NEW TO MODEL RR CAN YOU HELP

[Anonymous]

I AM NEW TO THIS HOBY .I HAVE A HO TRAIN SET THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME .I AM LIMTED ON SPACE SO WOULD A BOARD 8 FT LONG BY 3 FT WIDE BE GOOD SIZE TO SET UP THE TRACK AND STILL HAVE ROOM FOR OTHER THINGS TANKS DAN RISTER

[edblysard]

Hi Danrister, if you can reach all the way to the back of you layout, "board on sawhorses" without bumping into or knocking over something at the front, then its the "right" width for you. Get a subscription to Model Railroad magazine, they have something about building layouts in each issue. Besides, they are tried and true train nuts, and play with the stuff they talk about. I remember an article about a guy in an apartment with a whole terminal railroad in about a six by three foot end of a bedroom. If I hadnt read that it was this small I never would have guessed. Read, learn, and keep asking questions. Have fun, thats ther whole point.

[dknelson]

Here is a bit of help: note the other Forums on this same site devoted to model railroading and to toy trains. Postings like yours will get lots of helpful responses on those sites. This site is more for people who like real trains some of whom have no great interest in model trains
Dave Nelson

[edblysard]

Up to a point, I agree with Dave. But I happen to be one of those weirdos who not only model trains, I work with the real deal. So I get the best of both worlds so to speak. Most modelers want to make their layout as "real" as they can. Thats why they hang out at yards and watch trains, and thats why they ask us questions, which I will answer if I can. But there are a lot of other sites to check out. Dont remember who said it but " the only stupid question is the question not asked" I did notice that this site is sponsored by a publisher whos three top selling magazines are about "toys". I was a modeler before I went railroading, thats where my interest lead me. A lot of "real" railroaders are closet modelers, they just dont want anyone at work to know.