Any model railroaders?

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  • atgcpaul
    Veteran Member
    • Aug 2003
    • 4055
    • Maryland
    • Grizzly 1023SLX

    Any model railroaders?

    I need a new hobby like I need a hole in the head, but model railroading is calling to me. Maybe I just want a train for the Christmas tree but you never know. I can't decide between starting out with HO or O scale. I know HO is the most popular but the O scale looks better under the tree and it's less likely the girls will break it sooner.
  • mnmphd
    Forum Newbie
    • Feb 2006
    • 49

    #2
    I've had a passing interest since I was a child, but it is ramping back up since my 4 year old is a big train fan and has been wanting an "electric" train for quite a while. We are going HO largely because I have some from my youth, and my son is also a Thomas fan and wants the "Thomas electric train" . For Christmas we have been running a LEGO train I got years back.

    Model railroads can easily get out of hand and quite expensive. I'd suggest attending a local show. There area many through out the year in Maryland. There is one at the B&O museum Jan 2 I believe, and a BIG show at the Fairgrounds Jan-Feb. Check http://www.gsmts.com for the big one, or google model train shows in MD for local events on a smaller scale.


    If you are looking for the train under the tree experience, you might try these offering from Home Depot.




    It may not be a true scale, but they are cheap enough and battery operated that you can test the waters before diving in the DEEP end.

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    • LCHIEN
      Internet Fact Checker
      • Dec 2002
      • 20913
      • Katy, TX, USA.
      • BT3000 vintage 1999

      #3
      "O" are so big compared to HO.
      I think H means half like half O-gauge so the length is half, the track area is 1/4 and the volume is 1/8.

      Consider "N" they are tiny but can be detailed and you can have complex layouts in a small area that you could only put an oval for "O".


      Depends on the space you have available.
      And, if these are really for you or for the kids...???
      Last edited by LCHIEN; 11-25-2014, 04:48 PM.
      Loring in Katy, TX USA
      If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
      BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

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      • cwsmith
        Veteran Member
        • Dec 2005
        • 2737
        • NY Southern Tier, USA.
        • BT3100-1

        #4
        When we moved to Painted Post back in 1973, the housing shortage was such (one year after the Agnes flood), that we took to renting one of the company's many duplex's. The old foundry was right across the back yard and the Bath-Hammondsport rail line ran right up the street.

        Our little guy was not quite four years old yet and let me tell you the twice daily freight was very exciting to every kid and ours was no different. When that train came slowly rumbling up the track the track, those kids heard it first and in almost Paul Revere fashion the cry "TRAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIINNNN" rang out loudly.... and any kid within earshot would scramble toward the tracks to catch the candy that the was tossed from the caboose.

        Used to scare the he!! our of my wife and me and we had strict orders that our Jason wasn't allowed out of the yard, for fear that he'd get his run over. No accidents ever happened, other than an occasional skinned knee, but none-the-less, as a parent one can only imagine the worse.

        Well, long-story-short, we found ourselves that winter buying the little guy and HO set. Just a small loop around the bottom of the Christmas tree, and one turn-out to a siding. While I was sort of excited (I was 28 at the time, and still a bit of a kid at heart), my little guy wasn't all that impressed.

        Then a fellow worker, told me about "Farmer's Train Shop" down in Southport (just south of Elmira, NY). So we took a trip down there, and that's when all three of us got hooked. It was a quanset hut building on a small residential street and it was stocked with every HO accessory imaginable. Charlie Farmer and a wealth of enthusiasts from the area had constructed a massive indoor setup, with an uncountable number of 'rolling stock'. In the summer, the back yard had a pretty good sized layout too... which the little folk could actually ride on (I don't remember that scale).

        So, I built a fairly nice layout, got caught up in all the modelling and detail work and we just had a great time. But when we moved to the new house in the late 70's, there was no place to set it up and I gave away the table layout. We still have most of the models, rolling stock, and engines.

        I keep swearing that I'm going to get back into that again, but time and space just never seems to allow for it. I have got to admit though that it is one of the most satisfying hobbies that I've ever had. Whether you interest is in modeling, electronics, mechanical layout, or just running switching and operations.... IT's great fun. (I'll have to look to see if we still have those pictures around.)

        CWS
        Think it Through Before You Do!

        Comment

        • LCHIEN
          Internet Fact Checker
          • Dec 2002
          • 20913
          • Katy, TX, USA.
          • BT3000 vintage 1999

          #5
          I enjoy setting up the HO trains I have for the kids/grandkids. I have quite a bit of stuff including several engines, lots of rolling stock and a lot of track. Also two or three motor controls

          I don't have a room for a permanent setup, so a 4x8 piece of plywood on has to suffice. Check out how much HO you can put on a 4x8.

          You can look on the internet for table layouts
          Last edited by LCHIEN; 11-25-2014, 11:34 PM.
          Loring in Katy, TX USA
          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

          Comment

          • jdon
            Established Member
            • Feb 2010
            • 401
            • Snoqualmie, Wash.
            • BT3100

            #6
            I don't want to be a spoilsport, but I fear that the role of model railroading as a means of bonding between generations has gone the way of, well, the steam locomotive.

            When I was a kid, an HO system- with remote control switches, yet!- was about the most high-tech entertainment available. I tried reviving that interest with my kids, but compared to the siren calls of video games and RC helicopters and cars, a train going around a track was pretty dull.

            My advice to the OP, FWIW, is to decide on the gauge, layout, etc. based on his own interests, rather than what might appeal to offspring. Smaller gauges, e.g., offer more opportunities for developing track layouts, terrain and scenery. If the kids show interest, be overjoyed.

            Comment

            • cwsmith
              Veteran Member
              • Dec 2005
              • 2737
              • NY Southern Tier, USA.
              • BT3100-1

              #7
              I can't speak to the "bonding between generations", but there still seems to be a fair amount of interest, at least in our area. A couple of weeks ago, our east-side VFW hall was the site of an annual train show. My wife and I spotted the crowd and was wondering what was going on, as the parking lot and surrounding streets were quite full. On inquiry we were told it was the "Model Train Show".

              I did see quite a few kids, but mostly it appeared to be older folks. Unfortunately we didn't have the time to stop in. They charged $5 a head to visit, and by the looks of the crowded parking areas, I'd say they probably made out quite well.

              But, I must agree to some extent... I have two grandsons, both in their teens now. While the youngest (soon to be 15) did like the model trains when we set them up, it was mostly just a playful curiosity and he hasn't shown any interest since he hit ten or so. Neither have little interest in anything beyond video games and cell phones. None of my hobbies, hold any interest to them at all (Amateur Radio, woodworking, history, books, etc.) I can't even get them interest in my Miata, which I find a bit strange for teenagers. But I've read that there's a growing number of teens who hold little to no interest in driving.

              Makes me wonder who I'm going to leave all my stuff too... maybe I'll have to adopt someone.

              CWS
              Think it Through Before You Do!

              Comment

              • tfischer
                Veteran Member
                • Jul 2003
                • 2343
                • Plymouth (Minneapolis), MN, USA.
                • BT3100

                #8
                I did model railroading as a kid. My brother and I had a big 16x4' layout that I ended up changing out quite a bit of after he went off to college. Since I moved away, it sat dormant for over 20 years, but a few years back I dusted it off (literally) and got it running to a point again so my boys could play with it. It's still back at Mom's place...

                I don't have the space here to do a layout, but I sure do miss that hobby. Maybe someday...

                Here's an album of pics I took of my old childhood layout (you should be able to view them even if you're not a FB member)

                Comment

                • southernbob
                  Forum Newbie
                  • Jan 2008
                  • 42
                  • South Florida

                  #9
                  World Largest Model Train display

                  Here is the world largest model train setup in Hamburg,Germany.
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                  • Knottscott
                    Veteran Member
                    • Dec 2004
                    • 3815
                    • Rochester, NY.
                    • 2008 Shop Fox W1677

                    #10
                    When I moved out of my parents house my dad gave me his pre-WWII Lionel O gauge set. I've put it under our Christmas tree every year since, and it became a great family tradition. Now that Dad is gone, his train has really become a treasure. We've got pictures and memories of the kids playing with it under the tree each year.

                    A couple of years ago I started to put together a more permanent setup, but really haven't done too much with that. For the past few years I've been collecting other O-gauge setups so I can give one to each of my kids when they leave the house.

                    HO gauge gets you a more elaborate setup with the space available, is generally less expensive, and is even consider more realistic by some because of the dual rail setup, but I prefer the size of the O-gauge.

                    Either way, it's worth getting into IMO, even if it's only a holiday tradition. The trains hold value well, and are just plain fun to setup and expand on. It's an excellent indoor activity especially for those in cold weather regions who suffer from long winters.

                    Here's my Dad's set just before putting the sheet and tree in place:
                    Last edited by Knottscott; 11-28-2014, 04:04 PM.
                    Happiness is sort of like wetting your pants....everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth.

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