1. If you're interested in DCC and Sound, but don't consider the electronics part of the hobby to be of much interest, buy RTR.
On second thought, buy RTR anyway. About 95% of the chatter, talk, complants, problems found on the internet relative to onboard sound involves the installation of said electroincs into locomotives that were not designed to have said electronics installed into them. Avoid the hassle and the time devotion and just save up for what you want...built from the factory.
2. Backdrops. I could go on a long rant here...Basically, every backdrop manufactured or hand painted backdrop looks best when it is viewed from the optimum angle...and looks awkward about the other 99% of the time you view it.
Basically, you need to buy a backdrop where the angle of buildings or landscape in photo was taken at the same angle you will be viewing the scene. For example. Most commercially produced backdrops that include buildings are photos taken from street level...meaning, the camera looking slightly up at the building. It shows no roof. However, if you are, say, six feet tall and your layout is 4 feet tall, the angle at which you are viewing the backdrop would suggest that you are looking down at the building, not up at it, and you should see lots of the top of the roof. Get it? If you crouched down and looked at the building at the same angle with which the photo was taken, only then would it not look awkward.
So no matter how good your painting skills are, or how expensive the backdrop is, if it is not viewed at the proper angle, it will look awkward. Unlike what we see in model railroading magazines, where the author/editor takes care to photo the scene from the proper angle. It gives a false impression of what the scene looks like in person, because in person, that scene is viewed at the improper angle about 99% of the time.
3. Details. Buy used Athearn blue box or MDC roundhouse and lightly weather them. They look fine, IMO. Again, RTR is available if you want somehting more detailed but don't have the skills/patience.
4. If you are having problems laying track properly, don't build a layout that has grades or open grid benchwork. Use table top, cork roadbed, and no grades. Its much easier to get bulletproof trackwork if the subroadbed is solid and simple. The flat midwest or Eastern/Southeastern US coastal plains (east of the Appalachian Mountains) are fine areas to model.
Also, wash your hands a lot when working on the tracks or locomotives. Hands have a way of picking up and distributing oils and dirt all over the layout.
- Douglas
Assuming HO scale. Micro Mark and The Favorite Spot both sell DCC with sound at pretty good prices if not into wiring.
Don't forget layout wiring which can be another issue with DCC.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
mobilman44 Regarding Atlantic Central's comment - "this hobby is not for everyone". While I would love to argue that statement in defense of the hobby, I do believe it has a good degree of validity. Not everyone has the time, skills, money or inclination/interest to enjoy the building of a layout. Skills, of course, can certainly be developed, but some folks are just unable to get them to a level that will satisfy their wants and needs.
Regarding Atlantic Central's comment - "this hobby is not for everyone".
While I would love to argue that statement in defense of the hobby, I do believe it has a good degree of validity. Not everyone has the time, skills, money or inclination/interest to enjoy the building of a layout.
Skills, of course, can certainly be developed, but some folks are just unable to get them to a level that will satisfy their wants and needs.
Valid maybe, and then there are those of us who have been hooked on trains since the day we could walk and we it's just in our blood. Skills or no, model railroading is fun!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Well, I don't think the hobby is "not for me". In fact I think I'm doing good.
To answer Rich, I model HO. Some locos are old bluebox, and some more recent, (Atlas silver DCC ready and Kato DCC ready)All locos run, and they run even better with Railpro now.
The old locos draw around 420ma and the new ones between 220ma and 300ma at max current.
2/6 are DCC ready, the others I have to wire a 9-pin JST to fit Railpro module, which is not harder to install than a normal DCC decoder.
Antoine
Lone Wolf and Santa Fe My friend bought a RC plane and spent several months building it. One nice afternoon he took it out. He flew it around for several minutes and it worked great, then he crashed it. And that was it…. That’s why I like my trains. And no, I don’t let him drive them. lol
My friend bought a RC plane and spent several months building it. One nice afternoon he took it out. He flew it around for several minutes and it worked great, then he crashed it. And that was it…. That’s why I like my trains. And no, I don’t let him drive them. lol
Re RC planes. Years ago I was told this sage advice.
If you can't afford to wreck'em, your in the wrong hobby
Have fun with your trains