General Discussion (Model Railroader)

I've been working on my small N-scale layout for 3 months (actually over a year, but was on hold for 10 months due to family problems) and I still haven't got my trains running yet. I'm about ready to call it quits. I've been waiting months for parts from "Internettrains.com". I bought 3 Bachmann train sets last year and they are still in the box. I decided to go with Atlas code 80 track because Atlas had so many pre-designed layouts available and I had some experience with trying to fit Lionel Fasttrack. The more I read about Bachmann trains, the more I want to get rid of them.

I've been reading a lot about the quality of KATO trains and I like the Amtrak N P42 Superliner set, but I'm struggling with giving up on my Atlas layout and just using Kato Unitrack without all the scenery. I still have a lot of work to do on the scenery and I still haven't got the colors right.

All I really want to do is play with the trains. I'm not sure how well the Kato Amtrak P42 Superliner will run on my exiting layout. That is if I ever get all track finished. I have the track wired for both DC & DCC. All I have to do move wires from one terminal to another.

 

Do you think I should continue with the Atlas Layout?

Years ago, I was in a similar situation---no motivation to finish laying the track. And the thought of ballasting was almost enough to trash the table and throw away what little cork & track I'd somehow managed to nail down.

Out of desperation, here's what I did: I went to the local hobby shop and posted a notice asking for help. Within a few days, I was overwhelmed with offers of assistance. A few guys came over and a few beers later, I had running trains, several new friends and the confidence to begin the scenery on my own....knowing full-well that my new friends would be back again to help so long as the beer held out.

You might want to consider enlisting aid from a local model railroad club or the hobby shop to get yourself started. Once you see how easy everything is, moving forward is a breeze.

I'd stick with the Atlas since you've already purchased the stuff. As for me, my last small layout was done with Unitrack. It's nice to work with although I prefer the look of the Atlas after it's been ballasted versus the Unitrack with the too tall roadbed.

What you have now is a good start. I can't see that you are far from running trains.

I'd stay with the Atlas. Kato's Unitrack is nice and easy, but the price difference offsets the "easy" factor, at least for me.

Your layout is looking good to me so far.

Rotor

 

Wow, it seems like you've done a lot of work to consider a big change like that.  I've heard good things about Kato Unitrack, but considering how far you have progressed into the track laying stage, changing over now would seem like a huge waste of time and money. 

I used Atlas code 80 on my layout and it works fine.  I'd stick with what you have and concentrate on finishing up the track work.  Also, if your internet store is giving you trouble with not having things in stock, then cancel your backorders and try another vendor who has the stock.  Why wait?  There are a number of other great internet hobby shops out there for N-scale like MB Klein, Brooklyn Locomotive Works (BLW), Wig Wag LLC, Caboose Hobbies, Toy Train Heaven, etc.   

 

BY all means, stay away from Internettrains.com.  They're poison.  It's too bad they have such a great URL, because they suck people in who are just initially searching.  Toytrainheaven is a good store, through you can wait like 3 weeks for delivery (as opposed to months and months and months with Internettrains.)  Don't know they're N stock situation, but Trainworld is among the best for price plus delivery.

Hey, you're layout looks like it's coming along fine!  Nice electrical work, track laid out, the basis for the scenery.  Don't give up.  I have found that 3 months working on a layout is actually, realistically and relatively speaking, a short frame of time.  If you're looking for a cool layout, all scenicked and everything, it'll take some time. Just concentrate on getting those trains running so they rest of it doesn't tear down your will power. Pick first things first, and take it sequentially, carve out your interim goals - ie, what's next...and you'll be fine.

Since you have the Atlas stuff already down, why not continue it.  If you went to Unitrack, it's a fine choice too, Unitrack is pretty straightforward, simple and quick...especially in your stated circumstance.  But at this point it's an added expense and you'd have to rip up work you've already done.  In trhe end, you'll be happy with the look of your hand ballasted Atlas track. 

Just stick to it, and realize that a good layout takes time...

Continue with what you have. Learn and enjoy all the phases of your layout building. Nothing stops you from planning your NEXT layout. It looks like you are so close to being finished with the track work.. scenery is just around the bend! Everything you learn now will make the next layout that much better and give you a stronger sense of the what, when, and where you are going to want to model..

My current layout doesnt meet even a fraction of my givens and druthers but it is proving to be a fantastic learning experience while I plan my next one. Besides, with the new atlas code 65 product right around the corner, you may want to wait to see how that pans out. Sectional track isnt my thing but it looks like and interesting kato-esque product with american tie spacing and a relatively low rail profile.

As for getting product, that shouldnt be a problem. There are a lot of great online hobby shops. 

Chris 

 

What you have looks great.

As to running trains, I have often operated "point-to-point" or switching operations on a part-finished layout.  Even a little bit of operation is satisfying and provided motivation to go on.

As to code-80 rail in N-scale, a lot of people think that doesn't look realistic.  But there was an MR article in the last year showing how with proper ballasting to the ties don't look so chunky, it looks fine.  If you want, you can ballast and finish only a corner of your layout to provide a photo corner to show off to people.  Since modeling is an illusion anyway, like the Potemkin Village approach of finishing the part in front of people and leaving the back lot as is.

Well to play Devil's Advocate, I don't see why anyone (especially in N) wouldn't use Kato Unitrack!! I'm using it on my new HO layout, after many years of "convential" flextrack laying. I only wish they had the variety of products available that their N line does...including that bank building with a full interior.

BTW rather than moving the wires, you should get some sort of DPDT (double-pole / double-throw) switch and wire that up so you can switch back and forth from DC to DCC easier. Can be as simple as a surface mount knife switch from Radio Shack for under $2. I still like to test-run and break in my new engines in DC before opening them up to install the decoder.

 

shawnee wrote:

BY all means, stay away from Internettrains.com.  They're poison.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I just got back into the hobby after a long hiatus. I used to order stuff off the internet years ago (late '90's) without problems (before internettrains). When I got back into model RR'ing I found Internettrains.com and thought COOL!. Boy was I suckered. I had been used to enjoying dependable internet service from a variety of places for my scale modeling over tha past few years so I figured these guys should be OK...HA! Right.....

It took over a month and several phone calls to finally get them to ship my order. I won't be ordering from them again. Oh, sure they promise you all these points and free % off coupons but it's a trick to lure you in. No thanks. No more for me.

 

As others have said...stay the course. You have a lot invested already in time and materials. It would be a shame to scrap all that. I think in the end you'll be happy with the Atlas track.

 

-G- 

Looks like a great start there. I would stay with Atlas track. You could possibly use PECO Insulfrog switches but Atlas are OK. Ballast and scenery aren't really that daunting once you get into it.

As for your wireing in both DC and DCC the flexibility is excellent. Might check to see if a toggle switch or two could make teh transormation from one to the other easier.

Take your time and do it right and you will have an excellent railroad as a result.

A couple of thoughts here on your trouble, first off internettrains is really bad, hope they did not charge your credit card already because it took about 3 phone calls (and they are not good about answering their phones either) over the course of about a week and a half and threats of sending it to dispute before they refunded my money!. Second it sounds like you are going through dark times of the soul and self doubt itis as far as your layout is conserned and thats ok really, it's totally understandable, frankly a lot of the information on this stuff is kinda confusing and contradicting, a lot of it seems to omit some steps so you end up with good info on step 1 and step 3 but step 2 is a little unclear, also there are a lot of ways to get the same results, also if you are looking through books and reading MRR and seeing those really well done layouts and then you go look at yours and think "oh man my layout is never going to look that good! why bother" well remember this, those layouts are the cream of the crop and more then likely not that persons first ( or maybe not even 10th ) layout, i really wish MRR would publish some  before and after kind of thing like " well this is Mr. super layout guys current work, now here are some photos of his first layout, this is what patients and practice will get you" something like that.And lastly if some step is looking to difficult and you are affraid of messing up your layout you could always do some practice off layout, like if it's ballesting you are worried about pick up some old used track and tack it to a small board and do your ballesting on that til you are comfortable with your work, same goes with making hills or such, sorry for the long winded post here it's just that i have been there and worried about that, and more then likely most on here have done so also, so don't feel like the lone ranger here! hope this helps some.

I'm still not clear what your problem is. Are you having trouble laying the Atlas track successfully? Do you not like the look of the Atlas product? Is it just that you can't get the rest of the track you need from the internets worst hobby shop? Cancel your order and try these guys.
http://www.nhshobbies.com/category_s/389.htm

It's kind of hard to see what the track work looks like from the pictures. You've come pretty far to rip it up and start over.

Stay with what you have done so far.

Dont go ripping it all up to put down Kato.

I LIKE Kato but clearly this layout in the pictures are just too far advanced to go changing track now.

I think you have a supplier problem waiting on stuff. You need to be proactive and make the purchases happen elsewhere and have it moving towards you so you can progress in stages on your fine layout.

Step One: Cancel your existing orders.

Step two: Find a hobby shop or go to a webpage like Caboose Hobbies, MB Kleins or similar...

Step Three: Dont quit now.

 

Regarding your wondering if the specific train will work ok on your layout... take it out of the boxes, put it on the track and get power to it. Get up and RUN it even if you only traveled 5 feet of track on one side of the layout.

Leaving stuff in boxes while wondering.... that is self defeating. Take em out and run em.

Three months?  I started my present layout in February 2004 and it's not finished.  It never will be.  But I can run trains.  Adding and changing are what it's all about.  If it were finished and all I could look forward to was running trains, I'd lose interest.  Unitrack is good, reliable track, but there is nothing wrong with Atlas or Peco track properly wired and ballasted.

If the problem is that you're waiting for an order of track or something, cancel the order you have and go get the stuff somewhere else(??) I wouldn't stop working on the layout just because one place is slow getting you're order, track isn't that expensive even at the LHS.

As far as what will work on your layout, the main thing would be your minimum radius. If you're using curves under 15" radius you may have a hard time running fullsize passenger cars like Kato's. If you're using tight curves I would consider re-doing the layout with broad (15"to18"R) curves...any time you lose doing that now will be more than made up for by smooth reliable running of larger equipment in years to come.