Posts Tagged ‘model trains’

So where are you going to put your toy locomotive anyway?  That looks pretty good but did you say it floods a bit in here when it poors.  Yeah that’s the problem, isn’t it?  People have lots of different places that they place their toy trains and each has its diverse benefits and negatives.  Let’s think this through a bit:

 

Foot level based layouts:  

Some people just set up their trains right on the carpet. This is not a good option for little guys like N and HO size trains.  It is one thing to have a g size locomotive on the ground or in your back yard, but it is another to stare down at the smaller build of an HO locomotive set.  The bird’s eye view of the tinier gauges brings out the drawbacks of theses locomotives.  Not to point out that your locomotives are much more likely to be run over and damaged in careless moments.  A higher elevation tends to foreground the strengths of HO and N scale trains.  Even O locomotives look better on a display table.

Pre-existing shelves, the blessed lazy man’s decision  

In some houses there are natural display areas or elevated areas that lend themselves to model locomotive track plans.  This pre-existing shelf answers the problem of line of sight perhaps and if you are extremely blessed can find the perfect location for our hobby trains.  Very few of us are this lucky however.  There are some obvious problems to most random display areas.  Unless you’re incredibly blessed, these places are usually too tiny and not shaped quite in the way that we would like to successfully setup an interesting track display.  So, such spaces dictate a host of limitations to your hobby training.  Even if you are into the most miniscule kinds of hobby train these spaces tend not to work all that well.

Another fortunate possibility is that you happen to have a spare surface just lying around somewhere:  

Sometimes you get blessed and serendipitously come across a table at home.  This helps in that you can move the table to the spot you would like, but the majority of tables that are not specifically designed for model training have other negatives.  These spare areas are often not as sturdy as model trainers would like and even when they are they have a single inconvenient shape and size which requires you to limit your Model Train Setups to the table’s measurements and not to the image in your mind.

Home-made model locomotive areas:  

Since lots of us hobbyists are good with our hands a very popular decision of model trainers is to make a table ourselves.  Often we handymen and women will extend an existing spot to make it work for the toy locomotive layout we had in mind.  You can also really give your locomotive surface some unique personality this way.  This isn’t for everyone.  If you aren’t that into creating furniture then you’ll want to avoid trying this.  Home designed surfaces also tend to be too hefty to move easily.  Also, if you are pressed for time, this will really add a substantial amount of time that you have to spend getting ready before you even start your actual model locomotiveing.  These homemade areas also tend not to be as portable for those of us who like to show our locomotives around.

Hobby surfaces, the choice if for those who are willing to shell out the clams:

There are these special kind of hobby table that is just perfect for model training.  They are called “domino” tables because that can be connected on any side to form any shape, no matter how idiosyncratic the shape.  These surfaces do away with many of the spatial limitations that you might have had with other area choices.  They let you realize your mental plan as you saw it.  Also, because they are lightweight they can more easily be moved out of the way and since they can easily be changed and added to as you see fit, they can grow with your toy locomotiveing ambitions.  You can also more easily transport your table if you want to show your design around.  For this reason, these surfaces are really the best option for toy train displays.

 

With your surface option out of the way you are now free to really embark on your toy train adventure.  Good lucky and happy hobbying!   

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

Technorati Tags: model train accessories, model train table, model train track, model trains

No model train is better known than Lionel Trains. The me generations still recollect Lionel as the king of model trains. Oh those huge hardware store display trains that captivated us as children. Around Christmas the local hardware store would put one up and watch as it drew us all in as bees to flowers. Competitors like Bachmann and financial troubles have long since undone Lionel’s supremacy, but the brand still carries a lot of its former cachet. Here’s the story why:

Lionel Trains are built in O gauge:  It’s ironic, but O scale is Lionel’s best quality and its mortal weak point. Lionel trains were usually in O gauge, but with the growth of model training in the 50’s more and more middle class model train hobbyists began to purchase trains for smaller spaces.  O gauge trains are one 48^th the size of real world trains and require an 8’ x 16’ space as a minimum.  This was simply too much of a space requirement, so fans turned to HO scale which only required a 4’ x 8’ space.  Lionel’s failure to adapt is what cost it and what makes its odd scale a real draw for enthusiasts these days.

Lionel’s long history makes it a hobbyist’s favorite:  Because Lionel has survived for so long and was so popular in yesteryear it is one of the favorites of collectors. We cannot under estimate the nostalgia that Lionel inspires. These are, after all, the toy trains they grew up on or would like to have grown up on. Lionel’s durability also has helped it with fans.

You’ll find no lack of manuals and news items on Lionel:  Unlike a lot of toy train manufacturers, you can find several books directed specifically to Lionel. Lionel books come in two varieties.  First, there are books that are specifically devoted to getting you going with model training using Lionel O gauge trains. Second, a ton of books trace Lionel’s exemplary history.

Finally, Lionel is popular because they just made good trains:  The value of these trains can simply not be understated!  Larger than most other trains, they are perfect for detailing and decaling and weathering.  People who love the arts and crafts aspect of model training love how easy it is to work with Lionel large trains. They also love that the trains are so huge and so eye catching.  You simply can’t ignore a Lionel train.

Regardless of the company’s finances, Lionel O gauge should be a mainstay for the foreseeable future.  Even if Lionel declares itself bankrupt, hobbyists will continue to collect its long history of trains. Lionel never disappoints.

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

Technorati Tags: american model trains, lionel, Lionel electric trains, Lionel O guage Trains, model trains, toy model trains, toy trains

So this is where you’re putting your track, huh? It would be really disruptive anywhere else?  I dig you. No big worries.  4’ x 8’ is a good amount of room for a model railroad. You wouldn’t want to go any smaller for HO.  HO?  Golly, you haven’t heard about HO?  HO is king these days.  HO trains are one 87^th the size of the real world trains they are based on. Want my tips on your track plan?

A loop:  It doesn’t get simpler than this. Around and around it goes like laundry in a dryer.  This works great for the limitations of a 4’ x 8’ space.  To keep this from getting boring you’ll want to make something of the empty eye at its center.  Consider placing a little town on the interior of your setup.  Having a little station that your train pulls into could also add an extra dimension of interest to this very basic setup.

Just like in ice skating, a figure eight can be wonderful: Don’t dis the figure eight. The symbol for infinity is a nice little plan. You’ll have two pizza slice and two donut hole spaces to add decoration to or to leave untouched.

Concentric tracks also work well:  You can create several alternatives on this, but the basic idea is to have a smaller track surrounded by a larger track. You could perhaps have two trains, one on the interior and one on the long track.  A lot of times this setup will have a train yard at the center, since this is what the setup most resembles in the real world.

Dual train tracks:  Another way of increasing interest to this set-up is to have two separate trains, one on the interior and one on the exterior of the track  Now two trains draw the viewer’s gaze.  This makes the need for interesting interior decoration less imminent.

Using N Scale trains increases your track possibilities greatly:  N-guage will really give you a lot more track variations right away.  Actual trains dwarf these little guys by 160 times. The track plans we’ve been discussing are gone with these guys. You can add interest to your track plan and variation to your landscape. Try a little city at one corner and a lush forrest on the other. But, of course, n-scale is tiny 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 stringent space requirements have produced some of the most imaginative layouts.

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 toy locomotive hobby? What’s coming down the pike that has each and every model trainer tossing and turning with anticipation? What throw back style of locomotives are about to make a come back the way bell bottoms and tye-dye did a the end of the Reagan Administration?I could go on and on like this, but let me just let the train out the bag: it’s s gauge model trains.  Yeah, that’s right, s gauge? If you’re not that acquainted with scales and gauges then you probably don’t realize that this isn’t a standard gauge nowadays.   You couldn’t confirm for me if that is as large as garden locomotive or as tiny as an n scale, huh?  Alright, well let me give you the low down on these before you start hearing about them in the news:

Here’s a blast from the past, these s gauge locomotives are “American Flyers”:  

This style of locomotives has entered the hall of fame of model trains.  But a large reason why this gauge is so popular is because after having been shut down during World War II, American Flyer retooled and released a forward looking line of state of the art locomotives in s gauge.  American Flyer took on the role of Spartacus to Lionel’s Roman Empire and although their revolt was unsuccessful it is not surprising that model trainers now stand up and yell “I am American Flyer” in revolt. S gauge is an “inbetween” gauge, way larger than HO but smaller than Lionel’s O.  S gauge 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 trains are a lot of fun to color and detail.

S gauge is not common:  

Because American Flyer in effect created s scale and then went out of business shortly after, you don’t come across it much.  A.C. Gilbert, who ran American Flyer at the time, manufactured this gauge as an attempt to create a brand of locomotives that would keep up with Lionel by making high quality trains 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 short life span has inflated the demand for their parts and sets.   This has made American Flyer the Holy Grail of model locomotives for many collectors.

Lionel LLC has broadcast their intention to bring out new “vintage” s gauge locomotives:  

American Flyer’s nemesis 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 trainers.  The great success of these releases has driven Lionel to promise to bring back the s gauge trains that avid fans are so in love with.  So any day now you may be coming across new toys in this gauge and hobbyists will have yet another scale to choose from.

So if you want to get in front of this wave, now’s the time.  This is when the early adopters wade in and check things out.  Get one of these flap jacks while they’re still hot.  Remember when I told you about this little coffee house called Starbuck’s.  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

Small miniatures are the coolest, huh?  Well, I can’t say I blame you. They are soooo cooool!.  These tiny beauties really can make for a fascinating model training experience.  Another interesting aspect of these little locomotives is that they are so tiny you can for all intents and purposes fit them anywhere.  Let’s think a little bit about how we could use them in different spaces:

The smallest N scale space:

It doesn’t get any tinier than this.  We could set it up on the coffee table if this is all the space we’re going to use. All you can get from this miniscule space though is a fairly basic loop the loop. The only other choices would be a figure 8 or concentric donuts.

Pre-fab n scale scenic highlights:

N-scale is so small it is hard to work with. Craftwork is definitely out for these little guys but don’t worry, several companies offer lines of pre-fab highlights.  A good way of adding interest to your n-model railroad layout is to buy some of these and add them to your setup.  Atlas is perhaps one of the best manufacturers for accessories in n-scale.

Square setup:

A square 3’ x 3’ layout area will really open up fun possibilities. It doesn’t seem like much but it makes a huge difference.  You will need a dedicated train table to do this, but if you place a lake at the center of your track you can have the trains circling it and crossing over its tributary at the edges.  This makes for a really captivating scene in a really tight space. Don’t try a smaller space. I’ve never seen this work in a smaller space.

Every adventure begins with a first step and every model train empire with a basic loop:

Commence with a basic donut and connect, connect, connect.  You could start with a simple 2’ x 4’ layout and then add to it so that it is a 2’ by 8’ long island type structure and then turn it into an “L” shape, etc., etc.. You might extend a mountain row down the length of table so that your train winds along next to it and then crosses through a tunnel at its end.  This is also a great way of adding variations to your landscape as you go. Perhaps add a ruined mission or a peak to create interesting variations and challenge your growing modeling abilities.

N scale gives you the most possibilities for the least amount of space. Challenge yourself to let your creativity overcome the physical limitations of your space.  If you find a particular landscape captivating, construct it. The imaginative process is its own reward.

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