey at best. Too many times people go right crazy because they "simply have to have it!". I remember just watching the action on a daily basis for several weeks to see what the trends were.
Of course that's just me being very careful not to fritter away money.[;)][:)][:)]

[Anonymous]

I am not kidding, leave your credit card at home and buy nothing from a show at this stage. I don't even go to shows at all, I prefer going to a landscape material yards. if you are fair dinkum ( for real) about garden railways this is where it starts and ends; with other things in the middle.

Just get yourself and LGB starter set off ebay (very cheap), get something going around outside and if this is what you want build from there but don't lay out muchj money as you will cerain;y change your mind.


Rgds ian

This idea of kitbashing etc is an adjunct to Garden railways and important in its own right but it is not the main idea laying track, lanscaping and running your stuff is the main gist od this hobby.


Rgds ian

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RhB_HJ

QUOTE: Originally posted by Capt Carrales

May I suggest a quick scan of e-bay and then present your findings there here for our commentary. I would search for things like "g scale", "g scale locomotives", "bachmann G scale", "LGB g scale" and the like. This way you can see some of the locomotives and rolling stock and get a feel for what people are willing to pay.

Then check out trainworld, St. Aubin's Station and some discount internet places... the Ads in GR will be your best bet.

I would shy away from hobby shops until I did the preceding things.

Capt Carrales

Wellllllllll, in my opinion starting at ebay is dicey at best. Too many times people go right crazy because they "simply have to have it!". I remember just watching the action on a daily basis for several weeks to see what the trends were.
Of course that's just me being very careful not to fritter away money.[;)][:)][:)]

I recommend e-bay more as a place to see all types of stuff that is offered. One would have to watch the price fluxuations and buy/sell trends. That what I did...all in all...I have purchased very little "real" G scale stuff from there aside from Old Scientific Locos for "Frankensteining" purposes!!!

[Curmudgeon]

Do NOT buy anything.
Seriously!

Look around.
Ask questions.

I have seen TOO many peole buy stuff that was wrong for their eventual needs and were unwilling to do it "right" because of the investment.
Look at european trains, for instance....(had to see if HJ was actually reading this)
Do you want modern mainline, older mainline, narrow gauge, industrial?
Look at track. The stuff most folks get saddled with is 332.
If you have done all this painting and weathering and might want to do photography, people who know the difference will walk right past your photos.
250 and 215 are MUCH better choices.
What do you want to power them?
Do you want track power, or do away with being stuck in one spot and cleaning track (and reports ar coming in even stainless in NOT maintenance-free..Far from it) or on-board control and power of some kind.
Do you want detail or robustness?
The two do not co-exist well in large-scale.

Ask, look, read, then ask questions, THEN break out the plastic.

TOC

[bobgrosh]

I find it handy to visit a on line store what I know has good prices. www.wholesaletrains.com is a good place to start. I lake a little list of prices with shipping. I try to include anything I might buy at a train show and print it on a single sheet listed by MFG. I take it with me to the show so I know if the item is a good deal or not before I buy.

Be sure to include prices you find for things like couplers and metal wheels or in your case, paint, decals and airbrushes. Supplies and accessories can really add a lot of cost in this hobby.

Most of the time there are very good prices at the shows, but every once in a while you get home and discover you paid double for an item or two, so know your prices.

A lot of times I see a loco or car that is not on my list, but at least I can say to myself, I could get a gondola for x amount from the web instead of this one. It really helps to have some prices handy.

B0B

[John Busby]

Hi rick q
Anonther thought is to wait to the end of the show.
This can help with a bit of leverage to get the price a bit lower.
the dealers dont want to have to take stock back to the store
and sometimes lower the price a bit more.
The down side is there will be less to choose from
but if you have a prices list with you as a guide you should be able to pick
a good bargain.
regards John

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Curmudgeon

.......................................and were unwilling to do it "right" because of the investment.
Look at european trains, for instance....(had to see if HJ was actually reading this)

Hey TOC,[;)][:)]

You didn't think I was asleep, did you? [;)][:o)]

BTW if one likes proto modeling, North American is enough of a mine field without getting into European stuff.[;)][:)]

How did I get started in IIm (2m aka 1:22.5)? I dismantled my large HOm layout, sold lots of the stuff to people who really wanted it.
Then went to all the hobby shops in Toronto and picked up exactly what I wanted. All RhB prototype that would fit my era (1969-75). I don't need to buy a "Blue Krok" or any of the modern inverter engines.

At the moment I'm updating some of the LGB (4025) "Uce" cement hoppers to get them closer to what the proto looks like. Lots of fun!
When I'm done I'll post "before" and "after" pictures.

[Anonymous]

Can I just say..."wow!"

I am blown away by the sense of community and supprt here...

I can't tell how true it is that "wise is he who seeks counsel from many"

My first post ever here "in the garden" and I can't thank all of you enough for your time and insight into GR'ing thus far.

I am humbled by the wealth of info you all have shared and in such a short time as well...thank you, thank y ou, thank you.


I was really a mess yesterday after I went to www.san-val.com's 3day sale and bbq. I began to go in circles trying to calculate how much track I needed and all the various options to start with..geesh I had already spent $1000 just thinking about it!
:)

Well I must say it was a real treat to print off your responses and read them aloud to my wife before we went to bed last night to reasure her as I reasurred(eh, spelling) myself that I need to pace myself and not try to make this happen in 1week.

I can say a little something to all your responses but for now please know that I am grateful and on my way in about 4 hours to my very first Garden Railroad show. I can't promise I won't spend anything but I know I won't try to buy a whole frieght load of stuff.

BTW....do you think that any DVD how to's would be a good way to go for starters?


Have a great day gentlemen (and women)....best regards,

RIck Q. and wife

[John Busby]

Hi rick q
Don't know about this new fangled teknorogy[:D]
But I would sugest keeping your eyes open for a good
book on garden railways.
regards John

[cacole]

There's a Big Train Show going on this weekend on the Queen Mary -- but hurry, it ends Sunday.

[underworld]

rick q. Welcome! There are always good prices to be found from mail order. Shows are great places to find oddities.

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[mgilger]

Rick,
I just started this year building mine and have bought from several sources. The one I always go back to is Ridge Road Station. I get quick delivery and freindly people answeing the phone.

http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/trains.shtml


P.S. Don't make the same mistake as I did. I went with 6 1/2 foot radious curves and should have gone with 8 or 10 foot. I can't run a SD45-2 that I've been interested in purchasing.

http://community.webshots.com/user/MVgilger

Regards,
Mark

[Anonymous]

Although I love the modern mainline diesel it looks like I need to start off with a Steam loco for now. My wife loves the idea of a Disneyland type of train so we agreed to start with a steam loco and eventually add or build another line which can accomadate the modern loco so I can weather and add realistic hand stenciled graffiti murals to my hearts content.

So guys I have looked around and heard alot of you say that LGB is durable and a great place to start. So I have looked in catalogs and I cant say that any of the starter kits get me excited...but this Engine has some possibilities.

23191 LGB Mogul Steam Loco, Black, Undec

I realize I need to buy track, a power supply and rolling stock( imight even try to make my own from kitbashing) but do you think this is a good start? It has sound, smoke and ditital possibilities so why not?

I appreciate your feedback thus far and I am thankful for this forum.

Regards, Rick Q.