new and would like some advice

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new and would like some advice

  • Hello There!
    I am new to this and happened to find this website and fell in love!!!
    My dad has a few model trains set up in his basement and my 2 kids just go nuts over them it is something that they share a great deal of interest in with thier grandpa.
    i was wondering if anyone knows of any really neat places to go to see trains around the michigan area? and also if anyone could give me more help navigating around the forum? It gets a little confusing!
    I was also wondering if there is any other places to be able to be an engineer on a train that might be a little closer by, somewhere in michigan if anyone knows? Thank you for your help,it would be greatly appreciated!
    Have a great day!
    Sincerly,bbptrains
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  • hi if any one out there lives in the north west part of Pa could you please tell me of any good train watching spots on the Bessemer and Lake Erie? I live half way between
    Pgh. and Erie Can anyone help? Thanks Wayne























  • hi if any one out there lives in the north west part of Pa could you please tell me of any good train watching spots on the Bessemer and Lake Erie? I live half way between
    Pgh. and Erie Can anyone help? Thanks Wayne























  • To TIEBREAKER........Many thanks, I've been getting a lot of clues from the MR web site and it should help a lot. Even the photos in MR provide a lot of ideas.

    Thanks again , Barry.
  • To TIEBREAKER........Many thanks, I've been getting a lot of clues from the MR web site and it should help a lot. Even the photos in MR provide a lot of ideas.

    Thanks again , Barry.
  • Barry...the best advice I can give you is to start reading. Learn as much as you think you can handle and then form some sort of plan for a layout. Steam era ?
    Diesel? It can get expensive to switch from one to the other. Too bad you measured the size of the room already...your probably figuring out how many sheets of plywood it would take to fill the room! Start small and then go on to expanding it by adding sections. 20v system is a new one on me. I started in ho in the 60's and use the old block system. Try hobby shops and libraries for books. Even back issues of magazines can be very useful.

    [:)]good luck

    p.s. I can hardly hear your accent when I read your posts!!


  • Barry...the best advice I can give you is to start reading. Learn as much as you think you can handle and then form some sort of plan for a layout. Steam era ?
    Diesel? It can get expensive to switch from one to the other. Too bad you measured the size of the room already...your probably figuring out how many sheets of plywood it would take to fill the room! Start small and then go on to expanding it by adding sections. 20v system is a new one on me. I started in ho in the 60's and use the old block system. Try hobby shops and libraries for books. Even back issues of magazines can be very useful.

    [:)]good luck

    p.s. I can hardly hear your accent when I read your posts!!


  • To Alaskaman,

    Many thanks, i've obviously got a lot to learn.
    Pity about jack about model railroading, you don't know what you are missing.
    Fortunately i've done both aspects and enjoyed both, incl. train spotting and photographing the real ones. But short of being a driver of the real ones, it gives you a partial feeling of power to be able to marshal a train full of "goods trucks" and take them on a run around the circuit.
    Good luck with your hobby,
    Barry.
  • To Alaskaman,

    Many thanks, i've obviously got a lot to learn.
    Pity about jack about model railroading, you don't know what you are missing.
    Fortunately i've done both aspects and enjoyed both, incl. train spotting and photographing the real ones. But short of being a driver of the real ones, it gives you a partial feeling of power to be able to marshal a train full of "goods trucks" and take them on a run around the circuit.
    Good luck with your hobby,
    Barry.
  • QUOTE: Originally posted by bkdavidson

    g'day again,
    it's 2 weeks since i posted the last message and thought there may be someone out there who may be able to point me in the right direction even an enterprising businessman. maybe it's my accent thats hard to understand??? i've been visiting the site at least once a day but with no luck. heres hoping. maybe it's my profile thats the problem???
    regards,
    barry.


    I would address your problem on the Model Railroader forum.
    Trains Magazine forums is a good place to ask any question too.
    I'm sorry i can't help you since i dont know jack about model railroading.
    But good luck anyway.[;)][;)]


  • QUOTE: Originally posted by bkdavidson

    g'day again,
    it's 2 weeks since i posted the last message and thought there may be someone out there who may be able to point me in the right direction even an enterprising businessman. maybe it's my accent thats hard to understand??? i've been visiting the site at least once a day but with no luck. heres hoping. maybe it's my profile thats the problem???
    regards,
    barry.


    I would address your problem on the Model Railroader forum.
    Trains Magazine forums is a good place to ask any question too.
    I'm sorry i can't help you since i dont know jack about model railroading.
    But good luck anyway.[;)][;)]


  • g'day again,
    it's 2 weeks since i posted the last message and thought there may be someone out there who may be able to point me in the right direction even an enterprising businessman. maybe it's my accent thats hard to understand??? i've been visiting the site at least once a day but with no luck. heres hoping. maybe it's my profile thats the problem???
    regards,
    barry.
  • g'day again,
    it's 2 weeks since i posted the last message and thought there may be someone out there who may be able to point me in the right direction even an enterprising businessman. maybe it's my accent thats hard to understand??? i've been visiting the site at least once a day but with no luck. heres hoping. maybe it's my profile thats the problem???
    regards,
    barry.
  • G'day.
    just joined the net a week or so ago and then subscribed to M R. recently moved residence so have to rebuild my layout (ho) which i dismantled a few years ago. it was a 12v dc with blocks. fairly small, 36 sets of points (i think you call them turnouts?) 5 complete track circuits, approx 18 sidings, approx 30 locos, approx 40 passenger carriages and approx 100 goods trucks (sorry for the down-under terminology).
    have just seen a layout with no blocks which runs on 20v, the controllers can "dial up" a specific loco and control each loco individually by "dialing up". power on to tracks all the time. Just read about DCC in the july M R. is this the same system and would this be the way to go for my new layout which will be in a 35 x 15 foot room? can anyone throw some light on this? I have to admit i have been "out of the loop" for quite a while. any advice will be greatly appreciated.
  • G'day.
    just joined the net a week or so ago and then subscribed to M R. recently moved residence so have to rebuild my layout (ho) which i dismantled a few years ago. it was a 12v dc with blocks. fairly small, 36 sets of points (i think you call them turnouts?) 5 complete track circuits, approx 18 sidings, approx 30 locos, approx 40 passenger carriages and approx 100 goods trucks (sorry for the down-under terminology).
    have just seen a layout with no blocks which runs on 20v, the controllers can "dial up" a specific loco and control each loco individually by "dialing up". power on to tracks all the time. Just read about DCC in the july M R. is this the same system and would this be the way to go for my new layout which will be in a 35 x 15 foot room? can anyone throw some light on this? I have to admit i have been "out of the loop" for quite a while. any advice will be greatly appreciated.