Anyone do any model railroading?

[Scarpozzi]

I had a few trainsets as a kid, but never had a good place to set it up. My dad actually built a huge layout for me with HO scale trains, but we never had money to throw at it so eventually it was dismantled and replaced with a used pool table we got for cheap.

In the past week, I've thought about and seen a few model railroads. It's making me want to take on the project, but I'm looking at either N or Z scale so I might be able to store it away easily. Anyone else mess with that stuff?

 

[Murloc]

I know someone who did.

Right now, they're shelved. I've seen them in action once or twice.

When he was a youngster he sold self-built locomotives for thousands of dollars though.

 

[disappoint]

 

[mmntech]

My dad had started building an HO layout with me when I was a kid. Though with all father-son activities back then, he got bored and it was eventually dismantled. I still have all the stuff though packed into boxes. Freight cars, locomotives, track, switches, controls, scenery. Problem is that trains take up a lot of space. When we finished the basement, we actually built the walls around the train table. I actually kind of miss playing with it.

I think that N Scale would be a good place to start for a beginner. Z scale is still pretty niche, while N gauge stuff is widely available. It's also very popular in Japan there's more options for train sets and scenery kits.

My best recommendation is to try and find either a model railroading club in your area, or a hobby shop that specializes in trains.

 

[Markbnj]

I did when I was a kid. Had a couple of 4x8 HO layouts and one old Lionel O gauge that we set up from time to time, but didn't have a permanent layout for. It's a lot of fun but it gets expensive, and it does take up a lot of space if you want to start getting creative.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Going up, I had more fun with my slot cars, than with trains. Would kinda like to set up a track down in my basement, just need to find an extra 300 grand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1G70Fpflp8

Also, when I was young there was a place where you could bring your own car, and rent a lane, on a 12 lane 100+ foot track. Guess those just don't exist anymore.

 

[mooncancook]

I have some Kato N-scale tracks and trains, but I live in a small townhome and have no room for a railroad layout. Not long ago Kato released the city tram sets which is perfect for me. They now even have the automatic bus set to go along with it. You can find them on ebay shipped from Japan. It can get addicting and be prepared to spend more than you have planned.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I have some Kato N-scale tracks and trains, but I live in a small townhome and have no room for a railroad layout. Not long ago Kato released the city tram sets which is perfect for me. They now even have the automatic bus set to go along with it. You can find them on ebay shipped from Japan. It can get addicting and be prepared to spend more than you have planned.

Cool looking stuff. I like how modular and easy to setup it looks...but yeah...the price is a little high for such a system.



I'll probably check the N vs Z and pick one. Z scale is 1/4" wide track....you could have track going everywhere at that scale.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I had a small setup in our basement when I was a kid (4'x8'). I'd love to do this with my son but I'm afraid it just takes up too much room.

 

[mcurphy]

My grandfather had a pretty sweet HO setup when I was a kid. It was two 4x8 sheets set up in an "L" shape. After he passed, it was moved to my sisters garage since my dad didn't have the space for it. It has sat there for many years now. I keep thinking that I will make space for it in my basement and get it back to its original glory, but the years are passing by too quickly. One of these days....maybe...

 

[james1701]

I had HO then a friend introduced me to G scale. To get a good layout, you really need a backhoe and end loader to really work the property for that scale. Building ponds and trestles was fun. Too bad I don't live on that property anymore.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

this fella was the pride of my basement when i was a kid:

 

[smackababy]

I always wanted to get into this, but holy fuck it's expensive!

 

[Imp]

No... Wanted to as a kid but too poor. Now,

I'm thinking about going into Lego trains because it's potentially profitable.

 

[Ns1]

I'm thinking about going into Lego trains because it's potentially profitable.

me too: looked at prices on eBay, moved onto next hobby.

 

[RampantAndroid]

My dad had a layout. I think the engines are mostly saved, but the layout is gone. It was a ton of work and not cheap....and not THAT fun either. Oooh, look, it's coming around again! Chooo choooo!

I mean, he enjoyed it though...I think it was more about building it than running anything.

 

[Imp]

me too: looked at prices on eBay, moved onto next hobby.

Their new trains are battery operated. I remember seeing those old electrified tracks you plugged in when I was a kid...

Bought a cheapo non-Lego train set that was plugged in around then. Holy shit I got a few shocks off that track. Thing sucked because the tracks never stayed together, which would screw up the circuit, and the motor in the train burned out pretty quick. Wonder how many people got sued.

 

[NoTine42]

I did when I was a kid. Had a couple of 4x8 HO layouts and one old Lionel O gauge that we set up from time to time, but didn't have a permanent layout for. It's a lot of fun but it gets expensive, and it does take up a lot of space if you want to start getting creative.

My dad had a nice Lionel O27 gauge set from his childhood. He made a 2nd set of sawhorses because his 1st was usually reserved for the trains. The new sawhorses were used to add a raised table for better scenery. He refused to build/buy more than 2 sets of sawhorses because he knew we'd just use them for even larger train sets.

 

[Ns1]

Their new trains are battery operated. I remember seeing those old electrified tracks you plugged in when I was a kid...

Bought a cheapo non-Lego train set that was plugged in around then. Holy shit I got a few shocks off that track. Thing sucked because the tracks never stayed together, which would screw up the circuit, and the motor in the train burned out pretty quick. Wonder how many people got sued.

oh fuck that battery shit, I want the old enough to kill you kind.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

this fella was the pride of my basement when i was a kid:

My parents bought me the Tyco Bicentennial train set for my 6th birthday in 1976. I still have it and it probably still works.

OP, I used to do a little model railroading. Never got to the stage of having a finished layout, but I did build some buildings and built a pretty nice engine with manually installed ladder rungs, wipers, etc.

 

[mmntech]

My grandfather had a pretty sweet HO setup when I was a kid. It was two 4x8 sheets set up in an "L" shape. After he passed, it was moved to my sisters garage since my dad didn't have the space for it. It has sat there for many years now. I keep thinking that I will make space for it in my basement and get it back to its original glory, but the years are passing by too quickly. One of these days....maybe...

I had a similar layout. A main line looped around the outside of the "L" with a smaller inner loop and a couple of spurs. We had built a long tunnel going up an incline as well. They'd always derail coming down the bend going downhill if you tried to go too fast. Which as a kid of course you're going to do. Problem was the downhill side was the one facing the wall. Had to get a hockey stick to reach.

 

[alkemyst]

I do model motorboating.