Newbie Check-in

[stokesda]

Hey, everybody.

I decided to start a new thread, because I thought it would be a good place for people like me to check in to the forum.

I've been an anonymous "lurker" for a couple of months and decided it was time I finally "came out" (as it were). I've gotten a lot of good tips and advice from the postings here, so I just wanted to say thanks to everybody for all that. Maybe one of these days I'll be able to contribute my own wisdom [:)]. The things I really like about this forum are the civilized behavior and the fact that people really want to help each other and offer good advice. Not like some other (non-RR) forums I've visited, which seem to be populated by 13-year olds constantly flaming each other.

I'm fairly new to the hobby, even though my dad dabbled in it a little when I was a kid. Right now, I live in a tiny 1 BR apartment, so there's no room for a layout. I'm planning to build my first layout from Atlas plans next year when we move into a bigger place. It has to be portable, as I'm in the military and have to move every 2 years or so. In the meantime, I've been collecting bits and pieces of track and stuff from time to time (when the wife isn't looking [:)]). Just bought my first loco the other day - a great pumpkin BNSF Dash-8. I might take a trip to my LHS later this week to pick up a couple of blue box freight car kits to go with it.

Cheers,

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the forum Dan! Well, there are quite a few 13 year olds here (me being one of them) and we have had some "flame wars", but for a long time. Well anyway, I hope you come to love this forum as much as I do. I go crazy if I don't check it every 5 hours[:p]!
(ok so maybe you don't want to love this forum as much as I do[;)]

Jonathon[:)]

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the forums. [#welcome] I'm glad you found the hobby and the forums. sounds like you already have a pretty good start in the hobby. Just keep checkinig in here and don't be afraid to make posts . We are a freindlyl bunch here.
Andrew

[Anonymous]

yeah welcome~!!!!
this forum is a really cool place. the people are freindly here and i havent seen that much childish behavior (other forums definitaly do have their share). yeah... welcome and good luck with your layout when that time comes, and have fun collecting those trains till then =D
matt

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by george745

Welcome to the forums. [#welcome] I'm glad you found the hobby and the forums.
Andrew

DITTO and we have fun too.

[AntonioFP45]

Big Welcome to you! Great having you here![:)][:D]

A big hearty salute to you! I read your profile. Thanks so much for what you are doing for our country! [:)][4:-)][:D][8D][8)][;)][swg][tup]


I moved to Tampa in 1973 and grew up watching the Seaboard Coast Line. Lots of fond memories of U-Boats, GP7s, and Amtrak SDP0fs. [4:-)][tup]

Tampa Union Station, Uceta Yard, Chester Holley's and later Happy Hobo were my main teenage hangouts. Got around by 10 speed bike and city buses, getting soaked in the torrential rains! (I always tell young folks today that they've got it made!) [;)][8)]

Regarding your "limited space". Enjoy a little model railroad action for little effort!

Consider building a 1 foot wide shelf that's 4 to 10 feet in length and mount it on a wall as a "shelf" or mount legs on it.. "3/8 or " 1/2 plywood is cheap. I bet you can find plenty of leftover pieces on your military facility. If it's long, you can even build it in two sections and bolt or clamp them together (as mine is). On this "12 wide shelf, there would be enough room for multiple tracks that can connect to each other with turnouts. You can slap this together in one afternoon or evening. When it comes time to move, remove the legs or fold them in and carry it with you.

I currently have a 1 x 8 in my "hobby room". Nickel Silver track, MRC 2500 powerpack. 2 track mainline on one edge with a branch that connects to a third track on the opposite edge. I test locomotives and cars, check coupler height gauges, and display different freight train set ups with the cars and locos I have stored on a shelf. Visitors enjoy seeing what freight or passenger train I have sitting on one of the tracks.

I'm planning on a layout, but for now this suffices and running locomotives back and forth on these tracks is a fun motivater for me to finish planning and to start building. Currently I'm tweaking and detailing my locomotives for DCC. Definetly going to do my best to get rid of the notorious "Growls" from my Athearn U-Boat and Cowls. The "star" passenger train on my new layout will be the Seaboard Coast Line version of "The Champion" hauled by E units in the black & yellow "Bumblebee" scheme.

God Bless, and stay positive!

[Anonymous]

My first layout slid under the bed. No excuse now LT Dan.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Boulder eh? I used to live there, but it's been almost 20 years. What's the local hobby store these days? The place to go is Caboose down in Denver, though Mizell's is closer.

If you put your mind to it there is always room for a layout of some kind. Bigger is not always better. One sheet of foam cut into a few pieces could keep you busy running trains for quite a while, and the nice part is it's light when you have to move it.

Welcome, and have fun.
[8D]

[krump]

welcome Stokesda,

glad you joined us.
limited space and military moves... perhaps the Z scale model Railroad in a Suitcase, is another option to look at. meet you in the coffee shop a bit later
cheers

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by stokesda
I live in a tiny 1 BR apartment, so there's no room for a layout. I'm planning to build my first layout from Atlas plans next year when we move into a bigger place. It has to be portable, as I'm in the military and have to move every 2 years or so. In the meantime, I've been collecting bits and pieces of track and stuff from time to time (when the wife isn't looking [:)]). Just bought my first loco the other day - a great pumpkin BNSF Dash-8. I might take a trip to my LHS later this week to pick up a couple of blue box freight car kits to go with it.

My biggest mistake when I thought I didn't have room for a layout was just doing the armchair thing. I realized later I could have learned a lot and prepared myself for having more room by building *something* no matter how small.

Do an 18" x 6 foot something that slides under the bed. Lay track, get a DCC system and run some locos, do some switching, build a bit of scenery, detail it with structures, and so on. Just planning and shopping for these items will teach you a lot.

You will learn a ton by just doing this and when you do get space, you can hit the ground running and have something satisfying *much sooner*.

So what are you waiting for? [:D]

[dharmon]

Welcome to the forums. It's good to see another squid. I feel your pain. My stuff has made a bunch of moves and most is still Rubbermaid containers. Might want to think about joining a local club. I get the opportunity to run the stuff I've built up without having to worry about tearing down a layout for every move.

Dan

[stokesda]

Thanks for the welcome, everybody!

Shelf layouts don't really excite me as much as bridges and over-unders and stuff, so what I'm planning is a 5x9 that I can break in half for moving. Maybe it's kind of ambitious, but as long as I have a spare room or basement or something from now on, I'll be happy. If need be, I could build it so it folds up when not in use (like in the last issue of MRR mag).

The deal I made with my wife was that I'd build her a picnic table before I started working in earnest on the layout. In the meantime, I've been researching and window shopping and picking up good deals on eBay now and then. I've been amazed at how much I've learned in a couple of months.

Big_Boy_4005 - you're right on the money on the LHS's. The only one closer is Hank's in Louisville. The guy is really nice, but it's a tiny store and pretty limited selection. I went to Mizell's last week, and it was like I'd died and gone to heaven. I felt like a kid in....well, like a kid in a train store [:)]. Haven't made it to Caboose yet, but I've seen their website.

Cheers,

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by stokesda

Thanks for the welcome, everybody!

Shelf layouts don't really excite me as much as bridges and over-unders and stuff, so what I'm planning is a 5x9 that I can break in half for moving. Maybe it's kind of ambitious, but as long as I have a spare room or basement or something from now on, I'll be happy. If need be, I could build it so it folds up when not in use (like in the last issue of MRR mag).

The deal I made with my wife was that I'd build her a picnic table before I started working in earnest on the layout. In the meantime, I've been researching and window shopping and picking up good deals on eBay now and then. I've been amazed at how much I've learned in a couple of months.

Big_Boy_4005 - you're right on the money on the LHS's. The only one closer is Hank's in Louisville. The guy is really nice, but it's a tiny store and pretty limited selection. I went to Mizell's last week, and it was like I'd died and gone to heaven. I felt like a kid in....well, like a kid in a train store [:)]. Haven't made it to Caboose yet, but I've seen their website.

Cheers,

I had seen that Hank had finally taken his basement operation to the next level. I just wasn't sure if he had expanded into HO. Hank likes Lionel, and for that matter so does Warren (Mizell). That's how I know both of them, I do Lionel trains too. Say hi to them for me next time, if you remember.

So, you haven't been to Caboose? Bring smelling salts, because you may pass out when you walk in the door. Caboose is probably the biggest and the best exclusive train store anywhere. I have traveled the country, and been to a lot of stores, but Caboose is the best I've ever seen.

By the way, my screen name is related to Denver also. You can visit the 4005 at the Forney Museum. Enjoy your time in Colorado, it is a great place for trains!!![^][8D]