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[Anonymous]

I have a track plan but i do not know how to start,
is cork roadbed ok for train track and what order do i assemble my layout

[Anonymous]

Start at the beginning. :-)
You'll want to get the benchwork done before you start doing anything else. Depending on the size of your layout you may want to do the benchwork in one shot, or in segments if it's bigger. I started my first layout (of my adult life, anyway), and got the benchwork put together in a day. If you have a plan and some carpentry skill it's pretty straight forward.
As for the track laying, I'd strongly encourage roadbed. IT's a great sound damper. Without it you'll hear the engine echoing off the plywood. It also raises it up some and gives a nice beveled look to the track. Never worked with a foam base, but I'm sure others here can comment.
Once you have the trackage done you can start doing major terrain features and getting models and scenery installed. I'm just starting that phase myself and it's good stuff. Going with the 'newspaper and plaster' method at the moment, but I have a bigger mountain I want to build that I think I'll try foam on.
Hope that helps.

[SpaceMouse]

You need to go back furhter than that. If you are asking these questions you need to read up. There are great beginner start-to-finish books by Model Railroader or you can read the NMRA beginners guide on-line. But you should really have a better grasp of where you are going before you start.

[pcarrell]

Now this is just me, but the first thing I would do is read.

I know you've got itching fingers and all but, unless you've got lots of time and money to redo things it's best to KNOW what you're doing the first time!

With that said, some sort of base to build on is next. There are lots of ways to do this, depending on what is available to you for raw materials, what you want the end result to look like, what kind of access you need to the underside, and so on.

Common types of benchwork (do a seach of the forums on this word for all kinds of info) are wooden (in various designs including, but not limited to, the good old 4x8 Plywood Central, L girder construction, box frame construction, and so on), foam sheets (insulation sheets at Home Depot and Lowes), and even metal (this is still kind of new, but it shows great promise). Usually a combination of various kinds seems to be best for most situations.

Plan your benchwork carefully as everything else will be based off of it, so if it's weak, wobbly, or not supported correctly, your RR will suffer in the end (and so will you for that matter).

When it comes to laying track, many people lay it on cork roadbed. It works quite well. Others use foam insulation sheets (I do). Others use a variety of other products such as wood, foam rubber, topper tape made for camper shells on pickups, and a pressed paper product called homosote. They all work and the one you use is really a personal preference kind of thing.

Wiring and control methods, scenery, and building projects (usually in that order, but not necessarily) are all in your future so we can talk about that when the time comes.

As you've noticed, there isn't really just one way to do it. You have options. That is why I suggest reading up so you are able to make a decision that is right for you.

Do some searching around this forum and you'll find most of your questions answered. If you can't find it, ASK! We LOVE to give our opinions!

[joeh19012]

I like the recommendations to READ. Nothing works better than knowledge and nothing fails worse than ignorance.

My two cents: Like a house, a model railroad also needs a solid foundation. The nature of the foundation depends on whether you can attach it to studs in the wall, whether it needs to be free standing, whether you are planning a shelf style layout, etc. So you can use L-girder, for instance, but will it be a free standing table or an around the room layout that you can attach to the wall?

Some of the most innovative ideas I've seen in the magazines and/or read about here use brackets mounted to wall studs with L-girders forming the flat surface on which the layout is to be built. There is a depth limit to this system, but it has the advantage of leaving the floor relatively clear and making it easy to work under the layout.

Do you plan to or can you foresee dismantling the layout and reassembling it somewhere else if you were to move? If so, a sectional layout may be in order. Sections are usually built using a variation of a grid system, with a lot more support around the edges. Would you like to get involved with modular clubs and layouts? These make the construction considerations fairly easy as there are standards to follow, so there is little to decide and evaluate. Both individuals and clubs build modules.

I'll end my pratter here, but as has already been suggested, do your research and homework first--then make your decisions. Don't forget also that the necessary materials have a cost. Figure that into your decision.

Best wishes, and don't become a victim of "analysis paralysis." Hope you get started soon!

[selector]

A direct answer to your question is that roadbed is preferred, unless you are modeling a yard. The roadbed elevates the rails above the surrounding terrain so that the tracks stay above 'water'. The ballast will conform easily to the roadbed, and the ballast was used for drainage and to anchor the ties.

If you intend to lay track on a surface, but do not intend to build a layout, a simple table or bench will do, and the roadbed will help to keep the noise down. On a layout, though, the roadbed needs to be anchored, itself, and the track glued to it.

As the others quite rightly point out, this is the type of question that rings alarm bells for those of us with some layout-building experience. You gotta pay your dues by reading and planning. Forget building anything until you have invested between 10-20 hours of "hard" reference/guide reading. Honestly, you must do this so that you don't spoil your hobby.

Hate to deflate you, lovintrains, but our answers are heartfelt.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the opinions. What are the best books to read about a ho layout

[pcarrell]

Track planning for realistic operation by John Armstrong is excellent. It covers much more than track planning. I know you already have a plan, but trust me, it's worth it. I think all here will concur.

There are also many good books by Model Railroader Magazine and Kalambach (Sp?) Publishing.

They have books on benchwork, trackwork, scenery, DC and DCC, you name it. I don't think I've seen a bad book from them. They are written by modelers, for modelers.

Try this link. I don't know if it will work, but here goes;

http://store.yahoo.com/kalmbachcatalog/model-railroading-books.html

Also, you've got us! (kind of like the booby prize, huh?) [:D]

[jwar]

Perhaps a good starter book, would be[8)], Practical Guide to Ho Model railroading, covers wireing, trackwork how to get started and layout construction as well as locomotives cars weathering and scenery. About $13 bucks or so, and will save $$$ lost to redoing things.
All the above suggestions are extreamely valid as all of us are as helpfull as possable, making this forum so great, and in short time, you will be giving advice with the rest of us. my best suggestion is not to get overwheled and flustrated[V], it just one day at a time and things will fall into place, with a little forthought. Wishing you the best and keep at it.[8D]...John