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Advice for starting an ho scale layout?

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  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, January 17, 2019 5:38 PM

riogrande5761
C'mon you guys who start threads needing help, interact!

That would be ideal, but they have no such obligation. 

I had a friend in another forum who use to write: "I love my computer because all my friends live there"  That's cute and sad, all at the same time. 

As a society, we haven't figured out how to balance real life and social media.  Evidently a good part of us are addicted to our cell phones.  I didn't get that gene, having to wear a beeper 24/7 I no longer want to be in instant contact with anyone at any time.

We see people in this forum post with unfamiliar names and on closer look, they have been members for 5 or 10 years and only made a handful of posts. 

Actually, I belong to other forums, in other areas of interest, where I had to join to see a picture, ask a question, or to search a topic, and have only made one or two posts.

Not everyone is consumed by model railroading.  It is their loss. 

Maybe we should view our answers to newbies as loss leaders, something cheap to get them in the store.  Some customers come back, others are just looking for the next losss leader. 

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Thursday, January 17, 2019 7:04 PM

Some are genuinely seeking advice.

Some are simply overwhelmed by the answers - also to questions they have not asked.

Some just like to "stir the pot".

We can´t win them all.

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

  • Member since
    July 2018
  • 29 posts
Posted by Model Trains and Railfanning on Thursday, January 17, 2019 7:28 PM
@ xboxtravis7992 I am running a small 6 foot by 4 feet. Also have 18 radius curves.
  • Member since
    July 2018
  • 29 posts
Posted by Model Trains and Railfanning on Thursday, January 17, 2019 7:41 PM
Thank you to everyone who has responded to my question. I did not expect this many replies. And to address the people complaining about me not responding, I am sorry but I am really not on my PC much at all. I am also relatively new to the forums and don't really know the, for lack of a better term, "unwritten rules" when it comes to replying or not replying. Also, the majority of the questions asked to me take a little bit of pondering for the best answer. I am sorry for any inconvenience I have caused anyone. -Nathaniel Nagel
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: AU
  • 713 posts
Posted by xdford on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 11:15 PM

Hello Nathaniel,

I suggest you look at the top right of this page and you will see an area called "messages" . A PM is a private message and I have sent you one which of course you have no obligation to answer. However the article I have copied can potentially help you and there is no cost now or in the future. 

The same goes for anyone who PM's me with their private email address because this site does not allow attachments, 

Cheers from Australia

Trevor

  • Member since
    March 2018
  • 20 posts
Posted by IAFarmer on Thursday, January 24, 2019 9:23 AM

So, As another new feller wanting to start a layout for the (well, since high school many years ago...) Im in the process of running wiring in my "train room".  I have approx 11x6 L shape.   I hope to build a large shop/servicing terminal.  I dont really care to run trains, but play in my shops.  spotting shop, fuel tracks, powering OB trains that dont exist etc.   I love the advice I've read so far here.  What would the old heads recommend for lighting, how many outlets/amprage do i need to plan for?  I hope to have a sizable fleet of sound units, I would rather have a larger fleet of unpowered units with sound but no motors and gearing, but from previous posts I have gleaned they really don't exist.  Even if Im not back right away, I promise I will read what advice is given.  Thanks!

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: St. Paul
  • 823 posts
Posted by garya on Friday, January 25, 2019 11:09 PM

Model Trains and Railfanning
Thank you to everyone who has responded to my question. I did not expect this many replies. And to address the people complaining about me not responding, I am sorry but I am really not on my PC much at all. I am also relatively new to the forums and don't really know the, for lack of a better term, "unwritten rules" when it comes to replying or not replying. Also, the majority of the questions asked to me take a little bit of pondering for the best answer. I am sorry for any inconvenience I have caused anyone. -Nathaniel Nagel

 
Don't worry about it.  Some find it hard to believe not being on a computer all of the time.
 

Gary

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