The "N" Crowd

[climaxpwr]

Changing over from Marklin HO myself.  Gonna do the monon circa 1955 winter.  I have pics of Lance Mindheim's wonderfull layout hanging in my train room for inspiration.   While I live in Erie, PA for the moment, I grew up in Kokomo, IN right along the old NKP main and railfanned the ex-CIL mainline that CSX ran trains on once I got my drivers license.  With Kato and Intermountian F units for power, ya cant go wrong.   Just need to aquire them, as well as a BL2 and some RS2's in black and gold.    Layout will be 36"x80" in a spare room to start out with, unless we move, which might happen this spring, then I will have a whole room and a shelf layout like lance's will happen.     Cheers   Mike

[modelalaska]

I don't know... this thread has been fun and informative but I really do appreciate input from the other scale modelers as well. There are other N specific forums out there already. Personally I only have time to view one, and this is it (specifically General Discussion). I would hate to see people leave and not have their input... like Mouse. Just my 2 cents. Peter

[Mailman56701]

Dave, really like your layout, nice work. Question: what kind of decoders are you using for sound ?

For steam I use the MRC Synchro Sound box.  I'd rather use a Tsunami, but it's pricey.

For diesels, I have a Soundtraxx DSD-100LC mounted under the layout.  It's inside this Radio Shack project box.  I soldered the leads to an old computer speaker:

The whole rig Velcros to the underside of the table and the alligator clips hook up to the track bus.

Got the idea from MR's David Popp (another awesome N-scaler!).

 

  Thanks !

[BMRR]

You should contact the MR IT department and ask them to start an N Scale Forum! - They could do this easily and make it a scale division under MR Forum. This is great and your modeling is superb.

Great Idea!! It would be nice to have a N scale forum here.

Stan.

 

 

[Dave Vollmer]

Dave:

You should contact the MR IT department and ask them to start an N Scale Forum! - They could do this easily and make it a scale division under MR Forum. This is great and your modeling is superb.

 Thanks!  I may just do that...

[Dave Vollmer]

Hey Dave, how big is your layout?

It's 36" wide by 80" long...  pretty small!  It's just a 3-foot-wide hollow core interior door:

This was at a train show last month.

[Dave Vollmer]

Dave, really like your layout, nice work. Question: what kind of decoders are you using for sound ?

For steam I use the MRC Synchro Sound box.  I'd rather use a Tsunami, but it's pricey.

For diesels, I have a Soundtraxx DSD-100LC mounted under the layout.  It's inside this Radio Shack project box.  I soldered the leads to an old computer speaker:

The whole rig Velcros to the underside of the table and the alligator clips hook up to the track bus.

Got the idea from MR's David Popp (another awesome N-scaler!).

[RR Redneck]

Hey Dave, how big is your layout?

[Mailman56701]

Dave, really like your layout, nice work. Question: what kind of decoders are you using for sound ?

[Chuck Geiger]

Dave:

You should contact the MR IT department and ask them to start an N Scale Forum! - They could do this easily and make it a scale division under MR Forum. This is great and your modeling is superb.

[jackwade]

pcarrell

Thats an idea I would never thought of, going to have to check that out if I go the unitrack or eztrack route. Thanks

 

[pcarrell]

Jack,

Another produt that works well for sound deadening as roadbed is topper tape.  It's the stuff you get at the auto parts store to put between a camper topper and a pickup truck bed.  It's foam rubber, adhesive backed, and cheap.

[jackwade]

Dewayne

Thanks for the homosote tip. Knew that from way back but had completely forgotten about it. Looking at prices for unitrack and ez track there is a big price difference in them and that is why wondering if the same thing. does anybody know for sure?

Also wondering what would be the best DCC system to use. This would be a small layout using probably no more that 5 or 6 steam locos on it. Not looking to spend a fortune on it but something upgradable if I decide to use sound at a later date.

 

[Dave Vollmer]

I need to know which of the model railroad magazines is best. I don't care about product rewievs. I want one thats is mostly DIY project related (layout and electronics.)

The two I read regularly are Model Railroading and N Scale Railroading.

Railroad Model Craftsman is really good, too, if you're into scratchbuilding, kitbashing, and DIY.  There's a magazine called N Scale which apparently just went through a management change.  I get that one now and then when there's an article I'm after.

[Dave Vollmer]

The saying is "there is no stupid question." So here is my not so stupid question. What is the best way to apply dry transfer decals? I'm old school - give me the wet decals and I'm happy.

They make burnishing tools, but I use an old number 2 pencil with a dull "point."  Here's an example of dry transfers (on the Juniata Machine Tool Company):

More dry-transfers on the Berwind-White coal mine:

Good luck!

[pcarrell]

do any of u n scalers model snow? i have the basics down and all i was wondering if you use baking soda for snow? it looks fine on my lil farm house but can you use it on loco's and rolling stock?

I asked a similar question a while back.  I leaned a ton from these guys.  Here's the thread. (I bookmarked it!)  http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/898103/ShowPost.aspx

[nscaler711]

do any of u n scalers model snow? i have the basics down and all i was wondering if you use baking soda for snow? it looks fine on my lil farm house but can you use it on loco's and rolling stock?  

 

 

also try putting a n-scale train set around the tree it looks cool actually. tiny tiny train chugging down the track beside a giant pine tree that is decorated with glimering globes of glass. its kinda cute ...i guess if u call a steam loco cute. too bad i dont have steamer  oh well instead im using a noisey little life like f40ph with 3 lighted bachmann amfleet coaches trailing behind. man it sure is noisey im sitting here listing to it unlike my other life like loco a CSX gp38-2 is quieter (noticably quieter) too bad the LED's on my p42 mysterously burnt out otherwise it would be pulling the giant pine tree express. 

[nscaler711]

you know csxfan i own a p42 locomotive and it runs great sure is better than some of my other locomotives but it has a slight problem it tends to gets noisey around 75 scale mph but otherwise it an awsome loco from kato. kato did an very good job, like always.

[dragenrider]

Hi, folks!  Is there room for one more "polyscaler" on here?  I model HO primarily, but after reading this discussion thread and browsing several new hobby shops, I'm trying N scale once more.  This is the first step of my new layout:

It is a simple 3 foot x 7 foot rectangle which will feature a folded dogbone style track design.  I'm not going to build anything complicated here.  I'm mainly wanting to try some mountain scenery and bridges to see how they turn out in N scale.  Like my HO scale layout, this one is based in the Ozark Mountains as well. 

Thanks for all the information which you've put into this thread.  I've learned a lot. 

[Anonymous]

I need to know which of the model railroad magazines is best. I don't care about product rewievs. I want one thats is mostly DIY project related (layout and electronics.)

[Anonymous]

Hi Jack, If noise is a problen use a product called "homasote" for your layout base. It's made from recycled paper and does not transmit noise. I use it with no track bed of any type. Being that it's made from paper you can push your track nails easily into it. I use a modified nail set to push in the nails. Just file the end so a track nail just sets in the cup area of the nail set. I paint it dark tan  before I start laying rail. Being that color you can use less groung cover.

[jackwade]

Hello All

 Just discovered this forum and so far looks good. I have a few questions hopefully someone can help me out with.

First about unitrack, it looks easy to use but I am wondering about the noise level with it. I have always used cork roadbed and flex track but with the handicap I now have taking the time to lay it is difficult. Also is unitrack and ez track basically the same?

Been an N scaler for about 30 years and would like to get another layout up and running is a relativly (sp) short time. I have a 10x10 room available with benchwork already in place with a 3 foot depth all around. Would like to use the atlas turntable I have now.

Any info would be appreciated.

 

Jack

 

[Anonymous]

The saying is "there is no stupid question." So here is my not so stupid question. What is the best way to apply dry transfer decals? I'm old school - give me the wet decals and I'm happy.

[pcarrell]

Phil:

Digital photos on a weekend outing. Just cut them out and rubbert cement them to the backdrop.

They look great.  I may have to look into that.  I've been toying with the idea of a photo backdrop for my new layout.

[Chuck Geiger]

Phil:

Digital photos on a weekend outing. Just cut them out and rubbert cement them to the backdrop.

[NS2591]

As far as accumates go they're not too bad IMO. most of my rolling stock has come equiped with them(except for the kato and MT cars)And they seem to run fine. I've killed a MT coupler when my dad droped my autorack, also killed one a year or so ago, when a couple bethgons got to meet the floor. the only problem I've had so far (except the trip pins falling out) is one of them sticks open. But other than that I havn't had any problems with them. I do plan to replace them with MT couplers when I get the time, but I've been focusing on getting track and rolling stock. The big thing I have to do before my fleet gets much bigger is get some decoders. I do think that MR needs to run some more N scale stuff too

[bnsfncoal]

I s it just me or does it seem like we N scalers have to find "tricks" to make some things work the way they are supposed to? Ballasting track looks simple on an HO video but it seems like we have to add about ten more steps to make those itty bitty rocks stay where we want them. I can't be the only one who thinks that the MR staff should do some "how to's" in N scale, their video equipment I'm sure is more than able to focus on our great scale!

[pcarrell]

That's good stuff there chuck.  Where'd you get the photo backdrop?

[Dave Vollmer]

Great work, Chuck!

[Chuck Geiger]

Thought I was going to miss HO. Not so - Here's work on my two-week old layout - SP Fresno District: