Just got back from MRR show in Raleigh, NC. (kinda long)

[Anonymous]

I am just getting back into the hobby, grass roots, not even a play layout. So, I decided to go to the model railroad show in Raleigh today. It was pretty nice, I am amazed at the amount of stuff you can get nowadays. Therin rests my problem. I left with more questions then answers. My previous experiences with MRR were as a kid in my Granpa's basement, running his layout that took up the entire space. It was never close to being finished and amounted to little more than track layed out on homasote with a big plaster mountain and lots of elevations. No ballasted ties, green grass, blue water and no DCC. But it was operable with signal lights and electric switches for the turnouts and no DCC.

I talked with one vendor and his advice was to visit the Digitrax web site. So I will, but then what? I am following closely the latest threads on DCC, but it still is a little confusing. I'm going to lookup my local MRR club and join, grab their experience, and go from there.

Oh yeah, I was bound and determined to buy a new locomotive at the show. I don't really see where there was any great discount in price, but who cares, the $$ was burning a hole in my pocket. I had to make a decision on which road to go with (told ya, grass roots), and settled with Norfolk Southern. Why? They are the only thing that runs in real life around here, and would be easier to model if I need some visual clues. I'm am going to build a modern layout, say within the last 10 or so years to the present. I bought an Atlas Dash 8-40C. When I got home, I removed it from it's box and wrapping to check it out. WOW! Never have I had a locomotive as nicely detailed as this RTR out of a box. WOW! I am so pleased with the way it looks, I hope all the hype around who makes the best loco is true, this will be one sweet ride. Do I have to weather it?

[tstage]

phatpony,

I know this is your third post but [#welcome] to the forum! Good to have you aboard! [:)]

I bet the train show WAS a real eye-opener for you. A lot has changed in MRRing in the past 5-10 years, let alone when you were a kid. Let me just make a few remarks.

Here's a handy site that will help explain DCC a bit better for you:

http://www.tonystrains.com

Tony's Train Exchange deals in selling and installing DCC systems and decoders. On Tony's home page, there's a link called "DCC For Beginners!". Click on that link and they have a .pdf file that you can download that does a VERY good job of explaining DCC both simplistically but also indepth. It should help clear up most of the questions/confusion you might have. Even if you don't understand all of it, you'll still have a better handle on DCC. Phatpony, I'm still learning myself. [:)]

If you are getting back in the hobby, I encourage you to go the DCC route. You won't be able to run you layout as realistically or prototypically as when you run it with DCC. What a GREAT invention! [tup]

I don't know the particular Atlas locomotive that you purchased. But, if it's one of there more expensive Atlas locomtovies (and not a cheapy), you should be VERY pleased; not only how it looks, but also how it runs. Atlas makes a terrific product. Do you know if your new locomotive is "DCC-ready" (wired to receive a decoder) or "DCC-equipped" (decoder already installed)?

Joining a good MRR club is also a great way to get together with other MRRers. If they run DCC on their layout, then that will give you a terrific chance to try a DCC system out first hand. Digitrax is a good system. There is also Bachmann, CVP EasyDCC, Lenz, MRC, and NCE. They all have their followers and each system has its advantages and disadvantages.

Also, the recent issue of Model Railroader (MR) has an article called "DCC Buyer's Guide". Although a bit basic, it should help a newbie like yourself see and compare some of the systems that are available on the market. Kalmbach Publishing has a book out called DCC Made Easy by Lionel Strang. Lionel does a wonderful job of explaining DCC in simple, non-technical terms. But if you are a fast learner, or more technically inclined, or you just want some "meat with your vegetables", there's a few deeper explanations that should satisfy your curiousity.

Phatpony, welcome to a new and exciting time in MRRing. Keep us posted of your progress. And please visit us often and ask as many questions as you can think of. (Yes - even the ones you might deem as stupid.) The folks here on the forum will, in most cases, bend over backwards to help you with your inquiry. Reading good materail and books will also help you understand things better.

Tom

[ereimer]

start by reading everything here . go back and read old threads , read read read . don't expect to absorb everything the first time you see it . after you've seen a concept a couple of times and still don't get it feel free to ask . some people here will tell you there's no such thing as a dumb question , but really we're all just too nice to tell you when you're asking a dumb question . hehe , just kidding . most of us have asked our fair share of questions and we're glad to help out

[IRONROOSTER]

[#welcome] back to the hobby. There's lots of good information on the Model Railroader site this page http://www.trains.com/story/story_list.asp?idMenuCategory=3&idMenuSubCategory=31&idMenuMinorCategory=3103 has links to control and electrical articles including DCC.

Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the welcome ya'll. This is a very friendly forum from what I have seen so far. You can bet I will ask plenty of questions.

tstage- the loco I got is an Atlas Master "Silver", about 1/2 the price of the Gold series. It is wired to receive a decoder (I made darn sure of it), has the knuckle type couplers, very fine details and superb paint. I went online and found a picture of the real protype (same road number) and from what I can tell, it is spot on, except mine is prettier.

I'm gonna hit up that link here in a few. Thanks again!

Glenn

[tstage]

Glenn,

I forgot to add: No, you DON'T have to weather your locomotive, if you don't want to. Just tell everyone that it just came through the wash rack...case closed! [:)]

Tom

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tstage

I forgot to add: No, you DON'T have to weather your locomotive, if you don't want to. Just tell everyone that it just came through the wash rack...case closed!

Whew, I think I want to perfect my weathering skills on something else first.[;)]

Glenn

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by phatpony
Whew, I think I want to perfect my weathering skills on something else first.[;)]

Glenn

Glenn, take your time, learn and experient first before tackling your new acquisition. I'm mainly a steam guy. (That's what old junky Tyco rolling stock is for.)

Boy! I'm mainly a steam guy. but that's one handsome locomotive you got there, Glenn. Looks like you gotta good deal at the train show...

Tom

[Anonymous]

Thanks tstage! I have some of that TYCO stuff LOL!

I also have some of Gramps old steam stuff. It is in real rough shape, but that is just a minor challenge. I have one that is unpainted in pretty good shape, a 2-8-0. I have no idea who makes it, and it really don't matter, has lots of sentimental value. I wish I coulda got ahold of his articulated steamers though, a 4-8-8-4 and one other I don't remember what exactly. I have them on 8mm FILM!

I love steam, but I adore the diesels.

[tstage]

Glenn,

I do steam but I do have a couple of early diesel swithcers: A Proto 2000 Alco S1 and a Stewart Baldwin VO-660. BOTH of them are TERRIFIC runners! It's too bad you are running more modern stuff. That Proto 2000 S1 (reg. $110) can be had from Trainwrorld.com for $29.99! That one absolutely crawls at low speed and the detailing is beautiful! It's probably my favorite locomotive.

Even so, there are some good modern locomotives available from Kato, Athearn, and Atlas. Do check out Trainworld.com:

http://www.trainworld1.com/index.html

You can find some very good deals from them. And they give good and quick service. However, don't expect them to be able to answer any technical questions about the product, or give you product support.

Tom

P.S. Glenn: What part of NC do you hail from? My mom lives over in southwestern NC, about 2 hours west of Asheville.

[Anonymous]

New Bern is where I am. It's 2 hrs SE of Raleigh.

I didn't say I wouldn't run steam, it's just that all of my scenery and trackside details will be modern. And If'n (that's southern, lol) I come across a good deal on a steamer, guess what? So, I may make some "historic" special runs to get the steamers some track time. Woo-hoo, I love that idea. I love this hobby.

Glenn

[tstage]

I reckon that "If'n" is a perfectly exceptable - especially in my southern upbringin' vocabulary book. Glenn, I always know that I'm back down south whenever I order ice tea...and the waitress offers me TWO choices! [:)] [tup] Ya' know, I really could go for a tall glass of swee' tea right now...[sigh]

Tom

[Anonymous]

Ya know Tom, around here if you order just "tea", it is sweetened. If ya want the plain stuff, you have to request it un-sweetened. I think that is kinda funny. Both of my parents are from up-state NY, and there isn't sweetened tea readilly available up there, it is just to opposite to here in good ol' Carolina.

I'll take the sweet tea and big ol' serving of that pork bar-b-q, and hush puppies any day.

Glenn

[tstage]

Glenn,

Geat! You would HAVE to mention hush puppies! [sigh] Now I have a hankering for some fried catfish, cole slaw, hush puppies, AND...a huge glass of "tea". Folks are sloooowly warming up to grits up north here. Bob Evans restaurants can probably be solely attributed to that. (Cracker Barrel, too.)

Glenn, when's the last time you had a moon pie and RC? Been a while for me...

Tom

[Anonymous]

Hi Phatpony,

My parents live in Cape Carteret, not too far from where you are.

There are some great modeling possibilities nearby. I love to drive around Morehead City when I'm down there and check things out. There's also that branch line of the N.S. that runs aloong Rt. 17, north of New Bern that I like to check out. I've never seen a train running on it though.

My Dad tells me there is a club in Morehead City or Beufort. You might want to check that one out. They have a show every year.

[Anonymous]

Tom, I just knew the hush puppy thing would get ya, LOL. Moon pies? Got a stash in the cupboard right now. RC Cola, hard to find, but I enjoy it when I can.

RevMattCNJ- Nice to see somebody knows where in the world New Bern is! You are right about the modeling possibilities. Most of it is pretty mundane, but Morehead City, coming out of the port, a single line of track, right down the median of the busiest road in town. Awesome. The old span crossing from the port to Radio Island was neat. Of course in New Bern we have a single mainline that crosses the Trent River on a swing bridge and dumps into the middle of the road in the historic district, and goes right up the middle of the street for like 10 blocks. Follow that and you come to a small maintenence yard and small stageing yard. Got some sweet pics of that stuff.

I am going to model the Norfolk Southern, but the layout will be fictional. No way will I be including that much water in my layout, some, but not much.

[Anonymous]

With a bit of selective compression you may find that modeling the New Bern area is doable. You wouldn't have to model all ten blocks or all the water. A few signature structures, a truss bridge not necessarily to scale and a clever track plan would have your neighbors saying, "How'd he do that?" Street running is a great feature on a layout.

I've never seen the track going down the middle of the historic district but next time I'm down there I'll take a look.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I'll snap a few photos this weekend for ya. It really is a unique feature. Funny thing is, I have never witnessed it running up the street. I think they primarily do it in the wee morning hours.

I really am not interested in modeling New Bern per se, but my steal a few ideas from it.

[Anonymous]

That's sort of the way I model The Jersey Central in eastern Pennsylvania. It isn't an exact location or branch line. But it moves Anthracite out and brings in raw materials for manufacturing and light industry. Plus they need to bring in sand and diesel fuel to service the locomotives. It has some bridges across a river -- not necessarily the Lehigh -- mountains and a tunnel. The next addition to the layout is going to be a cement plant because that area was called the cement region. The good thing about free lancing an area is if I feel like buying some Lehigh Valley, Reading or Lehigh and New England motive power it is perfectly appropriate for the layout.

I think they call this sort of modeling "proto-freelance."

[Anonymous]

Exactly! I agree with that. For example, the loco in my sig, you would never see that around here. Most of what we see are the high nose geeps of Southern RR vintage. Although, now that I really think about it, I have seen some dash-9's (note to self, need to get some of those for the layout). At any rate, I like the freelance version. I think it is maybe a little more creative to come up with a town/location and fabricate some history. Not everybody will agree, and that is fine.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, we see alot of the high hood geeps of Southern vintage up here in NJ too. I like photographing them, especially going across some of the stone viaducts. It makes me want to pretend that I've traveled about 40 years back in time and the GP 7's are running on the Jersey Central mainline again. They do alot of the local drills and switching, especially those branches off of the Lehigh line. My son likes running his high hood GP 50 on the layout because "It's just like the trains you see in real life!"

There are many ways to model. I like to find or come up with a great track plan with plenty of operational options with good economy of space. Nearly everyone, from the person with the small shelf industrial switching layout to a club with seemingly limitless amounts of space, makes some compromises when designing a layout. The 2006 Great Model Railroads special issue features a Conrail layout in North Jersey. It is a complete basement empire. But even he had to make compromises, as the layout is not an exact representation of Conrail and New Jersey Transit operations. I think the secret is a great track plan and then fit the prototype, region and theme into the plan.

One suggestion. When modeling Eastern North Carolina you will need plenty of pine trees. It is cheaper and more realistic looking to learn how to make them yourself than to pay for the premade ones.