I'm just a 9-5 guy

[cmrj]

Hi guy's , TMCC  is so simple that my 5 year old run's train's with it . As far as not selling ,some of the guy's are unaware of  how  it work's , 2 guy's I know after they got a chance to play with it. Went out and bought a comand set. At first it can be a little over whelming to some ,but once they push a few button's and find out how easy it is to operate. Then it's  I get me one these.
 I just run trains on the floor in the basement at this time.
         Mike

[Brutus]

Okay - my current layout under construction is about 44 inches by 96 inches and has a dogbone inside a simple loop.  I'll post a pic Sunday of the track so far.  This is plenty big for our living room right now.  Last year I had a simple loop and then a loop inside a loop.  Once I can make a more permanent layout in the basement (hopefully this time next year) I'd like to upgrade to a low-end TMCC locomotive, maybe the recent Lionel Lines Berk with personlized logo since I'm dreaming.  I really am looking forward to being able to run TMCC, but it's not on the radar this year and maybe not next year.  I hope to have about 3 ft by 16 ft and maybe a bump out at one end of 6  by 4???  Have to see how I can work it in.

Thanks for all the intersting posts above guys - I've only been back into trains for about 2.5 years and the first year I was playing with some HO until I realized that I really liked O best.  Anyway, I'm still catching on to a lot of this stuff and really appreciate all the insight of you guys who have been around this stuff longer.

[Anonymous]

I was a 9 to 5 guy until I retired. I had an addition built to house my dream layout,L shaped sized modestly about 10X35. I needed this much room to house all the train items I acquired over the years. I started building this 2 years ago and am still not finished. I see nothing wrong with layouts big or small,both promote the hobby and inspire inguinity. In fact smaller layouts inspire creative ideas of using space efficiently,and it is great getting ideas from what others have built. I hope to have the trains running by next April as trains are a good winter project.

I run conventional,not because I am afraid of technology,electronics is a hobby of mine. I run conventional because unlike TMCC or DCS it is easily automated with relays and timers. I will have 7 loops of trains and 2 trolley lines. My goal was to make them come and go,appear and disappear,stop at stations ect just like real trains at infrequent intervals. Each loop will have 2 or 3 trains. This involves using over 100 relays and timers. I will also have a loop which is not automated run off the transformer throttle to unilize the various trackside accessories.

I have nothing against technology in trains. I think the drawback has been poor quality and failure of the companies to impliment the technology where it is reliable to the same degree as other electronic products such as TVs and microwave ovens.
I have spent countless hours fixing engines and accessories new out of the box that were not assembled correctly or had defects mostly electronic in nature.

I like sound systems in engines. I prefer Railsounds to PS2 hands down. First the sound itself has better fidelity. Second the Railsounds PC board are component systems which are easier to repair and troubleshoot. PS2 boards are not practicle to fix and if something goes wrong you have to replace the whole board at a cost of around $200. Again,there is nothing wrong with the technology itself,it is the way it is implimented.

Dale Hz

[spankybird]

Even thou we have two layouts, one is 5' x 8' circus layout

be sure to click on the pics to enlarge them

 

[jwse30]

I currently only have a starter set loop (from the Thomas set) of Fastrack on the carpeting. My last layout was 2 sheets of plywood in an L shape. I later added a 1' x 12' elevated shelf to run a trolley back and forth on. I saved the 2 tabletops, and hopefully by Thanksgiving I'll have them set up in my new basement with a 3 x 4 section connecting them to make a U shaped layout. 

This layout may be the one that I buy a Cab-1 remote for,so I can walk around the layout. I'm leaving a minimum of 30" (if I remember right) from the edge of the benchwork to the wall all the way around the layout, so the remote control(s) might make it more fun to let 'em run and watch from from different places. Since I only have one command controlled engine (most of my engines are postwar era), I'll be using the conventional modules (don't recall their name)

When this layout gets built, it will be my largest one to date. By memory, I've had a 5 x 9 (I think,  it seemed huge when I was 5 to 10 years old), a 4 x 8, another 4 x 8, a 3 by 6, and the 8x12 L.  One of the 4 x 8s and the 3 x 6 didn't even have paint on the plywood. They were very temporary to say the least.

Regarding Brianel's opinion that too much is being spent by the mftr's on the high end stuff,  I'll tend to agree.  Look how successful Lionel's Docksider is (and K-Line's Plymouth, and RMT's Beep et al), and don't get me started about the K-Line O-27 switches. However, this stuff just doesn't generate the hype needed to make your name stand out. I don't watch much TV, so this remark may blow up in my face, but when was the last time you saw a commercial for a Ford Focus? When was the last time you saw an ad for a Ford 500 or Explorer?  I'd guess (purely a guess, I'll add), that the Focus outsells the other two by quite a bit. But they spend money advertising the higher end products. I'm no marketing genius,  but if I was thinking of buying an economical car, and saw an ad for a Ford 500, and then saw an ad for a Chevy Aveo, I'd likely go to  the  Ford dealer  first.  (I'm  a Dodge guy,  so all  this it hypothetical  :)  )  So, back to trains; I think the mftrs need to have a few ace engines in their lineup every year, and possibly a few "me too" ace engines as well,  but not thirty pages of their catalogs filled with $1k or better offerings.

Just my 2 cents,

J White

[Birds]

I am in the process of downsizing my layout a bit.  It will be 6 1/2 feet  x 12 feet (the size of four hollow core doors).  It is close to the original envisioned size, but I am eliminating the leg of an "L".  I am moving to a simplified track design with less track and fewer switches than originally envisioned.  The resized layout will still allow for multi train operation, and it will have a small switch yard.

I run conventional, and with this size I can get by with a KW for the trains and a small starter set transformer for the switches.

I found that I liked running shorter trains and trains in the O-27 and Traditional O sizes.

Enjoy,
Chris

[Deputy]

Back in the 80's (yes, I can still remember back that far) I had a 5X9 on a ping-pong table. Worked great. I now have a large room at my disposal and plan on a larger (not gigantic) layout. I'd sure like to run the bigger locos that require the 072 curves, and that is what I'm planning on. But even with that, I don't see it as a gigantic layout. Actually, this Christmas (I refuse to call it "this Holiday Season") I will have a 4X8 with a Christmas tree right smack in the middle of it. That's the way I had it as a kid. After Christmas I'll use that 4X8 along with maybe 3-4 more sheets that size to build the bigger layout. Heck, I'm 57 and probably don't have many more years on this planet. So I can't really start something that takes 20 years to complete

Dep

[voodoothom]

I'm  also a small layout operator. Just the standard 1950's 4x8 on trestle tables. It's really for the kids toexplore their imaginations and develop visual and fine motor skills building ever changeing scenery. I want to pass on what we kids of the fifties had to work with. With kids rangeing from 8 to 27 I  passed along  a passel of appreciation and interest to the next couple of generations.

[daan]

Count me in to the smaller layout operators. About 10x6 feet.. What I think is a shame is that a few years ago, MTH was offering full sound and full operatable protosound 1 locomotives. Everything works flawless. Now they have protosound 2 and couplers and special effects can only be used with a special controller, which you have to buy extra. Why not keep the simple, but also good working protosound 1 next to the proto 2 engines? Would they sell any proto 2 engines?

I enjoy watching the big layouts in CTT, but I doubt that I would have the patience to complete such a layout.. Just a layout which is big enough to drive and switch a little but small enough to complete in a normal period of time is good enough for me..

[paulcap]

Hopper, My layout is a little different. Two 30inch wide X 6ft. banquet tables end to end. O27 fits perfectly. good luck. paulcap

[hopper]

I'm glad to see that I'm in such good company here,& seeing what you guys can do in a small space. I get a lot of action with my layout also.I have a staging area,some smal switching facilities & can run trains all day on a loop. Thanks to all. Hopper

[voodoothom]

Just a thought. I recently watched tracks ahead on PBS. and lo an behold there she was my Alco PA. in Sanat FE warbonnet colors for American Flyer. Anybody out there had one or has one running?

[DennisB-1]

Check out Dave Jacob's layout in the December CTT for a small layout with outstanding detail. His  layout is only 10' x 6'.