Greetings

Flyboy41

New Member
Hi all,
I used to be a member of The-Gauge and now I'm back. I model in N scale and will be building a layout this fall if all goes according to plan. My layout will be constructed on a 28"x80" hollow core door with foam insulation scenery. The track plan will closely follow that of the "Carolina Central" from Model Railroader magazine's "N-Scale Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby Book". The railroad is my freelanced line called the Ohio Central and will be set between the 70's and modern day.

Right now I can't decide on DC or DCC control but am leaning more towards DCC. Any advice is welcome and I look forward to being a part of the group.
 

Flyboy41

New Member
re

Yeah, I meant to type Ohio Western. I've ridden on the OC's steam train in Sugar Creek though. Good times.
 

MCL_RDG

Member
I used to be a member of The Gauge too...

...and I still am, and hey, so are you too.

Welcome back. It's still the most comfortable place for easy expression on topics RR (model or otherwise).

I'll ask- Flyboy41?, veteran flyer?

I happen to love that Carolina Central layout but I would wish for more staging, but it's practical.

I had a hollowcore door layout as a teen when my dad spotted a "damaged" door at a local building mart back in the 70s. He bought it for me for $2 {bucks} and said it'd be a great model railroad base. As a teen- the sound of a train running over, basically a drum- amplifier, was great.

I think my dad invented hollow core door technology- and please- no input from the choir- my dad invented hollow door technology! My dad also apparently invented loco sound too (sans electronics). (Any arguments regarding same will be settled out back, or at an Outback- choose.)

Mark
 

Flyboy41

New Member
CSX: I may expand it. My wife and I live in an apartment and the layout has to be 1.) small enough to fit in a small bedroom, and 2.) Portable in case we have guests or move.

MCL: Nope, not a veteran. Not having 20/20 vision kept me out of the Air Force (I wasn't joining if I couldn't fly). I am a private pilot though. Model RR funds were diverted in order to pay for training.

Thanks for the kind words from everyone.
 

woodone

Member
Welcome back. On your choise to go DCC or stay DC. I have some input( not sure it is good or bad):confused: if you have been away from model trains awhile you will be glad you came back! The new things that are out there are overwelming. I think DCC is the only way to fly!:thumb: I had
been a DC user for years. When I heard the sound units, I had to try DCC. You can control trains and not a control panel. With block wiring you never had the blocks in the right place, and you sure could not run two locos up to one another with the block system. With the small layout you can start out with a small system.
I have been happy with the change.:mrgreen:
 

jesso

Member
I agree with Woodone, I would definately go with DCC. Another guy in our club upgraded his dcc system and is letting me borrow his old one and it is great. I love to run multiple trains on the layout and it is really nice to be able to slow down or speed up trains individually on the tracks to keep them apart. Even the lower end systems would work great on a small layout. Right now I am running about 60 feet of track with 5 engines (3 trains) with a small MRC prodigy system.
 

Flyboy41

New Member
I'm leaning more towards DCC (Digitrax Zephyr to be exact) b/c I hate wiring and DCC seems to be the simplest way to go. I've compiled a small collection of locos and I want to run those puppies in opposite directions and stage meets.

I'll probably have to hit up the DCC board to get some input. But if DCC is simpler, then I'll probably go that way.
 

woodone

Member
You might want to look at NCE's power cab. Hook up two track wires, plug unit in and you up and running.:mrgreen:
I think you should look at all the systems that you can. Some just might not be the thing or size that you would like.
DCC is a good thing.:thumb:
 

billgraf

New Member
Hi, I'm not sure when the box cars were no longe to have running boards on the roofs. If you want to model the 70's, would this conflict with the modern day RR? Towns etc could be 1970, Automobiles, Railroad equipment etc should be modern day.
 

Flyboy41

New Member
I'm leaning more towards just modern day. The visible portion of the layout will feature small set of spurs so I think I'll use my SD35 as a local locomotive working the spurs while my newer diesels orbit on the main line.
 
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