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Newbie and totally confused!


xtal_01
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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

 

 

 

 

 

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Welcome Mike,

   First stop might be the Vermont Garden Railways Society.  Good to get with some, or one and talk. Buy Garden Railways Magazine, they have a good book out on building one also.

http://www.vgrs.us/

   I see they have a used equipment page there and one guy has lots of stuff to buy. Getting used is a cheaper way to go.

 

This is a good forum to read and there are several others you might check out. All free to read and lurk. My Large Scale,  Large Scale Central are the other two in the US. One in the UK, but don't recall it's name.

 

Best outside track is Stainless, no problems and stays clean. All G scale track is the same size between the rails. USA/LGB/Aristo(out of business) are the larger code 332, mostly comes in pre-bent sizes. Get the biggest radius you can. I prefer code 250, it is smaller and your trains look much more realistic on it. Get pieces of both and you'll see what I mean. It is mostly in flex track, where you bend it to fit your garden railway/basement. It comes in all the metals. Best to get a rail bender, the club might have one to loan out.

 

Then you need to decide what kind of railroad you want. All these scales run on the same track, so keep that in mind.  IF you will have tight curves you might want to stay with smaller track and engines/cars.

 

1:32 scale is the correct scale for Mainline trains to run on. Advantage here is they are smaller and lighter to carry around. Which I like more as I age. MTH is the main company that makes this scale. Piko has some cars in the scale as does Marklin, but they are  pricey. MTH may seem pricey but the engines come with sound and smoke. They had their own digital control, DCS, but the new ones with the PS3 card can also be DCC control, they can also be controlled with just a regular DC controller, but you have no control over the whistle and some other functions. A Bridgewerks controller is a good one to get for all these controls.  You do need a TIU and remote unit from MTH to get the other control, or a DCC unit, made by several companies.  MTH also has a unit to hook to your smart phone.

 

1:29 scale is what Aristo made up so their engines looked bigger than than the LGB engines. Aristo has since folded but may come back under some other brand. Lots of used and new stuff out there still. They made several steamers and a big line of diesels. Also passenger cars and freight cars.

        USA trains also uses this scale. They are still in business.

 

!;24 scale is hardly made anymore, Hartland may be the only one, but others can chime in here. There stuff is good and solid, sort of small, which could be good for inside running.

 

1:20 scale is for Narrow Gauge on the same track. They are large engines and large cars, so keep that in mind. Bachmann is the main maker here.

 

LGB started this whole thing a lot and has gone through some ups and downs. Now made in Europe again their product is of good quality. Scales vary some with them. They make a ine of European, some USA of different periods. Lots of info on the net.

 

Aristo Craft started off the 1:29 scale to impress, and they do, but the size can be overpowering.  Generally good quality, but has some problems.

USA Trains also makes 1:29 and is still going, mostly repaints and being conservative in this economy.

 

MTH makes lots of scales, all using their DCS control, but newer can also be DCC. They are 1:32 scale, which means the 1:29 can look sort of big next to them. But freight trains vary in size, so not a big deal there. They have a nice line of steam trains and diesels. Some you have to buy used(which is what I've always done), since they are not making some of it right now. There are new dash 8's, and F-7's out there right now and new passenger and freight cars.

 

You can read over my web page, it explains more of this in depth and you can see pictures.  Might help clear up some confusion.

http://thescrr.com/

The projects button get you to some things I've done. Has MTH trains on it also.

http://thescrr.com/projects-a.html

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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

 

 

 

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Welcome Mike.  I'm going to put another vote for Stainless rail, it is literally maintenance free and I dont ever have to clean my track.  Use Stainless rail with stainless steel direct to rail split jaw rail clamps and you are set for good.  I haven't touched my layout at all since I deployed it 2008.  (Clamps stay tight etc).  Regarding your experience with brass long ago in HO scale, I know exactly what you mean and the brass I remember from long ago does not compare to the brass currently used today.  They appear to have changed the alloy/composition over the years so that the brass used in G scale for example is no where near as bad as that of HO from decades ago.  The old HO brass was to me almost unusable.  Another issue with brass track that does apply today is the carbon dust that is created from the power pickups, that dust gets built up on the wheels and requires more frequent cleaning.  Stainless steel does not have this problem. 

 

Just getting started you will have a lot of reading and deciding to do on what to go with.  If you ever have questions you are also welcome to reach out to me directly.

 

Raymond

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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

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