xtal_01

I started reading some of the suggested pages .... It seems there is no wrong way to build a railway! I saw railways with mixed scales, with dcc and track power (set up with a switch), powered track and battery trains ... it seems people mix and match as their budget allows and as they pick up trains they like. I was at a "local" train show ( not much really local in VT ... our largest city is only 42,000 people so shows are few and far between) a couple years back. I do see there is one coming up on far from here next month (same one I went a few years ago). It was mostly HO and O gauge. I will go again and keep my eyes open for some good used G. Till then, I will keep reading up on what is out there. Thanks again so very much !!!!!!!!!!!! Mike

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I thought just having two scales both calling themselves HO was odd (1:72 and 1:87). You are awesome! I have a much better overview now. I just want to make sure if I buy something to run inside now, I can use it later when I build outside. Stainless makes sense for outside. Just did a quick check ... expensive ... but then you only have to buy it once and as you pointed out the maintenance will be near zero. This all dates back to seeing a bunch of G scale trains running around an amusement park in Niagara Falls Canada back in 1967 (I would have been 5). A park was set up called Canadia. It only lasted about 3 years. It was all famous Canadian places. They had a bunch of F7's and SW12's literally running all over the property. Ever since I have wanted an outdoor railway. http://www.aphan.ca/canadia.html My wife loves it when we go to a restaurant and they have a train running around on tracks above. Looks like I have a bunch more reading to do before deciding on which way to go. Thanks so very much again !!!!!!!!!! Mike

I am 54 and have always loved trains. When I was 5, I got my first HO layout ... simple rheostat controls ... brass track (that oxidized an would stop a train without cleaning). FYI ... I still have my original trains (less track). Through the years, I had a couple of layouts ... each got more complex but still simple controls ( last set had momentum ) and I did get some nickel silver oxide track to save the cleaning. My wife are in the middle of building a house. She is paralyzed and we have been living in an old RV for the past three years ... not easy here in VT when winter temps hit -30 ... but we saved $1000 per month in rent while we built an accessible house. We just moved into the unfinished part and I am finishing it up this winter. We have said that it would be neat to have a g scale train running either around the basement, out in the garden or both. While searching e-bay for something totally different, I came across a couple of Lionel g scale hand cars (saw a couple of Wile E / Road Runner for sale .... I am just a big kid and love Looney Tunes). I almost put a bid in for one but then decided to look at what it would take for track and a controller. Now I am confused! Solid brass track for outside ... would this not oxidize like my old track inside or just corrode outside ( and is was labeled for inside or outside use). Hollow steel track .... I don't know how it would work inside but I would think it would rust outside. Rheostat control ( don't know how well this works on 100 ft of track) ... battery operated trains with RC control (looked like a toy having plastic track) .... live steam trains with RC control .... DCS control (don't know if you can fit this into something small like a hand pump car) ..... Sooooooooooo .... I am guessing these Lionel trains use a simple rheostat control. Will these run inside and outside (obviously in nice weather only)? What type of track do I need for inside? What type of track for outside? Are all tracks compatible with each other? I will want to get other trains in the future .... I will what them to stay compatible. I see they can range from $100 to thousands of dollars! What do I need to know to get started? I just want to make sure anything I buy today, I will be able to use in the future. Thanks so much .... Mike