I have 80 locomotives and 200 cars with 14 feet of HO modules. I would have built a layout first before buying all those locos. I am just thankful of the club layout to run on. Another is buying locos with sound already installed. When I started collecting trains DCC and on board sound was not even a dream. Now that the upper floor of the house has opened up I can start on a layout after moving the laundry room to the first floor from the basement, New deck, re shingle, new roof, and other things.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
I would not have invested in the stock market then I would have a couple of bucks to spend on a hobby, now it's a matter of scooping up bargains at the train show with my $20.00 budget. Probably spend a bit more time studying the ins and outs of logging railroads and hoping one day to open up that $15.00 box of train bargains and finding 5 or 6 brass logging locos along with 50 logging cars, that should start me off just fine. keep choochin' .
I would not, ever again, never, ever, ever use atrack plan based solely on if it would fit and looked good without running it in my head, thinking about it for a while and seeing if it's really what I want. I had an old double loop on a 4X8 from my youth. When I decided almost 2 yrs ago to get back into this mess, I was given permission by my perfect wife to set up the layout in a spare room in the basement. After a while she allowed me to knock out a wall and expand my empire. I quickly found two layouts in an issue of MRR on layouts you could build using 4X8 sheet of plywood. I quickly figure how to join these in the space I had and off I went. Only to find, not only would the layouts not fit on the benchwork as drawn but after they were put down and modified to work..... they still didn't well in operating trains as I wanted to run them. I'm in the middle of another remodel as we speak. Luckily I wasn't too far along to bring tears.
Mistakes made (worst):
-Did not do a Givens and Druthers
-Did not think about the track plan at all other than it looked neat at first and fit the area.
-Got in a big hurry to get something to run a train on.
-Ignored a lot of advise I'd overheard from folks on this very forum because I thought I could make it work my way.
Lesson Learned:
PAY ATTENTION and LISTEN TO EXPERIENCE!!! They've been there and done that!
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
I would not have hidden staging that is out of easy reach.
I would not have a DCC set up without some kind of short protection above what is included in the system.
I would not have Peco turnouts as cars and locos dip into the frog and the guardrails are to far from the stock rail. To bad they look good.
I would not restrict my possible space based on using the rest of the garage for the car. Niether car ever gets parked in the garage anyway.
I am sure there are more I am not thinking of.
John
Hi,
In some aspects, I am starting over, building a replacement HO 11x15 two level layout for the one I had from 1993 to last December. During the building of that layout, and over the years, I kept a list of "what went right, what went wrong, and what could be better done". It sure was a help to get that stuff on paper, and frankly whatever mistakes I make now - will be NEW ones!
Regarding the layout, my advice is to make sure your benchwork, track, and wiring are "bullet proof" before you move on to structures and scenery. I actually followed this advice and am glad I did.
On the last layout I did get "cute", and regretted for years that I: put some turnouts in tunnels that were almost inaccessable, put in a raised (beautifully scenicked) reverse loop that took up wayyyy too much space, and the initial paint on the mountains and rockwork was too dark (I knew better), and lastly, I had wayyy too many blocks for a DC layout, which made operations a "relearn" each time I ran trains.
Regarding cars and rolling stock, I advise to get the best you can afford - but no cheap junk. Actually, for the money, the basic Athearn blue box kits and locos can't be beat. Whatever you get, put KD couplers on as soon as you can, and metal wheels when you can afford it. Also, clean your track/wheels regularly, so it is relatively easy when you do.
Most of all, ENJOY !!!
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Don't fall into the trap of " ONLY THOSE WHO PREORDER WILL BE ASSURED OF GETTING THIS CAR/LOCO". The few times I have done this there was always extra's that were put on sale right after I payed full price on my "special" pre-order. Since then I have never missed out on something I wanted by waiting.
A rookie mistake.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Yep...NO DUCKUNDERS!! I'd go with a double folded dog bone along the wall.
Number one; buy good quality locos, rolling stock, and track (Atlas locos, probably Atlas, athearn, and some other good car makers, and Atlas code 55)
Number two; subscribe to both RMC and MR (right now I jsut subscribe to MR) and do it earlier than I did.
Number three; always start out with the best; you get what you pay for
Number four; get an airbrush early on (I've only had one since June)
There's the four I can think of off the top of my head.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
1. No duckunders. Liftouts, mebbe, but nooooo duckunders!
2. No diagonal bridge across the operating pit so that I could reverse trains. It has to be done on the benchwork.
3. If you are going to run a folded loop with the levels stacked near each other at various places, the scenery construction, and the final appearance, will be...umm...not great. What I mean is, don't place tracks closer than about 4" laterally if they are at different levels near each other. The resultant 'stepped' look leaves much to be desired, and the construction of the scenery using goop or hardshell can be frustrating and messy. Don't ask.
4. If you are making spline roadbed, go easy on the superelevation, and make sure the surface is planed meticulously smooth...no ridges left from a spline leaf not quite flush with the others. I thought I had done a good enough job. I hadn't.
5. My transitions are okay from grade to level, but just okay...not great. Make them more gradual. Keep working on them until they are more gradual.
6. Generally, unless you are a real pro, transitions into/out of grades and turnouts don't mix. Place turnouts on a consistent grade.
7. It isn't strictly bad, but I won't be mixing codes of rail and turnouts any more. I hated using the transition joiners, or fiddling with the oversized ones to get a flush meet at the railheads.
That should be enough for what I would not do again, or change.
What I would not change:
1. Use good turnouts. Make some if you can. Fast Tracks are now my staple, but Peco otherwise.
2. Code 100 rails, particularly guard rails on bridges and trestles, really stand out. They are too large when viewed by a camera at or near track level. Best to use Code 83 or smaller, and go one size smaller for the guards, whatever you decide to use as the main rails.
3. I really like the idea of a central operating pit, but not the duckunder part. So the next best thing is to have the bench running around the periphery of the room if you have such a room. That much will be certain for my next layout.
4. I will continue to use the aluminum window screen and ground goop, but I'll take my time and smooth it to make it more natural. I rushed it all last time.
-Crandell
Hello everybody,
it seems that there are a lot of new people in the forum as well as we all have different levels of experience. So I thought it might be a good idea to ask the question as to what would you do if you had to start over again or are in the process of changing on your layout. Also post the items you would not change if you were to start over again.
For me it is the following
1, Only use Kadee couplers
2, Only use steel axles/wheels
3, Purchase cars only of good detail, ie Athearn, Walthers, Intermountain, etc.
4, Purchase only good quality locomotives, ie Atlas. Kato, P2K, BLI, Athearn Genesis, etc
5, Read a lot and ask lots of questions in this great forum
6, Put screws or blocks of wood at the end of all of my sidings that lead to the great abyss
7, Not worry so much about the operational or building difficulty of a helix
8, Have more distance between levels on the layout - 12 inch is not enough
What are your experiences?
Frank
"If you need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm."