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~ Vol. 4 Issue 1 - January 2008 ~ ~ |
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.........the magazine by model railroaders, for model railroaders |
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MANIFEST
By RonP
MODELING
by Madhatter
by N Gauger
electrical connections by ezdays
by Eightyeightfan1
_________________ PRODUCT REVIEW
Wooden Craftsman Kit by rlundy90
Wisconsin & Southern 60th Anniversary Boxcar by CNW Man
__________________ END OF THE LINE
…....until next time
BACK ISSUES
STAFF / CREDITS
Editor:
Madhatter EZDays CNW Man rlundy90 |
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Starting Model Trains
as a Hobby — - - - - - - - — - — - - — —
An article like this has been done millions of times, but this is how I think one should start in the hobby of model trains.
Where to start:
The first thing one needs to establish is what you are interested in. Many modelers begin buying whatever looks nice to them, this, in my opinion, is a dangerous step because eventually you end up with too many things and cannot concentrate your interests. If that is what you like, then by all means carry on that way- it's your layout after all.
Believe it or not it can be very fulfilling to follow one constant theme. Part of the fun is going on the net and looking around for the history of your railroad.
Let's use the B.N.S.F. (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) as an example. You'll see that it is the result of quite a few amalgamated railroads- the last two being Burlington Northern and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe , each with their own history. By looking for pictures on the net you will see some locos still in some of the pre-merger schemes.
The nice thing about modeling a railway such a the BNSF is that it is large, so one can see almost any wagon (car) from anywhere in North America on it.
If you are a person like me, that likes prototypical operations, you'll see that it is more prototypical to have five Dash-9s than to have five different types of locos the railway has. Use locos for what they are made for- Dash-9s on long heavy freight trains, GP35s on shunting (switching) the yards and trip work etc.
Space:
Space is a big issue I hear you say? Believe me, in almost any space it is possible to fit a layout in. I don't have space myself, since I still stay with parents, but I've built a model layout that is portable in HO Scale.
It consists of four sections- each 1000mm x 400mm- which are connected together with hinges. I'm still busy working on it, but I will eventually attach a handle to that it can be easily carried. It is primarily used as a shunting layout, which is fine by me because I enjoy the operations of a railway. On the layout I have a four track fiddle yard (a type of “hidden staging” yard), which runs into a single line and then to my main focus- the small yard and station. There are at least three commodities going to be used on the layout and a small platform for passengers.
Size doesn't always matter and there are always smaller scales to choose from.
Make a story:
If you are going to go for a layout meant for operation and whether your layout is based on a prototype or is fictitious it is a good idea for you to make a story so as to help you when designing and building. It also gives some backbone to your chosen theme.
This goes hand in hand with what I said about the BNSF earlier too.
Look for help:
There are lots of people out there willing to help. Hobby shops, The Gauge, Clubs/ Historical Interest Groups, Magazines and the rest of the net.
In my opinion you just need to join forums such as Zealot because then you can interact with people, see everything available and hear the ups and downs of certain items. You are connected to the whole world and are able to see how others interpret things from your country, etc. It probably costs less then buying subscriptions and you almost always get an immediate response, plus the added benefit of a few people's opinion, not just one.
Go on field trips:
Probably one of the most fun parts of the hobby is going on field trips to photograph the prototype. This is where you can see everything in action and also see how track work, signals and buildings are laid out. You can also learn how different businesses interact with the railroad. If you can and they have the time, converse with railway employees.
Some rules of thumb when visiting around the big version: If you are going to a yard, workshop or engine shed, always ask permission.
ALWAYS be on the lookout for moving trains. And always have fun!
Whatever you eventually decide to do, remember it's your railway and people cannot say anything about the way YOU do things on it. Unless you ask an opinion, of course.
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