Posts Tagged ‘model trains’

Here’s an aspect of model training we haven’t thought enough about, the surface where we’re setting up our trains. Even with N gauge this can be important. You could simply put these trains on a regular surface, you say. Wait a sec.  Let me try to argue my point. The kind of table you choose your N scale locomotives on can actually be very significant.  Here are some reasons why:

A unbalanced surface can’t handle it:

To begin, you don’t want to choose a surface that is weak and that will lean or that can be easily bumped over. You don’t need your trains to stay upright against a the “Big One” but they shouldn’t fall over when the school bus shakes by outside. One horrible moment and your locomotives could be in fragments tossed about the ground. Imagine the possible cost and the time you just trashed! Don’t open yourself up to this setback.  If you’re practiced with your hardware you could fashion this train table yourself.

Cool Tip: Here’s a cool suggestion. Remember that unused ping-pong table that lays forgotten in the basement? Sure you do, it’s the ping pong table that became your new model train table. Ping pong tables are nice and big so they free lots of options for your design.  Think of how complicated you could make your HO track plan on a table of these measurements.  Even if you have a Lionel O or one of those new S gauge trains, you’ll find that you can really do a lot with a table this big.

Portable tables for travel:

Look to shell out a bit for a strong train table. A quick web search will list a gaggle of leads focused on train tables.

Cool suggestion #2: Here’s a room saver: Lower your table from the ceiling.  Want your car port back for your cars?   Attach your table to the ceiling with a pulley device and your problem is overcome.

Interlocking tables:

The best bet when it comes to tables, though, is domino style tables that can be used in any configuration. These tables usually come in 2’ x 4’ cuts that can be fastened in any direction so that you can make really long pieces by connecting the thin sides or you can make wider tables by connecting the 4’ to 4’ sides.  What these great domino tables let you to do most however is to grow your train layout in any way that you would like.  Unlike other types of tables that force you to change your design to match their dimensions, these tables allow you to control the limits of your layout. The light weight design is ideal for model train lovers.  If you want to take your model train down in the basement, you can just carry the table down to your work area.  If you want to take this over to your brother’s house to show his kids your track, it is light enough to be hauled.  They are so easy to reconfigure that you might actually have difficulty keeping to one track plan.

And these tables can grow with your model training experience letting you expand your surface setup along with your developing toy railroad layout.

Here is more information on N Scale Model Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

Technorati Tags: model train table, model trains, n scale model railroad, n scale model railroad lay out, n scale model railroad table, n scale model trains

Small miniatures are the neatest, huh? You won’t hear an argument from me.  There is nothing so neat as little tiny trains. Something about the uncanny likeness of miniatures really lures us in.  Another interesting thing about these little locomotives is that they are so miniscule you can practically fit them anywhere.  Let’s think a little bit about how we could use them in different spaces:

2’ x 4’ N model railroad layout:

This is the smallest layout that we can use for these little trains.  We could set it up on the coffee table if this is all the space we’re going to use.  If we do this layout though, we are really limited to just having the trains go around in a circle. The only other choices would be a figure 8 or concentric circles.

Pre-fab n scale scenic highlights:

N-scale is so small it is hard to work with. Craftwork is not really feasible for these little guys but don’t worry, several companies offer lines of pre-fab accessories.  A good way of adding interest to your n-model railroad layout is to purchase some of these and add them to your layout. Atlas is a good first stop for these accessories.

Square setup:

A square 3’ x 3’ hobby space will really open up fun possibilities.  I’ve seen some pretty interesting designs for a space of this size and larger. Try a peak at the center of your setup with your train circling around it.  This makes for a really captivating scene in a really tight space.  I wouldn’t advise trying it in a space any smaller than this however.  The attempts I’ve seen to do this just don’t really work.

Add systematically to your track area:

A good way of constructing your design is to add incrementally to it.  You could begin with a simple 2’ x 4’ design and then add to it so that it is a 2’ by 8’ long island type configuration and then turn it into an “L” shape, etc., etc..  You might extend a river so that it is at the center and then have your track criss-cross it as it moves down the table. Use your imagination to come up with captivating detail.  Little ruins or perhaps a delapadated castle by the side of a tributary can really make for a varied and captivating scenic experience.

N scale gives you the most variations for the least amount of space. Challenge yourself to let your imagination overcome the physical limitations of your space.  If you find a particular landscape fascinating, build it.  Others are likely to find it captivating as well.

Here is more information on N Scale Model Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

Technorati Tags: model train layouts, model trains, N Model Railroad Layout, n scale model railroad layouts, n scale model trains, toy trains

Is this as much space as you as you’ve got for your model railroad? It would be really disruptive anywhere else?  I dig you. Nothing to worry about. You can do quite a bit even with just a 4’ x 8’ space. You wouldn’t want to go any smaller for HO.  HO?  Golly, you haven’t heard about HO?  HO is where it’s at these days.  HO trains are one 87^th the size of the real world trains they are modeled after. Want my advice on your track plan?

Try a simple loop format to begin with:  It doesn’t get simpler than this. Around and around it goes like water in a whirlpool.  This works great for the limitations of a 4’ x 8’ space. Don’t let the interior space stay unused. This setup begs for a little model metropolis at the center. Add small details like hills to the central space to spice this basic track plan up.

Just like in ice skating, a figure eight can be simple yet elegant: Don’t underestimate the figure eight. The symbol for infinity is a nice little plan. The figure 8 divides the space into four distinct areas where you can still add decorative detail to the landscape by setting up little buildings and other landscape features.

Concentric tracks also work well:  A loop within a loop works better than you might think at first. You could perhaps have two trains, one on the interior and one on the outside track. Although a train yard usually brings this setup together, you might try a period specific town at its center instead.

Two train tracks:  Another way of adding interest to this set-up is to have two separate trains, one on the interior and one on the exterior of the track   Now it’s a contest to see which little train will draw the most interest. Don’t bother with extra decoration, there’s a war on.

Using N Scale trains increases your track possibilities greatly:  To get more bang for your buck in terms of space, use n-scale trains.  These miniature locomotives are just one 160^th the size of real trains. With these guys you will no longer be trapped into the three types of formats I have mentioned. You can add interest to your layout and variation to your landscape. Try a little city at one pole and a lush forrest on the other. But, of course, n-scale is virtually microscopic to the point of eye strain.

Whatever you choose to do with your 4’ x 8’ space, don’t let the area definitions limit your imagination. Space limitations are the perennial problem in model training but the puzzle solving aspect of this can be quite enjoyable.  Some of the most captivating model train setups I have seen were in spaces where you would never have thought to make a model train layout in the first place.

Here is more information on Model Train Information. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.  

Technorati Tags: 4' x 8' model railroad, model train information, model train layouts, model trains

You want to know what’s really at the cutting edge of model train hobby? What’s about to break that has every model trainer tossing and turning with anticipation?  What style of model locomotive do collectors go coo coo for?I could go on and on like this, but let me just let the cat out the bag: it’s s scale model locomotives.  Yeah, that’s right, s gauge? If you’re not that acquainted with scales and gauges then you probably don’t know that this isn’t a standard gauge nowadays. Do you even know about different scales?  Alright, well let me give you the nitty-gritty on these before you start hearing about them in the news:

Two words, “American Flyer”:  

This line of locomotives has entered the hall of fame of toy locomotives.  Nostalgia explains a lot.  American Flyer’s s gauge trains had their hey-day right after World War II when the baby boomers were starting to sprout up.  This was in large part an attempt to challenge Lionel who was the king of the roost through the 50’s. S scale is an “inbetween” scale, way huger than HO but smaller than Lionel’s O.  S scale is one 64^th the size of a real train whereas Lionel’s O scale is one 48^th the size.   These are still pretty substantial trains but not so much so that you would have to have them only outside. These locomotives are a lot of fun to color and weather.

S gauge is not common:  

Since American Flyer pretty much created s scale and then went out of business shortly after, you don’t stumble across it much.  A.C. Gilbert, who ran American Flyer at the time, manufactured this gauge as an attempt to make a line of trains that would keep up with Lionel by producing high quality locomotives that weren’t interchangeable with Lionel locomotives. That means there are not that many vintage s scale American Flyer trains.   Because of the law of supply and demand, American Flyers brief life span has increased the demand for their parts and sets.   The nature of this devotion has just made the trains that much more valuable.

American Flyers are about to enter the market again:  

American Flyer’s arch-enemy Lionel bought them out in the 60’s and is now looking to resurrect both brands by re-introducing the vintage 1950’s toys that are so cherished by collectors.  The fantastic success of these releases has driven Lionel to commit to reproduce the s scale locomotives that avid fans are so in love with.  It might not be long before we have to make room for s gauge as yet another main scale in the model training world.

Now’s the instant to put your chips down if you want to cash in early on this tip.  If you want to say “I told you so” to your model train friends you should jump in now.  Don’t say I didn’t give you a heads up later on. It’s like the coffee house fad of the early 90s.  And you said no one would ever pay more just for some coffee. 

Here is more information on Model Train Scale. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

Technorati Tags: A C Gilbert, American Flyer, American Flyer trains, model train scale, model trains, s scale, s scale model railroad, Scale, train scale

I see it’s not a very big space. It is 4’ x 8’ so it will do.  It also has some good features.  It’s by that sky light where it gets some sun shine.  It’s clean and dry.  And it’s close to your work area so you won’t have to stomp across the yard to get any tools that you need.  So here are some ideas for making it better:

Get a solid Model Train Table:  

Having your tracks on the floor is a disastrous idea. You look proficient with your tools so you could probably design the surface yourself. There’s lots of drawbacks to living with a setup that are permanently fixed to one location.  If possible we want to have a unattached display area that we can haul as when necessary. Perfect hobby tables can be located by just doing a simple search on the internet.  These tables are designed to link to each other so that you can fill almost any space as you desire and so that if you have second thoughts about your design later, they are easily altered into new shapes and into new sizes. Sturdy, light, easily movable—they’re everything you want in display table. Portability may also be significant if you ever would like to motor your layout to a model train convention. If you relocate, being able to keep your set up roughly as is can also be a big relief.

Keep your HO model train layout simple:  

Don’t attempt to do too much with such a small area.  You fundamentally have a choice between three separate designs: a simple oval, a figure 8 or concentric circles. They’re all about equal in regards to pros and cons. If you love creating model cities the basic donut shape leaves you the most options. The focus will fall largely on the craft and artwork involved in your buildings. A figure 8 leaves you less space for crafting topographical features and structures and places the focus back on your model. Concentric circles tends to be the golden mean between the first two layouts.  Model train fans often place a rail yard with such a design and just use other model trains.  You can also add other locomotives to your roundhouse in the middle to really freshen up this set up. These are all good starting set ups and none of them shut out any future layout possibilities. The figure 8 is the least conducive to future expansion.

Use the angle of display to conjure a enhanced sense of size:

The corner of your layout forms an apex to a triangular viewpoint that can really maximize the sense of depth if used well.  This effect can be further maximized by decaling cardboard or plywood walls extending from the back corner of your layout with fading mountain ranges and a smattering of clouds.

Finally, use accessories like buildings and uneven topography to conjure a greater sense of contrast:  

Have you ever noticed how when you see one object next to another the contrast points out new aspects of both of them? If you work this effect right you will really enhance the viewing experience.

Don’t think of this first step as the final stage of your model train experience but just as the first step in the journey.  As you become more accustomed to the joys of model train design, construction and decoration you will find many imaginative novel ways to add to this basic design.

Here is more information on HO Model Train. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

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