Newbie, first ever layout

[Anonymous]

Hey all, I am new at this, and I have been doing quite a bit of reseaech....heres what we ( my boys & I) have so far.......A basic set, some new alloy track...because the steel stuff was junk, and a new engine coming next payday. We are using HO scale. I am thinking of a 4x8 layout, I know thats big for what we have now, but I want to just get it started and then work on it slowly, till eventually we get 2 4x8's in an L shape. I am thinking of using 1/2 or 5/8 plywood, then the first question comes up.....Do we use cork to lay the track on? ( I think the answer is yes), then how do we fasten this to the plywood? gorilla glue? and then we just tack the track to the cork correct? I am sorry if these are silly questions, But I have waited since I was kid to do this and both my boys (as well as me) Love trains. I just want to make sure we are doing this thing right the first time. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

[dehusman]

Not silly at all. The type of track you want is "nickel silver" because it doesn't oxidize as bad as brass or steel.
If you use 1/2 plywood have some bracing under it. Commonly ers use 1x4's.
You can use good 'ole Elmer's white glue. You can probably buy a gallon for the same price as a pint of the Gorilla glue. Plus the white glue is good for scenery. I use push pins to hold the cork down while the white glue dries. You can also use carpet tacks, then pull out the tacks after the glue dries. Other peoople have been using adhesive caulk to glue down the cork and track (the paintable latex kind) because it is easier to pull up later when you change things.
Use fine nails (like Atlas sells) to nail the track in place (gently). The importany thing is to get the track lined up carefully with no kinks. A good track to use is "flex track" which coms in 3 ft lengths. Use flush cutting pliers to cut it (under $10 at Radio Shack). You'll have to trim a couple ties back from the ends to get the rail joiners on, then take a chunk of tie strip and sand off the "spikes" and slip it under the joint to make it invisible..

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

I think these two threads will answer your questions:

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17216

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15426

[IRONROOSTER]

Welcome to the hobby.

The NMRA has a set of pages for beginners http://www.nmra.org/beginner/ that can help.

Gorillas Glue foams as it cures. You want to be careful using it in a model railroad; most of the time it is not needed (I have never used it on my layout) - yellow or white glue works just fine.

After glueing the cork roadbed down take a suraform plane and lightly plane the roadbed, this will smooth it especially at the joints and help prevent kinks in the track from uneven road bed.

When you are nailing the track in place, be careful not to go so far as to cause the tie to bow as this will pull the rails together and derail trains. What I do is to drill a hole slightly smaller than the track nails, and then using a hobby hammer and a regular small nail set I tap the nail in so it's snug but not bending the tie.

With a first layout don't be afraid to pull up the track and redo it. Very few, if any, of us got it right the first time. I'm on my fifth layout and still have to redo the track occaisionally to get it right.

Enjoy
Paul

[simon1966]

Hi DadnBoyz

I am doing the same thing. 2 Boys that love trains and me wanting to find an enjoyable hobby that we can work on together. My little ones are 7 and 4. We started this 3 years ago and did not actually begin construction until last fall. You might even consider going with some of the track with raodbed attatched. I started with Atlas track and spent the first year just creating small layouts with this. It got the boys quickly used to putting trains on the tracks and controlling them. Now that the layout is under construction I am using plywood with extruded foam (Blueboard insulation foam) for the base. This allows easy carving of streams and ditches and also is used for the construction of hills and other scenic features. I glues the cork roadbed to the foam using Liquid Nails foam compatible glue (regular L.N. melts the foam) and then glued the track to the roadbed.

http://www.trains.com/Utilities/get_galleryfile.asp?idOLG={BB7D95BD-F7D8-4A89-BAF3-C7D38E36F710}1

Above is a good article from MRR that goes into the topic.

In addition to this, my boys really love to build and weather inexpensive Athearn blue box kits. These are a great way to get "messy" and have fun

Regards

[Anonymous]

Hi DadnBoyz...

One thing I found really useful when I started was one of those "start to finish" books. While not as detailed as some of the topic-spcific books, it will give you a really good idea of what you are in for (so to speak! [:)]). Other alternatives include videos from a variety of manufacturers, plus back issues of Model Railroader. Every year or so, MR runs a series across several months on how to build a particular layout from start to finish. I find back issues at my local train shop for CAN$0.50 each, so a series may cost me CAN$2-6 depending on how long it ran.

One other thing I have found very useful is to build little dioramas to try out techniques. This is a link to one I built to try landscaping - rocks, trees, and vegetation, plus laying and ballasting track. Your boys might be interested in this too - you can glue a couple of chunks of foam down, get some craft paint from the dollar store, and a bunch of other stuff, and just go to town. If it turns out badly - it is a learning experience. If it turns out nice - you can incorporate it into the final plan.

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=9962

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask questions. We were all beginners once (and some of us still are... [;)])

Andrew

[jrbarney]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DadnBoyz

I am thinking of a 4x8 layout, I know thats big for what we have now, but I want to just get it started and then work on it slowly, till eventually we get 2 4x8's in an L shape. I am thinking of using 1/2 or 5/8 plywood, then the first question comes up.....

Dad,
One comment to add to all the good advice you have received. How far can you and your boys reach ? The L shape is fine, but if you choose 4X8, you'll need access from all sides and probably some pop-up hatches. You might want to consider a U or W shape comprised of 3 foot wide, or narrower, sections. An O shape would require a duck under for you, but maybe not your sons. If you can acquire some of the layout plan books at your LHS, or borrow them from your local public library, you may find a plan you like.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[Anonymous]

WOW, Thank you all for the great information. I am now leaning towards a little smaller layout and will have the option to add on later. I also got the video Builiding Your First Model Railroad, and it answered alot of other beginner questions. This hobby is unlike anything I have ever done, the boys are loving the trains and controlling them, I am sure I will have other questions in the future, and once again, thank you all for the help.Now, off to the building supply store for some material......