Well first, I hide all of the purchases I've been making over the past years. Buying some big ticket items a few engines, rolling stock, etc... Well the secret is out thanks to one of my twins. I have 4 boys, 1 set of twins in that group and 5 grandkids... all boy.
My son who found one of the boxes with a new engine that I just purchased but hadn't hidden! As with most secrets, this went through the house like a fire. Now you understand the subject line!
I do want to start asking questions of folks that know their stuff and where better then Model Railroaders!
I guess I just wanted to start up on this board so I could get to chat with real railroaders... The boys in my family have now voted???? and when it come time to plan the layout, they get a VOTE!! Where did I lose it all..LOL
Thanks everyone, I look forward to asking questions and learning the right and wrong way of doing things!
B
I am LION! *I* decide where and how to build things. But then I have no Mrs. LION, nor any LION Cubs to distract me. LION nose about buying in secret. LION is monk, lives in monastery (and you thought that all of the LIONS lived in a zoo!) LION gets no allowance at all! him saves quarters and dollars until the pile grows big, and then him can buy something. Him can also use some of his vacation money at the train store. Fortunately is no trin store within 500 miles of the LION's cage. Him lives in North Dakota, ewe know--Him used to live in NYC, so him counts TRAINWORLD as the local hobby shop of him. Just take the (F) train to Ditmas Avenue, and it is right there under the elevated structure.
Layout of LION is builded in an old classroom above the library. Maybe you do not live in a place that has old, unused classrooms, eh? All lumber of LION was found in the barn where Br. Placid put it when we tore some buildings down, and all of the deck work was made with 10 sheets of Celotex that was stored in the Gymnasium. (You don't have a gymnasium either?--Tisk tisk)
Ewe cannot buy Celotex of this sort. The company still exists, and you can buy their products, but this one was discontinued after the advent of fire codes. Oh well, buildings of LION have lots of history.
Layout of LION is on the link of him (below). The pictures are in dire knead of updating since LION has done much more work up there. But about 8 weeks ago LION broke the leg of him while cleaning the cathouse. Is getting better, it is, but is still not up to climbing two flights of stairs in the library building. Gotta cool my heals in my nice air conditioned computer office.
Here is picture of the famous cathouse. Everybody here knows I broke my leg while cleaning the cathouse, but I have never showed a picture of said cathouse. It is built into a window well inside of my nursing office, and so you need a ladder to reach it. LION was trying to clean out fur, filth and feathers when him tumbled off of the second step of the ladder. The cat is "Callista" acquired on the feast of St. Callistus the I, pope and martyr. The red and white vestments of said cat are correct for such a feast.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Welcome to the board. You cannot have come to a better place. Feel free to ask questions, just post things you want to talk about, or whatever. Just remember as with many things in life there are many ways to do and accomplish the same thing. People have different standards of modeling and opinions of the ways to get there. Often there is no "right" or "wrong" way to do things - just different ways. Remember that and that they are just toy trains, and you will find hours (days, weeks, months, years etc.) of enjoyment in the hobby.
What sorts of "things" are you voting on? At my house I always got 2 votes, as opposed to the children who only got 1 each.
It sounds as if it's time to make lemonade. Now that the boys are in the know, you'll have to mix what you had dreamed for a model train layout with what they need to keep them involved and having fun for the foreseeable future. It will be a challenge, and my advice is to lean more toward what they want this time around. Later, as they grow and maybe drift a bit, you'll be able to assert yourself a bit more and to build something closer to the dream.
For now, go slow. Ask them questions, but teach them as well. Make them understand that spending time where everyone can have fun for a length of time is the most important factor. Plan with them, and then go about building something that they can contribute to.
Good luck.
Welcome.
There are lots of ways to go in this hobby. If everybody has an equal vote, the railroad can start to look like a multi-headed Hydra that just grows without any particular plan or direction. Some folks think that's just fine, but most tend to agree that some kind of agreed-upon general direction is best. Think about what railroad(s), location(s), era, themes, traffic, industries, etc. are most important. Then think about practical matters such as available space for the layout, budget, etc. You say you've already purchased some equipment, so it appears that some of these decisions have already been made by the purchaser (you). The kids should have a voice, but they should not have enough voice that it amounts to veto power. It is your railroad.
You haven't said anything about the ages of the boys, or their levels of judgment & sophistication. The value of their votes is largely dependent on those factors.
Tom
Model railroading is much easier in many ways today. You have the Internet with many, many model train forums. Some have forums for layouts, DCC and Electronic like this one, Bachmann forums have forums for different scales.
And Google should be your best friend. Hardly anything is Ungoogleable including that word. It may require patience at times but most of the time you can find what you want.
You can build quite a library in Favorites or Bookmarks for reference. Many times you can download PDF's and photos to your PC. Build a library in your PC File Manager. You can download videos also.
You Tube has tons of train videos, model trains and prototype trains.
Many of us here spent many years doing model railroading with no Internet and did very well.
Our Google searches were the local library or train shows, model railroad magazines.
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.
You don't list the ages of the boys but the fact is that HO and N model trains have become too expensive and delicate to be used/abused as "toys" and as learning experiences for children under 10 or so. Once above that age I think there are an increasing number of aspects of the hobby where a child can be fully involved. You'll have to use your own judgment on this.
I have been to several layouts where the father was careful to provide some sort of genuine toy train layout for his kids or grandkids, placed nearby so "work sessions" can be a time for togetherness. At one NMRA tour we had to sign the guest register for dad's layout - then the son produced his own guest register for us to tour his Lionel layout down beneath the main layout. Very charming.
Dave Nelson
Welcome aboard!
I'm afraid I have to ask this: From whom have you been "hiding" your train purchases? For most of us, it usually not the younger generation but rather the lady with a closet full of shoes she never wears.
If you've got locomotives, you're already kind of committed on the "direction" your layout is taking. New York Central steam engines won't be seen pulling container well cars out of Los Angeles.
I recall a train show where a vendor asked if I wanted a bag for my purchase. "No," I answered, "the wife's not home today." He laughed, and told me of another vendor who had a supply of those long sandwich bags from a sub shop that he offered to customers trying to sneak trains into the house disguised as a large steak and cheese with mushrooms and onions.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Get the kids some classic Lionel's, or Marx. Build them an "island" layout, and put your scale one around the outside. Kinda like a kitchen.
So, for us to help you with your planning, we need some more informaton.
What scale are you working in? HO is the most popular
What kind of space do you have available and what part of the house is it located in? Is the area finished or just bare studs or concrete. What about lighting and electrical outlets?
Have you done any modeling in the past?
Have you thought about the timeframe you want to model? Have you settled on a road name or are you thinking of freelancing a railroad? Any area of the country or type of scenery (forrest, country, farming, area, mountains, industrial, somethng else)?
I know there are lots of questions here, you do not have to answer all now, but should be thinking about them.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Hey B!
Welcome to the forums!!
I'm sure you and your kids will have a blast! You haven't lost anything, and in fact you have put yourself in the very excellent position of having to interact with your kids in order to move forward with the layout. Raising kids should not be a dictatorship when it comes to this sort of thing. Proper manners is a different matter. They are not negotiable!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Brachster "New to the hobby and Im no longer in control".
to the Forum,
What makes you think you will regain control??
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."