New to the forum with a few questions, maybe too many.......

[Anonymous]

Hi and Happy New Year to all.

First of all, i'm semi-new to trains but not to scale model building. The last train set i built was back in the 70's when you nailed things down...long story...I've been reading the many posts here and looked at a few MRR mags and i am slowly formulating my ideas.

My wife suggested getting into trains for a hobby. We are both disabled veterans, she's a former Marine and i was in the Navy. She knows it's an expensive hobby but wants to help build it with me. I'm a very lucky man indeed.

This is my game plan so far;

HO scale, 4x8 layout, DCC setup using Lenz LZV-90 with the TR16 transformer. The era i'm looking to model is World War II Europe. I want to be able to have atleast 2 rail lines running for now with a decent rail yard. It doesn't have to be an exact replica, just something close to a historical site. Any suggestion for an area in Europe othe then France would be helpful.

I've found that Reynaulds Euro-Imports have some military railcars along with other stuff i could use. My questions to all of you are:

1. Who makes the best European scenery and or kits and structures for a WW2 era?

2. Flex track versus E-Z track etc.......can you use both together and If using the E-Z track and adding ballast and other materials to hide the plastic sides, does that turn out realistic looking? BTW, all track will be nickel silver whichever way i go.

3. DCC Trains, i know opinions run the gambit, but who makes the best steam WW2 era trains? Both German and American locomotives. They can be undecorated and i can fini***he detail paint.

4. I will be focusing on the German military rail system for now with a future 4x8 add on for the allied effort. Any websites with H.O. military figures etc..would be of great help also.

Thanks for your time everyone and as my wife says "Sempre Fi".....but i always like "Sempre Away" or "Anchors Fi". I have to be careful when i say that though, she can kill me with her little finger.....you know how those Marines are........

Robert

[Anonymous]

If your talking about modeling Europe, about the only thing company I can think of would be Marklin, that makes European steam engines.

Some of the other guys might be able to chime in, but this is all I know of right now.

Once your able to nail this down that will open the door for the rest of the questions, because most of Marklins have a little different pickups.

[fiatfan]

Faller makes some pretty nice European structures.

Tom

PS [#welcome] to the forum

[Anonymous]

[#welcome] Sounds like a good plan, but if you could make the layout any bigger it would be better. You can pull off 2 lines on a 4X8 but the turns will be pretty tight. Some might say DCC on a 4X8 layout is overkill, but if youre willing to spend the money than go for it. It simplifies wiring and if you end up buying locomotives with sound and such you can access a range more features than on DC. EZ track is easier to install and you can get trains running probably within a day. But, flex track, although it takes more effort, will in the long run provide you with years of better operation as well as looking more realisitc. As for the scenery, you make it yourself, its extremely easy and lots of fun too. If youre interested in scenery methods you should start a topic on it. www.discounttrainsonline.com is where i buy most of my modeling supplies that i cant get at the hobby shop. they have over 60,000 items so you should find what you need.

happy railroading

[BNSFGP38]

Not to make light of you guys being vetrans but...........

QUOTE: She knows it's an expensive hobby but wants to help build it with me.

you just won half the battle! [8D][:D]


[#welcome]

Dont be afraid of asking questions, I am new here as well and have gotten alot of good info.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all for the replies.

"samart" when i said European and American locomotives i should have mentioned just type, i.e. 0-6-0T and 2-8-0 for the Americans and 0-6-0 coupled, 0-4-0 coupled, along with an 8 wheel and twin loco 4 wheel for the Germans.

What i meant was what company makes the best steam loco, Atlas, Athearn, BLI etc.....that is DCC set or atleast ready for a decorder.

"JPM335" 4x8 is a start but i might be able to talk her into 4x10. I already talked her into letting me put it up in the living room after most of the bench work is finished. Will have metal folding legs to help move it.
DCC might be overkill, but that's my middle name and i want to have the bells and whistles for a future expansion.

My wife and i are both WW2 history buffs and so a setup with that theme seemed only natural. So now i just have to find a track layout with just some historical value that gives me a river and mountain tunnel to traverse along with atleast a decent rail yard for troop and supplies. 4x8 or 4x10...am i asking for too much...lol

Thanks again for the replies.

Robert

P.S. Every time i tell my sweet wife that this really is an expensive hobby, all she says is.."are you worth it?".....sheesh...what can i say.....it sure ain't going to be no!!!.......

[MudHen_462]

Robert,
I see you have already received all the right advice... but if you do not already own one, I would suggest that you buy a 2005 Walthers HO catalog. It truly is the "bible" , or source book you need. Secondly, if you are interested in a loco with a sound decoder, I would recommend that you look at BLI. I have three of their loco's, and the Heavy Mikado 2-8-2 just can't be beat (IMHO). If you don't want sound., I would suggest you check out the Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0... it's is an awesome little locomotive.

I hope this helps... I am just coming back into the hobby, myself, after retiring for the second time (I'm retired Air Force...). I wish you and your wife all the best on your new layout.

Bob H. / IronGoat

[TurboOne]

Robert and wife, didn't see her name,

Just wanted to say welcome, and also to say THANK YOU BOTH for serving this country. I have taught my kids that if a person has on a uniform or says they served, make sure you thank them as they gave up part of their life for us.

The Walthers catalog has many awesome military trains, vehicles, buildings and more. Can't wait to see what you build. Also think about having specific scenes or dioramas in differenrt parts of the layout. There is a whole book on that available also. Enjoy this hobby.

Tim

P.S. Always let her know you are worth it.....otherwise she made a bad decision to be with you...and we know she is smart right ???? [;)]

[Anonymous]

I'll second the advice to get your mitts on a Walther's catalog. Mine's a few years old, but it's got lots of structures from European manufacturers that would help give your layout the "flavor" you're looking for.

[Jetrock]

The Walthers catalog will definitely provide inspiration--they feature a large selection of military miniatures, mostly WWII, and have just about every bit of obscure German military equipment, from "Kettenkraftad" half-track motorcycles to "Maus" supertanks.

There are several European companies that offer a lot of European-style structures: Faller, Kibri and Vollmer come to mind. The Walthers catalog (do we sound like a broken record yet?) also lists HO scale bunkers, pillboxes, and assorted military buildings including hangars and barracks. The 2005 Walthers catalog even has an article on building a WWI era European Theater diorama!

[Supermicha]

Robert, don´t buy Marklin, too expensive, and just 3 rail ac system.

As already said, you can find good kits and structures at Faller, Vollmer and Kibri to name only the biggest manufacturers.

German Tank trains and armoured rail vehicles are available by Liliput, an austrian company and part of Bachmann. Maybe you can find some of the trains at ebay, or ask your Bachmann dealer...

Here are some images of current available models:










If you have questions according german railways in the ww2, i can maybe help you so feel free to ask...

[Anonymous]

Fleischmann and Trix also make decent HO scale European steamers. Until recently it was possible to buy a model of the twin-unit diesels used to haul the big rail-mounted guns from Lima, though with their sale to Hornby these could take a while to return - www.kittlehobby.com are still listing the set of the loco, gun, and assorted flatcars/crew cars, etc which might be of interest (reference number 149985). Supermicha is right about Marklin - they're sticking to 3-rail AC for their HO for some reason, which immediately makes it incompatible with normal DC or DCC control - luckily most of the locos are also offered in 2-rail form as part of their Trix brand.

Bachmann offer an excellent OO scale (4mm = 1ft as opposed to HO 3.5mm = 1ft, though the track gauges are the same) model of a WW2-era 2-8-0 tender loco known as an "Austerity" - these were built in the UK for the War Department and sent pretty much everywhere Allied forces went, so you might want to add one - it will be slightly out of scale though. www.ehattons.com/Stock.asp?SID=8418 would be a good example of one of these. Hope this info is of help!

[cacole]

Greetings from an old U.S. Army Vietnam veteran --

The best American steam engine choice, in my opinion, would be Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidations, which are DCC ready by having a decoder socket in the tender.

Roco of Austria makes a lot of military models, German, Soviet, American, etc., that are all pictured in the Walthers 2005 catalog. They even make a model of the Leopold rail cannon.

Something to consider, too, would be bombed out areas, since you want to concentrate on Deutschland during WWII. There are models of burned and burning buildings available, too, in the Walters catalog, as well as buildings under demolition, which could easily be modified into bombed-out structures. Many of the buildings pictured in the Walters catalog are of German manufacture.

[Anonymous]

Thanks again for the great info and warm welcome.

A Walthers 2005 catalog it is.

"supermicha"...Any location ideas in Europe that has a river crossing, small or medium railyard-supply depot and maybe a mountain tunnel on the other side of a layout you can suggest? I'm open to suggestions of any place but France. " We only eat American fries in this house". Just want some place with a little historical perspective that i can add my touch to. So any and all info you can share about the German rail system would be much appreciated.

Once we get started on the scenery, we do plan on having a diorama with bomb craters and burnt out buildings etc....along with a bombed out section of track and ongoing track repair...not the mainline of course, just a section that will never be used.

Thanks again for all the warm welcomes and great info.
BTW, the wifes name is Jo, short for Johnnica.

Robert n Jo

[pbjwilson]

Robert,
I "googled' european train layouts and came up with this;
www.ete.org/layouts/layouts.htm
Might find some inspiration there!

[Anonymous]

If you're going with steam, apparently you are since it is in WWII, you probably should go with a 5x9 layout. It doesn't take up much more room, but it will give you a much larger radius, which is required by many steam engines. You might want to get a Walther's catalog to help educate yourself about what is out there in the MR world. You can pick one up at almost any LHS (local hobby shop).

Good Luck,
Greg

[Paul W. Beverung]

Robert; Glad to have you here. I'm a former Army Vietnam helocopter pilot. Seven years with that wop, wop, wop, addled me slitghtly. At least that's my story. I think that everone has given you good info. The Walters catagloge is a good thing to have and they did a couple of aritcles on WW 2 dioramas. One Allied and one German. Ican't remember if it was this years or lasts.

Drop into the coffee shop if you get a chance. We'd love to have you and the first cup is on the house.

Paul

the Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern

" The Superior Route "

[TurboOne]

QUOTE: [i]Thanks again for all the warm welcomes and great info.
BTW, the wifes name is Jo, short for Johnnica.

Robert n Jo

Hiya Robert and Jo, the misses has an awesome name. Never heard that so it is very cool. Again thanks to both for serving.

In the Walthers catalog on pg 716 Kalmbach has 12 books on military model build and displaying. I bet somewhere on this website they have a link and you won't have to wait for the catalog. There is eve a book on "How to model wwII german armor.

Take care,

Tim and Kristi(she's not into trains yet)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gringle84



My wife and i are both WW2 history buffs and so a setup with that theme seemed only natural. So now i just have to find a track layout with just some historical value that gives me a river and mountain tunnel to traverse along with atleast a decent rail yard for troop and supplies. 4x8 or 4x10...am i asking for too much...lol

No, I wouldnt say youre asking too much, It will just take some careful track planning. You will have to figue out how to route your 2 main lines and still leave space for a nice yard. Something you have to decide is whether you want a main line with grades and turns going in and out of scenery, or if you would just be happy with a circle or oval. An oval would leave more yard space with the mains running on the outside of the table, but a more interesting main line might give you more enjoyment. Decide what is more important to you.

[Anonymous]

Hi Robert,

can't come up with a specific location at the moment, but here's a suggestion:

Factories or assembly plants for ammo or airplanes were often located in tunnels, which would give you the opportunity for a "hidden" track to run a train into and exchange loads for empties or such, or just "hide" a train for added possibilities.

If you have a 4x8 in mind, I would suggest to make a partition in the middle and separate the two sides in separate scenes. The said "tunnel" factory could have an entrance at either end...

I'm not much of a WWII historian, but have a connection to the US Army here in Germany as I worked for them for 4 years as an archtictural engineer..

Regards
Martin

[Anonymous]

You guys are great with all the info and thanks again.

My wife and I decided to go 4x10 to be able to incorporate more into the track layout and scenery. A mountain factory complex with tunnel and a railyard just outside sounds interesting, with a rail and road crossing a river ( that cuts the layout in just about half, maybe) to a small village/town that can be serviced by the inner mainline while the outer mainline bypasses the village/town completely and is used for military transport, etc...

My wife and i are really enjoying planning this all out and we both really appreciate everyones input. Now i have to find a European location that the Germans used for military/industrial operations that incorporate some of my ideas to model from. More internet and library search ahead for us.

Thanks

Robert n Jo

[trolleyboy]

Hi Robert[#welcome] the walthers cat will be your best friend and if you want some figures to round out your layout Prieser and Merten make ww2 and modern sets mostly prepainted but you can get undec kits and paint away yourself ,this would be cheaper. also Roco's minitanks line also from walther's will probably be on your want list. cheers Rob