New to such a nice hobby

[Anonymous]

Hello everybody!

I'm very new to this, so i basically have no knowledge in railroad modeling. I was always fascinated by trains, so i'm thinking time has come for me to start putting time and money into this fascinating hobby. But i don't know where to start. I decided to post here, since i don't know where to post for some advices regarding my new interest. My interest is best represented by the HO scale models (trains, plants, bridges, etc..), but this is the only thing i know for sure. So i'm asking for any advice that will help me decide where to start.
Thank you in advance to those who are willing to help a newly born hobbist.[:D]

Marius

[Jetrock]

Start by doing some reading--most public libraries will have at least a few books on model railroading for you to check out. A bit of knowledge and research can help you decide what it is you'd like to do in model railroading--there is quite a bit of diversity!

Second is to get some rolling stock! I'd steer clear of pre-packaged train sets in favor of getting off-the-shelf components of decent quality--the money one saves in buying a train set is often a false savings because the components aren't really that high in quality and you have no choice of the individual cars. Also, train-set powerpacks tend to be pretty primitive.

Third, build a little layout! You can put one on a 4x8 sheet of plywood, or if you don't even have room for that you can make a shelf layout in as little as 1x3 or 1x4 feet if you model in N scale. Start small to work on your skills, then you can expand to a bigger or more complex layout if you decide you're ready for more challenging approaches.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the best hobby in the world! My first bit of advice would be to subscribe to Model Railroader magazine. Not only will you be inspired by layouts built by others in the hobby, you'll also find loads of helpful advice on many aspects of the hobby.

This forum is great to visit on a regular basis. I've learned a great deal about the hobby without ever having asked a specific question, just by reading the questions of --an responses from--other hobbyists. And there are no 'dumb' questions here. You'll never feel as though you can't ask this or that question out of fear that it's silly...or that the answer should be obvious.

If you've a hobby shop in your area, develop a rapport with those whom work there. Usually, if the employees are truly into trains, you'll know it immediately and they'll be eager to not only welcome you to the world of model railroading, but knowledgeable about products lines, etc. Don't hesistate to find another shop if the first you visit seems lacking in enthusiasm and/or knowledge. There are too many other shops that will prove worthy of your time and hobby dollars.

Best of luck to you! Get onboard and enjoy the ride! [:D]

[Anonymous]

Yes Read, you can get some good how to used books at train shows and some Hobby shops, Try to find an era you like (50's/60's or so, but most important have some fun with it, and don't be afraid to ask questions

[Anonymous]

Ask ask ask ask ask! Thats what i do :) Im new to this as well, and you can ASK just about anyone ive got atleast 2 or 3 questions posted here a day :) I havent gotten around to getting to the library or bookstore yet but i intend to buy some books on the hobby. The hobby shop is an excellant place for info to, i found a real good one in my town and now im in there probobly twice a week talking with "the old man" oh yeah and ask some more questions here :)

[Anonymous]

Yes, visit your local hobby shop. They will know if there are any model railroad clubs in your vicinity. These clubs usually meet on a regular basis and many contain welcoming "ambassadors" to the hobby. Find out if there are any layout owners around where you live. Your learning curve will rise as you visit operating layouts. Their owners will be able to give constructive advice, in particular...what not to do! Hey, why re-invent the wheel when others with experience have already tread down that path! I'm quite certain that you'll find the camaraderie offered by most model railroaders one of the most rewarding aspects of this wonderful hobby!

Mike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

[preceng]

I agree with the above, read all you can. Also DO NOT be afraid to try stuff and even fail. It is truely the only way to learn.

[Hawks05]

i just got into in mid october or some. and look how many posts i have. most of them are either asking questions or replying to peoples questions. even though i have no layout as of right now. i've read a few books well have a few and i try and get Trains and Model Railroader when i get the chance to go to the LHS. my LHS which isn't really local is 50 miles away and has very little for HO. about all it has is passenger stuff and buildings. they have a lot of books though on HO and part like couplers and rail joiners and track. try and find some shows to go to. pick out a certain railroad. i'm planning on modeling stuff that runs through the upper midwest in Wisconsin. CB&Q, BN, and Rock Island are the locomotives i have. i'm also looking into getting at least one CNW and GN locomotive. probably another GP7 GN and hopefully at GP30 CNW. one of my CB&Q locos is a GP7 and my Rock Island loco is a GP7. the BN is a GP50 and the other CB&Q is a GP40.

things to do.

1. Read up on the hobby. find out how to lay track, do scenery, do the wiring, build the layout, build benchwork. anything that has to do with this hobby read about.
2. Pick a railroad to model. maybe its something in your area or maybe its just a RR that you find interesting or like the paint scheme (thats basically how i picked what i was going to model)
3. Find a LHS that you know you can trust when it comes to answering questions.
4. Try and find maybe a group of co-workers or fellow students depending on your case that are interested in MRR. you can ask them questions, see if you can visit their layouts, or maybe just go to shows with them.

i feel in love of the CB&Q GP7 "Zephyr" locomotive. so what did i do. i was browsing ebay one night and looked at one and said sure why not i'll buy it. set me back $55 but it was worth it. then at the first show i went to i saw some Proto 2000 stuff that i really liked. like a GP7 Rock Island locomotive. it was Red and Black. feel in love with that one to. so what did i do. once again i was on ebay browsing for rolling stock and i found this. bought it for $44.25. I also was looking and heard from a friend that Great Northern was a part of Burlington Northern. so i looked on ebay once again and found some GN hoppers and a boxcar kit, ya i bought them to. just look for a railroad you like or find interesting and buy stuff for it. then look at what they carried on there trains. i know that a lot of what BN carried wasn't coal or anything but thats what i might do. something about boxcars doesn't trip my trigger. i like the look of a consist of grain hoppers and coal hoppers. living in the upper midwest we have a lot of grain and what not so i kind of like that idea.

here is a pic of what my Rock Island locomotive looks like.

http://i24.ebayimg.com/01/i/00/fa/a2/c0_1.JPG

any questions just contact me on AIM.

[Anonymous]

Nice looking GP7, hawks05! Sphinxus, will you be using DC or DCC if you decide to build a layout?

[Anonymous]

I hate to tell you Sphinxus, this is not so much of a hobby but an addiction. Once started, you will be hooked until the day you die. Anyway, welcome to the forums of the afflicted.

[sparkingbolt]

Scottydog calls this an addiction. True. But try to establish what locale, and era your railroad will be. you may choose a particular railroad, or freelance your own roadname, towns, etc.this can be fairly general, Say the '50s or '70s, but try to avoid buying everything and anything that appeals to you, only to find that you can't use lots of it with any credibility.

It always looks funny to see a mid 1920's type steam locomotive and train on the rails, and a '70 Chevelle sitting there by a KFC. This focus will help you save money and time.

Some people, with some forethought, can switch eras on their layouts by changing the trains, vehicles and just a few details. Just my 2 cents worth. Dan