Tips For Building Your First Train Layout

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Getting started inWelcome to the World’s Greatest HobbyTips for building yourfirst train layoutPLUS:P22184Information to helpyou get startedChoosing the bestscale for you618077SM

WHAT’S AHEADWelcomeWelcome to the world’s greatest hobby!We think model railroading is the greatesthobby in the world, but you may wonderwhy we feel that way.The answer is “choice.” Model railroadingoffers a variety of activities for all ages andinterests. Are you a history buff? You’ll enjoyresearching a specific time period to modelyour layout after. Enjoy woodworking? Youcan create custom benchwork and woodenstructures. Perhaps you have an artistic flair,which can be used to create unique scenery, layout accessories, and backdrops.The good news is you don’t have to doall of these to be a model railroader. Youcan concentrate on the areas you findmost interesting now, and learn otherskills if and when you like.Fun for all agesMany model railroaders find that thehobby can include the entire family. Moreand more married couples actively participate in the hobby together. And kidsof all ages have always been fascinated bymodel trains.What better gift can you give your children or grandchildren than your time?You’ll be creating precious memoriestogether as you share a lifetime hobby thatteaches patience and the joys of creatingsomething with your hands.Take your time and read through thishelpful booklet. Though it can only offera glimpse into the exciting world of modeltrains, we hope it inspires you to begin andenjoy this wonderful, lifetime hobby.SCALES AND GAUGES. 3SCALE MODEL TRAINS. 4TOY TRAIN COLLECTING. 5GARDEN RAILROADING. 5WAYS TO GET STARTED. 6B U I L D I N G A L A Y O U T. . . . . . . 8RESOURCES. 15P H O T O G A L L E R Y . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8Controlling a train on a layout that you built gives you a great thrill. You get to set the speeds of the train and determinethe scenery you want to put on your layout.2World’s Greatest Hobby

WHAT’S THE RIGHT SIZE FOR ME?Understanding scale & gaugeLarge scale: 203/4"O: 12½"S: 93 8"Z: 23/4"N: 33/4"You don’t have to spend much time withmodel trains to realize that they come indifferent sizes. Let’s take a look at themso you can think about which size may bebest for you.We differentiate model and toy trainsaccording to their scale and their gauge.“Scale” relates to the comparative ratio ofmeasurements between a model and itsfull-size prototype.“Gauge,” the second aspect of a model’ssize, refers to the space between the rails ofthe track. Precision and consistency areessential when dealing with gauge. Manufacturers must be able to guarantee thatthe wheels of all the models they advertiseas being of that gauge do indeed fit on thatsize track so all trains can be used together.The largest of them allThe largest scales in use today are collectively called “large-scale trains.” These models are offered in a range of scales, and alloperate on Gauge 1 track. This track has 45mm between the rails. To give you an ideaHO: 7"The same locomotive in six different scales,measuring just 23/4" long in Z scale up to awhopping 203/4" long in large scale.of the size of these trains, the 50-foot-longlocomotive shown in the photo abovemeasures about 203 4 inches in 1:29 scale.The most popular gauge for toy trains isO, with 11 4 inches between the rails andbuilt to a ratio of 1:48. The 50-foot locomotive in the photo is 121 2 inches long in O.Slightly smaller than O gauge trains areS gauge trains. They run on track whoserails are spaced 7 8 inches apart, and have aratio of 1:64.Small and popularScale models built to be approximately halfthe size of O gauge models are called HO.These trains have a relationship of 1:87 to theirfull-size compatriots, and the track gaugemeasures 16.5 mm. Our 50-foot locomotivenow measures only 7 inches in length.HO trains are small enough to allowyou to plan a satisfying layout in a compact space, and still are large enough toshow off lots of detail and be easy to workwith. HO railroading is the most popular ofthe scales, with more than two-thirds ofmodelers making it their top choice.Smaller still is N scale. Rolling stock andlocomotives of this size are designed to bein a ratio of 1:160 to their prototypes. Thetrack gauge is 9 mm between the rails. Nscale works well for modelers who don’thave a lot of space at their disposal or whoprefer to run their trains through trulyexpansive scenery.Even smaller are Z scale trains. Their proportion to the prototype is 1:220, and theyrun on track whose rails are 6.5 mm apart.How tiny is this scale? That 50-foot locomotive measures just 23 4 inches in Z.Which size is best?No one scale is right for everyone. Lookat several scales and consider how muchspace you have to devote to your trains.Talk with experienced modelers, clubmembers, or hobby shop employees.Don’t worry if you change your mind andlater decide that a different scale is a better choice for you. No matter what youchoose, prepare to have a blast!www.GreatestHobby.com3

SCALE MODEL RAILROADINGModel railroading is funWhat is it about scale model railroadingthat makes it such a great hobby? At theheart of it all is our fascination with miniatures of all kinds. We find a thrill in studyingtiny duplicates of real objects. Even thougha precision model of a locomotive is a workof art in its own right, placing that samemodel in the context of a complete settingmakes it come to life. Building a completemodel railroad that evokes a sense of timeand place is the heart of this hobby.Many scale model railroaders recall theirchildhood when a train set allowed themto travel through an imaginary world. Asadults, they find they have the means andskills to bring that world to life.Although there is a tremendous varietyof fine-running, beautifully detailed locomotives, cars, buildings, and accessoriesavailable to scale model railroaders, this isstill a personal and creative hobby.There are no minimum requirements forentry, and people of all levels of participation, skills, and interest are welcome to joinin the fun of model railroading, meaningthere is a place for you.Fun in all kinds of waysSo who are scale model railroaders? Theycome from all walks of life and enjoy thehobby in different ways. There are modelNarrow gauge railroads blend themystique of the old West with spectacular scenery and the sights andsounds of the “iron horse.”4World’s Greatest HobbyIn the model railroad hobby, you have many choices of what you want to model.Many modelers prefer creating different eras when building their layouts. In thispicture, the modeler went back in time and produced a 1950s layout.railroaders who rarely, if ever, build amodel. They enjoy reading about thehobby and dream about the model railroad they’re going to build “someday.” Wecall these enthusiasts “armchair modelers.”Other hobbyists build detailed modelsof locomotives or cars. Some focus onbuilding structures and scenery. For them,model railroading is a form of sculpture.They may even look upon the trains as asecondary consideration—providingmovement in an otherwise static world.Then there are those who focus onmechanical and electrical things to thepoint that they never build scenery.The majority of model railroaders findthe greatest enjoyment in combining allthese approaches, tailoring the hobby tosuit their interests.An evolving hobbyDespite the variety of commercial products available, model railroading is a creative endeavor. If two model railroadersstarted with identical track plans, theirfinished layouts would look nothing likeone another. One might create a whimsicaldesert setting, while the other could endup with a busy urban scene.The track plan is merely a blueprint, adiagram showing where the pieces shouldgo. It provides a starting place but it takesthe scenery and settings, and the creativityof the modeler, to breathe life into the layout and make it unique.Starting smallMost model railroaders start small—a 4x8foot layout is the most common size, atleast in HO scale. They add a few buildings,some scenery, and additional cars andlocomotives as the mood strikes.No matter how big or small, no layout isever really finished. There’s always somenew technique to try and something toimprove or change. A model railroad is aform of evolutionary art that changes andgrows with its creator.

TOY TRAINSAction-packed toy trainsIn the years following World War II, it seemedthat just about every boy wished for a colorful train or an action-packed accessories fromLionel or American Flyer. In the 1950s, electrictrains were the number one toy for boys – andthese toys are just as exciting today.Today’s O gauge and S gauge have theappearance, ruggedness, and heft of electrictrains produced in the 1950s, but today’smodels feature state-of-the-art electronics,including realistic sound systems and digital,wireless control systems.Because of their strong heritage, today’s toytrains remain compatible with those manufactured 50, 60, and even 70 years ago. Tracksizes and basic electrical functions have notchanged, so it is a common sight to visit a toytrain layout and see a locomotive manufactured in 1953 running side-by-side with onemanufactured a half-century later.Hobbyists like Rick Wright combine newer locomotives with vintage Lionelaccessories and built-from-scratch structures for a unique toy train layout.GARDEN RAILROADINGEnjoy model trains outdoorsA garden railroad is a fascinating addition to any landscape and is a great wayfor the whole family to enjoy model railroading.A garden railroad brings your trains and scenery outdoors. Mountains are made of dirt, rivers are real water, and rocks are actual stone.Part of the fun in this hobby is following thepractices of a full-size railroad and workingwith the landscape. The “garden” part of garden railroading is another fascinating aspectof this hobby. Many nurseries and specialtyplant growers sell dwarf and miniature versions of all types of plants. These specimensare ideal for garden railroads since they fitwith the scale of the trains by having smallerfeatures and a slower growth rate than theirfull-size cousins.Garden railroading is a deep and excep tionally rewarding hobby anyone canenjoy. It might be the best hobby for yourfamily, because increasing numbers ofwomen, children, and families are enjoyingit together.www.GreatestHobby.com5

GETTING STARTEDFive easy ways to get started inYou might already have a starter set in theattic or tucked away in a closet, but aren’tsure what to do with it. Maybe your son orgrandson enjoys Thomas the Tank Engineor Brio toys. Here, we’ll help you make thetransition from thinking about model railroading to actively participating in it. It’seasier than you might think.1. Train under the Christmas treeNothing says Christmas like a toy-train layout. Many holiday buildings andaccessories are widely available to help get you started.For some folks, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without a toy train running aroundthe tree. With the availability of startersets and snap-together track, it’s neverbeen easier to set up a holiday-themedtrain layout.A basic oval, perhaps with one pair ofswitches to provide interest with an alternate route, is all that’s needed. If you wantto run two trains, set up another ovalinside the first.Tie the tree and the train layout togetherin some way. A winter scene works well,even in warn climates. Accentuate thewhimsical: cute buildings, oversized accessories, and blinking lights. Many discountstores sell holiday-themed accessories thatwork great for toy-train layouts.You should also do something to set thelayout apart from the rest of the room andprotect the carpet. Little accidents happen—lubricating oil sometimes splatters, fakesnow gets out of hand, artificial coalspills—and you’ll want something to contain or absorb these mishaps. If you’redoing a winter motif, a white bed sheetwill work well.Set up your train and accompanyingscene, sit back, and enjoy. You mightfind that you’ll want to keep the trainsout all year!2. A layout for kidsDick Christianson and his grandson, Elliott, enjoy this simple toy train layout onChristmas morning. You can easily build a version of this 4- by 6-foot O-27 gaugelayout for your family. Dick added cabinet handles so Elliott can easily roll thelayout under his bed.6World’s Greatest HobbyMany stores now sell “play mats” for kids;basically, they’re a piece of carpeting withroads and a city scene imprinted onto thefabric. Dick Christianson, retired Managing editor of Model Railroader, used a playmat as a basis for a simple toy-train layout.He attached the carpeting to a piece ofplywood to form a train table, and screwed3-rail track on top of the carpet.

model railroadingA wooden railway system,such as this one by Learning Curve,exposes kids to trains at a young age.3. Wooden railroad systems4. Simple outdoor set upPerhaps you received a large-scale starterset as a gift and aren’t sure what to do withit. You don’t need to build a complex garden railway to enjoy your trains outdoors.Set up the track in a corner of your yard oron a deck and watch the trains run. The bestpart is, you can leave the track outdoors ifyou wish (but bring the transformer andtrain inside after an operating session).KEVIN STRONGWooden railroad systems are a great wayto introduce the excitement of railroadingto children as young as age three. Popularwooden railroad sets, such as those madeby Brio, or those featuring the popularThomas the Tank Engine & Friends characters, offer plenty of hands-on fun rightout of the box. Best of all, a kid (along withhis/her family) equipped with a train andplenty of track will soon start to experiment with building new track arrangements and thinking up stories to go alongwith the action.That’s the kind of creative play that reallyfires a kid’s imagination and boosts problem-solving skills. You can’t beat a qualitywooden train set for years of railroad fun!A grape arbor provides a pleasant backdrop for the beginnings of a garden railway. If you choose to expand the railroad, the dry rock garden can become partof the landscape.5. Attend a train showThere’s no better way to get started inthe hobby then by attending a trainshow. Shows in all scales are held acrossthe country year round (to find one nearyou, see the events database list at trains.com). Many train shows feature operatinglayouts and displays, so you can experience the hobby first-hand. Often, clubmembers and hobby representatives areavailable to offer assistance and answeryour questions.There’s no better way to experience the hobby than by attending a train show.Many shows feature operating layouts, like the one above.www.GreatestHobby.com7

BUILDING A LAYOUTBuilding a simple layoutTerminal/rerailerRLLROCK JUNCTIONTwo 3"straightsHO ScaleScale: ¾" 1'-0"8RPower packWiring diagram(conventional DC)Terminal/rerailerTerminalrerailerHO scale layout (4 x 8 feet)HO scale layout (4 x 8 feet)N scale layout (3'-6" x 7'-0")This simple track plan of the HO scale Rock Junction is a great for beginners.It’s easy to recreate and small enough to fit in a room or basement.Planning a layoutTrain sets usually come packed with anovalPoweror apackfigure-8 of track. Hobby shopsand other dealers sell extra track sections– straights, curves, and turnouts (sometimescalled switches) that allow you to designa layout in almost any track configuration.The only limits are your imagination and thespace available in your home for a layout.Some of the best track plans come fromWiring diagram(Digital Command Control)8World’s Greatest Hobbyspecialty books available at hobby shopsand through the Internet that contain pageafter page of plans in different scales and insizes from 4 x 8 sheets of plywood to baseN scale layout (3'-6" x 7'-0")ment empires. Different plans focus on difTerminal of model railroading, fromferent aspectsrerailermainline running to rural branch operationsto yard switching. Your own tastes will dictate which plan is right for you.TerminalrerailerOnce you’ve selected a plan, you’ll needto translate it into track sections. Someplans come with a “shopping list” of sections used to construct the layout. Otherplans leave it up to you to study the catalogs and Websites of track manufacturersto determine what straight, curve, flextrack, and turnout sections you’ll need tobuild the layout and in what quantities.

Tabletop 1 4" plywood, 4 x 8-foot sheet47"96"16"Wing nutLock nutBolt-washerMaterials for table4 x 8-foot sheet of 1 2" birchplywood ripped into 3"-wideby 8-foot strips (1)4 x 8-foot sheet of 1 4"plywood (1)8" lengths of 2 x 2 (4)8-foot lengths of 1 4" x 11 4"wood molding (4)T-nuts, 1/4" (4)Carriage bolts, 1 4" x 2" (16)Washers, 1 4" (16)Lock nuts, 1 4" (4)Wing nuts, 1 4" (12)Carpenter’s gluePanel nails (1 box)1 4" leg-levelers (or bolts) (4)40"Bolt-washer-lock nut32"8" length of 2 x 2Wood molding, cut to fitT-nutBolt-washer-wing nutLeg-leveling bolt(or plain bolt)18"35"Model railroad benchwork doesn’t need to be fancy, but it should be sturdy.Here is a sample of benchwork you could build at home.Train tablesThere are many different ways to buildthe support structure of your railroad, butthey all fall under the general heading of“benchwork.” Benchwork can be just aboutanything, from a shelf attached to a wall toan unused kitchen table.Typical benchwork starts with four legs,a horizontal support frame made from1 x 3 pine boards, and a piece of plywoodscrewed to the top of the support frame.The end result looks much like a table,hence the term “train table.”Benchwork for larger layouts oftenrequires more versatile designs to conserve material and provide more latitudefor scenery construction. While they mayseem complicated at first glance, they areactually easy to build.Among the most popular of thesedesigns is “L-girder” benchwork. This openframe benchwork gets its name from theappearance of the cross-section of thestrip-wood girders, which looks like anuppercase letter L. The other parts of Lgirder benchwork are legs, joists, and risers. Horizontal L-girders join sets of legstogether, horizontal joists run perpendicular to the girders and give the frameworklateral strength, and risers support thetrack. By modifying the height of therisers you can create scenery effectsthat go far beyond the parameters offlat-topped tables.www.GreatestHobby.com9

BUILDING A LAYOUTSECTIONAL TRACKALL-IN-ONE TRACKFLEX TRACKThree types of commercially-available track. All-in-one track is sectional track with built-in roadbed. Sectional track comesin predetermined straight and curved sections. Flex track (shown from both the top and underside) can be bought inthree-foot sections and can be formed to your specifications.All-in-one track has roadbed integrated with the rails. To use, simply snap the pieces together.TrackMany hobbyists get started with the loopof sectional track that came with their firsttrain set. You can expand your loop withthe same brand of track or you can useanother brand in the same scale.Two types of sectional track are available: regular and all-in-one. Regular trackfeatures rails mounted on injection-molded plastic ties. All-in-one track includesplastic roadbed that represents the layer ofrock ballast under the ties.10World’s Greatest HobbyNearly all brands of regular track will fittogether with each other using metal railjoiners since the rails use the same crosssection profile. All-in-one track often usesclips on the ends of the plastic roadbed tomechanically join sections, so some manufacturers’ clips may not fit into anothermanufacturers’ track sections.Turnouts, sometimes called switches, aremade t

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